Sawtell zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Sawtell (Coffs Harbour, NSW) - 3.75 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained on the overlays we hold - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
3.75 km² - this suburb is highly constrained on the overlays we hold - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Sawtell's boundary, with the bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address. No flood layer is drawn because we hold no flood mapping for this area.
Sawtell at a glance
How Sawtell is zoned
Buying in Sawtell? The zoning, flood and bushfire lines on the section 10.7 certificate attached to the contract are mapped controls - see our s10.7 certificate guide.
Across its 3.75 km², Sawtell is highly constrained by the planning overlays we hold. We hold no flood mapping covering this suburb, so no flood figure is shown - that is a gap in our data, not an all-clear. Of what is mapped, 50% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 24 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Public Recreation. The median lot measures about 748 m² across 1,502 parcels. These figures are suburb-wide - the overlays that actually apply to a given lot can differ block to block, which is what a property-level check tells you.
Who lives in Sawtell
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Sawtell suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.
Socio-economic standing
ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.
Score 1002, and decile 6 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Sawtell's 3,788 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Sawtell - Boambee, the wider ABS statistical area containing Sawtell. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Sawtell itself.
17,898 in 2001 to 20,581 in 2025, up 15%.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of Population and Housing 2021 (General Community Profile) and SEIFA 2021, both published at the Suburbs and Localities level; Regional Population (estimated resident population) at Statistical Area Level 2. Used under CC BY 4.0. Census counts of small populations are randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality, so figures for small suburbs are indicative.
Sawtell data sources and coverage
Every figure below is an aggregate for the suburb boundary. “Not mapped” means LayeredGeo does not hold a source layer covering this suburb; it is never an all-clear for a particular property.
| Dataset | Coverage | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Flood mapping | Not mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Bushfire-prone mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Zoning | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Heritage and environment | Mapped where published | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Demographics | Available | Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA) |
Profile last materially updated 5 August 2026. See the methodology and full source list. Source data changes over time and critical decisions should be checked with the responsible authority.
Check a specific Sawtell address
See exactly which overlays touch a single property - the interactive map is free. Need it on paper? A full planning PDF is just $9.
See what's in the $9 report →Sawtell planning - frequently asked
Is Sawtell flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Sawtell, so this page can't say how much of the suburb is flood-affected - that is a gap in our data, not an indication that the suburb is free of flood risk. Coffs Harbour is the authority to check for flood mapping in this area. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Sawtell bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 50% of Sawtell is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Coffs Harbour average of 88%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Sawtell?
The dominant planning zone in Sawtell is Public Recreation, though the suburb also includes Low Density Residential and National Parks and Nature Reserves. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Sawtell have heritage-listed places?
Sawtell has 24 heritage-listed places on record. Heritage listing affects what you can alter or demolish, so confirm whether a specific property is listed or near a heritage place.
What is the typical lot size in Sawtell?
Across 1,502 surveyed parcels in Sawtell, the median lot size is about 748 m². There are also 5 registered easements mapped in the suburb - an easement can restrict where you can build, so always check the title and overlays for the specific lot.
Does Sawtell have a train station?
There is no train station inside Sawtell itself. The suburb is served by 63 bus stops.
What is the population of Sawtell?
At the 2021 Census Sawtell had 3,788 usual residents, with a median age of 47 and an average household size of 2.3 people. The wider Sawtell - Boambee statistical area, which contains Sawtell, went from 17,898 people in 2001 to 20,581 in 2025, up 15%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Sawtell alone.
Is Sawtell an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Sawtell scores 1002 and sits in decile 6 of 10 nationally and decile 6 within New South Wales - decile 1 being the most disadvantaged tenth of Australian suburbs and decile 10 the least. The national average score is 1000. SEIFA summarises income, education, occupation and housing across the whole suburb, so it describes the area, not any particular household in it.
What is the median household income in Sawtell?
Median household income in Sawtell was $1,405 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,550 for the typical suburb in Coffs Harbour. Median rent was $380 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Sawtell property?
A Sawtell planning report pulls every overlay - zoning, flood, bushfire, heritage and environmental - that touches a single lot, on live council and state data. The interactive map preview is free; a full PDF report is $9.
Compare nearby suburbs
| Nearby suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toormina | 1.6 km | Not mapped | 58% |
| Boambee East | 3.1 km | Not mapped | 62% |
| Boambee | 5.2 km | Not mapped | 95% |
| North Boambee Valley | 6.7 km | Not mapped | 84% |
| Bundagen | 6.7 km | Not mapped | 99% |
| Coffs Harbour | 7.0 km | Not mapped | 57% |
| Bonville | 7.5 km | Not mapped | 98% |
| Repton Bellingen |
10.2 km | Not mapped | 98% |
| Korora | 13.1 km | Not mapped | 85% |
| Mylestom Bellingen |
13.5 km | Not mapped | 76% |