Shoalhaven Heads flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Shoalhaven Heads (Shoalhaven, NSW) - 4.11 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
4.11 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Shoalhaven Heads's boundary, with the flood, bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address.
Shoalhaven Heads at a glance
How Shoalhaven Heads is zoned
Buying in Shoalhaven Heads? 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 4.11 km², Shoalhaven Heads is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 50% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 4 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 670 m² across 1,310 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 Shoalhaven Heads
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Shoalhaven Heads 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 958, and decile 3 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Shoalhaven Heads's 3,248 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Berry - Kangaroo Valley, the wider ABS statistical area containing Shoalhaven Heads. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Shoalhaven Heads itself.
8,112 in 2001 to 9,523 in 2025, up 17%.
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.
Shoalhaven Heads 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 | 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 Shoalhaven Heads 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 →Shoalhaven Heads planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Shoalhaven Heads?
The schematic on this page is a Shoalhaven Heads flood map: the mapped flood overlays drawn over the suburb's terrain and street grid. Flood lines vary block to block, so for a specific property use the free interactive map - search any Shoalhaven Heads address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Shoalhaven Heads flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Shoalhaven Heads and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Shoalhaven Heads bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 50% of Shoalhaven Heads is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Shoalhaven average of 90%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Shoalhaven Heads?
The dominant planning zone in Shoalhaven Heads is Low Density Residential, though the suburb also includes Public Recreation and Recreational Waterways. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Shoalhaven Heads have heritage-listed places?
Shoalhaven Heads has 4 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 Shoalhaven Heads?
Across 1,310 surveyed parcels in Shoalhaven Heads, the median lot size is about 670 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 Shoalhaven Heads have a train station?
There is no train station inside Shoalhaven Heads itself. The suburb is served by 108 bus stops.
What is the population of Shoalhaven Heads?
At the 2021 Census Shoalhaven Heads had 3,248 usual residents, with a median age of 56 and an average household size of 2.1 people. The wider Berry - Kangaroo Valley statistical area, which contains Shoalhaven Heads, went from 8,112 people in 2001 to 9,523 in 2025, up 17%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Shoalhaven Heads alone.
Is Shoalhaven Heads an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Shoalhaven Heads scores 958 and sits in decile 4 of 10 nationally and decile 3 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 Shoalhaven Heads?
Median household income in Shoalhaven Heads was $1,066 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,493 for the typical suburb in Shoalhaven. Median rent was $365 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,950 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Shoalhaven Heads property?
A Shoalhaven Heads 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coolangatta | 2.8 km | 0% | 88% |
| Comerong Island | 3.8 km | 0% | 80% |
| Far Meadow | 4.5 km | 0% | 100% |
| Numbaa | 5.2 km | 0% | 88% |
| Back Forest | 5.4 km | 0% | 97% |
| Berry | 5.7 km | 0% | 96% |
| Orient Point | 6.8 km | 0% | 60% |
| Greenwell Point | 6.9 km | 0% | 31% |
| Culburra Beach | 8.0 km | 0% | 71% |
| Pyree | 8.4 km | 0% | 98% |