South Ballina flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of South Ballina (Ballina, NSW) - 5.28 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
5.28 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to South Ballina'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.
South Ballina at a glance
How South Ballina is zoned
Buying in South Ballina? 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 5.28 km², South Ballina is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 64% is flagged bushfire-prone. The dominant land-use zone is National Parks and Nature Reserves. The median lot measures about 7,501 m² across 32 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 South Ballina
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the South Ballina 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.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Ballina Surrounds, the wider ABS statistical area containing South Ballina. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than South Ballina itself.
14,963 in 2001 to 19,370 in 2025, up 29%.
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.
South Ballina 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 South Ballina 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 →South Ballina planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of South Ballina?
The schematic on this page is a South Ballina 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 South Ballina address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is South Ballina flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers South Ballina 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 South Ballina bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 64% of South Ballina is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Ballina average of 72%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in South Ballina?
The dominant planning zone in South Ballina is National Parks and Nature Reserves, though the suburb also includes Natural Waterways and Rural Landscape. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does South Ballina have heritage-listed places?
No heritage-listed places are on record within South Ballina. Even so, it is worth confirming for an individual property before any works.
What is the typical lot size in South Ballina?
Across 32 surveyed parcels in South Ballina, the median lot size is about 7,501 m². There are also 1 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 South Ballina have a train station?
There is no train station inside South Ballina itself. The suburb is served by 2 bus stops.
Is South Ballina an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), South Ballina 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.
Do I need a planning report for a South Ballina property?
A South Ballina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Hall | 2.3 km | 0% | 90% |
| East Ballina | 3.3 km | 0% | 50% |
| Ballina | 5.2 km | 0% | 60% |
| West Ballina | 5.3 km | 0% | 74% |
| Skennars Head | 5.9 km | 0% | 86% |
| Empire Vale | 6.4 km | Not mapped | 96% |
| Pimlico | 6.5 km | 0% | 94% |
| Cumbalum | 7.5 km | 0% | 76% |
| Pimlico Island | 8.0 km | Not mapped | 0% |
| Patchs Beach | 8.9 km | Not mapped | 100% |