South Nowra zoning & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of South Nowra (Shoalhaven, NSW) - 8.95 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
8.95 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 South Nowra'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.
South Nowra at a glance
How South Nowra is zoned
Buying in South Nowra? 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 8.95 km², South Nowra 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, 72% is flagged bushfire-prone. The dominant land-use zone is General Industrial. The median lot measures about 703 m² across 1,703 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 Nowra
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the South Nowra 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 984, and decile 5 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of South Nowra's 3,165 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Nowra, the wider ABS statistical area containing South Nowra. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than South Nowra itself.
14,125 in 2001 to 23,716 in 2025, up 68%.
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 Nowra 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 South Nowra 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 Nowra planning - frequently asked
Is South Nowra flood-prone?
We don't yet hold flood mapping covering South Nowra, 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. Shoalhaven 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 South Nowra bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 72% of South Nowra 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 South Nowra?
The dominant planning zone in South Nowra is General Industrial, though the suburb also includes General Residential and Productivity Support. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does South Nowra have heritage-listed places?
No heritage-listed places are on record within South Nowra. Even so, it is worth confirming for an individual property before any works.
What is the typical lot size in South Nowra?
Across 1,703 surveyed parcels in South Nowra, the median lot size is about 703 m². There are also 8 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 Nowra have a train station?
There is no train station inside South Nowra itself. The suburb is served by 85 bus stops.
What is the population of South Nowra?
At the 2021 Census South Nowra had 3,165 usual residents, with a median age of 33 and an average household size of 2.8 people. The wider Nowra statistical area, which contains South Nowra, went from 14,125 people in 2001 to 23,716 in 2025, up 68%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than South Nowra alone.
Is South Nowra an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), South Nowra scores 984 and sits in decile 5 of 10 nationally and decile 5 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 South Nowra?
Median household income in South Nowra was $1,789 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,493 for the typical suburb in Shoalhaven. Median rent was $398 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,000 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a South Nowra property?
A South Nowra 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nowra | 3.4 km | 0% | 31% |
| West Nowra | 3.5 km | 0% | 84% |
| Nowra Hill | 3.5 km | Not mapped | 88% |
| Worrigee | 4.0 km | 0% | 85% |
| Mundamia | 4.2 km | 0% | 98% |
| Terara | 5.4 km | 0% | 81% |
| Brundee | 6.0 km | 0% | 100% |
| North Nowra | 6.4 km | 0% | 76% |
| Mayfield | 6.5 km | 0% | 100% |
| Bomaderry | 7.0 km | 0% | 43% |