Spencer flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Spencer (Central Coast, NSW) - 36.33 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Spencer'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.

Spencer at a glance

Parcels 394 Median lot 1,715 m² Mapped easements 2 Bus stops 14

How Spencer is zoned

National Parks and Nature Reserves 63%
Environmental Conservation 25%
Recreational Waterways 10%
Infrastructure 1%
Village 0%
Public Recreation 0%

Buying in Spencer? 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 36.33 km², Spencer is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 87% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 5 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is National Parks and Nature Reserves. The median lot measures about 1,715 m² across 394 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 Spencer

Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Spencer suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.

Population
288
usual residents, 2021
Median age
52
years
Median household income
$913
per week, Central Coast suburb typical $1,735
Median rent
$295
per week, Central Coast suburb typical $400
Median mortgage
$1,395
per month
Household size
2.0
people, average

Socio-economic standing

ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.

Advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD) Decile 2
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 918, and decile 2 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 2
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Spencer's 288 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 1.7%
5-14 9.5%
15-19 3.0%
20-24 3.7%
25-34 10.1%
35-44 8.4%
45-54 22.3%
55-64 18.9%
65-74 14.9%
75-84 4.7%
85+ 2.7%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of Calga - Kulnura, the wider ABS statistical area containing Spencer. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Spencer itself.

4,793 in 2001 to 4,678 in 2025, down 2%.

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.

Spencer 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.

DatasetCoveragePublisher
Flood mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Bushfire-prone mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
ZoningMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Heritage and environmentMapped where publishedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
DemographicsAvailableAustralian 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 Spencer 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 →

Spencer planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of Spencer?

The schematic on this page is a Spencer 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 Spencer address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.

Is Spencer flood-prone?

Flood mapping covers Spencer 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 Spencer bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 87% of Spencer is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Central Coast average of 69%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Spencer?

The dominant planning zone in Spencer is National Parks and Nature Reserves, though the suburb also includes Environmental Conservation and Recreational Waterways. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Spencer have heritage-listed places?

Spencer has 5 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 Spencer?

Across 394 surveyed parcels in Spencer, the median lot size is about 1,715 m². There are also 2 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 Spencer have a train station?

There is no train station inside Spencer itself. The suburb is served by 14 bus stops.

What is the population of Spencer?

At the 2021 Census Spencer had 288 usual residents, with a median age of 52 and an average household size of 2.0 people. The wider Calga - Kulnura statistical area, which contains Spencer, went from 4,793 people in 2001 to 4,678 in 2025, down 2%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Spencer alone.

Is Spencer an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Spencer scores 918 and sits in decile 2 of 10 nationally and decile 2 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 Spencer?

Median household income in Spencer was $913 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,735 for the typical suburb in Central Coast. Median rent was $295 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,395 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Spencer property?

A Spencer 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 suburbDistanceFlood mappedBushfire-prone
Wendoree Park 3.2 km 0% 80%
Marlow 4.3 km 0% 83%
Lower Mangrove 4.7 km Not mapped 93%
Singletons Mill
Hornsby
5.2 km 20% 89%
Mount White 6.1 km 0% 95%
Glenworth Valley 6.1 km Not mapped 94%
Canoelands
Hornsby
7.2 km 4% 93%
Bar Point 7.4 km 0% 74%
Greengrove 7.6 km Not mapped 96%
Gunderman 8.6 km <1% 96%

See all Central Coast suburb profiles →