Planning Maps / Areas / Sutherland Shire / Sylvania Waters

Sylvania Waters zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Sylvania Waters (Sutherland Shire, NSW) - 1.38 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is relatively unconstrained 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 Sylvania Waters'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.

Sylvania Waters at a glance

Parcels 986 Median lot 634 m² Mapped easements 4 Bus stops 32

How Sylvania Waters is zoned

Low Density Residential 58%
Recreational Waterways 22%
Public Recreation 7%
Infrastructure 5%
Private Recreation 2%
High Density Residential 2%

Buying in Sylvania Waters? 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 1.38 km², Sylvania Waters is relatively unconstrained 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. There are 2 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 634 m² across 986 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 Sylvania Waters

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

Population
3,200
usual residents, 2021
Median age
43
years
Median household income
$2,371
per week, Sutherland Shire suburb typical $2,626
Median rent
$600
per week, Sutherland Shire suburb typical $590
Median mortgage
$3,000
per month
Household size
2.9
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 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 1093, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 9
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Sylvania Waters's 3,200 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 5.0%
5-14 11.8%
15-19 6.8%
20-24 6.2%
25-34 10.4%
35-44 11.2%
45-54 15.0%
55-64 13.6%
65-74 9.7%
75-84 7.5%
85+ 2.7%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

14,705 in 2001 to 16,620 in 2025, up 13%.

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.

Sylvania Waters 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 mappingNot mappedNSW 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 Sylvania Waters 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 →

Sylvania Waters planning - frequently asked

Is Sylvania Waters flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Sylvania Waters, 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. Sutherland Shire 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 Sylvania Waters bushfire-prone?

Bushfire mapping covers Sylvania Waters and little to none of it is mapped as bushfire-prone (the Sutherland Shire average is 46%). Always confirm for the exact lot, as mapping can change.

What is the zoning in Sylvania Waters?

The dominant planning zone in Sylvania Waters is Low Density Residential, though the suburb also includes Recreational Waterways and Public Recreation. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Sylvania Waters have heritage-listed places?

Sylvania Waters has 2 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 Sylvania Waters?

Across 986 surveyed parcels in Sylvania Waters, the median lot size is about 634 m². There are also 4 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 Sylvania Waters have a train station?

There is no train station inside Sylvania Waters itself. The suburb is served by 32 bus stops.

What is the population of Sylvania Waters?

At the 2021 Census Sylvania Waters had 3,200 usual residents, with a median age of 43 and an average household size of 2.9 people. The wider Sylvania - Taren Point statistical area, which contains Sylvania Waters, went from 14,705 people in 2001 to 16,620 in 2025, up 13%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Sylvania Waters alone.

Is Sylvania Waters an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Sylvania Waters scores 1093 and sits in decile 10 of 10 nationally and decile 10 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 Sylvania Waters?

Median household income in Sylvania Waters was $2,371 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,626 for the typical suburb in Sutherland Shire. Median rent was $600 a week and the median mortgage repayment $3,000 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Sylvania Waters property?

A Sylvania Waters 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
Sylvania 1.4 km Not mapped 0%
Taren Point 1.5 km Not mapped 0%
Miranda 1.7 km Not mapped <1%
Caringbah 2.3 km Not mapped 0%
Kangaroo Point 2.4 km Not mapped 0%
Kareela 2.8 km Not mapped 12%
Sans Souci
Georges River
3.0 km Not mapped 0%
Gymea 3.0 km Not mapped 1%
Oyster Bay 3.1 km Not mapped 11%
Blakehurst
Georges River
3.2 km Not mapped 5%

See all Sutherland Shire suburb profiles →