Terara flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Terara (Shoalhaven, NSW) - 8.88 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Terara'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.

Terara at a glance

Parcels 138 Median lot 5,066 m² Bus stops 10

How Terara is zoned

Primary Production 72%
Recreational Waterways 15%
Rural Landscape 5%
Infrastructure 4%
Public Recreation 3%
Environmental Conservation 2%

Buying in Terara? 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 8.88 km², Terara is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 81% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 16 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Primary Production. The median lot measures about 5,066 m² across 138 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 Terara

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

Population
305
usual residents, 2021
Median age
59
years
Median household income
$825
per week, Shoalhaven suburb typical $1,493
Median rent
$210
per week, Shoalhaven suburb typical $350
Median mortgage
$1,600
per month
Household size
1.8
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 4
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 967, and decile 4 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 4
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Terara's 305 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 3.2%
5-14 8.9%
15-19 1.9%
20-24 1.9%
25-34 9.2%
35-44 6.0%
45-54 11.1%
55-64 19.6%
65-74 22.8%
75-84 12.3%
85+ 3.2%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of Nowra, the wider ABS statistical area containing Terara. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Terara 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.

Terara 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 Terara 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 →

Terara planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of Terara?

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

Is Terara flood-prone?

Flood mapping covers Terara 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 Terara bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 81% of Terara 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 Terara?

The dominant planning zone in Terara is Primary Production, though the suburb also includes Recreational Waterways and Rural Landscape. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Terara have heritage-listed places?

Terara has 16 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 Terara?

Across 138 surveyed parcels in Terara, the median lot size is about 5,066 m².

Does Terara have a train station?

There is no train station inside Terara itself. The suburb is served by 10 bus stops.

What is the population of Terara?

At the 2021 Census Terara had 305 usual residents, with a median age of 59 and an average household size of 1.8 people. The wider Nowra statistical area, which contains Terara, 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 Terara alone.

Is Terara an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Terara scores 967 and sits in decile 4 of 10 nationally and decile 4 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 Terara?

Median household income in Terara was $825 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,493 for the typical suburb in Shoalhaven. Median rent was $210 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,600 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Terara property?

A Terara 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
Nowra 2.3 km 0% 31%
Bomaderry 3.2 km 0% 43%
Brundee 3.8 km 0% 100%
Bolong 3.9 km 0% 91%
West Nowra 4.2 km 0% 84%
Worrigee 5.0 km 0% 85%
North Nowra 5.3 km 0% 76%
South Nowra 5.4 km Not mapped 72%
Back Forest 5.7 km 0% 97%
Numbaa 6.1 km 0% 88%

See all Shoalhaven suburb profiles →