Terrigal zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Terrigal (Central Coast, NSW) - 9.14 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.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Terrigal'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.

Terrigal at a glance

Parcels 4,156 Median lot 656 m² Mapped easements 67 Bus stops 166

How Terrigal is zoned

Low Density Residential 35%
Environmental Living 19%
Public Recreation 12%
Environmental Management 11%
General Residential 8%
Environmental Conservation 6%

Buying in Terrigal? 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 9.14 km², Terrigal 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, 59% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 7 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 656 m² across 4,156 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 Terrigal

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

Population
12,730
usual residents, 2021
Median age
43
years
Median household income
$2,056
per week, Central Coast suburb typical $1,735
Median rent
$520
per week, Central Coast suburb typical $400
Median mortgage
$2,492
per month
Household size
2.6
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 1080, and decile 9 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 9
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Terrigal's 12,730 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 4.9%
5-14 13.0%
15-19 6.3%
20-24 5.1%
25-34 9.9%
35-44 12.3%
45-54 14.0%
55-64 13.0%
65-74 12.7%
75-84 7.1%
85+ 1.8%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

11,850 in 2001 to 15,631 in 2025, up 32%.

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.

Terrigal 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 Terrigal 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 →

Terrigal planning - frequently asked

Is Terrigal flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Terrigal, 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. Central Coast 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 Terrigal bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 59% of Terrigal 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 Terrigal?

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

Does Terrigal have heritage-listed places?

Terrigal has 7 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 Terrigal?

Across 4,156 surveyed parcels in Terrigal, the median lot size is about 656 m². There are also 67 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 Terrigal have a train station?

There is no train station inside Terrigal itself. The suburb is served by 166 bus stops.

What is the population of Terrigal?

At the 2021 Census Terrigal had 12,730 usual residents, with a median age of 43 and an average household size of 2.6 people. The wider Terrigal - North Avoca statistical area, which contains Terrigal, went from 11,850 people in 2001 to 15,631 in 2025, up 32%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Terrigal alone.

Is Terrigal an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Terrigal scores 1080 and sits in decile 10 of 10 nationally and decile 9 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 Terrigal?

Median household income in Terrigal was $2,056 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,735 for the typical suburb in Central Coast. Median rent was $520 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,492 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Terrigal property?

A Terrigal 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
North Avoca 1.3 km Not mapped 69%
Picketts Valley 2.3 km Not mapped 85%
Erina Heights 2.4 km Not mapped 59%
Avoca Beach 2.8 km Not mapped 64%
Wamberal 4.1 km Not mapped 63%
Kincumber 4.3 km Not mapped 76%
Erina 4.3 km Not mapped 56%
Copacabana 4.6 km Not mapped 47%
Matcham 4.6 km Not mapped 91%
Holgate 5.0 km Not mapped 97%

See all Central Coast suburb profiles →