Planning Maps / Areas / Wollondilly / Thirlmere

Thirlmere zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Thirlmere (Wollondilly, NSW) - 33.3 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 Thirlmere'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.

Thirlmere at a glance

Parcels 2,254 Median lot 986 m² Mapped easements 11 Bus stops 48

How Thirlmere is zoned

Primary Production 37%
National Parks and Nature Reserves 27%
Primary Production Small Lots 14%
Large Lot Residential 6%
Low Density Residential 5%
Infrastructure 5%

Buying in Thirlmere? 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 33.3 km², Thirlmere 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, 88% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 25 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Primary Production. The median lot measures about 986 m² across 2,254 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 Thirlmere

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

Population
4,986
usual residents, 2021
Median age
38
years
Median household income
$1,708
per week, Wollondilly suburb typical $2,250
Median rent
$420
per week, Wollondilly suburb typical $430
Median mortgage
$2,300
per month
Household size
2.7
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 5
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 984, and decile 5 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 5
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Thirlmere's 4,986 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 7.0%
5-14 12.4%
15-19 5.8%
20-24 6.6%
25-34 13.7%
35-44 10.7%
45-54 11.1%
55-64 11.4%
65-74 11.0%
75-84 6.7%
85+ 3.4%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

14,113 in 2001 to 22,603 in 2025, up 60%.

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.

Thirlmere 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 Thirlmere 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 →

Thirlmere planning - frequently asked

Is Thirlmere flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Thirlmere, 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. Wollondilly 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 Thirlmere bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 88% of Thirlmere is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Wollondilly average of 93%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Thirlmere?

The dominant planning zone in Thirlmere is Primary Production, though the suburb also includes National Parks and Nature Reserves and Primary Production Small Lots. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Thirlmere have heritage-listed places?

Thirlmere has 25 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 Thirlmere?

Across 2,254 surveyed parcels in Thirlmere, the median lot size is about 986 m². There are also 11 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 Thirlmere have a train station?

There is no train station inside Thirlmere itself. The suburb is served by 48 bus stops.

What is the population of Thirlmere?

At the 2021 Census Thirlmere had 4,986 usual residents, with a median age of 38 and an average household size of 2.7 people. The wider Picton - Tahmoor - Buxton statistical area, which contains Thirlmere, went from 14,113 people in 2001 to 22,603 in 2025, up 60%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Thirlmere alone.

Is Thirlmere an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Thirlmere 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 Thirlmere?

Median household income in Thirlmere was $1,708 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,250 for the typical suburb in Wollondilly. Median rent was $420 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,300 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Thirlmere property?

A Thirlmere 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
Couridjah 3.4 km Not mapped 100%
Tahmoor 3.8 km Not mapped 70%
Mowbray Park 5.4 km Not mapped 99%
Lakesland 5.5 km 0% 100%
Picton 5.7 km Not mapped 84%
Buxton 6.3 km 0% 93%
Maldon 6.8 km Not mapped 85%
Bargo 9.2 km 0% 89%
Pheasants Nest 10.1 km 0% 97%
Razorback 10.2 km Not mapped 99%

See all Wollondilly suburb profiles →