Planning Maps / Areas / Wollongong / Thirroul

Thirroul flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Thirroul (Wollongong, NSW) - 4.89 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Thirroul'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.

Thirroul at a glance

Parcels 2,291 Median lot 654 m² Mapped easements 6 Train Thirroul Station Bus stops 31

How Thirroul is zoned

Low Density Residential 36%
National Parks and Nature Reserves 25%
Environmental Management 10%
Environmental Conservation 10%
Infrastructure 5%
Public Recreation 5%

Buying in Thirroul? 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 4.89 km², Thirroul is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 52% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 31 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 654 m² across 2,291 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 Thirroul

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

Population
6,348
usual residents, 2021
Median age
43
years
Median household income
$2,281
per week, Wollongong suburb typical $1,912
Median rent
$540
per week, Wollongong suburb typical $400
Median mortgage
$2,600
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 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 1105, and decile 10 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 10
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Thirroul's 6,348 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 6.1%
5-14 13.8%
15-19 5.8%
20-24 4.6%
25-34 8.8%
35-44 13.3%
45-54 14.2%
55-64 14.5%
65-74 11.4%
75-84 5.3%
85+ 2.2%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

10,592 in 2001 to 12,148 in 2025, up 15%.

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.

Thirroul 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 Thirroul 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 →

Thirroul planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of Thirroul?

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

Is Thirroul flood-prone?

Flood mapping covers Thirroul and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay (the council-wide suburb average is 4%). Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.

Is Thirroul bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 52% of Thirroul is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Wollongong average of 56%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Thirroul?

The dominant planning zone in Thirroul is Low Density Residential, though the suburb also includes National Parks and Nature Reserves and Environmental Management. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Thirroul have heritage-listed places?

Thirroul has 31 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 Thirroul?

Across 2,291 surveyed parcels in Thirroul, the median lot size is about 654 m². There are also 6 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 Thirroul have a train station?

Yes - Thirroul has 1 train station: Thirroul Station. It is also served by 31 bus stops.

What is the population of Thirroul?

At the 2021 Census Thirroul had 6,348 usual residents, with a median age of 43 and an average household size of 2.7 people. The wider Thirroul - Austinmer - Coalcliff statistical area, which contains Thirroul, went from 10,592 people in 2001 to 12,148 in 2025, up 15%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Thirroul alone.

Is Thirroul an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Thirroul scores 1105 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 Thirroul?

Median household income in Thirroul was $2,281 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,912 for the typical suburb in Wollongong. Median rent was $540 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,600 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Thirroul property?

A Thirroul 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
Bulli 1.8 km 0% 64%
Austinmer 1.9 km 0% 73%
Coledale 3.8 km 0% 71%
Woonona 4.1 km 0% 41%
Russell Vale 4.9 km 0% 39%
Wombarra 5.4 km 0% 76%
Maddens Plains 5.5 km 0% 99%
Bellambi 6.2 km 0% 21%
Corrimal 6.6 km 0% 39%
Scarborough 6.7 km 0% 91%

See all Wollongong suburb profiles →