Planning Maps / Areas / Wollongong / Unanderra

Unanderra flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Unanderra (Wollongong, NSW) - 6.35 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is moderately constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Unanderra'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.

Unanderra at a glance

Parcels 2,519 Median lot 669 m² Mapped easements 22 Train Unanderra Station Bus stops 141

How Unanderra is zoned

Low Density Residential 30%
Heavy Industrial 29%
Infrastructure 14%
General Industrial 13%
Public Recreation 8%
Environmental Management 2%

Buying in Unanderra? 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 6.35 km², Unanderra is moderately constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 17% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 6 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Low Density Residential. The median lot measures about 669 m² across 2,519 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 Unanderra

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

Population
5,476
usual residents, 2021
Median age
42
years
Median household income
$1,211
per week, Wollongong suburb typical $1,912
Median rent
$285
per week, Wollongong suburb typical $400
Median mortgage
$1,950
per month
Household size
2.4
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 2
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 892, and decile 1 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 1
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Unanderra's 5,476 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 5.8%
5-14 11.1%
15-19 5.9%
20-24 5.6%
25-34 13.2%
35-44 11.3%
45-54 11.0%
55-64 11.1%
65-74 10.9%
75-84 8.4%
85+ 5.8%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

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

16,092 in 2001 to 15,414 in 2025, down 4%.

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.

Unanderra 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 Unanderra 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 →

Unanderra planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of Unanderra?

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

Is Unanderra flood-prone?

Flood mapping covers Unanderra 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 Unanderra bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 17% of Unanderra 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 Unanderra?

The dominant planning zone in Unanderra is Low Density Residential, though the suburb also includes Heavy Industrial and Infrastructure. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Unanderra have heritage-listed places?

Unanderra has 6 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 Unanderra?

Across 2,519 surveyed parcels in Unanderra, the median lot size is about 669 m². There are also 22 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 Unanderra have a train station?

Yes - Unanderra has 1 train station: Unanderra Station. It is also served by 141 bus stops.

What is the population of Unanderra?

At the 2021 Census Unanderra had 5,476 usual residents, with a median age of 42 and an average household size of 2.4 people. The wider Unanderra - Mount Kembla statistical area, which contains Unanderra, went from 16,092 people in 2001 to 15,414 in 2025, down 4%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Unanderra alone.

Is Unanderra an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Unanderra scores 892 and sits in decile 2 of 10 nationally and decile 1 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 Unanderra?

Median household income in Unanderra was $1,211 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,912 for the typical suburb in Wollongong. Median rent was $285 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,950 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Unanderra property?

An Unanderra 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
Spring Hill 2.0 km 10% 0%
Cordeaux Heights 2.2 km 0% 56%
Cringila 2.3 km 0% 59%
Berkeley 2.6 km 0% 42%
Mount Saint Thomas 2.9 km 18% 15%
Farmborough Heights 2.9 km 0% 63%
Figtree 3.1 km 0% 38%
Lake Heights 3.4 km 0% 2%
Mangerton 3.7 km 9% 23%
Mount Kembla 3.8 km 0% 95%

See all Wollongong suburb profiles →