Waitara flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Waitara (Hornsby, NSW) - 0.71 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is relatively unconstrained.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
0.71 km² - this suburb is relatively unconstrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Waitara'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.
Waitara at a glance
How Waitara is zoned
Buying in Waitara? 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 0.71 km², Waitara is relatively unconstrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay. There are 20 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is High Density Residential. The median lot measures about 720 m² across 401 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 Waitara
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Waitara suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.
Socio-economic standing
ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.
Score 1084, and decile 9 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Waitara's 7,837 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Wahroonga (West) - Waitara, the wider ABS statistical area containing Waitara. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Waitara itself.
5,847 in 2001 to 12,544 in 2025, up 115%.
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.
Waitara 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.
| Dataset | Coverage | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Flood mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Bushfire-prone mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Zoning | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Heritage and environment | Mapped where published | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Demographics | Available | Australian 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 Waitara 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 →Waitara planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Waitara?
The schematic on this page is a Waitara 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 Waitara address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Waitara flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Waitara and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay (the council-wide suburb average is 2%). Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Waitara bushfire-prone?
Bushfire mapping covers Waitara and little to none of it is mapped as bushfire-prone (the Hornsby average is 69%). Always confirm for the exact lot, as mapping can change.
What is the zoning in Waitara?
The dominant planning zone in Waitara is High Density Residential, though the suburb also includes Low Density Residential and Infrastructure. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Waitara have heritage-listed places?
Waitara has 20 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 Waitara?
Across 401 surveyed parcels in Waitara, the median lot size is about 720 m². There are also 15 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 Waitara have a train station?
Yes - Waitara has 1 train station: Waitara Station. It is also served by 14 bus stops.
What is the population of Waitara?
At the 2021 Census Waitara had 7,837 usual residents, with a median age of 36 and an average household size of 2.4 people. The wider Wahroonga (West) - Waitara statistical area, which contains Waitara, went from 5,847 people in 2001 to 12,544 in 2025, up 115%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Waitara alone.
Is Waitara an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Waitara scores 1084 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 Waitara?
Median household income in Waitara was $2,106 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,468 for the typical suburb in Hornsby. Median rent was $490 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,200 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.
Do I need a planning report for a Waitara property?
A Waitara 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 suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hornsby | 1.7 km | 0% | 50% |
| Normanhurst | 1.7 km | 0% | 31% |
| Wahroonga Ku-Ring-Gai |
1.7 km | 0% | 30% |
| Thornleigh | 2.6 km | 0% | 41% |
| Asquith | 2.6 km | 0% | 52% |
| Warrawee Ku-Ring-Gai |
2.6 km | 0% | 2% |
| North Wahroonga Ku-Ring-Gai |
2.7 km | 0% | 87% |
| Westleigh | 3.0 km | 0% | 82% |
| Turramurra Ku-Ring-Gai |
3.4 km | Not mapped | 27% |
| Pennant Hills | 4.4 km | 0% | 65% |