Benwerrin flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Benwerrin
(Surf Coast, VIC) - 52.81 km², mapped from live council and
state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.
Profile updated 6 September 2026.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
52.81 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Benwerrin'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.
Nearby suburbs, nearest first
Benwerrin at a glance
How Benwerrin is zoned
Selling in Benwerrin? The zoning and planning overlays on this page are the controls a Section 32 vendor statement discloses - a $9 planning report pulls them at the lot level for any Benwerrin address.
Across its 52.81 km², Benwerrin is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 100% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 5 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Public Conservation and Resource Zone (PCRZ). The median lot measures about 12,362 m² across 59 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 Benwerrin
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Benwerrin 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 1064, and decile 9 within Victoria. The national average is 1000.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Lorne - Anglesea, the wider ABS statistical area containing Benwerrin. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Benwerrin itself.
4,748 in 2001 to 6,307 in 2025, up 33%.
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.
Benwerrin 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 | Vicmap Planning and Victorian Government spatial services |
| Bushfire-prone mapping | Mapped | Vicmap Planning and Victorian Government spatial services |
| Zoning | Mapped | Vicmap Planning and Victorian Government spatial services |
| Heritage and environment | Mapped where published | Vicmap Planning and Victorian Government spatial services |
| Aircraft noise contours (ANEF) | Not held | Vicmap Planning and Victorian Government spatial services, Defence |
| Demographics | Available | Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA) |
Profile last materially updated 6 September 2026. See the methodology and full source list. Source data changes over time and critical decisions should be checked with the responsible authority.
What a $9 report adds for a Benwerrin address
This page is the suburb; the report is your lot. For any Benwerrin address it resolves, on the lot boundary:
- The zone and every planning overlay that touches the lot, in the scheme's own labels
- Which flood overlay categories reach the lot
- Whether the lot is in bushfire-prone mapping, and what that triggers for a build
- Whether the lot, or a neighbour, is one of the 5 heritage-listed places on record
- A coverage disclosure: exactly which layers were, and were not, assessed
The interactive map is free - check an address below.
Geotechnical desktop report for a Benwerrin lot
The planning report tells you what you may build. The geotechnical desktop report tells you what the ground under a Benwerrin address is likely to do - before you pay for a site investigation.
- Mapped geology and soil landscape on the lot
- Indicative AS 2870 site class, with the evidence behind it
- Nearby bore logs and groundwater records
- Acid sulfate soil and reactive clay screening
- Contours, slope and site elevation
- What the desktop evidence cannot tell you, stated plainly
Check a specific Benwerrin 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 →Benwerrin planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Benwerrin?
The schematic on this page is a Benwerrin 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 Benwerrin address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Benwerrin flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Benwerrin and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay (the council-wide suburb average is 6%). Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.
Is Benwerrin bushfire-prone?
Around 100% of Benwerrin is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Surf Coast average of 99%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.
What is the zoning in Benwerrin?
The dominant planning zone in Benwerrin is Public Conservation and Resource Zone (PCRZ), though the suburb also includes Rural Conservation Zone (RCZ) and Transport Zone (TRZ3). Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Benwerrin have heritage-listed places?
Benwerrin has 5 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 Benwerrin?
Across 59 surveyed parcels in Benwerrin, the median lot size is about 12,362 m². There are also 17 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.
Is Benwerrin an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Benwerrin scores 1064 and sits in decile 9 of 10 nationally and decile 9 within Victoria - 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.
Do I need a planning report for a Benwerrin property?
A Benwerrin planning report pulls every overlay - zoning, flood, bushfire, heritage, environmental and noise - that touches a single lot, on live council and state data. The interactive map preview is free; the full PDF report is $9.
Compare nearby suburbs
| Nearby suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lorne | 4.2 km | <1% | 100% |
| Pennyroyal | 6.5 km | 2% | 100% |
| Deans Marsh | 9.4 km | 5% | 100% |
| Barwon Downs Colac Otway |
9.9 km | 4% | 100% |
| Big Hill (Lorne) | 10.0 km | 0% | 100% |
| Boonah | 10.4 km | 0% | 100% |
| Murroon Colac Otway |
11.2 km | 9% | 100% |
| Separation Creek Colac Otway |
12.0 km | 0% | 100% |
| Eastern View | 13.5 km | 0% | 100% |
| Whoorel Colac Otway |
14.4 km | <1% | 100% |