Flood-Free Suburbs in Brisbane: The 20 Suburbs Where Council’s Flood Maps Touch the Fewest Blocks
By Tim AllenBuyer’s Agent and Director, IPS Buyer’s Agents
Are there flood-free suburbs in Brisbane? Not in Brisbane City Council’s own flood data. We matched Council’s flood flags for 377,439 freehold blocks of land to their suburbs, and every suburb in the data has at least some blocks that touch a mapped flood area or an overland flow path. A few come close: Council’s mapping touches 1.3% of blocks in Forest Lake, 1.9% in Robertson and 2.2% in Heathwood, against 24.4% across Brisbane.[1][2] This guide ranks the 20 suburbs where flood mapping touches the fewest blocks, lists the suburbs with no river, creek or storm tide mapping at all, and explains why you still need to check the property itself.
Key takeaways
- No Brisbane suburb is flood-free in Council’s data. Across the city, 24.4% of freehold blocks touch a mapped flood area or overland flow path, and 9.9% touch an area with at least a 1 in 100 chance of river, creek or storm tide flooding in any year.[1][3]
- Forest Lake (1.3%), Robertson (1.9%), Heathwood (2.2%), Parkinson (3.1%) and Drewvale (3.8%) have the lowest shares of the 137 suburbs with at least 1,000 blocks. Sixteen of the top 20 are in the southern and south-west suburbs.[1]
- In Robertson, Drewvale, Spring Hill, Wooloowin and Mount Gravatt, no freehold block touches river, creek or storm tide mapping, but overland flow paths still touch some blocks in each.[1]
- A suburb’s figure isn’t your home’s. Search the address on Council’s Flood Awareness Map, read its FloodWise Property Report and get an insurance quote before you commit.[4][5]
How we measured flood exposure by suburb
Brisbane City Council publishes the flood metrics behind every FloodWise Property Report as open data. For each lot, they record whether a high, medium, low or very low likelihood river, creek or storm tide flood area overlaps it, whether it overlaps an overland flow area, and its January 2011 and February 2022 flood levels where they apply.[1] We queried that table, 5,606,511 rows as last updated on 10 November 2026, and matched each lot to its suburb using Council’s property boundaries layer.[1][2]
We counted freehold land lots and left out strata lots, such as units in a building, so one apartment block doesn’t count hundreds of times. We also left out lots with no suburb recorded. That gave 377,984 blocks, and Council had flood metrics for 377,439 of them (99.9%).[2][1] We ranked the 137 suburbs with at least 1,000 assessed blocks, so a handful of lots can’t swing a small suburb’s figure.
A block counts as touched if any part of it overlaps a mapped area, which is how Council’s flags work.[1] That’s a strict test. The corner of a large backyard counts the same as a house in a flood zone, and bigger blocks are more likely to be touched. So read the shares as how widespread flood mapping is in a suburb, not as the chance that a particular home floods.
Council describes river, creek and storm tide flooding by likelihood: high is a 1 in 20 chance in any year, medium 1 in 100, low 1 in 500 and very low 1 in 2,000. Overland flow, the run-off that travels over land in heavy rain, is mapped by impact instead, and Council says it can be unpredictable, occurring very quickly and for short durations.[3] In the tables, “1 in 100 or likelier” means a block touches a high or medium likelihood area.
The 20 Brisbane suburbs with the least flood mapping
These are the 20 suburbs, of the 137 with at least 1,000 blocks, where Council’s flood mapping touches the smallest share of freehold blocks. “Any flood mapping” includes overland flow. The land values are the Valuer-General’s median residential land values at 1 October 2024, as listed in our Brisbane suburbs list.
| Suburb | Blocks | Any flood mapping[1] | 1 in 100 or likelier | Median land value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Forest Lake | 7,945 | 1.3% | 0.3% | $490,000 |
| 2. Robertson | 1,292 | 1.9% | 0% | $1,450,000 |
| 3. Heathwood | 1,749 | 2.2% | 0.1% | $540,000 |
| 4. Parkinson | 3,415 | 3.1% | 0.4% | $580,000 |
| 5. Drewvale | 1,370 | 3.8% | 0% | $475,000 |
| 6. Kuraby | 2,498 | 4.4% | 0.1% | $770,000 |
| 7. Calamvale | 4,369 | 5.1% | 1.8% | $690,000 |
| 8. Inala | 5,000 | 5.4% | 0.7% | $440,000 |
| 9. Doolandella | 1,854 | 6.1% | 1.9% | $495,000 |
| 10. Algester | 2,827 | 6.5% | 1.0% | $590,000 |
| 11. Sunnybank Hills | 5,567 | 7.0% | 1.8% | $730,000 |
| 12. Stretton | 1,509 | 7.6% | 1.1% | $850,000 |
| 13. Runcorn | 3,883 | 7.6% | 2.8% | $700,000 |
| 14. Carindale | 5,379 | 7.8% | 2.3% | $910,000 |
| 15. Wishart | 3,052 | 8.2% | 2.6% | $790,000 |
| 16. Eight Mile Plains | 3,996 | 8.5% | 2.3% | $880,000 |
| 17. Manly West | 4,017 | 8.7% | 3.6% | $670,000 |
| 18. Wakerley | 2,585 | 8.9% | 4.8% | $700,000 |
| 19. Rochedale | 2,520 | 9.4% | 2.1% | $910,000 |
| 20. Murarrie | 1,566 | 9.5% | 4.3% | $630,000 |
Data: Brisbane City Council open data (CC BY 4.0), read on 12 November 2026 and analysed by IPS Buyer’s Agents. Blocks are assessed freehold land lots.[1][2]
Sixteen of the 20 are in what our suburbs list calls the southern and south-west suburbs, from Forest Lake and Inala across to Rochedale and Wishart.[1] The other four, Carindale, Manly West, Wakerley and Murarrie, are in the eastern suburbs and bayside. None is on the northside, in the inner city or in the western suburbs. Median land values run from $440,000 in Inala to $1,450,000 in Robertson, so low flood mapping isn’t limited to one budget.[1]
In 16 of the 20, overland flow touches more blocks than river, creek or storm tide mapping does. In Rochedale, for example, overland flow touches 9.1% of blocks, while river, creek or storm tide mapping of any likelihood touches 2.2%. Wakerley is the clearest exception: 7.1% of its blocks touch river, creek or storm tide mapping and 3.9% overland flow.[1]
In five suburbs with at least 800 blocks, no freehold block touches a river, creek or storm tide flood area of any likelihood, and none has a recorded 2011 or 2022 flood level. Overland flow is the only mapped flood type, and it touches:[1]
- Robertson: 1.9% of 1,292 blocks.[1]
- Drewvale: 3.8% of 1,370 blocks.[1]
- Spring Hill: 9.4% of 802 blocks.[1]
- Wooloowin: 15.4% of 1,307 blocks.[1] See our Wooloowin suburb report.
- Mount Gravatt: 17.2% of 1,145 blocks.[1]
Three smaller suburbs are the same: Nathan, where overland flow touches 24.0% of 313 blocks, Karawatha (26.4% of 125) and Burbank, where it touches 73.1% of 513 blocks.[1]
Overland flow still matters. Council’s FloodWise Property Report notes that where no river, creek or storm tide flood level has been assigned to a property, flooding may still be a risk, including overland flow, which the report shows as a development flag further down.[4] In a high-impact overland flow area there’s a 1 in 20 chance of that flooding in any year, and Council says it’s generally unsafe for people, vehicles and buildings.[3]
If the suburbs above don’t suit your budget or location, look at the 1 in 100 figure rather than the total. In these 15 suburbs with at least 1,000 blocks, fewer than 1% of blocks touch a high or medium likelihood river, creek or storm tide area, although overland flow touches more of them:[1]
| Suburb | Blocks | 1 in 100 or likelier | Any flood mapping[1] | Median land value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robertson | 1,292 | 0% | 1.9% | $1,450,000 |
| Drewvale | 1,370 | 0% | 3.8% | $475,000 |
| Wooloowin | 1,307 | 0% | 15.4% | $950,000 |
| Mount Gravatt | 1,145 | 0% | 17.2% | $700,000 |
| Heathwood | 1,749 | 0.1% | 2.2% | $540,000 |
| Kuraby | 2,498 | 0.1% | 4.4% | $770,000 |
| Ascot | 1,844 | 0.1% | 14.7% | $1,750,000 |
| Forest Lake | 7,945 | 0.3% | 1.3% | $490,000 |
| Holland Park | 3,009 | 0.3% | 12.2% | $960,000 |
| Annerley | 3,035 | 0.3% | 13.3% | $870,000 |
| Parkinson | 3,415 | 0.4% | 3.1% | $580,000 |
| Mount Gravatt East | 3,708 | 0.4% | 9.6% | $770,000 |
| Camp Hill | 4,623 | 0.5% | 15.9% | $1,050,000 |
| Inala | 5,000 | 0.7% | 5.4% | $440,000 |
| Stafford Heights | 2,824 | 0.9% | 11.9% | $700,000 |
This list adds northside suburbs such as Ascot, Wooloowin and Stafford Heights, and Holland Park, Annerley and Camp Hill to the south and east. Our suburb reports for Ascot and Stafford Heights cover them in more detail, and you’ll find more in our Brisbane suburb reports.
Across Brisbane, Council’s flood mapping touches 92,127 of the 377,439 assessed freehold blocks, or 24.4%:[1]
- 17.8% touch a river, creek or storm tide flood area of any likelihood, and 9.9% touch one with at least a 1 in 100 chance in any year.[1][3]
- 11.8% touch an overland flow area, and for 6.7% of blocks overland flow is the only mapped flood type.[1]
- 12.1% have a recorded flood level from the January 2011 or February 2022 floods: 8.4% from 2011 and 7.7% from 2022.[1]
Counting strata lots such as units as well, the mapping touches 29.3% of 571,672 assessed freehold lots.[1][2] Among the 137 suburbs with at least 1,000 blocks, the middle suburb sits at 19.8%, 21 are under 10% and 20 are at 50% or more.
The two recorded floods differ. Council’s 2011 levels are for the Brisbane River, while its 2022 levels cover the river and its creeks and waterways,[1] and the February 2022 flood extent doesn’t include overland flow.[6] That’s why some suburbs have 2022 flood levels but none from 2011: 33.8% of blocks in Fitzgibbon, 14.0% in Carseldine and 6.5% in Bridgeman Downs.[1]
At the other end, Council’s mapping touches 99.9% of blocks in Rocklea, 91.9% in Fairfield, 89.1% in Graceville, 87.4% in Chelmer and 70.6% in Yeronga. In Rocklea, 95.6% of blocks touch a 1 in 100 or likelier area, and every assessed block has a 2011 flood level.[1]
That doesn’t rule these suburbs out. As our buyer’s agent FAQ says, on a flood-affected Brisbane home you check the 2011 and 2022 flood lines, the floor level relative to the street, and whether the home has been raised or otherwise remediated. Those checks just matter more here, and so does the insurance quote.
Council says Brisbane’s location on a floodplain, its subtropical climate and its landscape mean residents and property owners may experience flooding in their lifetime, and that preventing all flooding is not possible.[7] A suburb’s figure also can’t tell you about a particular lot:
- The map has limits. The Flood Awareness Map doesn’t show the depth or speed of flood water,[3] and the FloodWise Property Report is based on information Council has adopted, which may not be complete.[4]
- The open data isn’t for due diligence. Council says its parcel metrics aren’t intended for due diligence or conveyancing. For that, it suggests applying for a planning and development certificate.[1]
- Insurers make their own assessment. Council has no control over how insurers calculate flood premiums. Insurers can draw on other data, including the National Flood Information Database, may use their own flood mapping, and weigh flood alongside factors such as building type and age.[5] So an insurer’s view of a block may not match Council’s map.
- Levels can change. Council notes that ground, floor and flood levels may change as properties are developed, and it accepts updated levels through a technical review backed by a licensed surveyor or a registered professional engineer.[5]
We check the council’s flood and bushfire overlay maps for the property itself, not just the suburb, along with any history of flooding in the street, and then go through the building and pest report with you. Get an insurance quote before the contract goes unconditional, because flood and bushfire cover can change what a home costs to own. That’s our answer in the buyer’s agent FAQ.
For the property itself, search the address on Council’s Flood Awareness Map and generate its FloodWise Property Report, which shows the flood types and likelihoods for the lot and compares the January 2011 and February 2022 flood levels where available.[4] Our step-by-step guide to checking a property’s flood risk in Brisbane shows how to get and read the report, and what to sort out before you sign.
IPS Buyer’s Agents works only for buyers, and Tim Allen has personally inspected and negotiated all 128 properties we have bought since 2023. We check the flood information for the exact lot, ask selling agents directly about inundation history and verify it independently, and line up the insurance quote before you’re committed. See our buyer’s agent services, or our cheapest suburbs in Brisbane for the budget side of a shortlist.
There’s no flood-free suburb in Brisbane, but suburbs differ a lot. In Forest Lake, Robertson and Heathwood, Council’s mapping touches about 1 or 2 blocks in 100. Across the city it’s about 1 in 4, and in Rocklea it’s nearly every block. Use the suburb figures to narrow your search, then check the property: its FloodWise Property Report, the 2011 and 2022 levels, the floor height and the insurance quote.
This article is general information only, based on Brisbane City Council open data read on 12 November 2026. It is not legal, financial or insurance advice and does not consider your circumstances. Council’s flood information changes, and Council says its property metrics are not intended for due diligence or conveyancing, so check the current FloodWise Property Report for any property and get your own advice before you buy.
If you’re shortlisting Brisbane suburbs and want flood risk checked property by property, book a time with Tim Allen.
- Brisbane City Council — Flood — Awareness — Property Parcel Metrics, with its reference table of metric definitions (open data, CC BY 4.0; queried through Council’s ArcGIS feature service, 5,606,511 rows, last updated 10 November 2026; read 12 November 2026)
- Brisbane City Council — Property boundaries — Parcel (open data, CC BY 4.0; 742,120 parcels, including 607,560 freehold lots, last updated 11 November 2026; read 12 November 2026)
- Brisbane City Council — Understanding flood likelihood and impact (read 12 November 2026)
- Brisbane City Council — FloodWise Property Report (read 12 November 2026)
- Brisbane City Council — Technical review process, updating new levels and flood insurance (read 12 November 2026)
- Brisbane City Council — Flood — Awareness — Historic — Brisbane River and Creek Floods — Feb 2022 (open data, CC BY 4.0; read 12 November 2026)
- Brisbane City Council — Understanding flooding in Brisbane (read 12 November 2026)
Are there flood-free suburbs in Brisbane?
Not in Brisbane City Council’s flood data. Every suburb in the data has at least some freehold blocks that touch a mapped flood area or an overland flow path. Among the 137 suburbs with at least 1,000 blocks, the lowest shares are Forest Lake (1.3%), Robertson (1.9%) and Heathwood (2.2%), against 24.4% across Brisbane.
Which Brisbane suburbs have the least flooding?
On Council’s mapping, the suburbs where flood areas and overland flow paths touch the fewest freehold blocks are Forest Lake, Robertson, Heathwood, Parkinson, Drewvale, Kuraby, Calamvale and Inala, all under 6%. Sixteen of the 20 lowest are in the southern and south-west suburbs. That measures mapping, not the risk to any one home, so check each property.
Which Brisbane suburbs have no river or creek flood mapping?
In Robertson, Drewvale, Spring Hill, Wooloowin and Mount Gravatt, no freehold block touches a river, creek or storm tide flood area of any likelihood, and none has a recorded 2011 or 2022 flood level. Overland flow paths still touch some blocks in each, from 1.9% in Robertson to 17.2% in Mount Gravatt.
Which Brisbane suburbs didn’t flood in 2011 or 2022?
Council records 2011 and 2022 flood levels by lot. Among suburbs with at least 800 blocks, no freehold block in Robertson, Drewvale, Spring Hill, Wooloowin, Mount Gravatt or Manly has a recorded level from either flood. Manly still has storm tide or creek mapping on 15% of its blocks, and the 2022 flood extent doesn’t include overland flow.
Does a low-flood suburb mean cheaper home insurance?
Not necessarily. Brisbane City Council has no control over how insurers calculate flood premiums. Insurers may use their own flood mapping and other data, such as the National Flood Information Database, and flood is only one factor in a premium. Get a quote for the specific home before the contract goes unconditional.
How was this flood data analysed?
We queried Brisbane City Council’s open data on the flood metrics behind each FloodWise Property Report, 5.6 million rows last updated on 10 November 2026, and matched each lot to its suburb using Council’s property boundaries. We counted 377,439 assessed freehold land lots, left out strata lots such as units, and treated a block as touched if any part of it overlaps a mapped area.