Every planning control identified for any lot | Every planning rule & overlay cross-referenced in one query | Approval likelihood scored for every control | Conflicts and overrides resolved automatically | Every answer cited to the source clause | Ask planning questions in plain English | Results in under 1 second | Every planning control identified for any lot | Every planning rule & overlay cross-referenced in one query | Approval likelihood scored for every control | Conflicts and overrides resolved automatically | Every answer cited to the source clause | Ask planning questions in plain English | Results in under 1 second |
Suburb planning guide · Updated 2026-06-08

Palm Cove, QLD 4879 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

— dominant. 2,305 lots resolved to zone, overlays and development potential.

Dominant zone
Median rent (house)
$756
per week
Population
11,789
ABS Census 2021
Total lots
2,305
4.3 km²

Zoning

What you can build in Palm Cove

Palm Cove is dominated by . Land use, building height, and permitted development are set per zone in the council planning scheme, made under the Queensland Planning Act 2016.

Dominant
Avg max height
m

Limit varies by lot — check your address for the exact figure.

Theoretical dwellings

Modelled dwelling capacity if every lot built to its zone controls.

Use mix

Location

Where Palm Cove sits

Palm Cove 4879 covers 4.3 km² within Cairns Regional.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Cairns Regional
Postcode
4879
Area
4.30 km²
Total lots
2,305

Drill into any lot in Palm Cove

Open the interactive map — click any address to see its zone, height, FSR, overlays, and approval likelihood.

Open interactive map

Development potential

Where the upside is in Palm Cove

We score every lot for development signal — under-built relative to the controls, eligible for a secondary dwelling, or sized for subdivision.

secondary dwelling eligible
0

under the relevant council planning scheme

Subdivision potential
0

lots that may support subdivision

Total dev potential
0 lots

show at least one development signal

Own a property in Palm Cove?

Check your lot's exact development potential — height, FSR, granny flat, subdivision, dual-occ.

Run a report on your address

Constraints & risks

What could stop you in Palm Cove

20% of lots are bushfire-prone — a bushfire assessment is likely required; also: 36.3% of lots: state environmental significance.

Suburb-wide percentages — your specific lot may have all, some, or none of these.

Flood-affected None

Flood hazard overlay mapping

Bushfire-prone 20.3%

Bushfire hazard overlay mapping

State environmental significance 36.3%

Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES) overlay

Market

Palm Cove property market

Rent and market context from state rental bond and demographic data.

Median rent (house)
$756 / wk
Houses

Sale-price history isn't yet loaded for Queensland suburbs — rent, demographics and planning data are shown where available.

Projected dwellings 2036
15,326

Queensland Government Statistician's Office projection.

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Palm Cove

ABS Census 2021 population data combined with lot-level amenity, healthcare, lifestyle, and crime indices.

Population
11,789
Median age
47
Household income
$85.18K
Owner-occupied
72%
Renting
28%
Amenity score
85.0 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Lifestyle score
35.0 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

FAQs

Common questions about Palm Cove

What's the zoning in Palm Cove 4879?

Palm Cove is dominated by the — (—) zone, which covers — of 2,305 lots (—). The full mix is: .

Can I build a secondary dwelling in Palm Cove?

Most lots in Palm Cove aren't eligible for a secondary dwelling under the relevant council planning scheme — typically because the dominant zoning (—) doesn't permit it, or lot sizes fall below the minimum. Always verify on the specific address.

What's the median rent in Palm Cove?

Median weekly rent for a house in Palm Cove is $756.

What planning constraints apply in Palm Cove?

Across Palm Cove, 20.3% bushfire-prone, 36.3% state environmental significance. These are suburb-wide percentages — every lot has its own combination. A planning report on a specific address shows exactly which controls apply.

What's the development potential of Palm Cove?

0 of 2,305 lots in Palm Cove show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a secondary dwelling, or capable of subdivision.

Get a planning report for any address in Palm Cove

Suburb-wide stats are useful for context. For a buy-or-walk decision on a specific lot, you need every control, every constraint, and every clause cited to source.

Run a report — from A$29

14-section report · planning scheme controls cross-referenced · cited to source

Methodology & sources

Zoning, height, overlays and development potential computed from the Cairns Regionalcouncil planning scheme and lot-level cadastre (2,305 lots). Hazard overlays, demographics and rent drawn from Queensland council planning schemes, Development.i / council DA registers, Queensland Globe, and ABS Census 2021. Aggregated by ZoneDSS · last updated 2026-06-08.

Suburb-wide statistics — your specific lot may vary. Always run a planning report on the actual address before making a decision. How ZoneDSS works →