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

Dolphin Heads, QLD 4740 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Medium density residential dominant. 437 lots resolved to zone, overlays and development potential.

Dominant zone
MDR
Medium density residential
Median rent (house)
$680
per week
Population
13,495
ABS Census 2021
Total lots
437
0.6 km²

Zoning

What you can build in Dolphin Heads

Dolphin Heads is dominated by MDRMedium density residential. Land use, building height, and permitted development are set per zone in the council planning scheme, made under the Queensland Planning Act 2016.

MDR
Dominant
MDR Medium density residential 57.6%
RR Rural residential 37.7%
OS Open space 3.0%
T Tourism 1.2%
RU Rural 0.2%
SP Special purpose 0.2%
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
Residential58%
Environment3%

Location

Where Dolphin Heads sits

Dolphin Heads 4740 covers 0.6 km² within Mackay Regional.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Mackay Regional
Postcode
4740
Area
0.60 km²
Total lots
437

Drill into any lot in Dolphin Heads

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 Dolphin Heads

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
49

under the relevant council planning scheme

Subdivision potential
0

lots that may support subdivision

Total dev potential
49 lots

show at least one development signal

Own a property in Dolphin Heads?

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 Dolphin Heads

89% of lots are in mapped flood zones — material for any development; also: 21.1% of lots: state environmental significance.

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

Flood-affected 89.0%

Flood hazard overlay mapping

Bushfire-prone 0.7%

Bushfire hazard overlay mapping

State environmental significance 21.1%

Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES) overlay

Market

Dolphin Heads property market

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

Median rent (house)
$680 / wk
Houses

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

Projected dwellings 2036
23,434

Queensland Government Statistician's Office projection.

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Dolphin Heads

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

Population
13,495
Median age
33
Household income
$119.65K
Owner-occupied
65%
Renting
36%
Amenity score
40.0 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Lifestyle score
14.0 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

FAQs

Common questions about Dolphin Heads

What's the zoning in Dolphin Heads 4740?

Dolphin Heads is dominated by the MDR (Medium density residential) zone, which covers 234 of 437 lots (58%). The full mix is: MDR Medium density residential (58%), RR Rural residential (38%), OS Open space (3%), T Tourism (1%), RU Rural (0%), SP Special purpose (0%).

Can I build a secondary dwelling in Dolphin Heads?

Yes — 49 lots in Dolphin Heads appear eligible for a secondary dwelling under the relevant council planning scheme, based on lot size, zoning, and frontage. Eligibility is lot-specific: get a planning report on your address to confirm.

What's the median rent in Dolphin Heads?

Median weekly rent for a house in Dolphin Heads is $680.

What planning constraints apply in Dolphin Heads?

Across Dolphin Heads, 89.0% flood-affected, 0.7% bushfire-prone, 21.1% 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 Dolphin Heads?

49 of 437 lots in Dolphin Heads 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 Dolphin Heads

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 Mackay Regionalcouncil planning scheme and lot-level cadastre (437 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 →