Before you buy
Checking mine subsidence before you buy
In NSW, check the address on the Planning Portal Spatial Viewer: building in a mine subsidence district needs approval first. Elsewhere, ask the council.
Key points
- Run the check for the exact lot, not the suburb.
- Each state keeps this information in a different place; the table below says where.
- A clear result on a register or map is not proof there is no risk.
- General information, not legal, planning or insurance advice: confirm with your conveyancer or solicitor before you sign.
The short answer
In New South Wales, check whether the address is in a Mine Subsidence District on the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer: building, extending or subdividing there needs Subsidence Advisory NSW's approval first. (Subsidence Advisory NSW, verified 22 Oct 2026) The planning certificate also covers mine subsidence. (NSW Department of Planning and Environment, verified 22 Oct 2026)
What to search in each state
Where to look for the exact address, checked against each official source on 22 October 2026. A blank on a register or map is not the same as no risk; the next section says why.
| State | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Victoria | Consumer Affairs Victoria's due diligence checklist includes earth resource activity (mining). (Consumer Affairs Victoria, verified 30 Jul 2026) The Erosion Management Overlay covers land prone to erosion and landslip. (Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria), verified 27 Sep 2026) |
| New South Wales | Search the address on the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer. (Subsidence Advisory NSW, verified 22 Oct 2026) The planning certificate covers mine subsidence. (NSW Department of Planning and Environment, verified 22 Oct 2026) |
| Queensland | In Ipswich, the council's planning website maps known mining influence areas. (Queensland Government (abandoned mines), verified 22 Oct 2026) Not confirmed from a current official source for this guide: a statewide search. |
| Western Australia | Not confirmed from a current official source for this guide. |
| South Australia | Not confirmed from a current official source for this guide. |
Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory are not covered by this guide yet.
What each result means
The land is in a NSW Mine Subsidence District
You need Subsidence Advisory NSW's approval before building, extending or subdividing. (Subsidence Advisory NSW, verified 22 Oct 2026) There is no public register of past damage claims, so ask the seller through your conveyancer. (Subsidence Advisory NSW, verified 22 Oct 2026)
Old mine workings are nearby
Subsidence from old mines does happen: at Collingwood Park in Ipswich, part of which sits over two decommissioned coal mines, subsidence in 1988 and 2008 damaged houses. (Queensland Government (abandoned mines), verified 22 Oct 2026)
Nothing is mapped
Outside the places named above, this guide has not found a statewide mine subsidence search. If the area has a mining history, ask the council what it holds.
Check a Victorian address
Delora's Address Check shows the zone and every planning overlay on a Victorian lot, grouped into flood, bushfire, heritage and contamination, with how much of the lot each one covers. It is built from Vicmap Planning, the state's planning data; confirm anything that matters with a planning property report and your conveyancer.
Common questions
How do I check if a property is in a mine subsidence district?
In NSW, search the address on the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer; the planning certificate also covers mine subsidence.
Do I need approval to build in a mine subsidence district?
In NSW, yes: Subsidence Advisory NSW's approval before you build, extend or subdivide.
Practical checklist
Mine subsidence: before you sign
- In NSW, search the address on the Planning Portal Spatial Viewer and read the planning certificate
- Ask the seller, through your conveyancer, about any past subsidence claim
- If you plan to build or extend, find out what Subsidence Advisory NSW would require
Questions for a professional
- Is the property in a mine subsidence district or near historic mine workings?
- Has there ever been a subsidence damage claim on this property?
Official resources
- Subsidence Advisory NSW: mine subsidence districts
- Subsidence Advisory NSW: properties in districts
- Queensland: Collingwood Park mine subsidence
Important limitations: General information only, not legal, planning, environmental or insurance advice, and not a search of any property. Registers and maps change; check the official source for the exact address and ask a conveyancer, solicitor or the relevant authority before you rely on a result. Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory are not covered yet.
Sources and methodology
- Mine Subsidence Districts | Subsidence Advisory NSW — Subsidence Advisory NSW (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
- Planning certificates: guide to the updated EP&A Regulation (DPE, September 2022) — NSW Department of Planning and Environment (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
- Due diligence checklist - for home and residential property buyers — Consumer Affairs Victoria (retrieved 30 Jul 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
- Clause 44.01 Erosion Management Overlay | Victoria Planning Provisions — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) (retrieved 27 Sep 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
- Collingwood Park mine subsidence | Queensland Government — Queensland Government (abandoned mines) (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Reuse terms: see the publisher's site
- Properties in Mine Subsidence Districts | Subsidence Advisory NSW — Subsidence Advisory NSW (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.
Evidence record