How far is a property from a river, creek, or waterway?

A listing that mentions a "creek at the back fence" or says nothing about the waterway two paddocks over is describing the same property two different ways, and neither is a measurement. Search an address on MapMyLot and, where waterway data is available, the parcel readout shows the straight-line distance from the property boundary to the nearest named river, creek, or canal. Tap the reading and the map highlights the actual watercourse the distance was measured against.

Named waterway first, unnamed as a backup

MapMyLot's primary reading is the nearest named waterway - a river, creek, or canal that carries a name in the source data, since that is what most people mean when they ask how close a property is to water. A second, unnamed waterway distance is only shown when an unnamed drain or minor watercourse is genuinely closer than the named one, so a nearer feature is never hidden just because it lacks a name in the data. Both readings are drawn from OpenStreetMap contributors' river, creek, and canal data, community-mapped and continuously updated rather than a single static government survey.

The distance is measured from the property's full boundary geometry, not a single point, the same approach MapMyLot uses for every proximity signal - a large or irregular lot can have one edge sitting much closer to a watercourse than its centre would suggest, so measuring from the whole boundary avoids understating how close the water actually comes.

What the distance does and does not tell you

A waterway reading is a straight-line distance, not a walking route to the water's edge - a creek 150 metres away in a straight line can be a considerably longer walk once roads, fences, and the bank itself are accounted for, and the real walk distance is typically 1.5 to 2 times the straight-line figure. Proximity to a waterway is also only one factor in flood risk, not the whole picture: elevation, catchment behaviour, and local drainage patterns all matter, and MapMyLot's separate flood zone distance reading is a better starting point for that specific question. A close waterway is not automatically a flood risk, and a property with no waterway reading is not automatically dry.

Coverage

Waterway distance is currently live where OpenStreetMap river, creek, and canal data has been loaded:

• Australia: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and the ACT
• New Zealand
• UK: England, Wales, and Scotland
• Canada: British Columbia

Not yet covered:

• Canada: Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Yukon

A property with no waterway reading may genuinely have no nearby mapped watercourse, or it may sit somewhere waterway data has not been loaded yet - MapMyLot does not distinguish the two from the data alone, and never shows an absent reading as "no water nearby".

Related proximity checks

Waterway distance is one of six proximity signals MapMyLot calculates automatically from a single address search, alongside a separate reading for the nearest lake or water body. See the proximity overview, check a property's distance to the nearest lake or water body, or its flood zone check.

Before you rely on it

A waterway distance from MapMyLot is a starting point for research, never a substitute for a council flood certificate, a hydrology report, or a licensed survey. Anything material to a purchase, build, or insurance decision should always be confirmed with the relevant council or a qualified professional.