Privacy Policy

Last updated: 18 February 2026

1. About This Policy

ZoneScout (“we”, “us”, “our”) operates the website zonescout.au. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

Although ZoneScout may currently fall below the $3 million annual turnover threshold for mandatory compliance under the Privacy Act, we voluntarily adopt these principles as best practice because we believe transparency and data protection matter.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

  • Contact details: Name, email address and phone number — provided when you submit our consultation enquiry form.
  • Property addresses: Addresses you search for using our planning tool. These are sent to government planning APIs to retrieve zoning data.
  • Usage data: Non-identifying information such as browser type, device type, pages visited and approximate location (via IP address), collected automatically through standard web analytics.
  • Locally stored preferences: We use your browser’s localStorage to remember form prefill data (name, email, phone) for your convenience. This data stays on your device and is not transmitted to our servers.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Provide you with property planning search results by querying state government planning databases.
  • Forward your consultation enquiry to a qualified town planner so they can contact you.
  • Improve our website, features and user experience.
  • Respond to your questions or feedback.

We do not use your personal information for direct marketing unless you have consented.

4. How We Share Your Information

We may share your personal information with:

  • Town planning partners: If you submit a consultation enquiry, your name, email, phone and property details are forwarded to a partnered town planner.
  • Third-party service providers: We use Formspree for form processing, Netlify for hosting, Google Maps for address autocomplete, and Anthropic for AI-powered analysis. These providers process data in accordance with their own privacy policies.
  • Government planning APIs: Property addresses you search are sent to state government planning databases (NSW Planning Portal, VicPlan, PlanSA, PlanWA and others) to retrieve publicly available zoning information.

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing purposes.

5. Cookies and Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies for analytics purposes to understand how visitors use the site. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies will not affect the core functionality of ZoneScout.

6. Data Storage and Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Our website is served over HTTPS and hosted on Netlify’s secure infrastructure. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Form submissions are processed via Formspree and may be stored on servers located outside Australia. By submitting your information, you consent to this transfer.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
  • Request correction of any inaccurate or outdated information.
  • Request deletion of your personal information where it is no longer required.
  • Withdraw consent for any processing based on consent.
  • Clear locally stored data by clearing your browser’s localStorage.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website contains links to external sites including state government planning portals. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

9. Children’s Privacy

ZoneScout is not directed at children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “last updated” date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to make a complaint, please contact us:

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).