Ingham, Hinchinbrook Shire, named second-top place to retire in Australia

The mayor of a North Queensland town, recently crowned the second-best place to retire in Australia, is hoping to kick start the district’s residential property industry. Here’s how.

Lucinda overlooking pristine Hinchinbrook Island in Tropical North Queensland waters. Picture: Cameron Bates

The mayor of a North Queensland town named the second-best place to retire in Australia is in Brisbane to kick start the district’s residential property industry.

Ingham in Hinchinbrook Shire took the number two spot in a list of the nation’s top 30 retirement destinations for over 50s compiled by AMP-backed financial-technology company Citro.

The timing could not have come at a better time for Hinchinbrook Mayor Ramon Jayo who is in Brisbane meeting with state political leaders for help developing its residential housing policy to help accommodate its developing population.

Mr Jayo said he was unsurprised by the Citro ranking given the shire’s median property price of $235,000, natural beauty, healthcare facilities, good schools and lack of crime.

The popular three-term mayor said the rating was a response to the district’s strategy to move the economic focus away from the vitally important sugarcane industry.

“It’s part of our diversification strategy, which was in essence to grow our tourism and visitation, grown our agriculture and grow the liveability of our area.”

Hinchinbrook Shire Mayor Ramon Jayo addresses the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs in Ingham. Picture: Cameron Bates

Mr Jayo said it was apparent that the local population was growing after years of stagnation.

“The issue now is that we are really starting to struggle from a housing point of view and we have been working on our housing action plan for quite a while.”

A property listed for sale by Nutrien Harcourts Ingham. Picture: File photo

Mr Jayo said he had met with Deputy Premier Cameron Dick, the state treasurer, and Meaghan Scanlon, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Public Works, on Tuesday.

He said one of the major issues confronting the shire was attracting private developers.

“We have resolved that as a council we are going to look at developing residential blocks ourselves because no one else is doing it,” he said.

“We need to step up and show the developers that there is a market for it: We know there is a market for it because people are buying up land and houses, people from down south in particular.”

A property listed for sale by Nutrien Harcourts Ingham. Picture: File photo

Mr Jayo said the current increase in demand did not even factor in the potential growth of the North Queensland economy, particularly in the mineral-rich northwest, and the opportunity for workers, both drive and fly-in, to base themselves in “stunning Hinchinbrook Shire”.

“It’s not far to travel and the benefits are all here for their families and their recreational needs; the boating, fishing and what have you,” he said.

“We’ve got people coming here and we want to attract more to grow our population.”

The top 10 places to retire according to Citro are Armidale in NSW, Ingham, Maryborough in Victoria, Hervey Bay (Queensland), Belconnen and Rosebud (Vic), Mandurah (WA), Wallaroo (SA), Launceston (Tas) and Echuca (Vic).

Originally published as Ingham, Hinchinbrook Shire, named second-top place to retire in Australia