Bundaberg’s population rises 11% in a decade

Across Bundaberg, the Census has revealed the richest suburbs, the suburbs where you’ll pay the most rent and the suburbs where more than half the locals own their homes outright. Read what your suburb looks like

Bundaberg has been known for its laid back, farming driven lifestyle, and it seems that lifestyle is attracting more and more people.

The Queensland Census listed the Bundaberg local government area population at 89,810 eleven years ago, and the latest Census revealed that had climbed to 99,215 in 2021.

Real estate agents Lucas and Jemma Wilson are a couple who moved here for the lifestyle and affordability.

They relocated from Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, buying a property through the real estate agency McGrath Estate Agency, where they both work.

The couple now lives at Bargara, and said it was the community atmosphere of the region that drew them in.

“Bargara is similar to the area we lived in, and we have always loved being beachside,” Mrs Wilson said.

“It’s an important part of our lifestyle, we love the feel of the whole area.”

The couple has a 10-year plan that includes investing in the local property market.

“The rental returns here are very good for owners compared to the Sunshine Coast; it’s a much better return for investors,” Mrs Wilson said.

This affordability has added to housing demand and local real estate Ainsley Driver of McGrath Estate Agents (formally PRD) said the population boom had really come about in the past three years.

“The demand for affordable homes in the past two-and-a-half years to three years has been the highest we’ve seen in the last 20 years for the Bundaberg area,” he said.

He said roughly 30-40 per cent of this demand came from the affordability of the region.

However, that affordability has changed in Bundaberg over the past three years, with this new demand affecting prices massively.

Data collected in 2011 revealed the average price for a home in Bundaberg was $278,000 with that average price rising in 2021 to $308,000.

In the first quarter of 2022, that average reached $360,000, with the $52,000 increase equalling a 16.8 per cent rise in prices in six months, compared to a 10.7 per cent rise from 2011-2021.

Mrs Wilson said the housing outlook was expected to remain high, with regional areas exhibiting gentler peaks and troughs in pricing compared to capital cities.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen in the world though,” Mr Wilson said.

“Covid came and everyone said it was going to be a 30 per cent drop (in the housing market) and it was a 30 per cent increase - so that’s a 60 per cent mistake by the real estate pundits,” he said.

This total 27.5 per cent rise in housing prices was in stark contrast to the region’s average household income.

The average weekly household income in Bundaberg in 2011 was $833 which has now increased to $1157 amid rising inflation, though this average is not shared across all Bundaberg suburbs.

Rent prices have also risen a shocking 38.9 per cent in the past decade.

Rent prices across Bundaberg are varied, with Census data outlining that the cheapest suburbs to rent in are Bundaberg South, Walkerville, Avenell Heights, Svensson Heights and Norville with average weekly rent sitting at $275.

This is $55 cheaper than the most expensive rental suburb of Branyan and Kensington, with rent reaching an average of $330 a week.

Bargara and Burnett Heads also have higher rent prices, with their weekly rent equalling $320 a week.

When it comes to buying it seems the most affordable suburb is Bundaberg South, with 52.7 per cent of people there owning their homes outright.

This is in comparison to Svensson Heights and Norville with their lower rents making it the most rented suburb in the region, with 36.7 per cent of people renting their home and only 35.7 per cent owning their homes outright.

Branyan and Kensington have some of the lowest rental percentages, with only 18.8 per cent of people renting, perhaps in part due to people in the suburb taking home the highest average income of $715 a week.

Surprisingly, the suburb with the highest percentage of ownership - Bundaberg South - has the lowest income, with residents taking home $522 a week on average.

Monthly mortgage repayments in Bundaberg South are the lowest of Bundaberg, with residents on average paying $1022 a month in mortgage repayments.

Bargara and Burnett Heads have average monthly mortgage repayments of $1500.

The coastal lifestyle on offer in Bargara means people are willing to pay more for a home than they are other suburbs of Bundaberg.

Mr Wilson also predicts the next 10 years in Bundaberg and the greater south east region will be influenced by the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

Affordable and accessible rentals remain in high demand across Bundaberg, with many struggling to find homes resulting in the unfortunate families living out of tents and caravans.

Mr Driver said this demand came from a delay in new home construction, with new home buyers needing to continue to rent before their home was built.

“When people are building a home they’ve got to live somewhere while their house is being built and this is putting pressure on the rental market also,” he said.

“People are renting while building, and right now there is a 12 month wait to get a home built and that’s due to a lack of supply in building materials.”

Burnett MP Stephen Bennett said that the recent publicity of the region on sites such as escape.com.au has greatly attracted people to the region.

However, the lack of housing remained a key issue.

“Every week vulnerable people are calling my office as a last resort, with nowhere to shelter their families, animals, or belongings,’ he said.

This boom in population has also puta strain on Bundaberg’s health care and education facilities.

Mr Bennett said the State Government needed to do more for the region.

“Overall, the recent state budget reflects a 60 per cent reduction in available funding to Bundaberg and Gladstone Regional Councils,” he said.

Strategic Projects and Economic Development director Ben Artup said the Bundaberg council was doing everything it could to build Bundaberg to support growth.

Major tourist attractions such as the iconic Bundaberg Rum Distillery bring attention to Bundaberg and what is has to offer.

“Local government’s core business is growing our community and local infrastructure, everything that we do is about supporting and enabling our community to thrive,” he said.

The council also advocates for the bigger issues that come with a rising population in Bundaberg.

“We don’t deliver health or education services but we advocate for services like the new hospital and addressing skills issues in our area,” Mr Artup said.

Employment is a key concern with population rises and Mr Artup said the council had programs in place to deliver employment opportunities to the Bundaberg youth.

Mr Artup said the council had a forward focus on standard infrastructure developments such as the streamlining of wastewater facilities and developing local roads.

Social infrastructure is also important, with focus being placed on the redevelopment of the riverside and the Anzac Park Pool Project.