Goomeri house prices jump 35% in one year

Staggering rises in median house prices throughout the Gympie region are nowhere more pronounced than at Goomeri, Pie Creek and the Southside.

House prices at Goomeri have increased by 35 per cent in the past year, more than double the rise experienced across the region. Tessa Mapstone / South Burnett Times

The effects of Gympie’s surging property market are being felt to the west, with prices at Goomeri soaring by 35 per cent in the past year, more than double the jump experienced across the rest of the region.

New figures from real estate hub CoreLogic show the median sale price at Goomeri in March was $187,000.

This was a 35 per cent jump from the March 2020 median of $138,000, but still kept the western township the cheapest place to buy in the region.

The western bank of the Mary River was also the home of hot property.

The median Southside and Pie Creek prices increased by 20 per cent on the year to reach $399,000 on the Southside and $495,000 at Pie Creek.

Median prices at the Southside increased 20 per cent to $399,000.

Imbil and Tin Can Bay experienced double figure median price rises too: climbing from $360,000 last March to to $414,000 this March in Imbil, and from $323,000 to $370,000 at Tin Can Bay.

Rainbow Beach’s median house price rose by 8 per cent to $538,000 this year, maintaining the surf side township’s top spot on the list of most expensive places to buy in the region.

The median price across the region as a whole increased by 13.9 per cent in the past year, rising from $332,500 to $376,000.

Long-time Gympie real estate agent Tom Grady, who this year opened a branch of his business in Goomeri, pointed to two key factors: growth in the cattle market and people exploring their own backyards in the wake of Covid.

Real estate agent Tom Grady says the growth of the cattle market and the aftermath of Covid are key factors in Goomeri’s price surge.

The town also offered a similar lifestyle to the Mary Valley but at a much cheaper price.

“Goomeri and Kilkivan have been underrated over the years,” Mr Grady said.

“They’re very nice little towns.”

There was still a lot of promise on the horizon as connections between Gympie and its western outreaches improve, too.

“I think as travel times become less and less... I think the smaller country towns will open up.”

This was already beginning in Goomeri, where Mr Grady’s new office was being joined by other businesses including a bookshop, a bed and breakfast and expansions to the popular bakery and hotel.

“(Goomeri) is the gateway to the South Burnett,” Mr Grady said.