How to take up Quilpie’s $20,000 relocation grant and the town you will be moving to

An outback Queensland town has caused quite a stir after offering people $20,000 to move there. Here’s the eligibility criteria and how to apply.

An outback Queensland town has caused a stir by upping its offer to entice people to relocate to the red dust area in the state’s south, but it comes with conditions.

The Quilpie Shire Council funded Home Owner Grant, originally introduced in 2021, has increased from $12,500 to $20,000. The town is located 1000km west of Brisbane.

Quilpie’s incentive has already attracted Adrian Cheok – an Australian born electrical engineer and professor at iUniversity in Tokyo – to commit to moving there with his young family.

Houses are even being built in Brisbane by local builder Hoek Modular Homes, with plans to truck the first two out to Quilpie in April for council employees.

“It’s been a real struggle with material and builder shortages, so I’m proud we have houses that are nearly complete and nearly ready to hit the road out to Quilpie and plans for seven houses in two years,” Quilpie Shire CEO Justin Hancock said.

Hoek Homes operations manager Shane Windsor (left), Quilpie Shire CEO Justin Hancock (middle) and Hoek Homes sales manager Lana Hutton (right) inspect modular homes in Lawnton in Brisbane’s north that will be shipped to Quilpie. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen

Despite the Quilpie Shire having a population of less than 800, and the town itself having less than 600 residents, there are plenty of community facilities.

This includes two supermarkets, a butcher, bakery, newsagent, hairdresser, hospital, medical centre, pharmacy, early learning centre, and two schools teaching Prep-Year 10.

There is also a community gym, sporting ovals, tennis and basketball courts, swimming pools, and REX Airlines operate twice-weekly flights to Brisbane and Mount Isa.

Here’s how the grant works.

The Quilpie Shire grant can be used in addition to other government grants, such as the First Home Owner Grant.

It offers up to $20,000 towards building your new home, but this is paid per new home, not to each applicant for the same home.

Tom Hennessy and Tessa McDougall purchased a block of land in Quilpie in 2021 as part of the Council’s Home Owner grant. Photo: Leon O'Neil.

The home must be valued at $750,000 or less and classified as a Class 1a dwelling – which includes a detached house, or one of a group of attached townhouses. The home must also have a total area of all floors greater than 100 square metres.

The grant is paid on 10 per cent of the value of the new home up to $20,000, so as long as the new house is valued at $200,000 or more, applicants will be eligible for the full $20,000.

The scheme also applies to a relocated home, as long as the house is not being relocated from within the same townships or from Quilpie Shire.

The already stated 10 per cent value rule applies to relocated homes. The relocated home must also be a Class 1a dwelling and have a total area greater than 100 square metres.

The red dust town of Quilpie. Photo: Leon O'Neil.

Proof of home value must be provided – for a new home, this can be with an executed building contract, for a relocated home, this will be a market appraisal or bank valuation.

The grant applies to all township areas across Quilpie Shire – Adavale, Eromanga, Cheepie, Quilpie and Toompine. New homeowners in the Quilpie Shire are eligible.

To be eligible, applicants must live in the home for at least the first six months, and they must be an Australian Citizen or a permanent resident.

Applicants will not be considered if they are a trust or company, or if they are building the home with financial help from a related person who is not eligible for the grant and who will also live in the home.

Application forms are available here. They can be submitted by post to PO Box 57, Quilpie 4480, or via email to [e-mail]. The application must have with it supporting documents and a signed contract.