Outback town’s plan to fix home shortage with new homeowner grant

While potential homebuyers struggle to get into the market, an outback Queensland town is effectively giving land away for free.

An outback Queensland council is essentially “giving away land” under a radical new homeowner grant to combat the region’s housing shortage crisis.

Homeowners will be offered a $12,500 grant if they buy land and build in the Quilpie region, which is booming thanks to thriving tourism and an influx of people moving to the outback for the laid-back lifestyle.

And with some blocks going for as little as $12,500, it means homeowners could end up getting their land for free if they’re willing to move to the town of 800 people 1000km west of Brisbane famous for opal mining and dinosaur bones.

Quilpie Shire Council CEO Justin Hancock said plan came about because there were not enough houses for people moving to the area for job opportunities – and he knows the struggle first-hand after spending his first six months in town living a retirement village.

“I made some great friends at the retirement village, and still drop by for a cuppa with some of the residents, but it wasn’t the ideal place for me to live, regardless of how lovely the villa was,” Mr Hancock said.

Quilpie shire in outback Queensland is offering homeowner grants. Picture: Leon O'Neil

He said the deal aimed to attract new, younger residents to the area.

“We have over 10 job vacancies in Quilpie at the moment that we’re hoping will attract some new younger residents to live out here and the younger demographic won’t want to live in a retirement village,” he said.

“You would be hard pressed to find a better deal anywhere in Australia, depending on the cost of the land chosen, it can equate to us essentially giving land away.”

Quilpie Shire Mayor Stuart MacKenzie said the area had strong job opportunities, which was behind the council offering the land grant.

“ … We need to be able to offer good housing options to attract people to our region for the jobs on offer – we need teachers, nurses and all sorts of positions filled,” he said.

“We see the land grant as a way to boost our housing stock to support long term employment in the region.”

Tom Hennessy and Tessa McDougall at the block of land they have purchased in Quilpie. Picture: Leon O'Neil

Tom Hennessy, 23, a technical officer at the council and teacher Tessa McDougall, 24, have already taken up the grant and say they are over the moon.

“Tessa has friends and family in Brisbane who are struggling to get into the property market so we feel very fortunate to be able to do this now,” Mr Hennessy said.

“We’re also hopeful that other young people will look at the job opportunities out here along with these great property deals and make the move to Quilpie.

“It’s a great lifestyle and small town vibe, there’s no crime and everyone is pretty laid back.”

The grant covers the whole of the Quilpie shire, which includes Eromanga, Adavale, Toompine and Cheepie, with flights available from Brisbane and a train service.