Gold Coast school zones: House prices near high schools with best OP results

People are moving house to get an address in the catchment zones of Gold Coast state schools with the best OP results. Here’s what houses cost in the most popular areas. SEE THE FULL LIST

PARENTS are renting out empty units and rooms for legitimate rates notices in order to get their children into some of the Gold Coast’s best-performing state schools.

Student enrolment across the Gold Coast region is capped for every state high school this year, and all but two local primary schools.

Real estate experts say the cap means many parents are having to “up-sticks” and pay up big to get into the catchment zones of in-demand state schools, should their children not qualify for excellence programs.

The Gold Coast Bulletin has analysed last year’s OP results and suburb house prices to assess the better value-for-money zones.

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Tamborine Mountain and Benowa state high schools top the list. Almost three-quarters (72.3 per cent) of eligible students at Benowa received an OP score of between 1 and 5 in 2019. At Tamborine Mountain, it was 55.17 per cent.

Southport State High School’s academic results — 38.46 per cent of eligible students received Op score of 1-5 — also outweigh the average cost of a home in the area.

The region’s most expensive school catchment is Merrimac State High School where the average cost of a home is around $1.151 million, according to the latest REA figures. The cheapest is the Pimpama State Secondary College catchment zone where houses sell for an average $532,333.

A graph depicting 2019 OP results for all Gold Coast highschools vs housing prices in the area.

For mother-of-three Katherine McCann, the decision to move into the Benowa State High School catchment has been a win in more ways than one.

“I wanted my girls in the catchment for Benowa as the school has a wide range of subject options and excellence programs and it’s also extremely convenient for them to be close enough for them to walk to and from school easily if need be,” Ms McCann said.

“Over the years the catchment boundaries are updated and changed so unfortunately our old place in Ashmore was initially inside catchment when we first moved to the area, but once it changed we ended up outside by four houses …

“So we moved, for accessibility and Benowa’s reputation. It has been amazing for my children and very worth it.”

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Ms McCann said plenty of other families had sought real estate in the prime catchment.

“I have a friend who is renting in our complex for the same reason. Fourteen people applied for it and she had to pay six months rent in advance to get it.

“I have also heard there are houses where people are actually paying to rent a room to get an address. Some people literally just rent a property but live elsewhere to be registered for the catchment.”

Gold Coast Property sales and marketing consultant Melissa Lancaster said she moved home herself to ensure her three kids were in the right school catchment.

“Catchments are very important to families who are looking for homes, I moved into the Varsity College catchment because of it.

Katherine McCann decided to move homes to ensure her kids were able to go to Benowa State High school. Picture Glenn Hampson

“We know interstate buyers also make decisions based on catchments as well, particularly topping up between Benowa State High and Varsity.

“There are a lack of listings and school catchments certainly drive that demand and keeps prices strong.

Ray White Surfers Paradise CEO Andrew Bell said while there was school catchment demand on the Coast, it was not as bad some parts of the US.

“We have an office in Atlanta. Getting in a school district there is of huge significance to a buyer. Here it isn’t that bad because we have plenty of good schools – there isn’t a dramatic difference in the quality.

“But it is no question schools play a significant role in housing decisions, even for private schools parents want to be close.

“I think that will play more of a role as the city grows and traffic increases.”

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE FOR GOLD COAST STATE HIGH CATCHMENTS

Beenleigh State High School: $319,188

Benowa State High School: $851,833

Coombabah State High School: $748,607

Elanora State High School: $953,413

Helensvale State High School: $707,083

Keebra Park State High School: $1.030m

Merrimac State High School: $1.151m

Miami State High School: $1.096m

Nerang State High School: $601,214

Ormeau Woods State High School: $696,500

Pacific Pines State High School: $613,500

Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School: $942,375

Pimpama State Secondary College: $532,333

Robina State High School: $693,179

Southport State High School: $582,000

Tamborine Mountain State High School: $700,100

Upper Coomera State College: $626,500

Varsity College: $634,500

**Figures based on Education Queensland school catchment maps and REA Group Ltd August 12-month housing average.