Cairns real estate: Craiglie at Port Douglas a top performer with development roaring ahead

Cane fields are making way for a residential development boom at a little town on the outskirts of Port Douglas, and house prices are booming.

CANE fields are rapidly giving way to housing as a little town on the outskirts of Port Douglas becomes a hot residential destination.

A total of 34 houses sold in Craiglie in 2021 and the median increased by 15.8 per cent to $599,363, according to CoreLogic data.

That puts Craiglie among the top performing suburbs in the Far North.

But the median would have been boosted by sales at addresses on the edge of Port Douglas.

Developer Ernest Duval of Port Douglas Land Developments is waiting for Douglas Shire Council to give the green light to stage two of New Port Estate – 32 lots in stage one sold out in September.

Raine and Horne Port Douglas director David Cotton said stage two plans for a further 34 lots had been with council for six months.

“We would have 100 people on standby for stage two,” Mr Cotton said.

“And 90 per cent of our sales have been to locals.”

Land at the estate is about $235,000.

Agency HQ real estate agent Ronni Leigh said there were lots of holiday rentals in Craiglie that had back-to-back bookings and appealed to investors.

“During the tourist season, Craiglie is quieter than Port Douglas itself, and there’s no units or resorts, “ Ms Leigh said.

“The price point at Craiglie is different to right in town, first time buyers can actually get into the market.

“Port Douglas is growing exponentially and there is no land to build in Port Douglas,” she said.

She said Craiglie appealed to southerners seeking to retire, start a business, or those who saw the demand for tradespeople.

Council is spending $1m this financial year on work at the 180 acre estate.

Originally published as Cairns real estate: Craiglie at Port Douglas a top performer with development roaring ahead