The QLD regions poised for property price growth in 2022

A number of affordable regional Queensland towns have emerged as top spots to watch for price growth in 2022, and a few of them might surprise you.

A number of regional Queensland towns have emerged as top spots to watch for price growth in 2022, and a few of them might surprise you.

And while places like the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast are expected to continue their dominance, it is now the hinterland regions that are attracting big demand from capital city buyers.

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But it is outside of the booming southeast corner where Terry Ryder of Hotspotting has picked “standout locations” for price growth between now and March next year, a time when the majority of domestic borders will finally be thrown open after two years of rolling lockdowns.

“We identified 163 locations throughout Queensland with rising sales activity which is the second highest result in the six years that we’ve been compiling the report,” Mr Ryder said.

“Regional Queensland is one of the best performers in the nation with 61 locations experiencing growth in median house prices of 20 per cent or more, compared with 29 in Brisbane, 25 in Melbourne, 57 in Sydney and 48 in regional Victoria.”

Mr Ryder said the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville and the Fraser Coast regions were all areas to watch in coming months.

An aerial of the Coomera Town Centre site.

“The Gold Coast is definitely taking the lead with its market thriving from big city buyers seeking to escape multiple periods of pandemic restrictions from the likes of Melbourne and Sydney,” he said.

“The Coomera growth corridor is a standout with suburbs like Ormeau and Pimpama recording dramatic uplift in sales activity in the past year.

“Other regional markets are emerging though, most notably the inland city of Toowoomba.

“Its economy is set to benefit from significant new infrastructure.

“All but three of Toowoomba’s suburbs were categorised as growth markets based on their spring sales activity patterns.”

In the Fraser Coast region, Mr Ryder said Maryborough was emerging as a star performer, having enjoyed its biggest price uplift in a decade.

“And given its good connectivity, employment opportunities, affordability and healthy returns, I think Maryborough has plenty to offer both investors or those seeking a lifestyle change,” he said.

Aerial shot of Townsville

Up north, Mr Ryder said Townsville was “poised for growth”, and was being boosted by over $25 billion in infrastructure spending.

He said that the garrison city offered affordable prices, high yields and low vacancy rates, with prices now rising.

“There has been exceptional price growth in many suburbs in 2021,” he said.

“Townsville has proven its strength and resilience in the past … the local peconomy and its property market are now booming.”

Queensland’s beef capital, Rockhampton, also came in for a top mention, with Mr Ryder saying its affordability, high yields, low vacancies and prospects for capital growth were being driven by elevated infrastructure spending.

Mr Ryder also tips that the Sunshine Coast hinterland will see strong interest in coming months, after the overheated coastal markets experienced strong growth, and some eye-watering prices, over the past two to three years.

“Now the region’s hill change towns are attracting big demand,” the report said.

“It forms part of the Sunshine Coast region, one of the fastest growing areas in the country over the last decade and one of the nation’s most dynamic economies.”