NewsBite

600-lot Eaton Estate receives $10.3m for trunk infrastructure

Families escaping the hustle and crime of their NQ cities are buying in this community with 600 new lots on the horizon, as the emergence of resources extraction props up the economy.

Innisfail is becoming a popular escape for Cairns and Townsville residents, who curiously ask whether the town has a Bunnings and a Kmart. Picture: Brendan Radke
Innisfail is becoming a popular escape for Cairns and Townsville residents, who curiously ask whether the town has a Bunnings and a Kmart. Picture: Brendan Radke

North Queensland’s working professionals and young families are packing up and moving away from their crime-ridden cities of Cairns and Townsville, prompting the launch of a regional community’s largest residential development in “at least 20 years”.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council received $10.3m from the federal government’s Growing Regions Housing Support Program to support the construction of infrastructure at Eaton – near the existing residential suburb of Innisfail Estate.

The Eaton development had been reportedly suffered a number setbacks from questions over the placement of trunk infrastructure in relation to the nearby Johnstone River, to fluctuating land and building costs, as well as the funding and delivery of the underground assets.

First partly-approved in 2019, the full scope of development was accepted by CCRC in 2020 which would allow the reconfiguration of about 61ha of agricultural land into 600 residential lots, on Flying Fish Point Rd, north of Innisfail State College.

Councillor Jeff Baines, CCRC team member Alyce Haack, Mayor Teresa Millwood, Councillor Renee McLeod at land approved for the Eaton Estate development. Picture: Supplied
Councillor Jeff Baines, CCRC team member Alyce Haack, Mayor Teresa Millwood, Councillor Renee McLeod at land approved for the Eaton Estate development. Picture: Supplied

While about a dozen lots had been created with houses already constructed, reportedly “at-cost” to the developer, the four major stages sat idle, awaiting a funding agreement for trunk infrastructure.

Among the connectivity challenges for the Eaton Estate was the requirement to build new sewage pipelines under the Johnstone River; a significant portion of the $10.3m is expected to be spent on this infrastructure.

Holding the Development and Planning portfolio, Division 5 Councillor Jeff Baines said the proposed 600-lot development was the largest he could remember in his 25 years on the Cassowary Coast.

Mr Baines said after cyclones Larry and Yasi had caused a population and property value decline, the emergence of new industries including silica extraction near Cowley Beach were among the factors for a resurgence of the region as plans for upgrades of Mourilyan Harbour were in the works.

Across the River: The suburb of Cullinane will face new developments on the eastern side of the Johnstone River at Eaton. Picture: Arun Singh Mann
Across the River: The suburb of Cullinane will face new developments on the eastern side of the Johnstone River at Eaton. Picture: Arun Singh Mann

Mr Baines said he would continue advocating for his long-proposed “east-west” link – a direct connection between the Mourilyan Harbour port and the produce being transported on the Palmerston Hwy to help grow the region’s economy.

Cairns-based real estate agent David Galloway-Penney of Champions has been selling property at Innisfail for a number of years and said more recently – most of his clients were either local, or from Townsville, the Tablelands or Cairns.

David Galloway-Penney of Champions in Real Estate has been in selling properties at Innisfail to North Queensland locals. Picture: Stewart McLean
David Galloway-Penney of Champions in Real Estate has been in selling properties at Innisfail to North Queensland locals. Picture: Stewart McLean

“It’s not just people wanting to retire, it’s young families,” he said.

“Recently I sold to a doctor, the wife was a teacher and they have young kids.

“They want to know ‘does it have a Bunnings, a Kmart, OK great, how far is it from Cairns and Mission Beach?’.

“They appreciate the space, the culture and history of the town, and they just want to get away from the crime and the hustle of the cities they’re in.”

Despite being a small regional town, vacant blocks of land at Innisfail were comparable in price to Cairns as surging demand and limited supply propped up value.

RENTALS: DEMAND OUTSTRIPS SUPPLY

Real estate data shows just how desperately the Cassowary Coast needs new housing stock as it records one of lowest rental availability rates among the Far North’s major regional towns.

A search for rental properties without any limiting parameters at Innisfail on realestate.com.au yielded seven results, at Tully just four, the holiday community of Mission Beach had 18 properties, with only three renting below $500, and Cardwell had nine.

In comparison, the Atherton Greater Region had 25 properties for rent as of January 19, the Port Douglas region had 74, and Cairns had 381.

Mareeba was the only region where finding a rental would be tricker than the Cassowary Coast with just three properties listed on the site.

Data from SQM Research showed Innisfail’s rental vacancy five years ago in early 2020, had reached its peak over 20 years at about 3.3 per cent when there were more than 60 dwellings available.

As of January 19, 2025, 11 Tramway Street, Innisfail is the dearest rental property available at $400 per week, in the Cassowary Coast town, according to realestate.com.au results.
As of January 19, 2025, 11 Tramway Street, Innisfail is the dearest rental property available at $400 per week, in the Cassowary Coast town, according to realestate.com.au results.

By the end of the Covid-impacted year, the town’s vacancy rate plunged to about 0.5 per cent with no more than 15 properties being available on a monthly average and hit an all-time low in 2022 of about 0.2 per cent, before recovering in 2023, and finishing at 1.1 per cent in December 2024.

The data showed for the week ending January 12, the average asking rent for all properties combined was $377, while the seven properties currently available on realestate.com.au ranged between $220 and $400 per week.

At the top of the market was 11 Tramway St, a three-bedroom house listed for $400.

It comes as the Real Estate Institute of Queensland welcomed the new the state government’s yet to be legislated housing initiative which included allowing first homeowners to rent out rooms without risk to their concessions or grants.

“While we acknowledge that this measure alone is no silver bullet solution, it is an example of the type of innovative, individual actions that collectively make a material impact on the broader housing market,” REIQ chief executive Antonia Mercorella said.

“On average, 21,000 first home buyers each year were previously restricted from leasing out part of their property in the first year and even a modest 3-5 per cent of these homes being rented out could provide a meaningful boost to the rental market.”

Originally published as 600-lot Eaton Estate receives $10.3m for trunk infrastructure

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/news/cairns/600lot-eaton-estate-receives-103m-for-trunk-infrastructure/news-story/62ac52349e8fc64c428733784019fdb9