Hordes of beachgoers flock to coastal towns every summer to enjoy a break by the beach, and new data suggests that many opt to make the move permanent.
PropTrack data has revealed the coastal suburbs outside the capitals that are most popular with house hunters, with homes that come on the market often swamped with enquiries from buyers.
While many of these areas are much more affordable than beachside suburbs in the capitals, prices might not stay that way for long, with surging demand from citydwellers potentially driving property values higher.
In many of these suburbs, a boom is already underway, with growth in values outpacing that seen in the capitals.
Other areas are still flying under the radar, giving buyers the chance to snap up a bargain before the secret gets out.
Jump ahead to see the most in-demand beachside suburbs in:
The data ranks suburbs near the coast by the highest average number of enquiries per listing on realestate.com.au, highlighting areas where buyers are focused.
The number of key enquiries per listing — which includes high-intent actions such as emailing an enquiry, calling the agent or downloading documents — can give an indication of buyer demand in an area, given these are actions usually undertaken by serious buyers.
House prices in Slade Point, north of Mackay, have gone up 26% in the past year to $642,000. It's one of the most in-demand beachside suburbs in regional Queensland. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold
A high number of enquiries per listing can indicate that a suburb has a lot of interest, and if the number of homes coming onto the market can’t keep up, prices head higher.
In areas where there are fewer homes on the market, it can also indicate heightened competition for those that do come up for sale.
The data shows that many of the most highly sought-after regional coastal suburbs are found in regions just a few hours from the capitals.
These areas are often major regional centres with strong employment opportunities, or located within a commutable distance to the capitals.
Top 10 most in-demand suburbs in regional Queensland
| Suburb | Region (SA4) | Key enquiries per listing | Median house value (AVM) | 12-month change | |
| 1 | Currumbin | Gold Coast | 82 | $1,809,000 | 18% |
| 2 | Tugun | Gold Coast | 79 | $1,530,000 | 20% |
| 3 | Currimundi | Sunshine Coast | 76 | $1,165,000 | 18% |
| 4 | Southport | Gold Coast | 74 | $1,229,000 | 19% |
| 5 | Bucasia | Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday | 66 | $721,000 | 21% |
| 6 | South Mackay | Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday | 64 | $612,000 | 20% |
| 7 | Runaway Bay | Gold Coast | 64 | $1,907,000 | 13% |
| 8 | Mooloolaba | Sunshine Coast | 63 | $1,719,000 | 14% |
| 9 | Slade Point | Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday | 61 | $642,000 | 26% |
| 10 | Labrador | Gold Coast | 60 | $1,212,000 | 21% |
Recent research shows that Australians are increasingly leaving the city behind and relocating to the regions, with the trend established during the pandemic now firmly entrenched.
The latest Regional Movers Index found 36% more people moved from the capitals to the regions than the other way around.
The research showed coastal areas remained most popular, with the Sunshine Coast, Geelong, Lake Macquarie and the Fraser Coast having the highest share of total net internal migration.
Homes for sale in Sunshine Coast suburbs such as Mooloolaba are getting high levels of enquiries per listing. Picture: Getty
It comes as no surprise that these were among the most popular coastal regions with property buyers in the past year.
In Queensland, the key markets of the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast continue to draw city buyers, but suburbs of Mackay and Gladstone where median house prices are below the $650,000 mark were also in high demand.
Top 10 most in-demand suburbs in regional Victoria
| Suburb | Region (SA4) | Key enquiries per listing | Median house value (AVM) | 12-month change | |
| 1 | Newcomb | Geelong | 53 | $609,000 | 11% |
| 2 | East Geelong | Geelong | 27 | $837,000 | 9% |
| 3 | Geelong | Geelong | 26 | $907,000 | 5% |
| 4 | Clifton Springs | Geelong | 25 | $701,000 | 7% |
| 5 | Curlewis | Geelong | 21 | $693,000 | 7% |
| 6 | Grantville | Latrobe - Gippsland | 20 | $594,000 | 2% |
| 7 | Warrnambool | Warrnambool and South West | 18 | $620,000 | 10% |
| 8 | Ocean Grove | Geelong | 18 | $970,000 | 4% |
| 9 | Ventnor | Latrobe - Gippsland | 18 | $762,000 | -2% |
| 10 | Coronet Bay | Latrobe - Gippsland | 18 | $526,000 | 2% |
In Victoria, several suburbs in the Geelong region topped the list for enquiries per listing, including Newcomb, where a typical house is worth just over $600,000, as well as East Geelong and Clifton Springs.
Local real estate agent and Geelong Real Estate Co director Jess Templeton said the proximity of Newcomb to the Geelong CBD, larger blocks and affordability were part of its appeal to investors, who were mostly from interstate.
“Victoria at the moment has been pinpointed for a lot of growth” she said. “A lot of the buyers are coming to the Geelong market because they’ve been priced out of Melbourne.”
The top five most in-demand coastal suburbs in regional Victoria were all in Geelong. Picture: Getty
Neighbouring East Geelong was also in high demand, but homes were more tightly held and typically bought by owner-occupiers, Ms Templeton said.
“East Geelong has a lot of character homes, nice trendy cafes and it’s got a good lifestyle,” she said.
Top 10 most in-demand suburbs in regional New South Wales
| Suburb | Region (SA4) | Key enquiries per listing | Median house value (AVM) | 12-month change | |
| 1 | Port Kembla | Illawarra | 78 | $1,011,000 | 13% |
| 2 | Tweed Heads | Richmond - Tweed | 69 | $1,496,000 | 10% |
| 3 | Swansea | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | 64 | $1,080,000 | 13% |
| 4 | Wollongong | Illawarra | 62 | $1,305,000 | 14% |
| 5 | East Ballina | Richmond - Tweed | 57 | $1,326,000 | 8% |
| 6 | Byron Bay | Richmond - Tweed | 57 | $2,182,000 | 6% |
| 7 | Fingal Bay | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | 56 | $1,454,000 | 16% |
| 8 | Caves Beach | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | 55 | $1,512,000 | 12% |
| 9 | Whitebridge | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | 55 | $1,234,000 | 16% |
| 10 | Blacksmiths | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | 54 | $1,327,000 | 19% |
Port Kembla in Wollongong’s south had the highest level of enquiry of all beachside suburbs in regional NSW – even more than popular hotspots Byron Bay and Tweed Heads.
Local real estate agent Mitchell Walkerden of Dimosons Real Estate attributed it to the suburb's relative affordability and changing demographics.
“There are a lot of buyers moving from Sydney’s inner west,” he said. “Port Kembla shares a similar culture and community vibe.”
“First-home buyers can afford about 30-40% of the suburb, and the rest are people looking to upsize or move closer to the beach.”
Port Kembla has become popular among first-home buyers relocating from Sydney, and redevelopment plans for parts of the steelworks could provide a further catalyst for price growth. Picture: Getty
Industrial land within the Port Kembla steelworks was recently rezoned to create a high-tech employment hub, which could create up to 30,000 new jobs, according to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.
The median house price in Port Kembla rose 14% in the past year, and Mr Walkerden said ongoing demand and redevelopment would keep values elevated, although the recent rise in interest rates could slow growth.
“I'm expecting Port Kembla to continue to grow in value and at a faster rate than the majority of suburbs in the Illawarra,” he said.
Top 10 most in-demand suburbs in regional Western Australia
| Suburb | Region (SA4) | Key enquiries per listing | Median house value (AVM) | 12-month change | |
| 1 | Quindalup | Bunbury | 54 | $1,883,000 | 21% |
| 2 | Busselton | Bunbury | 49 | $1,023,000 | 24% |
| 3 | Abbey | Bunbury | 48 | $1,448,000 | 43% |
| 4 | West Busselton | Bunbury | 48 | $955,000 | 24% |
| 5 | Dunsborough | Bunbury | 41 | $1,345,000 | 23% |
| 6 | Geographe | Bunbury | 39 | $981,000 | 27% |
| 7 | Broadwater | Bunbury | 37 | $1,035,000 | 27% |
| 8 | Withers | Bunbury | 33 | $616,000 | 26% |
| 9 | Capel | Bunbury | 32 | $717,000 | 27% |
| 10 | Bunbury | Bunbury | 30 | $984,000 | 22% |
Quindalup was the most in-demand beachside suburb in regional Western Australia, with enquiries almost as high in nearby Busselton and Dunsborough.
“This corner of the south west region of WA is extremely popular with Perth buyers wanting to invest and retire, as well as expats and international buyers,” real estate agent and Realmark Dunsborough director Julie Fairclough told realestate.com.au.
Quindalup has been described as "the Byron Bay of WA" thanks to its stunning beaches and valuable homes. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold.
“We’re getting a lot of buyers from interstate. There’s direct flights now from Sydney and Meblourne to Busselton.
“We’re like the Byron Bay of WA. It’s a lot quieter and the beaches are insanely beautiful, but it's getting busier and busier.”
Top 10 most in-demand suburbs in regional South Australia
| Suburb | Region (SA4) | Key enquiries per listing | Median house value (AVM) | 12-month change | |
| 1 | Port Augusta | South Australia - Outback | 41 | $310,000 | 27% |
| 2 | Port Elliot | South Australia - South East | 37 | $951,000 | 13% |
| 3 | North Beach | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 34 | $690,000 | 15% |
| 4 | Wallaroo | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 34 | $527,000 | 15% |
| 5 | Victor Harbor | South Australia - South East | 33 | $724,000 | 14% |
| 6 | Port Augusta West | South Australia - Outback | 33 | $386,000 | 18% |
| 7 | Port Hughes | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 29 | $731,000 | 19% |
| 8 | Normanville | South Australia - South East | 28 | $811,000 | 13% |
| 9 | Encounter Bay | South Australia - South East | 28 | $774,000 | 13% |
| 10 | Moonta Bay | Barossa - Yorke - Mid North | 28 | $634,000 | 17% |
Port Augusta had higher levels of enquiry than any other coastal suburb in regional South Australia, helped in no small part by its affordable property prices – the median house value is $310,000, according to PropTrack data.
Closer to Adelaide, suburbs such as Port Elliot, Victor Harbor and Normanville were in high demand, with median values ranging between $700,000 and $950,000.
Top 10 most in-demand suburbs in regional Tasmania
| Suburb | Region (SA4) | Key enquiries per listing | Median house value (AVM) | 12-month change | |
| 1 | Devonport | West and North West | 48 | $563,000 | 19% |
| 2 | East Devonport | West and North West | 40 | $511,000 | 22% |
| 3 | Beauty Point | Launceston and North East | 32 | $499,000 | 11% |
| 4 | George Town | Launceston and North East | 25 | $413,000 | 16% |
| 5 | Penguin | West and North West | 20 | $631,000 | 9% |
| 6 | Cygnet | South East | 18 | $694,000 | 3% |
| 7 | West Ulverstone | West and North West | 17 | $602,000 | 16% |
| 8 | Ulverstone | West and North West | 17 | $587,000 | 16% |
| 9 | Port Sorell | West and North West | 17 | $743,000 | 8% |
| 10 | Wynyard | West and North West | 15 | $563,000 | 9% |
Regional Tasmania’s most in-demand coastal suburbs were concentrated on the north coast, including Devonport, Ulverstone, Penguin and Wynyard.
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Median values in these suburbs remain below $650,000, although strong price growth in the past year suggests that these areas are being discovered by more buyers seeking affordable coastal homes.
With the interest rate cutting cycle now officially over, affordable beachside suburbs are likely to remain attractive for buyers seeking good value for money.
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