Invest
Bush v beach: which delivers better growth?
Retiring with a cocktail in hand or a cup of tea by the fire are both nice ideas, but which destination property is better for long-term growth?
Bush v beach: which delivers better growth?
Retiring with a cocktail in hand or a cup of tea by the fire are both nice ideas, but which destination property is better for long-term growth?
According to RiskWise Property Research, popular sea-change areas have delivered more than double the price growth of their tree-change counterparts in the last five years.
That’s 43 per cent and 18 per cent respectively, based on analysis of the top seven tree- and sea-change areas performed by real estate group, Homely.
RiskWise CEO Doron Peleg explained that these diverging returns are partly the result of the appeal of beachside living.
The significant increase in popularity has led to correspondingly higher prices, Mr Peleg added, noting that tree-change areas tend to be more affordable. The median price of the most popular tree-change areas is $378,000, compared with $686,000 for sea-change areas.
Byron Bay (102 per cent), Terrigal (68 per cent) and Kingscliff (62 per cent) delivered the strongest growth among sea-change areas.
However, RiskWise noted that Byron Bay’s relaxed lifestyle comes with a hefty price-tag; $1.37 million for the average house.
Noosa Heads, also in the top seven, has a median house price of about $1 million.
For those looking to go bush, Dayboro homes have experienced capital growth of 35.7 per cent over the last five years, followed by Birregurra with 33.7 per cent.
“It’s clear from these figures that sea-change beats tree-change hands down when it comes to solid capital growth,” Mr Peleg said.
“This is largely due to the amazing lifestyle options on offer along our coastlines.”
Top seven sea-change areas for houses
| State | Area | Median price | 12 month growth | 3 year growth | 5 year growth |
| VIC | Warrnambool | $352,744 | 7.3% | 10.3% | 18.7% |
| QLD | Port Douglas | $588,160 | 4.6% | 15.2% | 29.4% |
| NSW | Lennox Head | $852,184 | 4.8% | 23.4% | 39.7% |
| NSW | Kingscliff | $907,094 | 14.0% | 44.1% | 62.0% |
| NSW | Terrigal | $919,780 | 10.9% | 40.6% | 68.8% |
| QLD | Noosa Heads | $997,780 | 16.4% | 36.8% | 55.4% |
| NSW | Byron Bay | $1,415,941 | 19.6% | 47.2% | 102.0% |
| Weighted | average: | $686,707.84 | 9.9% | 24.7% | 43.0% |
Top seven tree-change areas for houses
| State | Area | Median price | 12 month growth | 3 year growth | 5 year growth |
| VIC | Chiltern | $245,984 | -0.9% | 4.7% | 25.9% |
| TAS | Evandale | $302,715 | 3.6% | 8.0% | 3.8% |
| WA | Toodyay | $325,387 | -5.2% | -2.8% | 5.9% |
| SA | Strathalbyn | $366,052 | 1.8% | 6.1% | 15.5% |
| VIC | Birregurra | $390,205 | 5.6% | 24.2% | 33.7% |
| TAS | Richmond | $445,217 | 8.9% | 8.7% | 13.7% |
| QLD | Dayboro | $571,861 | 1.1% | 17.4% | 35.7% |
| Weighted | average: | $378,787.53 | 1.7% | 8.0% | 18.1% |
Property
Zagga's ninth anniversary sees focus on investor education in real estate private credit
In a significant milestone, Zagga, a key player in the Australian real estate sector, is celebrating its ninth anniversary with a renewed commitment to investor education. The company has grown ...Read more
Property
Australian property’s quiet pivot: resilience hides a new competitive map
Australia’s housing market remains sturdier than the macro noise suggests, but the sources of resilience have shifted. For operators, the profit pool is migrating from ‘volume at any price’ to ...Read more
Property
Gen Z’s 5% deposit rush: how policy‑driven demand is reshaping Australia’s housing value chain
A government-backed 5% deposit guarantee has triggered a surge in first-home buyer intent among Gen Z, pulling forward demand and resetting competition across banks, brokers and buildersRead more
Property
Cautious bidders, smarter sellers: a Queensland auction case study on repricing risk
Queensland’s auction market has hit a caution cycle as buyers price in higher borrowing costs, global uncertainty and cost-of-living pressure. Clearance softness is forcing agencies to re-engineer ...Read more
Property
Trust, technology and triage: what NSW’s ‘name and shame’ signals for real estate governance
NSW’s latest enforcement action on real estate trust accounts isn’t a one-off embarrassment; it’s a stress test of sector governance. With licences suspended and penalties applied, the message is ...Read more
Property
Vacancy is rising, demand is resilient: A case study in defending yield as Australia’s rental cycle rebalances
After a blistering run, Australia’s rental market is loosening at the edges. Vacancy is edging up off historic lows, rent inflation is set to moderate into 2026, yet underlying demand remains ...Read more
Property
Don’t lose the deposit: A case study in stopping real estate payment fraud — and the ROI for doing it
Deposit redirection scams are quietly eroding buyer savings and agency reputations in Australia’s property market. This case study unpacks how a mid-tier real estate group redesigned its settlement ...Read more
Property
The $12m threshold: Why portfolio value, not property count, now defines Australia’s investor elite
The old yardstick of six properties as shorthand for investment success has been overtaken by a harsher reality: in today’s market, elite status is defined by balance-sheet strength, not asset countRead more
Property
Zagga's ninth anniversary sees focus on investor education in real estate private credit
In a significant milestone, Zagga, a key player in the Australian real estate sector, is celebrating its ninth anniversary with a renewed commitment to investor education. The company has grown ...Read more
Property
Australian property’s quiet pivot: resilience hides a new competitive map
Australia’s housing market remains sturdier than the macro noise suggests, but the sources of resilience have shifted. For operators, the profit pool is migrating from ‘volume at any price’ to ...Read more
Property
Gen Z’s 5% deposit rush: how policy‑driven demand is reshaping Australia’s housing value chain
A government-backed 5% deposit guarantee has triggered a surge in first-home buyer intent among Gen Z, pulling forward demand and resetting competition across banks, brokers and buildersRead more
Property
Cautious bidders, smarter sellers: a Queensland auction case study on repricing risk
Queensland’s auction market has hit a caution cycle as buyers price in higher borrowing costs, global uncertainty and cost-of-living pressure. Clearance softness is forcing agencies to re-engineer ...Read more
Property
Trust, technology and triage: what NSW’s ‘name and shame’ signals for real estate governance
NSW’s latest enforcement action on real estate trust accounts isn’t a one-off embarrassment; it’s a stress test of sector governance. With licences suspended and penalties applied, the message is ...Read more
Property
Vacancy is rising, demand is resilient: A case study in defending yield as Australia’s rental cycle rebalances
After a blistering run, Australia’s rental market is loosening at the edges. Vacancy is edging up off historic lows, rent inflation is set to moderate into 2026, yet underlying demand remains ...Read more
Property
Don’t lose the deposit: A case study in stopping real estate payment fraud — and the ROI for doing it
Deposit redirection scams are quietly eroding buyer savings and agency reputations in Australia’s property market. This case study unpacks how a mid-tier real estate group redesigned its settlement ...Read more
Property
The $12m threshold: Why portfolio value, not property count, now defines Australia’s investor elite
The old yardstick of six properties as shorthand for investment success has been overtaken by a harsher reality: in today’s market, elite status is defined by balance-sheet strength, not asset countRead more