A SHORTAGE of land on the Gold Coast is forcing buyers west with some of the Hinterland’s most popular tree-change destinations unable to keep up with growing demand.
The Scenic Rim suburb of Canungra, just 22 minutes west of Nerang, has been popular among buyers wanting to build their own house with 150 homesites sold last year.
That was more than ten times the pre-pandemic average in the suburb of 12 new house lots per year.
Lot 27, 2558 Beaudesert-Nerang Road, Canungra is under contract.
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With many of the sites sold in 2021 yet to be registered and built-on, Canungra’s current population of just under 5,500 is expected to explode in coming years.
Canungra Realty Principal Lawrie Phillips said there was practically no affordable homesites available in and around Canungra despite massive demand.
“Canungra has always been an attractive destination for people seeking a tree-change, but that trend really accelerated during the pandemic and a decade’s worth of supply was sold in the space of a year in 2021,” he said.
“Every day we are getting phone calls from people asking about affordable homesites where they can build a house.
The lack of land on the Gold Coast is pushing buyers out to Hinterland suburbs including Canungra.
“In recent times the interest has expanded from primarily Gold Coasters to people from
Sydney and Melbourne.”
“The lack of available land and rapidly increasing property prices east of the M1 are forcing people to consider alternative locations in which to buy or a rent a family home and it doesn’t take them long to find us.
“Canungra is just 40 minute’s drive to Southport and the price of land is just a fraction of the price of a comparable site on the Gold Coast.”
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Mr Lawrie said there were currently four residential estates in and around Canungra in varying stages of completion, with three of those projects having just a handful of lots available.
Mr Phillips said the influx of new people to the town over recent years had a positive impact for local businesses with the main street now just as popular with locals as it was with passing tourists.
“The pandemic has really shifted people’s perspectives of townships like Canungra, he said. “They are now seen as not only desirable places to live, but with more people able to work from home, they are also very convenient.”
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“You can really have the best of both worlds here – an idyllic semirural feel with the Gold Coast’s beaches and entertainment and shopping precincts just a short drive away.
“Unfortunately, what we desperately need is more land.”
The Scenic Rim has experienced steady population growth over the last decade and was home to 40,072 residents in 2016, which increased to 43,123 in 2019.
This growth is expected to reach 67,000 by 2041.
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