While capital city buyers are sweating over affordability, regional Queensland is turning heads and profits. If you’ve got $750,000 or less, you might just find gold in the Sunshine State.
House prices in Mackay soared by almost 19% over the past year, adding around $100,000 in equity to the average homeowner's property.
If you thought the real estate boom was only happening in the big smoke, think again. Some of Australia’s strongest property price growth isn’t in Sydney or Melbourne, it’s in the heart of Queensland.
According to PropTrack and HTW reports, Mackay tops the chart with house values jumping nearly 19% in just 12 months, adding a cool $100,000 to median prices. Townsville and Gladstone followed closely behind, each seeing gains over 16%.
And it's not just houses. Unit prices are soaring too, with Townsville units up by 20.8%, and Gladstone and Mackay not far behind.
Why the surge?
Affordable housing, lifestyle appeal, and tight rental supply are turning these once-overlooked cities into hot investment zones. According to Ben Chick from Explore Property Mackay, the city is simply catching up after being undervalued for years.
Meanwhile, in Geraldton (WA) and Albury (NSW), demand is also heating up. Regional WA cities like Busselton saw the largest equity gains, with home values rising over $105,000.
The investors are watching
Borderless buyers and agents from Sydney and Melbourne are hunting regional bargains especially where rental yields are strong. In Mildura, real estate agents are fielding 10–15 calls a day from capital-based buyers’ agents. “It all comes down to yield,” says local agent Mark Thornton.
A three-bedroom home on a spacious 900sqm block in East Mackay was recently snapped up for $801,000.
Units leading the way
With house prices pushing higher, many buyers are pivoting to units. This trend is especially clear in Toowoomba, Albury, and Bundaberg, where unit price growth is now outpacing houses.
Even on the Gold Coast, where house prices are up 7.5%, units are edging ahead with a 9% increase proving you don’t need a detached home to ride the property wave.
Geraldton saw the fourth-fastest house price growth among all regional cities, with property values rising by around 15% over the past year.
Final Thoughts
If you're looking to buy a home in Australia especially in Victoria or Queensland keep your eyes on the regional markets. For under $750,000, buyers can still find quality properties with strong growth potential and rental returns.
Real estate doesn’t always mean big cities. Sometimes, the real opportunities lie in the quieter corners where locals upgrade, investors pounce, and every buyer still stands a fighting chance.
