‘Mini Byron Bay’: 106 booming beachside suburbs that are still affordable

Sub-$1 million coastal suburbs are becoming increasingly rare, but these seaside hotspots remain within reach despite prices drifting higher.

Analysis of PropTrack data shows the dream of buying an affordable home by the beach is still achievable, even in areas where values have surged.

Buyers are much more likely to find a coastal home for less than $1 million outside the major cities, with the data revealing clusters of affordable oceanfront suburbs around Australia’s entire coastline.

There were 106 beachside suburbs outside the capital cities where home values rose by more than 5% in the past year, but median prices are still below $1 million.

These suburbs have been making waves as demand from both local buyers and sea changers has buoyed prices.

Jump ahead to see the full list of affordable beachside suburbs

The data shows affordable seaside suburbs where prices are growing can be found in every state, ranging from tropical Queensland to the rugged coastlines of southwest WA.

REA Group senior economist Eleanor Creagh said beachside homes tended to be more affordable in regions further from major employment hubs.

“After the strong price growth of recent years, sub-$1 million coastal homes are increasingly rare, so these suburbs stand out as relative value plays,” she said.

“These ‘bargain’ coastal suburbs could be placed to attract the next wave of buyers priced out elsewhere.”

Where to find Australia’s cheapest beachside suburbs

The cheapest coastal towns were in regional South Australia, led by Port Augusta about three hours north of Adelaide with a median value of $272,500.

Prices were almost as affordable in Ceduna on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain, where a typical house costs $280,000.

Ceduna, an affordable town on the South Australian coast, is known for its 380m-long jetty. Picture: Getty

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In Solomontown, a suburb of Port Pirie, a typical house will now set buyers back about $300,000 after values rose 32% in the past year.

Compared to the median price of a house in regional Australia ($709,000), the combined capital cities ($1.15 million) and Australia as a whole ($977,000), these towns are much more affordable.

Queensland buyers have the most choice when it comes to finding an affordable beachside home, with 42 sub-$1 million suburbs dotted along the state’s 6,967km-long coastline.

The cheapest coastal suburb in the sunshine state was East Innisfail, south of Cairns, where the median home value is $365,000 – up about 25% in the past year.

Other affordable Queensland suburbs include Barney Point in Gladstone ($445,000) and Bowen ($545,000) – prices in both suburbs are up 20% in the past 12 months.

Several beachfront properties in Bowen in north Queensland sold for less than $500,000 last year. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

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In Western Australia, there are clusters of affordable beachside suburbs in Geraldton where median prices ranged from about $500,000 to $700,000, including Bluff Point, Sunset Beach and Drummond Cove.

Homes can be purchased for about the same price in suburbs of Bunbury such as Withers and Usher. 

Surprising town posting ‘$900 a day’ price growth

Meanwhile, a budget of just under $1 million would be needed for the high-demand Busselton suburbs of Broadwater and West Busselton.

House price growth in these suburbs outpaced the 8.8% increase in the national median home value in the past year, and the 9.8% rise in prices recorded across combined regional areas.

Although values are rising rapidly, houses can still be purchased for less than $1 million in West Busselton. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

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Real estate agent and Acton Bell Property South West associate director Jason Dragstra said it was mostly Western Australian buyers who were diving into the Busselton market, with far fewer east coast investors than a year ago.

“There’s a lot of people moving from Perth, and now the secret's out of the bag,” he said. 

“It’s a mini Byron Bay story. It’s been here forever and all of a sudden it’s popular.”

“With stock levels being ridiculously low and interest being as high as it is, prices are going to continue rising until that evens out.”

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In a sign of how much demand had surged, Mr Dragstra recently sold a Broadwater home for $1.425 million that had changed hands for $880,000 about a year and a half earlier, growing in value by $545,000 in that time.

“It worked out to almost $900 a day,” he said.

Victor Harbor in South Australia was another popular sub-$1 million coastal hotspot. 

Prices there rose 13% in the past year, and climbed just as fast in nearby suburbs such as McCracken, Hayborough and Goolwa Beach, where median house prices ranged from $700,000 to $800,000.

Victor Harbour in South Australia and nearby suburbs still offer beachside buying for less than $1 million. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

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Even in NSW, which has the highest house prices of all the states, there were coastal suburbs with house prices below $1 million.

These include the north coast towns of Nambucca Heads and Urunga, although with prices rising 10% and 15% respectively in the past year, it’s just a matter of time before values surpass the $1 million mark.

Real estate agent Andree Cardow of Cardow & Partners Property Urunga said enquiry levels were rising, as were home values.

“We’re getting a lot of clients calling from Sydney and looking for a coastal change,” she said.

“New families are moving to the area for more affordable properties, and long term they’re going to get some really good capital growth.”

Despite values rising 10% in a year, Nambucca Heads on the NSW north coast remains affordable, with a median house price of $728,000. Picture: Getty

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On the south coast, values are steadily rising in beachside suburbs popular with holidaymakers such as Callala Bay, Burrill Lake and Tuross Head, where houses can be bought for $800,000 to $1 million.

Affordable coastal suburbs in Victoria where prices are on the way up include East Geelong ($820,000) and Coronet Bay ($550,000).

In Tasmania, home values are rising strongly in suburbs and towns in the north west including Ulverstone (up 10%), Penguin (up 12%) and East Devonport (up 22%), but buying a beachside house is still achievable, with median prices remaining in the $500,000 to $650,000 range.

Ms Creagh said beachside suburbs were likely to remain popular, with strong price growth expected in the long term.

“Over the long run, many coastal suburbs, both within capitals and outside of, tend to outperform non-coastal markets, driven by scarcity, lifestyle appeal and strong buyer demand.”

Booming beachside suburbs under $1 million