MAROOCHYDORE - The History

Introduction to Maroochydore

It’s not often a big, established community gets the chance to design a whole new city heart. Where to put sustainable housing? Job-creating businesses? Modern shopping, market places and restaurant precincts? How to connect these to rolling green recreational areas, waterfronts, public transport facilities? And what about an arts centre?

Believe it or not, this is what is going on in Maroochydore and the opportunities for investors are endless. Location is everything and Maroochydore is just one of those locations that really has everything. Nestled between Alexandra Headland and the Maroochy River, Maroochydore has got the perfect climate and some of the world’s most spectacular beaches. Situated only 60 mins from Brisbane in the south and 45 mins to Noosa in the North and with ease of access to local motorways and the Sunshine Coast airport, Maroochydore is only minutes to everything.

Population Growth

From humble beginnings, Maroochydore and the Sunshine Coast region has grown rapidly over the past ten years. In 2011, the population of the Sunshine Coast is set to expand to more than 300,000, increasing at an average rate of 8,240 people per year until 2031, with an expected total of 497,000.

With an expected 98,000 properties required to house this population growth, up to one third of these new properties are set to be created in mixed-use, urban developments within principal activity centres. The Queensland State Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan has identified Maroochydore as the key Principal Activity Centre for the entire Sunshine Coast.

Median Price Growth (Units/Apartments)

Over the past ten years, Maroochydore has outperformed key growth areas such as Noosaville, Mooloolaba, Caloundra and even standout Brisbane CBD areas such as Newfarm and Fortitude Valley, which is shown in the graph below.*

Over this time frame, the average unit prices have increased in Maroochydore by 10.4 per cent annually.*

Sales volumes in the various price brackets

Data correlated by the Ray White Group and tabled below indicates the various price brackets in which apartments were sold in the 12 months ending March 2011.

The pie chart above illustrates 265 apartment sales were conducted in the Maroochydore Market Place in the 12 months to March 2011, which amounts to 74% of all sales made during the same period. Interestingly, almost 60% of all apartment sales made were within the $300,000 - $650,000 price bracket, making this the most popular range amongst buyers.