PHOTO: Coffs Harbour. AGODA
It’s also a property market in demand: over the first quarter of 2023, units in Coffs Harbour outperformed every other region in Australia, growing by a massive 16 per cent, according to the Domain House Price Report.
People have been flocking from far and wide to settle in Coffs. Doctors and nurses have taken residence in the newly renovated cancer institute, engineers and construction workers have rocked into town to build a new bypass, crop farmers have discovered new holiday homes, and Russell Crowe is establishing a new major film studio here.
This coastal town has seen a growth of infrastructure that has opened doors to Aussies looking to enter the property market, says real estate agent Dave Tompkins of Superior Property North Coast.
“We are getting a new bypass which is bringing a lot of people, jobs and buyers,” he says. “Plus, a big unit development is happening in Park Beach called Shoreline. It’s between the beach and the shopping plaza. They are building this over-55s place, which is like a resort [and] has been really popular.
“And we can’t forget about crop and cattle farmers coming to the coast for a holiday home and buying in cash. It’s been a big boost in the high-end property market.”
Units in the Coffs Harbour SA4 region, encompassing Bellingen, Coramba, Dorrigo and Emerald Beach, have always been more affordable than Melbourne or Sydney. Prices may have increased by 16 per cent in the last quarter, but the median price for a unit is still a relatively affordable $560,500.