Seachange on a budget: 50 affordable coastal suburbs making waves with buyers

Aussie home buyers are diving into these beachside suburbs where properties can be found for under $1 million.

The temperature may have dropped as we enter the depths of winter, but things are starting to heat up in the nation’s most in-demand beachside suburbs.

Dotted along Australia’s coastline are dozens of suburbs where buyer demand has swelled, defying the broader downturn in the property market in recent months.

But rather than dropping anchor in prestigious multimillion-dollar markets such as Byron Bay and Noosa, buyers are wading into lesser-known beachside suburbs where their dollar goes much further.

Data from PropTrack measuring enquiries per listing on realestate.com.au has revealed the affordable coastal suburbs where buyers are increasingly casting their nets.

The data tracks high-intent actions such as emailing an enquiry, calling the agent or downloading documents to uncover the beachside suburbs where demand has increased most.

Holiday hotspots on the NSW south coast such as Surfside at Batemans Bay have attracted more buyer enquiries. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

An increase in buyer demand is often associated with stronger future price performance relative to the wider market, said REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty.

“Enquiries act as a leading indicator of demand, suggesting these areas are likely to be more price resilient compared to other markets,” she said.

The data shows that one state is reeling in buyers seeking an affordable beach house, with enquiries surging in several coastal suburbs.

Eight out the top 10 coastal suburbs for buyer demand were in Tasmania, which has been on the radar for both property investors looking for affordable homes with high rental yields, and mainlanders seeking a cooler climate.

Top 25 coastal suburbs where buyer demand has increased – housesSource: PropTrack. Suburbs ranked by YoY % change in enquiries per listing. Excludes suburbs with fewer than 30 listings in the 12 months to June 2026.SuburbStateRegion (SA4)Median value (AVM)YoY change in enquiries per listing1East DevonportTASWest and North West$534,000128%2DevonportTASWest and North West$606,000119%3Old BeachTASHobart$784,000115%4George TownTASLaunceston and North East$463,000114%5West UlverstoneTASWest and North West$626,000114%6CastletownWAWestern Australia – Outback (South)$690,00099%7WynyardTASWest and North West$576,00092%8TriabunnaTASSouth East$493,00090%9ScamanderTASLaunceston and North East$648,00088%10Sunshine BayNSWCapital Region$854,00082%11SmithtonTASWest and North West$448,00082%12SolomontownSABarossa – Yorke – Mid North$393,00081%13Crescent HeadNSWMid North Coast$1,318,00079%14Indented HeadVICGeelong$760,00079%15St HelensTASLaunceston and North East$596,00075%16UrungaNSWCoffs Harbour – Grafton$858,00074%17BooragulNSWNewcastle and Lake Macquarie$852,00072%18NewcombVICGeelong$632,00072%19ManyanaNSWSouthern Highlands and Shoalhaven$919,00071%20Port HedlandWAWestern Australia – Outback (North)$862,00068%21SurfsideNSWCapital Region$719,00068%22NaroomaNSWCapital Region$841,00067%23DampierWAWestern Australia – Outback (North)$927,00067%24DenningtonVICWarrnambool and South West$651,00067%25Valla BeachNSWMid North Coast$947,00066%

Suburbs in Tasmania’s north topped the list, including Devonport, George Town and West Ulverstone, where enquiries per listing more than doubled.

Median prices in these suburbs range from about $500,000 to $600,000, highlighting the affordability on offer relative to much pricier beachside suburbs of the capitals or more well-known coastal hotspots.

Real estate agent and McGrath Devonport principal Vanessa Goodwin said there had been an wave of investors seeking affordable rental properties in the past year, but despite recent property tax changes, the market had been surprisingly resilient recently.

“We’re on the radar of a lot of buyer’s agents who are introducing a lot of investors,” she said. “The lower end up to about $700,000 is moving quickly.”

Ms Goodwin said some buyers were aiming to purchase before a ban on limited recourse borrowing in self-managed superannuation funds kicks in on August 10, while others were snapping up properties to rent out now and occupy further down the track.

“We are dealing with interstate buyers that are relocating due to climate, mostly Queenslanders and a little bit from the west,” she said.

“I’ve spoken to different buyers looking to secure a property now and then relocate once they retire.”

Buyers have been drawn to affordable house prices in beachside towns and suburbs in Tasmania’s northwest, such as West Ulverstone. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Other beachside towns on Tasmania’s east coast such as St Helens, Scamander, Triabunna also recorded significant increase in buyer demand.

Coastal towns of New South Wales favoured by holidaymakers and seachangers have also experienced a spike in demand.

On the south coast, enquiries jumped in Sunshine Bay, Surfside and Manyana.

Real estate agent Pat Jameson of Blackshaw Coastal said even though discretionary buyers had receded following interest rate rises, locals remained active.

“It’s been people moving from one property to another, upsizing and downsizing, using an inheritance to buy something with a view,” she said.

“That’s always been our biggest market, followed by Canberra, and farmers from out west who’ve had a good harvest.”

Crescent Head was one of several northern NSW coastal towns where enquiries rose compared to last year. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold

Enquiries for houses were higher in Crescent Head and Urunga on the north coast, while demand for units has surged in Lennox Head, Nambucca Heads and Tuncurry, indicating there were more serious buyers searching for properties compared to last year.

Crescent Head real estate agent Nathan Wilson of Lifestyle Crescent Head said a mix of locals and Sydneysiders were active in the market, although buyers had been more cautious lately.

“They’re not as prepared to stretch or take a risk and go well over their budget like we saw a few years ago,” he said. 

“That said, when the right property comes up and someone falls in love with it, emotion can still take over.”

“There are only so many properties here, particularly the really special ones, so when something good comes to market there is generally someone waiting for it.”

Top 25 coastal suburbs where buyer demand has increased – unitsSource: PropTrack. Suburbs ranked by YoY % change in enquiries per listing. Excludes suburbs with fewer than 30 listings in the 12 months to June 2026.SuburbStateRegion (SA4)Median value (AVM)YoY change in enquiries per listing1PortlandVICWarrnambool and South West$325,000188%2Holloways BeachQLDCairns$442,00084%3Coconut GroveNTDarwin$450,00083%4ThornesideQLDBrisbane – East$833,00078%5Capel SoundVICMornington Peninsula$611,00064%6Nelly BayQLDTownsville$607,00062%7Cairns NorthQLDCairns$522,00060%8Rapid CreekNTDarwin$503,00057%9Fairy MeadowNSWIllawarra$688,00055%10Tweed Heads WestNSWRichmond – Tweed$723,00055%11LarrakeyahNTDarwin$531,00053%12Darwin CityNTDarwin$495,00052%13UlverstoneTASWest and North West$515,00050%14Nambucca HeadsNSWMid North Coast$537,00049%15NightcliffNTDarwin$471,00047%16NewcombVICGeelong$491,00046%17DevonportTASWest and North West$464,00046%18DromanaVICMornington Peninsula$740,00046%19WonthaggiVICLatrobe – Gippsland$403,00045%20CurrumbinQLDGold Coast$1,099,00044%21Port DouglasQLDCairns$472,00043%22Lennox HeadNSWRichmond – Tweed$1,209,00042%23Batemans BayNSWCapital Region$539,00039%24ElwoodVICMelbourne – Inner$639,00039%25TuncurryNSWMid North Coast$579,00038%

In Victoria, unit enquiries have climbed higher in Mornington Peninsula suburbs Dromana and Capel Sound.

Enquiries for units were about 50% higher than a year ago in coastal Darwin suburbs such as Coconut Grove, Larrakeyah, Rapid Creek and Nightcliff after the city emerged as an investor hotspot.

Is it a good time to buy a holiday home?

Ms Flaherty said buyers looking in coastal suburbs this year could potentially be in a position to pick a beach house at a discount. 

She said property tax changes meant there could be reduced competition for holiday homes if buyers who would have otherwise relied on negative gearing to purchase a property withdrew from the market.

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“If someone’s in a financial position to buy a holiday home, they might see prices falling,” she said. “Maybe it’s going to be a good year to buy at a bit of a discount.”

Ms Flaherty said the best time to buy a holiday home would ultimately depend on local market conditions, although there could be an advantage to buying in the colder months.

“Generally speaking the best time to buy is when there’s a lot of properties on the market,” she said.

“On the one hand there’s fewer properties for sale in winter, but sometimes other buyers are less active over the winter period as well.”