Gladstone Full Time Review 2025

Josh Stanton | AAPI CPV
Certified Practising Valuer

G’day everyone, and welcome to the Opteon Gladstone Full Time Residential Market Review for 2025 authored by Josh Stanton – Opteon Residential Valuer of the Year 2024 and twice API Regional Valuer of the Year Finalist.

This year also marks my 9th anniversary with Opteon and the 9th consecutive edition of this Gladstone market series, a milestone I’m incredibly proud to share.

The broader residential market continues to demonstrate strong capital growth across all segments. Rising land values and construction costs coupled with limited new land releases and constrained building activity are providing underlying support to values. The result is a market at an interesting inflection point rarely seen in Gladstone’s previous market cycles.

Key themes: Growth remains intact, local owner occupiers are upgrading to the upper end of the property market in volume, while investors and first home buyers battle it out for sub $700,000 properties.

Read on for a detailed analysis of vacant land, strata, dwellings and rental performance across the Gladstone region.

DWELLINGS

Gladstone has smashed its previous peak! The median dwelling price has reached an all-time high of $620,000, marking strong capital growth in the local market.

Over the half-year period, median dwelling prices rose 8.8%, up from $570,000 in June 2025. Despite strong price growth, sale volumes declined by 14.3% compared to the first half, reflecting less investor sales within the market.

Current Conditions & Market Dynamics

• Local buyers remain the primary driver, particularly those looking to upgrade their primary residence.

• Investor and buyer agent interest is cooling due to strong capital growth over the last three years, though activity remains strong for properties up to $700,000.

• Despite falling yields investors remain active in lower price point segments.

• Entry-level dwellings (~$400,000) without immediate capital expenditure remain highly sought after.

• Rental yields are declining slightly, while vacancy rates have risen marginally to 1.8%.

• Rising construction costs of approximately 12% in last 12 months.

• Ancillary improvements such as sheds or side access are generating price premiums.

• Auction activity is increasing, with strong local competition.

• Average days to sell: 31 days.

•  Approximately 20–25% of transactions are off-market.

• Local builders and trades maintain long pipelines of work, supporting ongoing residential activity.

• $1M+ sales/listings are increasingly common with Gladstone smashing its previous high (last half year) by almost 100%, particularly in rural residential markets.

Locals are very keen to upgrade into $1M plus properties showing strong confidence in the prestige segment.

Market Insight
Gladstone’s dwelling market continues to demonstrate strong fundamentals. Strong local demand, coupled with limited stock and increased construction costs and trade availability is sustaining price growth, while investors are becoming more selective. 

Slightly higher vacancy rates and slower growth in rents indicate that investor activity is moderating and may continue to do so.

Figure 1: Gladstone 4680 dwelling sales and growth over the last 2 years. Source: Pricefinder 

RENTS

Current Condition

• Vacancy rate remains tight at 1.8%, up slightly from 1.7% in the first half of 2025.

• Rents have stagnated or increased slightly across most segments, following 5+ years of sustained growth.

• Bonds lodged have marginally increased year-on-year, reflecting steady tenancy activity.

• Tenant demand is strongest for:

  • 4-bedroom houses

  • 3-bedroom houses

Supply dynamics:

Increased rental stock from investor settlements of former owner-occupiers.

Government housing initiatives are adding new supply to Gladstone Central and South Gladstone.

Market Insight

Rental growth in Gladstone is moderating after several years of strong increases. Tight vacancy rates continue to support rental prices, but increased stock from investor turnover and government housing initiatives is helping to keep rents relatively affordable compared with other Central Queensland markets. Demand remains strongest for larger dwellings, particularly 3- and 4-bedroom houses, reflecting local families’ rental needs.

Table 2: Median rents in Central Queensland. 

Gladstone sits at the cheapest median rental market among the listed Central QLD locations, by 5.7% for 3-bedroom houses and 4.1% for 4-bedroom houses.

STRATA

The Gladstone strata market isn’t fully back to the highs of 2012, but it is trending positively. Increasingly, a diverse range of participants are taking advantage of opportunities in the segment, including first home buyers, downsizers, and investors.

The median strata value is now $370,000, still trading below the median for detached dwellings ($620,000). The gap now sits at a 40% discount between strata and dwellings based on median pricing.

Sales Activity

• A total of 217 sales were recorded over the second half of 2025, representing near identical volumes to the first half of 2025.

Current Conditions & Market Dynamics

• Locals are purchasing strata units in greater numbers.
• Sale prices remain below replacement costs, providing value to buyers.
• Half-yearly median growth of 5.7% demonstrates ongoing upward momentum.

Median prices by unit type:

• 2-bedroom strata: $320,500

• 3-bedroom strata: $425,000

Lifestyle amenities, such as gated complexes and pools, are attracting quicker sales.

Average days on market: 50 days.

The market exhibits strong price-point concentration, with the majority of transactions occurring between $250,000 and $450,000. Limited activity (25% volume) is observed outside this range.

Market Insight

Gladstone’s strata market is steadily recovering, offering opportunities for both owner-occupiers and investors. Price growth is supported by affordability, while amenity-rich complexes continue to outperform the broader segment.

Figure 2: Gladstone 4680 strata sales and growth over the last 10 years. Source: Pricefinder 

LAND

Vacant Land - Second Half 2025

A total of 100 vacant land sales transacted in the second half of 2025, representing an 82% increase on the first half. This is due to some new developments settling in this period that had been in the pipeline from late last year.

Up to 1,500 sqm lots

• 72 sales ranging from 451–1,380 sqm, with sale prices from $95,000–$650,000.

• Median $/sqm: $324

• Median lot size: 615 sqm

• Median - $199,000.
  

1,500 sqm+ / Rural Residential lots

• 28 sales ranging from 1,522–328,000 sqm, with sale prices from $140,000–$880,000.

• Median $/sqm: $47.50

• Median lot size: 6,000 sqm

• Median - $285,000

Current Conditions & Key Developments

• New release of Stage 3 at Riverstone Rise, Boyne Island, attracting both local owner-occupiers and interstate investors.

• Small land release at Vantage Estate, New Auckland.

• Approximately 20 small in-fill lots at Ella Rose Drive, Telina, marketed to investors for house-and-land packages.

• Owner-occupiers are purchasing re-sales to build in the $650k–$900k range.

• The median land value increased by 4.35% across all sales over the half year but up 27.2% YOY, exceeding $200,000 for the first time in 10 years.

• Average days to sell for vacant land is 102 days.
  

Strong dwelling and strata values continue to support land prices, despite rising construction costs.

Market Insight

The Gladstone land market remains tightly supplied, with new releases quickly absorbed by owner-occupiers and investors. Rising median values indicate continued confidence, and limited activity in new land supply is likely to sustain growth in the near term.

Figure 3: 10 year graph of Vacant Land sales in Gladstone’s 4680 postcode.

Download PDF copy of the Gladstone Full Time Review 2025 Here

 Josh Stanton
Certified Practising Valuer
josh.stanton@opteonsolutions.com
0448 666 333

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This article is produced by Opteon Property Group Pty Ltd. It is intended to provide general information in summary form on valuation related topics, current at the time of first publication. The contents do not constitute advice and should not be relied upon as such. Formal advice should be sought in particular matters. Opteon’s valuers are qualified, experienced and certified to provide market value valuations of your property. Opteon does not provide accounting, specialist tax or financial advice.

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