Josh Stanton | AAPI CPV
Certified Practising Valuer
Hey! How’s it going? Welcome to the Gladstone Opteon Half Time Review authored by Josh Stanton, the reigning Opteon Residential Valuer of The Year.
Since stepping into my role as valuer for the Gladstone region in 2019, I’ve witnessed a remarkable shift in the property landscape. The era of bargain rents is behind us. The coal-dusted ‘FOR SALE’ signs feel like ancient history. We’ve entered a new chapter underpinned by population growth and a strengthening economy. I now present to you statistically one of the strongest residential markets in Australia when it comes to recent capital growth over the past 12 months.
Read on for the latest data on the land, strata, dwelling and rental markets. You’ll be glad you did.
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The strata market has shown its strongest signs of a recovery in 12 years with prices starting to resemble some normality compared to there replacement costs. Value and affordability is represented in the segment by a median price of $350,000 which trades at a discount of 38.6% to the median price of dwellings. The gap has tightened from a dwelling to strata discount of 40.3% mentioned in the last report.
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Strata market discount tightens: 40.3% → 38.6% (last 6 months) |
Gladstone recorded a total of 227 strata sales in the half year down by 14.7% on the second half of 2024. Strata property values have risen, driven by affordability factors and underlying market fundamentals.
Key factors influencing the strata market include:
Transactions occurring below replacement cost.
First home buyers entering the market particularly in duplex style units and smaller complexes of less than 4 units.
Larger complexes with significant amenities such as pools continuing to attract a rental premium.
Currently market price is still well below the previous market peak for strata properties from December 2012 at $482,500.
Double digit half-yearly median capital growth of 10.75%.
Solid gross yields.
The majority of activity in this segment falls within the $250,000 to $450,000 range, with only 8.3% of strata properties selling above this range.
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Double digit half-yearly median capital growth of |
DWELLINGS
Dwellings in the Gladstone market have also experienced a significant boom over the past six months, also fuelled by a surge in investor interest predominantly within the sub-$650k segment. Over this period interstate buyer's agents representing investors, and local owner-occupiers fiercely competed for well-positioned 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom properties as well as a series of older style 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom properties. Off-market transactions have continued an upward trend. Interstate buyers have played a major role in driving the transaction volumes and contributing to positive price growth, frequently outbidding local owner-occupiers and investors. This recent growth highlights the strength of the rental market and the affordability of the Gladstone region compared to other regional centres.
Recent data shows a median price increase of 7.5% in the 6 months to June 2025, bringing the median price to approximately $570,000, up from $530,000 in December 2024. Sales volumes in the first half of 2025 declined by 18.1% to the second half of 2024.
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Double digit half-yearly median capital growth of |
Key factors shaping the Gladstone dwelling market in the first half of 2024 calendar year include:
Strong demand for established dwellings in the sub-$650k segment, appealing to both owner-occupiers and investors due to affordability.
Modern 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom homes and renovated older style 3 bedroom 1 bathroom homes frequently attracting multiple offers and selling quickly.
Significant volume of off-market sales, particularly investor-to-investor transactions.
Median days to sell sitting at just 15 days.
Significant growth in interest of investors buying in there Self-Managed Super Funds.
26 $1M + plus transactions occurred the most in Gladstone’s history over a 6 month period. This is more than the entire volume of $1M plus sales in 2024 at 25 total transactions.
Increase in swimming pool and shed installation showing consumer confidence in the upper end of the market.
Local builders and trades with long pipelines of work for up to 2 years in advance showing strong consumer confidence
Population growth rate of approximately 1% year on year contributing to market activity.
Strong capital growth over the last six months.
Stable vacancy rate at approximately 1.7%.
Limited new dwelling construction amid a significant rise in construction costs (approximately 15% over the last twelve months).
Minimal mortgagee in possession and forced sale activity.
Increase in registered bidders at local auctions translating to increased auction clearance rates.
Increase in multi-unit dwelling sales (duplexes/flats complexes) with yields tightening to the circa 5.5-7% range.
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7.5% |
Steady growth across the rental market with double digit growth recorded in the 2 bedroom flat and 3 bedroom house segments over the prior 12 months. Other rentals markets showed minor growth despite added stock across all segments. The vacancy rate is hovering around the 1.7% mark slightly up from 1.5% earlier in the year.
Currently rents are reflecting the highest median rental across the region in 12 years. The number of rental properties rose in the Gladstone region over the period due to a significant volume of transactions from owner-occupied to investors creating an uptick in rental supply and bonds lodged. There has been very limited supply of new housing built in the region to ease tenant demand however the increase in investors in the market has quelled rental growth slightly from the largest increases seen between 2023-24 when there were less investor related transactions. However the number of tenants has strengthened this is evidenced by bonds lodged rising by 17.9% Year on Year from 2024-25. Notably during this period government housing in the inner suburbs of Gladstone is under construction to supply rental stock to low income tenants.
The general residential rental market, for units, single unit dwellings and townhouses, in Gladstone is shown in the below table.
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GLADSTONE RENTS |
Median Rent |
Median Rent |
Median Rent |
Latest % Change |
|
Price $ per week |
Price $ per week |
Price $ per week |
|
|
|
June |
June |
June |
June |
|
|
Quarter 23 |
Quarter 24 |
Quarter 25 |
Quarters 24-25 |
|
|
1 Bedroom Flat |
$230 |
$280 |
$280 |
0% |
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2 Bedroom Flat |
$300 |
$340 |
$380 |
11.8% |
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3 Bedroom Flat |
$377.50 |
$435 |
$450 |
3.4% |
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2 Bedroom House |
$320 |
$380 |
$390 |
2.6% |
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3 Bedroom House |
$400 |
$450 |
$500 |
11.1% |
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4 Bedroom House |
$470 |
$550 |
$580 |
5.5% |
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2 Bed Townhouse |
$290 |
$370 |
$375 |
1.4% |
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3 Bed Townhouse |
$390 |
$450 |
$457.50 |
1.7% |
Table 1: Rental performance in Gladstone (Data from Residential Tenancy Authority – rta.qld.gov.au)
The foregoing figures show a strong increase in the Gladstone residential rental market over the past year, with the rental value of a benchmark four (4) bedroom dwelling up approximately 5.5% and the 2 bedroom flat up approximately 11.8% over the period. Tenant demand was at its highest for 4 bedroom dwellings followed by 3 bedroom dwellings over the period.
The below graph demonstrates the affordability of the Gladstone residential rental market compared
to our comparably sized neighbours in Central Queensland. The differing median rents on a weekly basis for the most popular rental types in the region being 3 bedroom dwellings and 4 bedroom dwellings.
For 3 bedroom dwellings we are just 2% more expensive than Emerald in that segment and for the 4 bedroom segment we are trade at a 4.5% discount to the next cheapest rental market in Rockhampton.
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4 bedroom dwellings – 20.6% 3 bedroom dwellings – 31.8% Year-on-year increase in bonds lodged across these segments: |
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MEDIAN RENTS IN CENTRAL QUEENSLAND December Quarter 2024 |
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RENTAL SEGMENT |
GLADSTONE |
BUNDABERG |
YEPPOON |
ROCKHAMPTON |
EMERALD |
MACKAY |
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3 Bedroom House |
$500 |
$550 |
$620 |
$510 |
$490 |
$630 |
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4 Bedroom House |
$580 |
$650 |
$700 |
$607.50 |
$620 |
$700 |
Table 2: Median rents in Central Queensland.
A total of 55 vacant blocks of land were sold in the first half of 2025.
Up to 1,500 sqm
44 land re-sales of blocks ranging in size from 375 sqm to 1,388 sqm show sale prices ranging from $75,000 to $410,000.
What’s happened:
New release of small stages of land at the Vantage Estate, New Auckland and Riverstone Rise, Boyne Island.
Decrease in sale volumes since second half of 2024 by 42.1%.
Local owner occupiers purchasing land to build primary residences with total values broadly in the $600-900k range.
Median value across all land sales is $195,000 (up from $160,000 or 21.9%) with a median time on market of approximately 3.5 months. (Highlight this)
Median land values closing in on $200,000 for the first time since 2015. (Highlight this)
Flow on effects of the strengths of the dwelling and strata markets entering the pricing of land.
1,500 sqm + Rural Residential blocks
11 total sales of blocks ranging in size from 1,513 sqm to 7,358 sqm show sale prices ranging from $151,000 to $500,000
Certified Practising Valuer
josh.stanton@opteonsolutions.com
0448 666 333
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DISCLAIMER
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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