12:00a.m. 16th August 2008

Wurtulla on the verge of substantial growth.

One of the Sunshine Coast’s older beachside suburbs is emerging as the future hub of the Sunshine Coast, with Wurtulla bordering the planned new Town Centre, hospital site and railway station to the west, along Kawana Way.

Older beachside and canal-front homes are being revamped, raising the standard of houses to compete with prestigious new houses popping up in developments such Stockland’s Lake Kawana and the planned new beachside precinct which is still just a vacant block at this stage.

“Older people, who bought their homes 20-25 years ago, are going and it’s the young people who are moving in ... knocking down older canal-front homes or renovating,” says Gavin Duncan of Ray White Wurtulla.

“It’s an area where future capital is assured – and it’s still affordable.

“We’re getting a lot of first home buyers who are after the older three-bedroom houses under $400,000. They can’t afford beachside so this is the next best thing and they’re still very close to the beach. I recently sold one of those in Baanya Street, opposite more expensive, canal-front homes, for $346,000.”

On the eastern side of Nicklin Way, prices rise around $100,000, with entry-level homes priced in the mid to high $400,000s.

“Of course, along Oceanic Drive you’re talking about $1m-plus for beachfront and houses six or seven back from the beach can be around $800,000-$900,000,” said Mr Duncan.

He said the appeal of Wurtulla lay in the fact that it offered a wide range of properties in a range of price brackets.

The Kawana Waters Bowls Club, on Nicklin Way, remains the social hub for many older residents of the area.

Convenience-wise, there are many local shops dotted along Nicklin Way, as well as the larger Wurtulla Shopping Village with its hardware store, supermarket, bakery, bottle shop and more.

The population of Wurtulla is about 5350, according to 2006 Census data, with a median age of 39.

REIQ figures show Swallow Street is the most expensive street, while the most expensive house sold in Teal Court for $1.35m in January.

The canal-front home had four bedrooms and was on a large 1052sq m block.

New homes in the Lake Kawana estate, which has attracted young professional and interstate buyers, are selling around $680,000 for a four-bedroom plus office home.

Those on the lake, and with lake views, are priced even higher.

FAST FACTS

 Median House Price 12 months to the end of March 2008: $455,000

Price difference (over 1yr): 21.3%

Price difference (over 5yrs): 78.4%

Median Vacant Urban Land Price 12 months to the end of March 2008: $289,500

Price difference (over 1yr):4.9%

Price difference (over 5yrs):N/A

Median weekly rent 3 bedroom house

March 2008 Quarter: $360

March 2007 Quarter: $320

Price difference (over 1yr): 12.5%

2 bedroom unit

March 2008 Quarter: $360

March 2007 Quarter: $255

Price difference (over 1yr): 41.2%