The 154 capital city fringe locations for property under $300,000 - and Gagebrook, Tasmania tops the list: RP Data

The 154 capital city fringe locations for property under $300,000 - and Gagebrook, Tasmania tops the list: RP Data
Tim LawlessDecember 8, 2020

There are plenty of affordable housing options across Australia within an hour of capital cities; in fact there are 154 suburbs where the median value of a house is less than $300,000.   The localities in the list range between six and 85 kilometres from city centres. Adelaide suburbs comprise the majority of these ‘uber’ affordable locations, comprising 28% of the list.  Brisbane suburbs rank a close second at 24% of all capital city suburbs with a median value under $300,000, followed by Sydney at 18% then Hobart comprising 16% of all suburbs.

So why aren’t first-home buyers and low-income families rushing into these markets?

Well, these suburbs are generally cheap for a reason, and demand to live in these locations can be low.

Often they are plagued with social issues and high crime rates, they are poorly serviced by transport options, the homes are interspersed with industrial land uses or the suburb is simply far removed from any working node, retail amenity or essential infrastructure such as schools and health care.  Sometimes the suburb simply has a bad reputation based on what the suburb used to be like before it gentrified; reputations and stigma can be a hard thing to shake.

The full list of suburbs where the median value is below $300,000 is included at the end of the column.

The typical argument to improve housing affordability revolves around ensuring the government releases a sufficient supply of strategically located land that is well connected with transport infrastructure and is associated with essential amenities.  While there have been some areas around the country where housing supply has been sufficient, for the most part Australia remains an undersupplied housing market (the National Housing Supply Council report is due for release shortly, which will provide a much anticipated update to their housing supply report last released back in April 2010).

Moving away from the supply side debate, perhaps another idea to improve the housing affordability situation in Australia is to focus some efforts on improving the liveability within some of the more strategically located suburbs that currently feature low housing prices.  The Brisbane SCIP (Suburban Centre Improvement Projects) program is a good example of how a local government can work with local businesses to improve the streetscape and outlook of a suburb’s commercial and retail heart.  The outcomes from this program rely on financial commitments from local stakeholders together with government funding, and in most instances the benefits of the investment well and truly outweigh the costs.

Infrastructure spending is another solution.  Opening up affordable suburbs that aren’t currently well serviced by public and private transport infrastructure increases demand for housing in these locations.  New roads, rail and busways are expensive and considering the frugal nature of federal and state budgets at the moment we can’t expect a great deal of improvement here apart from those projects already underway.  Prospective home buyers seeking an affordable option would be wise to check out local infrastructure plans and projects and examine the housing markets along the path of these projects.

Another course of action is to look at medium- and high-density housing options.  Clearly more and more buyers are turning to apartments and townhouses as an alternative to detached home for the more competitive price points.  Across the combined capital cities the difference between the median house price and median unit price is a substantial 11% or $50,000.

Finally, if you are using median prices or values as a guide to help your initial property search, don’t forget that medians are simply the middle price or value.  There are equally as many homes with a value lower than the median as there are homes with a value higher median.  Many prospective buyers don’t consider a particular location because the median price is too high, forgetting that there are likely to be homes priced available at prices well below the overall median.  A good idea may be to look at the range of sales over the past 12 months, that way potential purchasers can analyse the whole gamut of properties which have sold over the period.

Housing affordability is a complex issue, and with the government seemingly reluctant to make any serious commitments to improving housing supply or come up with any new ideas about how to tackle the situation, there needs to be some strategic consideration of other alternatives.

Capital city suburbs with a median house value under $300,000

Suburb

City

Median Value

Avg distance 
to GPO

1

GAGEBROOK

Greater 
Hobart

$140,382

16.km

2

HERDSMANS
COVE

Greater 
Hobart

$145,846

15.5km

3

CLARENDON 
VALE

Greater Hobart

$169,487

9.4km

4

ELIZABETH 
NORTH

Adelaide

$172,044

26.km

5

BRIDGEWATER

Greater 
Hobart

$177,684

17.4km

6

ELIZABETH 
GROVE

Adelaide

$184,414

22.2km

7

DAVOREN 
PARK

Adelaide

$185,576

27.km

8

RISDON 
VALE

Greater 
Hobart

$187,829

8.1km

9

SMITHFIELD 
PLAINS

Adelaide

$193,682

28.7km

10

PRIMROSE 
SANDS

Greater 
Hobart

$197,200

27.6km

11

ELIZABETH 
DOWNS

Adelaide

$201,884

26.7km

12

ELIZABETH 
PARK

Adelaide

$208,486

25.1km

13

NEW NORFOLK

Greater 
Hobart

$213,719

25.1km

14

ELIZABETH

Adelaide

$215,514

23.7km

15

ELIZABETH 
SOUTH

Adelaide

$215,947

22.1km

16

CHIGWELL

Greater 
Hobart

$216,455

10.6km

17

ELIZABETH 
VALE

Adelaide

$221,744

20.8km

18

MUNNO PARA

Adelaide

$222,095

29.9km

19

ELIZABETH 
EAST

Adelaide

$223,373

23.5km

20

GOODWOOD

Greater 
Hobart

$223,952

6.8km

21

GAWLER 
WEST

Adelaide

$226,525

37.9km

22

ROKEBY

Greater 
Hobart

$229,308

8.7km

23

WILLMOT

Sydney

$230,879

41.6km

24

JOHNSTON

Darwin

$231,591

17.9km

25

CARLTON

Greater
Hobart

$233,142

25.2km

26

TREGEAR

Sydney

$233,974

40.7km

27

WARRANE

Greater 
Hobart

$235,328

5.3km

28

HACKHAM 
WEST

Adelaide

$236,868

25.1km

29

LETHBRIDGE 
PARK

Sydney

$237,408

40.5km

30

RUSSELL 
ISLAND

Brisbane

$237,604

41.2km

31

Salisbury 
NORTH

Adelaide

$237,869

20.3km

32

RIVERVIEW

Brisbane

$239,591

23.1km

33

WOLLERT

Melbourne

$240,202

22.3km

34

SMITHFIELD

Adelaide

$240,779

28.1km

35

LEICHHARDT

Brisbane

$240,930

33.7km

36

GAILES

Brisbane

$241,201

19.4km

37

BASIN 
POCKET

Brisbane

$241,743

29.5km

38

CLAREMONT

Greater 
Hobart

$243,433

12.3km

39

ONE MILE

Brisbane

$243,518

33.8km

40

MILLGROVE

Melbourne

$244,994

61.2km

41

BLACKETT

Sydney

$245,169

39.1km

42

LAMB ISLAND

Brisbane

$246,361

38.8km

43

WHALAN

Sydney

$249,067

39.1km

44

MELTON SOUTH

Melbourne

$250,386

36.5km

45

EMERTON

Sydney

$250,708

39.7km

46

CAROLE PARK

Brisbane

$251,797

18.4km

47

BERRIEDALE

Greater 
Hobart

$254,438

10.5km

48

O’SULLIVAN 
BEACH

Adelaide

$254,974

24.1km

49

GLENORCHY

Greater 
Hobart

$255,488

7.km

50

HUNTFIELD 
HEIGHTS

Adelaide

$256,225

26.3km

51

CHRISTIE 
DOWNS

Adelaide

$257,171

24.3km

52

MELTON

Melbourne

$257,523

36.9km

53

HACKHAM

Adelaide

$257,859

24.8km

54

EVANSTON 
GARDENS

Adelaide

$258,392

35.7km

55

Salisbury 
DOWNS

Adelaide

$258,884

17.4km

56

SILKSTONE

Brisbane

$259,808

29.1km

57

BRAHMA 
LODGE

Adelaide

$260,273

17.5km

58

MORNINGTON

Greater 
Hobart

$260,628

5.6km

59

ANDREWS 
FARM

Adelaide

$260,643

28.4km

60

NORTH 
BOOVAL

Brisbane

$261,602

27.8km

61

GOROKAN

Sydney

$262,023

73.4km

62

BURTON

Adelaide

$262,083

20.4km

63

BUNDAMBA

Brisbane

$262,361

26.4km

64

PARA HILLS 
WEST

Adelaide

$263,230

14.4km

65

TIVOLI

Brisbane

$263,432

28.9km

66

LANG LANG

Melbourne

$263,562

72.8km

67

NOARLUNGA 
DOWNS

Adelaide

$263,816

26.9km

68

SHALVEY

Sydney

$264,293

40.km

69

SAN REMO

Sydney

$265,491

78.1km

70

BIDWILL

Sydney

$265,727

39.km

71

WOODRIDGE

Brisbane

$266,206

19.3km

72

EVANSTON

Adelaide

$266,857

36.4km

73

DERWENT 
PARK

Greater 
Hobart

$267,033

6.km

74

PARALOWIE

Adelaide

$267,310

18.9km

75

DIGGERS 
REST

Melbourne

$268,271

30.5km

76

BLACKSTONE

Brisbane

$268,921

28.1km

77

MANNERING 
PARK

Sydney

$269,032

85.1km

78

CHURCHILL

Brisbane

$269,664

33.5km

79

CHARMHAVEN

Sydney

$269,689

75.6km

80

MACLEAY 
ISLAND

Brisbane

$270,353

36.1km

81

Salisbury 
PARK

Adelaide

$270,500

19.5km

82

GAWLER 
SOUTH

Adelaide

$270,802

37.7km

83

LOGAN 
CENTRAL

Brisbane

$271,597

21.1km

84

DODGES 
FERRY

Greater 
Hobart

$271,673

23.7km

85

Salisbury 
EAST

Adelaide

$271,930

17.km

86

GOODNA

Brisbane

$272,134

21.1km

87

WARRAGAMBA

Sydney

$273,132

55.7km

88

EAST 
IPSWICH

Brisbane

$273,206

29.2km

89

KINGSTON

Brisbane

$273,521

22.3km

90

CANTON 
BEACH

Sydney

$273,917

73.2km

91

Salisbury

Adelaide

$274,416

18.4km

92

BOOVAL

Brisbane

$274,547

28.4km

93

ROSEWOOD

Brisbane

$274,567

46.9km

94

REYNELLA

Adelaide

$275,183

20.km

95

EAGLEBY

Brisbane

$275,337

31.6km

96

REDBANK 
PLAINS

Brisbane

$277,599

25.8km

97

BADGER 
CREEK

Melbourne

$277,752

52.7km

98

EASTERN 
HEIGHTS

Brisbane

$278,033

30.7km

99

MEDINA

Perth

$278,109

31.6km

100

PARAFIELD 
GARDENS

Adelaide

$278,793

16.1km

101

CRAIGMORE

Adelaide

$278,921

27.3km

102

Salisbury 
PLAIN

Adelaide

$280,272

18.7km

103

SELLICKS 
BEACH

Adelaide

$280,353

46.7km

104

BLAKEVIEW

Adelaide

$280,670

28.6km

105

MORPHETT 
VALE

Adelaide

$281,426

22.6km

106

ARMADALE

Perth

$281,473

25.7km

107

BETHANIA

Brisbane

$282,272

27.3km

108

SORELL

Greater 
Hobart

$284,243

21.8km

109

WATANOBBI

Sydney

$284,679

69.6km

110

ORELIA

Perth

$285,480

31.3km

111

FRANKSTON 
NORTH

Melbourne

$285,720

38.1km

112

CABOOLTURE 
SOUTH

Brisbane

$285,897

42.3km

113

HILLMAN

Perth

$285,915

37.7km

114

NORTH ST MARYS

Sydney

$286,158

41.2km

115

CAMILLO

Perth

$286,481

22.4km

116

SUMMERLAND 
POINT

Sydney

$286,635

87.4km

117

TOUKLEY

Sydney

$287,482

73.9km

118

NORTH 
IPSWICH

Brisbane

$287,632

29.8km

119

PARA HILLS

Adelaide

$287,918

13.8km

120

DHARRUK

Sydney

$288,113

38.6km

121

HEBERSHAM

Sydney

$288,123

38.1km

122

KURUNJANG

Melbourne

$288,765

36.9km

123

LUTANA

Greater 
Hobart

$288,974

5.km

124

GWANDALAN

Sydney

$289,486

88.km

125

PARMELIA

Perth

$289,666

32.8km

126

REDBANK

Brisbane

$290,403

22.2km

127

SLACKS 
CREEK

Brisbane

$290,488

21.8km

128

KANWAL

Sydney

$290,857

72.1km

129

INGLE FARM

Adelaide

$290,937

11.8km

130

CRESTMEAD

Brisbane

$291,832

25.4km

131

DECEPTION 
BAY

Brisbane

$292,701

30.7km

132

COOLOONGUP

Perth

$292,849

39.3km

133

ORAN PARK

Sydney

$293,019

45.8km

134

WULKURAKA

Brisbane

$293,219

33.1km

135

CAMPBELLTOWN

Sydney

$293,749

42.2km

136

WYONGAH

Sydney

$293,991

71.3km

137

MIDWAY 
POINT

Greater 
Hobart

$294,249

18.9km

138

KOO WEE RUP

Melbourne

$294,369

63.1km

139

CALISTA

Perth

$294,451

33.km

140

BROOKDALE

Perth

$295,396

27.4km

141

BUDGEWOI

Sydney

$295,925

77.4km

142

WYNDHAM 
VALE

Melbourne

$296,332

31.8km

143

MOONAH

Greater
Hobart

$296,671

5.2km

144

MUNNO PARA 
WEST

Adelaide

$296,769

30.1km

145

MONTROSE

Greater 
Hobart

$296,810

8.2km

146

CABOOLTURE

Brisbane

$297,354

44.5km

147

MAGRA

Greater 
Hobart

$297,916

26.7km

148

INALA

Brisbane

$298,157

15.2km

149

WILLASTON

Adelaide

$298,696

40.1km

150

LOGANLEA

Brisbane

$299,237

25.5km

151

CHAIN VALLEY 
BAY

Sydney

$299,774

83.7km

152

MACQUARIE 
FIELDS

Sydney

$299,787

32.4km

153

MELTON WEST

Melbourne

$299,849

39.1km

154

RACEVIEW

Brisbane

$299,887

31.1km

 

 Source: RP Data

(Note Median values were used in this analysis, dated December 2011. RP Data values every residential property across the country each week using an automated valuation methodology – the median value provides a better indication than a median price about true value of properties within a suburb rather than simply the median price of any homes that have transacted over the analysis period). 

Tim Lawless is head of research at RP Data

 

 


Tim Lawless

Tim Lawless is national research director of CoreLogic RP Data.

Editor's Picks