Hundreds of grant enquiries set to drive housing boom in Quilpie Shire
When Quilpie Council in Outback Queensland announced a $12,500 grant for new home builders they hoped that in the next two years they might attract four or five new families, couples or individuals – whether they be retirees or first home buyers – to settle and build a house in Quilpie, one of the friendliest towns in regional Australia.
In the last week Quilpie Council has had more than two hundred enquires from people interested in the deal to build in the Shire, with Council now confident they will meet or better their original target in the first six months the grant is available.
“We’re about to experience a new home building boom in our Shire. In the last five years Council has constructed eight houses, with an additional three to be built in the next twelve months, and ten new Town Houses also in the pipeline. Council has had to be the main source of new home builds to help meet a chronic shortage of housing, and to help attract people to the jobs we’ve had available. But there has been very little movement from owner/occupiers. Until now! We’re confident this new grant will turn the tables on that. We’ve also had quite a few enquiries from builders who see the opportunities in the region, as people will only receive the grant if they build and live in a house on their property. We’ve been blown away by the huge level of interest,” said Justin Hancock, CEO of Quilpie Council.
“I think our timing couldn’t have been better. Many interstate regions are coming out of lockdown, and people are looking for space and a freer way of living. Border restrictions are going to start lifting – and the appetite for living in a newly built house, on a large block of land in a region that has great job opportunities is high. We’re thrilled with the number of calls and emails we’ve had this week of people interested in building a new house in Quilpie. It has definitely taken us by surprise – but in the best possible way. We’re looking forward to all the quality new houses that will soon be under construction in the Quilpie Shire. It will mean people can fill the job vacancies we have, and move into their own new house,” said Quilpie Shire Council Mayor Stuart MacKenzie.
Quilpie Council is one of the largest holders of residential blocks of land in the Shire, and the way of listing and selling is a little different out here. We don’t have the blocks of land listed with a real estate agent or up on the usual real estate sites – so we’ve probably not made it easy for people keen to investigate opportunities to do that over the last week. But we have caught up to the level of interest and our fantastic staff have put in a huge week to ensure they’ve sent information to all interested parties – and we’re confident some great sales will follow.”
Further information on the land available in Quilpie Shire, and on the Quilpie Council New Home Owner Grant is available at https://quilpie.qld.gov.au/2021/10/11/new-home-owners-grant/
The New Home Owner Grant is under-written by Council – giving anyone who purchases a block of land in the Quilpie Shire the opportunity to have $12,500 reimbursed when they build and live in the new house for a minimum of six months.
The offer is made in addition to other first home owner Government incentives.
“We have created the grant to help drive new home builds in our region to combat the current housing shortage. We have some of the cheapest blocks of land in Australia and we have great employment opportunities. And lifestyle wise you can’t beat living in Quilpie. The town is friendly, there’s stacks of outdoor activities and crime is non-existent. There are blocks of land in the Curlew Estate for as little as $12,500 - which is the amount we will pay back when home owners build and live on the land for at least six months, which makes it affordable for younger would be home-owners. And these 1000 sqm blocks all have roadways and full amenities connected. At the moment they are big patches of red dirt – but we’re known as one of the greenest towns in Outback Queensland because of our abundance of artesian water that keeps gardens and front lawns lush and green, even when things heat up over summer. So anyone purchasing a block of land to build on will be able to create their own green oasis,” said Justin Hancock.
Thirty-year old Justin has experienced first-hand the pressure on local housing, having spent his first six months in Quilpie living in a villa at the local retirement village before he could move into new housing.
“I made some great friends at the retirement village, and still drop by for a cuppa with some of the residents – but at 30 years-old it wasn’t the ideal place for me to live, regardless of how lovely the villa was. We have over 10 job vacancies in Quilpie at the moment that we’re hoping will attract some new younger residents to live out here – and the younger demographic won’t want to live in a retirement village. Current jobs range from a role in the local National Australia Bank, to early childcare, mechanical, bar work and more. And there’s also the option to come to town to establish a business with incredibly affordable opportunities in the town industrial area with internet connectivity on-par with city regions. We will also have more tourism roles in the region for 2022 so now is the time for people to start planning a move,” said Justin Hancock
With a population that sits close to 800, Quilpie offers supermarkets, a butchery, bakery, newsagent, hairdressers, retail shops, a hospital, Medical Centre, Pharmacy Two schools (Prep to Year 10), Early Learning Centre, Community Gym, Sporting ovals, tennis and basketball courts, free swimming pools and an abundance of open space.
The small township of Eromanga has put the Shire of Quilpie on the map globally with the discovery of Australia’s largest dinosaur and recent announcement of an entirely new dinosaur species by the Eromanga Natural History Museum, and COVID has seen thousands of tourists flock to Outback Queensland.
This will continue to open the region up to even more job vacancies.
“We have great jobs available, and great blocks of land that are ready to start building on immediately. Our end goal with this grant is to increase our housing stock in the Quilpie Shire. While the villas at the retirement village are lovely – Council has just invested more than a million dollars in the centre – we need to be able to offer more appropriate accommodation for people like our CEO Justin who move to the region for a new role. We need teachers, nurses and all sorts of positions filled. Judging by the level of enquiry there is a real appetite at the moment for people to move to a region that has remained untouched by COVID,” said Mayor Stuart MacKenzie.
Inspired by the newly announced Quilpie Shire Council home owner grant, first time buyers twenty three year-old Tom Hennessy, a technical officer at Quilpie Shire Council and twenty four year-old Tessa McDougall, who moved to Quilpie from Brisbane to take up a teaching role have just purchased a block of land in Quilpie and are about to start building on it – qualifying them for the Council grant.
“There’s probably not a lot of people our age who are getting into the property market – but it’s so affordable in Quilpie, and even more so with this great grant, and we’re confident it’s going to be a great investment for our future. We will receive the grant when we’ve finished the build on our new home and lived in it for six months, so it’s a nice incentive to get in and get the house built as soon as we can. Tessa has friends and family in Brisbane who are struggling to get into the property market so we feel very fortunate to be able to do this now. We’re also hopeful that other young people will look at the job opportunities out here along with these great deals and make the move to Quilpie. It’s a great lifestyle and small town vibe, there’s no crime and everyone is pretty laid back. And COVID really hasn’t touched Western Queensland,” said Tom Hennessy.
In addition to encouraging new land purchase to build in the region Council is also redeveloping the Depot in Quilpie into ten, with the potential of up to forty, 2-3 bed townhouse villas. These will add to the current forty-six Council owned housing properties that are sitting at 100% occupancy
Of his move to Quilpie Shire Council CEO Justin Hancock said “I’m loving Quilpie. I’ve been here just over 8 months now and it’s a warm, welcoming township and has all the essential services and great transport options covered. It has easy access to Brisbane and major centres, but can also feel a world away – in a good way! For me moving here was a no brainer when I saw the CEO role pop up, and it’s exciting to be part of such a forward thinking, active Council. We currently have a ‘build it and they will come’ approach to our local development and it’s paying off. We’ve had a big winter tourist season and are anticipating strong interest in our grant offer.”
The housing shortage that Quilpie is currently experiencing is typical of regional Queensland according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland, due to a record interstate migration to Queensland – up 90% on the previous decade average in the last financial year.
With housing affordability and employment options already at crisis point in many capital cities and coastal regions around Australia the appeal of owner/builder options in welcoming Outback regions like Quilpie is soaring.
The Quilpie Shire is located 1,000km West of Brisbane on the Warrego Way with roads sealed all the way into the region. It also has twice weekly REX flights to Brisbane and Mt Isa as well as a regular train service.
Quilpie Shire has an abundance of natural resources and beauty – and is a popular Outback tourist destination.
The region is renowned for and hiking in scenic locations such as Hell Hole Gorge, red dirt bike tracks, taking a step back in time with Australia’s largest dinosaur at the Eromanga Natural History Museum, Opal fossicking, yabbying, bike and horse riding, fishing, tree and rock climbing, kayaking, sand dune surfing in the desert and a rich local history.