Lifestyle towns where houses cost half the price in Byron Bay

2 months ago 4

Byron Bay property prices have eased from their eye-watering peak, but for the average sea-changer, the coveted coastal town remains a pipedream, with a median house price of $1,847,000, on Domain data.

For buyers on a budget, there are other towns that still offer lifestyle payoff for less, whether you’re looking for a tree or sea change or buying a holiday home.

Byron Bay property prices have eased from their peak, but are still unreachable for many.

Yamba: Coastal chic and capped supply

Yamba, at the mouth of the Clarence River, had a median house price of $880,000 at the end of September – much cheaper than Byron Bay which is about two hours north.

Thanks to the town being geographically locked, the population can’t grow beyond a certain number. This natural cap has long been one of Yamba’s quiet strengths, says Grant Gillies of Lifestyle Yamba.

With a population of about 6000, Yamba boasts unspoiled beaches and sheltered river swims.

“It’s still very family oriented here,” he said. “We get the holidaymakers at Christmas and Easter, but outside of that it remains relatively unspoiled.”

With a population of about 6000, Yamba has unspoiled beaches, sheltered river swims, open surf breaks, fishing, a golf course and a growing food scene.

But Gillies said the price gap between Yamba and Byron Bay was the feature that turned heads, with prestige waterfront homes in Yamba rarely fetching beyond $3 million. In Byron, he said that figure would be closer to $12 million.

Agnes Water: The Byron Bay of 20 years ago

North of Brisbane, Agnes Water is known as the last surf beach before the Great Barrier Reef.

The town’s top surf breaks and barefoot vibes have attracted high-profile buyers over the years, including renowned winemaker Brian Croser and Rip Curl co-founder Doug Warbrick.

“It’s got a really special energy,” said James White, of McGrath Agnes Water. “It’s very similar to Byron and Noosa but it feels like they did 15 or 20 years ago.

“And you can still get a seaside unit from $325,000, and there’s still vacant land near the beach from $400,000 with killer ocean views.”

Domain figures show the median price of a house in Agnes Water is $870,000.

White praised Agnes Water for its “uncrowded surf breaks and kilometres of pristine, secluded beaches. But you’ve still got the ice-cream parlours, cafés and bars. That’s the magic.”

Malua Bay and surrounds: Where bush meets beach

Nestled on NSW’s south coast, Malua Bay sits about 3½ hours south of Sydney. It’s one of a number of quiet coastal towns dotted between Batemans Bay and Moruya in the Eurobodalla Shire.

Just like other coastal pockets there, it has bush that spills straight onto the sand, solid surf breaks and a vibrant community.

Malua Bay boasts bush that spills straight onto the sand, solid surf breaks and a vibrant community.

“There are something like 53 beaches in this shire,” said Karen Herrick of LJ Hooker Malua Bay.

“And that includes white sand beaches, hidden coves, places for snorkelling and stand-up paddleboarding through to top surfing breaks – it honestly ticks all those boxes.

“And what you’d spend $3 million on in Byron, you can buy here for $1.5 million.”

While the median house price in Malua Bay is $950,000, Herrick warned growing interest from Sydneysiders and remote workers had already fuelled growth.

“For every 10 clients I speak to now, two or three are from Sydney - that used to be one in 30,” Herrick said.

While the laid-back lifestyle remains unsullied, she said the Eurobodalla Shire’s changing demographics had sparked a renaissance with craft breweries, quality eateries and local designer wares.

“This morning, one of my friends posted a photo on Facebook of nearby Broulee Beach and there wasn’t a single person on it,” she said. “And her tag line was: ‘Just living the dream - until everyone else gets here’.”

Dungog: Bowral of the north (without the price tag)

Perched just over 2½ hours north of Sydney in the foothills of the Barrington Tops, Dungog is a tree-change favourite for buyers craving a creative community, space and jaw-dropping scenery minus Byron Bay’s (or Bowral’s) stratospheric price tags.

A tiny house in Dungog, which is perched in the foothills of the Barrington Tops

With a population of about 10,000, the town hasn’t had enough sales in the past year to generate a formal median house price. But Jedda Casserly of Ray White Rural said residential homes in the heart of the village now fetched between $700,000 and $800,000, with sprawling acreage properties sitting just north of $1 million.

“People call it the Bowral of the north, but it is definitely still flying under the radar,” she said. “What you can get for your money here just blows my mind.”

While prices have doubled over the past few years, Casserly said the growth had fuelled new subdivisions and cafés.

“And if you head out of town just a little bit, there are beautiful tracks to walk, waterfalls and lovely rivers. It’s all about the outdoors here,” she said.