Goonellabah NSW Property Investment
Ballina · 2480 · Score: 50/100 · Hold
Goonellabah Short-Term Rental (Airbnb) Market
Estimated revenue assumes year-round availability. Non-hosted short-stays are night-capped in some councils (e.g. 60 nights across most of Byron Shire, 180 in Ballina, Muswellbrook and parts of Greater Sydney) and levied in Victoria — the legal cap can cut achievable income well below this figure. Run STR Check for the rules on a specific address.
Goonellabah NSW Investment Brief
## 1. Investment Verdict Hold – the decisive figure is the 4.5 % gross rental yield, which sits at the upper‑end of what many investors consider a “safe” return in regional NSW.
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## 2. Market Overview | Metric | Figure | |--------|--------| | Median house price | $736,428 | | Median unit price | $525,830 | | 1‑year price growth | +14.5 % | | 5‑year CAGR (price) | ‑7.6 % / yr | | 3‑year growth forecast | +13.5 % | | Days on market | Data not supplied |
What it signals * The +14.5 % jump over the past 12 months gives sellers short‑term leverage – buyers will face higher asking prices and may need to act quickly. * The ‑7.6 % / yr five‑year decline shows that the recent surge is a rebound rather than a new long‑term trend, so investors should temper expectations of continued rapid price appreciation. * The 13.5 % three‑year forecast suggests market participants expect growth to resume, but that outlook hinges on local economic conditions remaining stable.
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## 3. Rental Market | Metric | Figure | |--------|--------| | Median weekly rent | $640 / wk | | Gross rental yield | 4.5 % | | Vacancy rate | Data not supplied | | Demand rating | Data not supplied |
Implication for investors A 4.5 % yield indicates the rental market is still generating a respectable cash flow relative to price. Even without explicit vacancy data, the yield suggests demand is sufficient to cover most financing costs, making long‑term rental (LTR) a viable core‑plus strategy.
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## 4. Short‑Term Rental (STR) Opportunity | Metric | Figure | |--------|--------| | STR nightly rate | Data not supplied | | STR occupancy (average) | Data not supplied | | Estimated annual STR revenue | Data not supplied |
Verdict – Because no STR metrics are available, we cannot quantify the potential upside. In the absence of evidence that short‑term demand outstrips the long‑term market, the safer route is to focus on long‑term rental.
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## 5. Infrastructure & Growth Drivers Data not supplied – No specific projects, transport upgrades, or major employers are listed for Goonellabah. The 13.5 % three‑year growth forecast implies that analysts expect some underlying drivers (e.g., regional population growth or employment expansion), but without concrete details we cannot attribute the outlook to a particular source.
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## 6. Bull Case Assume the 3‑year forecast of +13.5 % materialises and rental demand stays strong:
| Item | Current | Bull‑case (3 yr) |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $736,428 | ≈ $835,000 (13.5 % rise) |
| Median unit price | $525,830 | ≈ $597,000 (13.5 % rise) |
| Weekly rent (if yield holds) | $640 | ≈ $730 (4.5 % yield on higher price) |
| Gross yield (if rent rises with price) | 4.5 % | ≈ 4.5 % (stable) |
If price appreciation and rent growth keep pace, investors could see capital gains of roughly $100k‑$120k on a median house while maintaining the 4.5 % yield.
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## 7. Risks | Risk | Quantified concern | |------|--------------------| | Price volatility – 5‑year CAGR of ‑7.6 % / yr shows the market has experienced a notable downturn, meaning a reversal is not guaranteed. | | Vacancy uncertainty – No vacancy data; if vacancy rises above 5 % the cash‑flow margin could erode the 4.5 % yield. | | Economic concentration – No employer data; if the suburb relies heavily on a single industry, a downturn there could depress both rent and price growth. | | Supply pipeline – Absence of information on new housing approvals; a surge in new units could lift vacancy and suppress yields. | | Interest‑rate sensitivity – With a 4.5 % yield, any increase in borrowing costs that pushes net cash flow below the yield could make the asset less attractive. |
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## 8. The Play * Entry price range – Target houses around $700k‑$770k and units around $500k‑$560k, i.e., within ±5 % of the current medians. * Yield target – Aim for a minimum gross yield of 4.5 %; any property offering less should be screened out. * Watch‑list signals – * Confirmation of stable or falling vacancy rates (≤4 %). * Announcement of new infrastructure or major employer projects. * Evidence of limited new supply (few planning permits). * Strategy – Acquire a median‑priced house or unit, finance with a loan that leaves a net cash‑flow margin of at least 1‑2 % after interest and expenses, and hold for 3‑5 years to capture the projected 13.5 % capital growth while collecting steady rental income. Adjust the position if vacancy climbs or if new supply floods the market.
Gentrification Index
Growth Forecast
low confidenceBasis: 3yr growth 1.5% (discounted)
- −Slow market (104 days avg) — buyer hesitancy
- −High supply pipeline (1596 new approvals) — may cap price growth
Suburb Metric Thresholds
Macro Environment
Macro Indicators
Cash Rate
4.35%
▲ 0.25%Cash rate as at 2026-05-06 · Credit data 2026-07
Suburb Supply & Demand
Suburb Supply Pipeline — New Dwelling Approvals
433
2020
361
2021
270
2022
310
2023
222
2025
New dwelling approvals — higher numbers mean more future supply
Socio-Economic Profile
Source: ABS Census 2021SEIFA Index · Postcode 2480
Decile 4 of 10 — Average
Population
45,938
Education (IEO)
5/10
Econ. Resources (IER)
3/10
10-Year Investment Projection
Modelled on Goonellabah NSW data — rent, capital growth, tax, and depreciation over 10 years.
Pre-filled: $640/wk median rent for Goonellabah. Capital growth and rent increase are editable assumptions.
Schools
In your catchment
These are the government-school zones containing this suburb centroid. Specific addresses within the suburb may fall in different catchments — confirm with the school directly.
Nearby Suburbs
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Analyse a Property →Data sourced from ABS, state government property sales, and Airbnb market analytics. For informational purposes only — not financial advice.