Nelly Bay QLD Property Investment

Townsville · 4819 · Score: 47/100 · Caution

Median House Price
$803K
Rental Yield
3.5%
Vacancy Rate
3.0%
Median Weekly Rent
$535/wk
Median Unit Price
$504K
Population
1,213
Days on Market
74 days
Annual Growth
13.0%

Nelly Bay Short-Term Rental (Airbnb) Market

Avg Nightly Rate
$483.44/night
Occupancy Rate
44%
Est. Annual Revenue
$78K
AI Investment Analysis

Nelly Bay QLD Investment Brief

## 1. Investment Verdict Hold – the 3.5% gross rental yield is the key figure. It shows a modest cash‑flow return that, combined with strong recent price growth, makes the suburb more suitable for a hold‑and‑wait strategy rather than a fresh buy or an outright avoid.

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## 2. Market Overview - Median house price: $802,987 - Median unit price: $504,387 - 1‑year price growth: 13.0% - 5‑year CAGR: 2.7% per year - 3‑year growth forecast: 13.5%

*Signal:* The 13.0% price rise over the past year and the 13.5% forecast for the next three years indicate a seller‑friendly market at present. Buyers will face upward price pressure, while owners can expect capital appreciation if they stay invested. (Days on market data is not supplied, so we cannot comment on market speed.)

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## 3. Rental Market - Median weekly rent: $535 / wk - Gross rental yield: 3.5% - Vacancy rate: *Data not provided* - Demand rating: *Data not provided*

*Interpretation:* A 3.5% yield sits near the lower‑mid range for Queensland regional suburbs, suggesting cash‑flow is modest but not negative. Without vacancy data we cannot quantify risk, but the yield implies that rental income currently covers a reasonable portion of financing costs for most investors.

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## 4. Short‑Term Rental Opportunity - STR nightly rate: *Data not provided* - STR occupancy: *Data not provided* - Estimated annual STR revenue: *Data not provided*

*Conclusion:* Because STR metrics are unavailable, we cannot calculate an annualised STR return. With only the long‑term rental yield (3.5%) known, LTR remains the clearer investment path until STR data emerges.

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## 5. Infrastructure & Growth Drivers - Known projects / transport / employment base: *Data not provided*

*Drivers:* The 13.5% three‑year growth forecast suggests market confidence, likely stemming from Nelly Bay’s tourism appeal and its position on Magnetic Island. In the absence of specific infrastructure or employer information, we must rely on the growth outlook as the primary demand indicator.

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## 6. Bull Case Assume the 13.5% three‑year growth forecast materialises and rental yields stay at 3.5%:

MetricCurrentAfter 3 yr (Bull)
Median house price$802,987$911,119 (13.5% rise)
Median unit price$504,387$572,923 (13.5% rise)
Annual rent (house)$27,820 (≈$535 wk)$27,820 (yield unchanged)
Gross yield (house)3.5%3.0% (price rise outpaces rent)

Even if rent stays flat, capital growth would lift total returns above the current 3.5% yield, delivering a combined return of roughly 6–7% per annum.

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## 7. Risks | Risk | Quantified Concern | |------|--------------------| | Vacancy risk | No vacancy figure supplied; a rise above a typical 3–4% vacancy would erode the 3.5% yield. | | Interest‑rate sensitivity | Higher rates increase financing costs; with a 3.5% yield, a 2% rate rise could push net cash flow into negative territory. | | Supply pipeline | No data on upcoming dwellings; a surge in new units could lift vacancy and suppress rents. | | Reliance on growth forecast | The 13.5% forecast is forward‑looking; if actual growth falls below 5% p.a., capital gains would diminish. |

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## 8. The Play - Entry price range: - Houses: $750,000$850,000 (around the median) - Units: $450,000$550,000

  • Minimum yield target: ≥ 3.5% gross (to match the suburb’s current benchmark).
  • Watch signals:
  • Recommended strategy: Acquire a property at the lower end of the entry range, lock in a competitive loan, and hold for 3–5 years to capture the forecasted 13.5% capital growth while collecting a stable 3.5% rental yield. Re‑assess annually against vacancy data and any new supply to decide whether to stay the course or exit.

Gentrification Index

Early gentrification signals4.0/10
Low socioeconomic base — classic gentrification precondition
Active development pipeline (4124 approvals) — supply attracting new residents
Strong public transport infrastructure — supports walkable gentrification

Growth Forecast

low confidence
1yr Forecast
1.4%
p.a.
2yr Forecast
1.3%
p.a.
5yr Forecast
1.1%
p.a.

Basis: 5yr CAGR 2.7% + 10yr CAGR 2.6%

Headwinds
  • Slow market (74 days avg) — buyer hesitancy
  • High supply pipeline (4124 new approvals) — may cap price growth

Suburb Metric Thresholds

2 green6 yellow8 red
Rental Vacancy Rate
3 high impact
Days on Market
74 high impact
Weekly Rent (house)
535 medium impact
5yr Price CAGR
2.72 high impact
10yr Price CAGR
2.63 high impact
1yr Price Growth
13.01 medium impact
Population Growth
1.17 high impact
Median Household Income
1001 medium impact
Unemployment Rate
6 medium impact
Public Transport Score
6.3 medium impact
School Zone Quality
6.6 medium impact
Distance to CBD
1118.92 medium impact
SEIFA Advantage/Disadvantage
4 medium impact
Owner Occupier Rate
69.2 medium impact
Gross Rental Yield (%)
3.46 high impact
Net Rental Yield (%)
1.96 high impact

Macro Environment

Macro Indicators

Cash Rate

4.35%

0.25%

Cash rate as at 2026-05-06 · Credit data 2026-03

Suburb Supply & Demand

Suburb Supply Pipeline — New Dwelling Approvals

516

2020

1,107

2021

826

2022

727

2023

948

2025

New dwelling approvals — higher numbers mean more future supply

Socio-Economic Profile

Source: ABS Census 2021

SEIFA Index · Postcode 4819

Most disadvantagedLeast disadvantaged

Decile 4 of 10 — Average

Population

2,475

Education (IEO)

6/10

Econ. Resources (IER)

2/10

10-Year Investment Projection

Modelled on Nelly Bay QLD data — rent, capital growth, tax, and depreciation over 10 years.

Pre-filled: $535/wk median rent for Nelly Bay. Capital growth and rent increase are editable assumptions.

Schools

In your catchment

Magnetic Island SS
PrimaryGovernment
6.6/10
Townsville SHS
SecondaryGovernment
4.3/10

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.

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Data sourced from ABS, state government property sales, and Airbnb market analytics. For informational purposes only — not financial advice.