Check out our Estate Newsletter which goes out monthly for residents to keep up to date with local events and anything going on in the Estate. From Free Dog Washing to Breakfast Masterclasses there is something for everyone at The Orchard!
Townsville Bulletin Real Estate 12 September, 2019
TOWNSVILLE has been named as a regional hotspot for Queensland real estate in the September Hotspotting report by Ryder Property Research.Real estate researcher and founder of Hotspotting.com.au Terry Ryder said the city was poised to bloom with an array of major infrastructure projects expected to provide an economic boost to the region.“Townsville is enjoying a sense of optimism as the economy improves and the impact of past difficulties (including the February 2019 floods) fades,” Mr Ryder said.
“Over 20 big projects costing $11 billion are under way or expected to start work in 2019. “Unemployment is at its lowest point for four years while the housing market is starting to see rents and prices rise.”REIQ regional director Damien Keyes said with the next few months being a typical period for relocation in Townsville he was expecting to see a bustle of activity in the market.“I think the floods have distorted what we would normally see in the market and all the indicators including local governemnet spending will definitely provide a job and economic injection to Townsville over the next few years,” Mr Keyes said.
“September through to January next year will be a very interesting period in particular and I think we will see the first influx of people coming to Townsville post floods.
“It’s a typical time for people coming to the region with defence and hospital placements and I think with Townsville being such an affordable market at the moment those people are going to be buying up.”
Mr Ryder said the floods interrupted the upward trajectory Townsville’s property market was on at the tail end of 2018 and that he expected it was now back on track.
“After a few years in the doldrums, caused largely by the downturn in the resources sector, Townsville was showing clear signs of recovering when the floods hit in early 2019,” Mr Ryder said.
“Townsville’s comeback will be boosted by major projects across numerous industries.
“There are large mine developments, including Adani’s Carmichael coal mine, which will be headquartered in Townsville; a $250 million sports stadium; a $1.9 billion CBD makeover; a $1.9 billion educational hub being driven by James Cook University; and $6.5 billion to be spent on residential developments.”
Other cities named in the Top 5 Queensland Regional Hotspots 2019 report were Mackay, Sunshine Coast, Rockhapton and Toowoomba.
Source: Bonnell. Y, 2019. Townsville dubbed a regional real estate hotspot in new report, Townsville: Townsville Bulletin Real Estate.
A leading developer has launched an innovative campaign designed to showcase the lifestyle on offer at their booming large lot community, The Orchard.
Elements North Queensland is partnering with A Touch of Salt’s Executive Chef, Michael Brine, to host a Breakfast Master Class designed to attract people to the development.
The Orchard’s Sales Director, Paul Fotinos, said the development, tucked away in natural bush land off Darling Road in Jensen, could be difficult to find so the Lifestyle Events series was formed to encourage people to visit.
“We have developed a series of free lifestyle events to be hosted at our new Display House and Sales Centre over the next few months to entice people to come out and take a look,” Mr Fotinos said.
“While The Orchard is situated in a fantastic location with a private entry, nestled between rolling hills and natural bush land and just a short drive to schools, shops and recreation, it is not along the Bruce Highway so can be a bit hard to find.
“The Lifestyle Events Series was designed to be appealing enough to get people to come out and take a look and see what the community is like.
“It is also an opportunity to provide potential buyers with a sneak peek into the lifestyle available at The Orchard through things like this cooking master class, free dog wash days along with other events like do-it-yourself handy skills classes, fun runs and so on.
“The partnership with Michael and A Touch of Salt is a great opportunity for people to see how they can cook up a cheap gourmet breakfast and enjoy it on the patio overlooking the large back yard and surrounding natural bushland and open spaces that The Orchard boasts.
“The minimum lot size at The Orchard is 1,000sqm and this campaign is focused on highlighting ways to maximise and enjoy all of this space.”
The Orchard is a 400-lot development located in the heart of Townsville’s Northern growth corridor. Designed and created with families at its heart, the fully serviced large home sites have town water and sewage connections, underground power and are NBN ready.
New home sites start from 1,000 square metres. The Orchard’s display house and sales centre is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
For more information on living at The Orchard call Paul on 4731 1425 or visit theorchardnq.com.au
On Sunday 23rd June, 2019 The Orchard Estate had David from Aussie Pooch Mobile Dog Wash Kirwan onsite offering free dog washing for the public! From 10am to 12:30pm we had pooches of all shapes and sizes lining up waiting for their warm Hydrobath.
All dogs and their owners shared the love by bringing a donation to give to Townsville Foster and Rehoming Animal shelter – a locally run, non-profit organisation that help save animals in need. Donations included dog and cat food, kitty litter, old and new blankets and towels and cat and dog collars. All goods were delivered and accepted with appreciation.
Keep an eye out, as we are thinking this could become a regular thing!
IT has now become cheaper to buy a house in Townsville, than to rent one!
That’s according to a new report from ANZ, showing that incomes have risen faster than home values here.
ANZ joined with CoreLogic in the report which has revealed that household incomes have been rising at a faster rate than home values, specifically in the last 3 months of 2018.
This is great news for our wallets, with it now being more possible to afford a house or save for a house deposit.
In Townsville, it’ll take about 21% of your income to service a mortgage, compared to 24% of your income to rent.
And when you crunch the numbers on saving for a deposit, it takes 5.2 years to have a 20% deposit.
Source: Whittington. C, 2019. It’s Now Cheaper To Buy A House Than Rent One In Townsville, Townsville: Hit Network.
“This battery plant has the potential to transform Townsville and charge the city’s economy for decades to come,” Cr Hill said.
Townsville Bulletin 5 June, 2018
THE city has taken the next critical step towards development of a $2 billion battery manufacturing plant at Woodstock in Townsville, Mayor Jenny Hill says.
Cr Hill, who is attending the BIO International Convention with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in Boston, was speaking after signing a high-level agreement with a consortium called Imperium3.
The Imperium3 consortium includes New York-based Charge CCCV, Primet Precision Materials, C&D Assembly, listed Australian company Magnis Resources and investment firm Boston Energy and Innovation.
The consortium’s partners include Siemens, Celgard and Babcock and Wilcox MEGTEC.
Cr Hill said signing the agreement between the council and Imperium3 was the next crucial step to establishing the battery plant.
It followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Boston Energy and Innovation last year to investigate building a 15 gigawatt-hour battery manufacturing plant in Townsville.
“This battery plant has the potential to transform Townsville and charge the city’s economy for decades to come,” Cr Hill said.
“The battery plant project has generated huge interest already at the BIO convention and Townsville is well and truly on the map for investors here.
“I’d like to thank the Premier for the invitation to the US to showcase our plans to turn Townsville into an ¬advanced manufacturing hub.”
Last November, Ms Palaszczuk announced a $3.1 million grant towards a feasibility study for the Townsville project. Speaking at the signing, Ms Palaszczuk said battery technology was a natural extension of Queensland’s transition to being a renewable energy powerhouse.
“Queensland has long been the powerhouse of Australia,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Now as we move towards our 50 per cent renewable energy target, storage solutions are a vital part of enhancing our natural strengths in renewable generation.
“Storage is fundamental to making renewable energy reliable, and that’s why my Government has already committed more than $3 million towards assessing the feasibility of this project.”
The battery plant is expected to create up to 1000 direct jobs and position Townsville as a global leader in advanced manufacturing.
Cr Hill said the project received significant interest from big investors at the convention.
The plant will be built at Woodstock after the council last year agreed to partner with the consortium and provide the land for the plant.
Magnis says Imperium3 is working to begin operations at Huron Campus in New York State in the first half of next year after acquiring lithium-ion battery manufacturing equipment in a liquidation sale in North Carolina.
The BIO convention attracts 16,000 biotechnology and pharmaceutical leaders in areas such as drug discovery, biomanufacturing, genomics, biofuels, nanotechnology and cell therapy.
Source: Raggatt, T., 2018. Hill says battery project will charge Townsville for decades, Townsville: Townsville Bulletin.
The home is in Greenview Estate in a family friendly crescent surrounded by other contemporary homes.
Townsville Bulletin 20 April, 2018
WITH a pool, spa, waterfall and place to park your boat, North Queensland living doesn’t get much better than this.
49 Bamboo Crescent in Mount Louisa has hit the market at $695,000 and has five-bedrooms, three bathrooms and two car spaces.
It’s expected to generate plenty of interest from house hunters as it features everything buyers want to make the most of Townsville’s lifestyle.
Owner Con Karavas and his wife have very happily lived in the home for 12 years.
“It’s spacious and airy and there are big full-length windows to see out to the garden and pool,” he said. “We wanted a long pool so we could do laps.
“It’s in a great spot as well because it’s on the Kirwan side of Mount Louisa, so it’s just a matter of going out of the sub-divvies and getting on Dalrymple Rd.”
The home is in Greenview Estate in a family friendly crescent surrounded by other contemporary homes.
The free-form lap pool is bounded by tropical landscaped gardens.
There is a self-contained apartment near the pool and separate to the home. The main house has two separate living areas while the fully-fenced 1061sq m lot has two street frontages.
There is also an outdoor pergola with established herb and vegetable garden and a paved, enclosed and lockup boat and caravan storage.
Source: Anderson, C., 2018. Lifestyle makes a splash, Townsville: Townsville Bulletin.
“Mount Louisa will become one of the most iconic public spaces in Townsville as a result of this concept plan – and I’m sure it will become a big hit on social media too.”
Townsville Bulletin 23 April, 2018
Mount Louisa is set to be transformed with a concept plan for the area to investigate the potential for new recreational and commercial opportunities.
Townsville City Council has appointed RPS Australia East to produce a concept plan for Mount Louisa that will open up the area – particularly its prominent ridgeline – and improve public access while allowing for new recreational uses and explore any potential commercial opportunities.
Reimagining our natural landscapes and improving access and recreational facilities is a key priority of the Townsville 2020 masterplan.
Townsville 2020 provides a clear vision for our city and aims to provide world-class experiences through new infrastructure and developments.
The Mount Louisa concept plan will transform the area into one of Townsville’s most popular public spaces by allowing locals and visitors to take advantage of its spectacular vistas of our city and coastline.
Mayor Jenny Hill said the concept plan would deliver on another election commitment.
“My team and I wanted to make sure we provide the best public spaces and recreational facilities right across Townsville, whether it’s in the city or the suburbs,” Cr Hill said.
“This concept plan will unlock Mount Louisa’s potential and take advantage of its 360 degree vistas of Townsville.
“Thousands of residents living near Mount Louisa will benefit from improved access to new recreational facilities, which could include walking tracks, viewing platforms and barbecue areas.
“Mount Louisa will become one of the most iconic public spaces in Townsville as a result of this concept plan – and I’m sure it will become a big hit on social media too.”
Deputy Mayor and Planning and Development Committee Chair Les Walker said the concept plan was part of Council’s Townsville 2020 vision.
“Mount Louisa is one of the highest points in Townsville and this plan will ensure we take advantage of the amazing views back across our city and coastline,” Cr Walker said.
“Townsville 2020 provides a clear vision for all of Townsville and providing new public spaces and recreational facilities in our suburban areas is a key part of the masterplan.
“The concept plan will focus on sport and recreation activities over the short, medium and long-term and will be delivered through a staged approach.”
The concept plan – expected to be complete in October – will also consider the existence of sites of Aboriginal cultural heritage within the Mount Louisa project area.
Community consultation will occur during the development of the concept plan and Council will update the community on progress of this project through the Townsville 2020 website: https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/2020
Source: Unknown, 2018. Plan for top attraction, Townsville: Townsville Bulletin.
A top national property expert has named Townsville as one of the top 10 places to invest in the country. Economist Colin Dwyer agrees that Townsville is about to turn around.
Source: Townsville Bulletin 21 April, 2018
MAJOR job-generating projects expected to inject billions into North Queensland’s economy have landed Townsville in the top 10 places to invest in the country.
National property analyst and founder of the Hotspotting website, Terry Ryder, listed Townsville in his National Top 10 Best Buys April-August 2018 edition.
Mr Ryder, who has a track record of identifying future price-growth areas, listed Townsville because of the city’s diverse economy, historic property price growth, declining rental vacancy rates and falling unemployment.
In the report he says major projects either proposed, approved or under construction are likely to create massive job growth that will flow on to the property market.
“Townsville ranks among the sturdiest regional economies in Australia,” Mr Ryder says in the report. “We always seek economic diversity in a property investment location and Townsville has more than most regional cities.
“It has strong elements of government administration, education, defence, resources, health, tourism and manufacturing, plus an export port.
“Its property market experienced an unbroken run of double-digit growth years from 2002 to 2007 and, after experiencing some mixed fortunes in the past couple of years, is ready to resume forward progress.”
Vacancy rates are sitting at 4.1 per cent after continuing a downwards trend from a peak in September last year at 7.1 per cent.
At the end of 2017, median house prices were $335,000 after declining 2.9 per cent in 12 months, while the median unit price was $256,000, a decline of 2.8 per cent, according to CoreLogic.
Figures from the first quarter of 2018 are yet to be released but real estate insiders are forecasting a much more positive start to the year compared to 2017. The latest Herron Todd White report Townsville in Focus places Townsville’s residential market at the start of recovery.
Townsville’s employment growth is also above the state average of 3.5 per cent, sitting at 12.6 per cent in the 12 months to February 2018, according to the ABS.
Keyes & Co principal and REIQ regional director Damien Keyes said investor interest was increasing and he had recently sold an inner-city apartment under the hammer to a southern investor.
“The investment side of things has really picked up and we’ve had (the) State Government selling housing commission properties and they are really cheap stock, which is attracting investors on a local level,” he said. “We had a cheaper apartment sell in North Ward and 90 per cent of the inquiry was from investors in New South Wales.
“I think we’ll continue to see a lift in investor interest because Townsville will become more attractive because our median house price is low compared to capital cities.”
Regional economist Colin Dwyer (pictured) said there were positive indicators that Townsville’s economy was starting to turn around.
“We’ve had high unemployment rates and low confidence in 2016 and 2017 and we’ve also had high vacancy rates and low residential building approvals but now some of that data is starting to turn around,” he said. “I think we’ve reached the bottom of the cycle and now we’re starting to improve. As soon as vacancy rates get to lower than 3 per cent there will be more income and then more jobs and you will start to see better investment activity.”
Source: Anderson, C., 2018. Property guru puts Townsville near top, Townsville: Townsville Bulletin.
