Is Broadbeach the new Brighton or Bondi?
31 March 2021
Melbourne and Sydney buyers have their eye on this Gold Coast suburb – and with its beaches, entertainment and conveniences, it’s easy to see why.
Brighton has the bay and Bondi has the beach, but lifestyle-focused buyers from Melbourne and Sydney are increasingly looking north to the attractions of Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.
Searches for Broadbeach properties on realestate.com.au by Melbourne buyers increased by 43.9% and for Sydney buyers by 38.7% in the six months to the end of February 2021. This outpaced the growth in searches for Gold Coast, which were up 31.5% for Melbourne buyers and 32.4% for Sydney buyers.
“There’s a lot of demand for people to move to a suburb like Broadbeach,” says Anne Flaherty, economic analyst at REA Group. “It is well-established, in close proximity to beautiful beaches and has lots of lovely lifestyle facilities and hospitality.”
Luxury Appeal
Buyers at the luxury end of the market are leading the way, with searches for $1 million-plus units up 77.5% for the 12 months to the end of February 2021, compared to the 12 months prior. Again, this rise outpaced the greater Gold Coast, where the increase was still high — at 66.2%.
While Melbourne and Sydney buyers in this market might normally look in their own cities to places like Brighton or Bondi, Flaherty says the appeal of Broadbeach has been boosted due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.
“A lot of people were looking to escape Victoria, so that would have driven more people to be searching in other states,” Flaherty says.
“Part of the appeal of living close to a city is living close to work, but now that’s not necessarily as important as it was in the past. That means people are going to look more to the lifestyle suburbs.”
Central and convenient
Part of the appeal of Broadbeach is its raft of amenities and local infrastructure.
Danny Andrews, director of Andrews Projects, says the local offerings outstrips other coastal suburbs nearby.
“We love Broadbeach because of the infrastructure,” he says. “It has the light rail; Pacific Fair, which has had a $700 million upgrade; The Star Casino; the best restaurants; the surf club’s right on the beach; patrolled beaches; lots of green space; and it’s in a very central part of the Gold Coast.”
Andrews says that the Broadbeach lifestyle is all about getting around on foot and making the most of the sunshine and wide beachfront boardwalks – or even getting a boat to go marina hopping. To travel further afield, Gold Coast Airport is just a 30-minute drive away.
Growing opportunities
To cater for the increasing interest in Broadbeach, new apartment developments have been on the rise, particularly those suited to mature, sophisticated buyers.
An example is Beach House by Andrews Projects, a boutique, north-facing design located on the beachfront at 4 Australia Avenue.
Designed by Bureau Proberts architects, Beach House is gently curved to complement the look of the beach and sand dunes below. Each apartment is light-filled and low maintenance, with three bedrooms, a study and 3.5 bathrooms.
Andrews says quality is what sets the project apart. It features natural timber detailing, stone bench tops and European appliances. On the ground floor, each apartment has lock up storage and two car parks. A rooftop wellness area includes a heated pool, gym, spa and sauna.
The north-facing orientation is designed to maximise the glorious Queensland sunshine all year round, Andrews says.
“There’s been a couple of beachfront developments [in the area], but nothing [quite like] what we have in terms of that northern facade,” he says.
“It’s a timeless piece of architecture, with ocean views that can’t be built out.”