The weekend boom: Where Aussies are snapping up second homes
New Place Advisory data and on-the-ground insights from agents reveal a powerful trend reshaping Southeast Queensland's property market: City families are snapping up weekenders in hinterland and coastal towns just one to two hours from the Brisbane CBD.
In lifestyle belts like the Scenic Rim and Somerset, agents estimate that up to half of all buyers inspecting acreage and lifestyle properties are not relocating, but rather chasing a weekend escape.
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"Around 50% of the people we're meeting at open homes are Brisbane locals," said Paris Arthur, Place Graceville.
"They're not looking to move permanently; they want a weekender. Somewhere green, private, and within a short drive of the city."
Lifestyle drives the surge
The movement mirrors sharp growth across regional Queensland.
According to CoreLogic, regional house values are up 56% since 2020, compared to 34% in capital cities.
In the Scenic Rim, prices have surged 74% in the same period, while acreage blocks remain in hot demand.
Meanwhile, Sunshine Coast medians have overtaken Brisbane's ($1.05m vs $900k), underlining the growing pull of lifestyle-rich markets.
Paris said the motivation is lifestyle, not relocation.
"The big drivers are flexibility and wellbeing. Many of these families work in the city during the week, but they want their kids to spend weekends outside, with space and fresh air. A weekender gives them both," she explained.
The Weekender Hotspots
- Tallegalla, Scenic Rim: Acreages with sweeping mountain views. Around 50% of buyers are Brisbane locals.
- Tamborine Mountain: Offers privacy, Airbnb potential, and a strong pull for city buyers.
- Sunshine Coast Hinterland: Towns like Maleny saw a 306% year-on-year surge in buyer searches, according to sources.
- Toowoomba: Experiencing 20-30% annual growth in some suburbs, boosted by upgraded highway links.
The new symbol of success
Agents say this is no short-term phenomenon.
"This isn't just a post-COVID fad," Paris said.
"Brisbane locals are re-evaluating their lifestyles. A second home is becoming as aspirational as a beach holiday; it's the new symbol of success."
But with supply in hinterland and coastal markets tightly constrained, experts warn competition will remain fierce.
Many locals are already finding themselves bidding against multiple Brisbane families for the same "weekend escape" listings.
Originally published as The weekend boom: Where Aussies are snapping up second homes
