Rowes Bay QLD Property Investment

Townsville · 4810 · Score: 42/100 · Caution

Median House Price
$912K
Rental Yield
2.7%
Vacancy Rate
3.0%
Median Weekly Rent
$480/wk
Median Unit Price
$667K
Population
541
Days on Market
45 days
Annual Growth
17.5%

Rowes Bay Short-Term Rental (Airbnb) Market

Avg Nightly Rate
$409.25/night
Occupancy Rate
44%
Est. Annual Revenue
$66K
AI Investment Analysis

Rowes Bay QLD Investment Brief

CAUTION2.7% gross yield on a $911,554 (single source — OnTheHouse only, no peer to validate) median.

THE MARKET

Rowes Bay has compounded at 1.6%/yr over 5 years. Median sits in the $911,554 (single source — OnTheHouse only, no peer to validate) band today. Properties are sitting on market for 45 days (roughly balanced conditions).

  • Median house: $911,554 (single source — OnTheHouse only, no peer to validate) | Units: $667,134
  • Gross yield: 2.7% | Net yield: 1.2%
  • 5yr price CAGR: 1.6%/yr | 3yr forecast: 13.5%/yr
  • Population: 541 | Owner-occupier rate: 49% | Affluence: High
  • Supply pipeline: Low — Price growth outpacing new supply, limited development pipeline

RENTAL SNAPSHOT

  • Vacancy: 3.0% (stable) | Rental demand: Moderate
  • Median weekly rent: $480/wk | Days on market: 45 (stable)
  • Tenant market — vacancy elevated, negotiate hard on rent.

SHORT-TERM RENTAL

  • Median nightly rate: $409/night | Occupancy: 44%
  • Estimated annual STR gross: ~$65,726/yr
  • vs long-term rent: $24,960/yr (+163% STR premium — factor in higher management costs)

INFRASTRUCTURE & CATALYSTS

  • Bruce Highway Upgrade Program (under_construction)
  • Transport: Townsville station 3.4km away

BULL CASE

If Rowes Bay maintains 3%+ annual growth and vacancy stays below 2.1%, median prices could reach $1,048,287 within 3 years with yields compressing slightly as capital values rise.

BEAR CASE

A market correction or interest rate shock could see prices in Rowes Bay pull back 10-15% from $911,554, with vacancy rising to 5.0% and rental yields softening as tenants gain leverage.

KEY RISKS

  • Distance from CBD may limit long-term capital growth potential
  • - Flood risk: MODERATE (qld_elevation_proxy) — part of the suburb sits near waterways or in a mapped flood-prone area

COMPARABLE MARKETS

  • Westwood (QLD): $747,318 median, 2.3% yield, 23.0% 1yr growth
  • Mapleton (QLD): $1,178,153 median, 3.0% yield, 8.2% 1yr growth
  • Mutchilba (QLD): $878,938 median, 1.3% yield, 10.9% 1yr growth

THE PLAY

Rowes Bay carries elevated risk that outweighs potential returns at current levels. A cooling market combined with moderate vacancy risk warrants caution. Avoid new acquisitions unless significant discount to median pricing is achievable. Re-evaluate if vacancy falls below 2.5% or annual price growth exceeds 3%.

  • Entry range: $820,399$1,002,709
  • Minimum gross yield to target: 4.5%
  • Watch signal: vacancy dropping below 2% and days on market falling below 35

This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Seek professional advice before making investment decisions.

Gentrification Index

Pre-gentrification2.5/10
High SEIFA decile — already upgraded or established affluent area
High renter base (48%) — room for tenure upgrade as area improves
Active development pipeline (4124 approvals) — supply attracting new residents

Growth Forecast

low confidence
1yr Forecast
1.0%
p.a.
2yr Forecast
0.9%
p.a.
5yr Forecast
0.8%
p.a.

Basis: 5yr CAGR 1.6% + 10yr CAGR 2.3%

Headwinds
  • Population decline (-0.1%/yr) — demand headwind
  • High supply pipeline (4124 new approvals) — may cap price growth

Suburb Metric Thresholds

2 green5 yellow8 red
Rental Vacancy Rate
3 high impact
Days on Market
45 high impact
Weekly Rent (house)
480 medium impact
5yr Price CAGR
1.59 high impact
10yr Price CAGR
2.26 high impact
1yr Price Growth
17.53 medium impact
Population Growth
-0.13 high impact
Median Household Income
1610 medium impact
Unemployment Rate
4.5 medium impact
Public Transport Score
No data medium impact
School Zone Quality
1 medium impact
Distance to CBD
1113.65 medium impact
SEIFA Advantage/Disadvantage
7 medium impact
Owner Occupier Rate
49 medium impact
Gross Rental Yield (%)
2.74 high impact
Net Rental Yield (%)
1.24 high impact

Macro Environment

Macro Indicators

Cash Rate

4.35%

0.25%

Cash rate as at 2026-05-06 · Credit data 2026-04

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 4810

Most disadvantagedLeast disadvantaged

Decile 6 of 10 — Average

Population

21,697

Education (IEO)

8/10

Econ. Resources (IER)

2/10

10-Year Investment Projection

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

Pre-filled: $480/wk median rent for Rowes Bay. Capital growth and rent increase are editable assumptions.

Schools

In your catchment

Belgian Gardens SS
PrimaryGovernment
7/10
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.