Regional Australian property is in hot demand right now, with prices surging by up to almost 50% in some locations over the past year.
Australia's median house price has exceeded $1 million, but this isn't solely due to capital city property price growth.
Property in regional Australia became popular in the height of COVID as city dwellers sought a tree or sea change.
Simon Pressley, Propertyology's Head of Research, predicted that regional Australia would be the 'biggest beneficiary' of the housing boom and what he calls the 'lifestyle movement'.
"Decades from now, when one looks back, they will discover that the period beginning 2020 will have produced the highest rates of people moving home in human history and that it was fondly recognised as a period of the biggest improvement in lifestyles ever," Mr Pressley said.
"I’m calling this very exciting and historic era 'The Lifestyle Movement'."
Mr Pressley said because the pandemic put significant restrictions on people's lifestyles, this is what led them to 'enhance and future-proof their lives'.
"Regional lifestyle is akin to a handful of salt and vinegar chips – once one has the taste for it, you can’t get enough of it," Mr Pressley said.
"Working from home opens up all sorts of possibilities.”
Mr Pressley predicts that regional Australia will continue to thrive, and Domain's December 2021 House Price Report revealed the regional spots that have already thrived over the past year.
Top 20 regional performers of 2021
Across Australia, house prices in regional locations have skyrocketed by almost 50% over the past year alone.
These are the top 20 spots where house prices have boomed.
| Rank | Location | House price growth over past 12 months | Median house price December 2021 | Median house price December 2020 |
| 1 | Byron Bay, NSW | 47.8% | $1,700,000 | $1,150,000 |
| 2 | Alpine, VIC | 46.2% | $760,000 | $520,000 |
| 3 | Glamorgan-Spring Bay, TAS | 43.1% | $601,000 | $420,000 |
| 4 | Break O'Day, TAS | 34.8% | $447,500 | $332,000 |
| 5 | Bellingen, NSW | 33.7% | $842,500 | $630,000 |
| 6 | Cessnock, NSW | 33.3% | $560,000 | $420,000 |
| 7 | Bega Valley, NSW | 32.7% | $795,000 | $599,000 |
| 8 | Circular Head, TAS | 32.6% | $321,317 | $242,250 |
| 9 | Ballina, NSW | 32.3% | $980,000 | $741,000 |
| 10 | Ararat, VIC | 32.1% | $350,000 | $265,000 |
| 11 | Devonport City, TAS | 30.8% | $425,000 | $325,000 |
| 12 | Burnie City, TAS | 30.4% | $360,000 | $276,000 |
| 13 | Bass Coast, VIC | 30.3% | $767,500 | $589,000 |
| 14 | Bathurst Regional, NSW | 29.4% | $601,500 | $465,000 |
| 15 | Latrobe, TAS | 28.8% | $515,000 | $400,000 |
| 16 | Fraser Coast, QLD | 26.8% | $450,000 | $355,000 |
| 17 | George Town, TAS | 24.3% | $335,000 | $269,500 |
| 18 | Huon Valley, TAS | 23.5% | $530,000 | $429,000 |
| 19 | Baw Baw, VIC | 23.4% | $610,750 | $495,000 |
| 20 | Cassowary Coast, QLD | 22.8% | $350,000 | $285,000 |
Source: Domain
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