Doonan: See the stunning little-known coastal suburb dubbed ‘the new Noosa’ where house prices are soaring

Noosa and Bryon Bay have always been popular spots for Aussies looking for a tree change, but now those in the know are swapping the busy hubs for a ‘secret’ hinterland suburb.

Located between Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and Noosa, Doonan has seen an increase in average house prices of as much as 73 percent over the past five years.

Locals call the hidden gem a ‘little known secret’ that has all the luxuries and amenities of a bustling city with a relaxed lifestyle away from the hustle and bustle.

Sarah Hansen told FEMAIL she has lived all over Australia but always returns to the Noosa Hinterland area where she owns Doonan Valley Garden Centre And The garden supplies for landscaping with her husband David.

‘[I was] born and bred in Sydney with offices in Canberra, Melbourne, Bathurst, Tamworth, Toowoomba, Brisbane and Bangkok – but we honestly wouldn’t live anywhere else,” she said.

Sarah Hansen (pictured) has lived all over Australia but always returns to the Noosa Hinterland area, telling FEMAIL: ‘We honestly wouldn’t live anywhere else’

‘It ticks all the boxes: climate, lifestyle, schools, jobs, access to everything we love – beaches, bush, restaurants, but without the overcrowding and chaos of inner-city living or the traffic of the commuter belt.’

The leafy suburb is known for its luxury stays, including charming bed and breakfasts and lavish retreats, all within close proximity to Noosa’s food and culture scene.

Sarah moved in 2012 and then left to travel abroad before returning in 2018. She said they were “lucky” to have bought a house before the global financial crisis and have benefited hugely from recent price rises.

The business owner said she has noticed a “major change” in the area’s demographics, with an influx of young families to the area over the past decade.

“When we moved, there were very few families with children, it was mainly idlers and retirees,” she says.

‘The Covid migration has brought a large number of families with young children to the area which has been great and really strengthened the community.

‘The proliferation of working from home means that professionals previously confined to city living have moved here en masse.’

The most recent Domain House Price Report found that average house prices at Doonan had increased by 73.5 percent, while the current figure is $1.7 million.

Doonan is located between Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and Noosa. The ‘known secret’ has all the luxury and amenities of a bustling city, but with a relaxed lifestyle

Lesley and Graeme (pictured) sold their resort-style home to a Sydney couple for more than double what they bought it for in 2016

Linda Shore-Perez, from Villa Prestige Properties Noosa Heads, told FEMAIL she has seen city-dwelling Australians choosing to move to Doonan over the highly sought-after Byron Bay.

Linda, who has been selling in the area for 16 years, made a record $10 million sale in October to a family who were looking for something to buy in Byron Bay but instead turned their attention to the hinterland suburb of Noosa.

“It’s always been that little secret. People who wanted to live very close to Noosa but couldn’t afford it or didn’t want to live in it went to Doonan,” she said.

Doonan is known for its luxury stays, including charming bed and breakfasts and lavish retreats, all within close proximity to Noosa’s food and culture scene

“What I find is that you get buyers who are near or near retirement, who don’t want to live in the city anymore and want a small piece of land.”

Linda has just sold a resort-style home to a couple from Sydney’s northern suburbs, after owners Lesley and Graeme returned to the city to be closer to their grandchildren.

The sellers have spent a pretty penny transforming the Laguna Grove house and grounds into a luxurious rainforest escape, taking advantage of the recent rise in house prices.

The latest Domain House Price Report shows that average house prices in Doonan have increased by 73.5 per cent, with the current figure at $1.7 million.

They bought the two-acre property in 2016 for just $575,000 and raised more than double the sale, which will close on December 1.

She said buyers are attracted to Doonan’s big-city lifestyle and luxury and the “value for money” of available properties with large acreage.

“Even though prices have gone up, they haven’t gone up for 10 years. They stayed the same and with the pandemic things started to get crazy,” Linda said.

“In one year it went up $50,000. A lot of people started migrating from places like Byron.”

The neighboring suburbs of Doonan have also seen a rise in house prices.

Sarah and David currently live in Tinbeerwah, which she calls “Doonan’s exotic, mysterious and lesser-known little sister next door.”

In November 2018, the average house price was $928,500, while today the figures show it at $1.6 million. real estate.com.