Noosa Medihub - Economic Need Assessment (Mar-26) · MCU25/0119

                                                                    ECONOMIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT
                                                                                     MARCH 2026




5.4         Sports Recovery Demand
The demand for health and wellness facilities, has surged in recent years especially in older
demographic regions as well as tourist hubs like Noosa and the Sunshine Coast. Both areas
have a high proportion of residents aged 50+ who typically prioritise wellness and
preventive health services to support a healthy, active retirement. This demographic group
is inclined to invest in regular wellness treatments, including spa visits, hydrotherapy, and
saunas, driving steady demand for such facilities.


The Sunshine Coast LGA provides a useful benchmark for assessing market demand, as it
represents a larger urban area and population capacity compared to Noosa, while being a
proximate geographic comparison. Currently, the Sunshine Coast comprises approximately
20 recovery facilities (offering hot and cold pools, saunas and recovery), with an average
rate of provision of 1 facility per 12,000 residents. This includes a mix of large national
brands, such as City Cave and Recovery Room, and smaller local operators.


It is noted that this does not include day spa and beauty treatments facilities, which are
typically subject to different demand drivers.


If this rate of provision is applied to the resident population, the trade area could sustain up
to 5 recovery facilities based on resident population alone, increasing to up to 6 facilities
when demand from tourists is taken into account. This demand compares to 4 existing
facilities and 1 additional planned facility in the area. On this basis, there is an undersupply
of 1 to 2 recovery facilities, depending on the delivery of the planned facility.


It is noted that the opportunity for a recovery centre has been determined based on current
market conditions, with this opportunity further supported by forecast growth in the local
population, particularly the over 50s population, as well as the ongoing increases in
wellness expenditure and participation. These conditions are expected to strengthen the
opportunity over the next several years.




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