SunshineCoastRegionalReport2ndQtr2004

REGIONAL OVERVIEW
MAROOCHY SHIRE


POPULATION
         No.                                       Estimated Resident Population
                                                                     Maroochy Shire
275,000

250,000                                                                                                                                           Maroochy Shire boasts the largest resident population of any of the three
225,000                                                                                                                                           LGAs in the Sunshine Coast Region with an estimated 136,461 persons in
200,000                                                                                                                                           2003. Maroochy Shire’s population has grown, on average, by 3.3% per
175,000                                                                                                                                           annum between 1998 and 2003, which is well above the State average. The
150,000
                                                                                                                                                  highest population growth over the past five years was recorded in Coastal
125,000
                                                                                                                                                  North (5.6%) and Buderim (5.2%), while Nambour (0.6%), Maroochydore
100,000

       75,000
                                                                                                                                                  (1.2%) and Mooloolaba (1.2%) recorded the lowest population growth over
       50,000
                                                                                                                                                  the same period. Over the period through to 2026, Maroochy Shire is
       25,000
                                                                                                                                                  expected to experience high average annual population growth of 3.0% and
                                   0                                                                                                              expand to 268,193 persons. This growth rate is double that forecast for the
                                       1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026
                                                                                                                                                  State (1.5%).

DWELLING INVESTMENT
                                               Annual Growth in Dwelling Approvals
                             300
                                                                   Maroochy Shire LGA
                                                                                                                                     1,400
                                                                                                                                                  Residential building activity in Maroochy Shire fell in the June Quarter
                                             New Houses (LHS)        Total Dw ellings (LHS)            Other Dw elling Units (RHS)                2004, recording a 3.7% decrease in the total number of residential building
                                                                                                                                     1,200
                                                                                                                                                  approvals when compared to the March Quarter 2004. This result was driven
                             200                                                                                                     1,000
annual % change, quarterly




                                                                                                                                                  by the reduction in new house approvals (down 6.5%). Overall, there were
                                                                                                                                     800          575 new residential building approvals in the June Quarter 2004 in the
                             100                                                                                                     600          Maroochy Shire.
                                                                                                                                     400

                              0                                                                                                      200

                                                                                                                                     0

                  -100                                                                                                              -200
                     Jun-01                   Dec-01        Jun-02         Dec-02             Jun-03           Dec-03          Jun-04




PROPERTY MARKET
                                                   Median House Prices - Maroochy                                                                 Maroochy Shire recorded a 1.4% reduction in the median house price in the
                                                            % Growth 1997/98 - 2002/03
                        Eumundi                                                                                                                   March Quarter 2004 to $360,000. The highest median house price was
                   Sippy Downs
                         Yandina
                 Mountain Creek
                                                                                                                                                  recorded in Twin Waters ($530,000), while the suburbs of Peregian Beach
                           Bli Bli
                        Buderim                                                                                                                   and Doonan also recorded median sale prices above $500,000. Overall, the
                     Palmwoods
                        Burnside
                        Doonan^
                                                                                                                                                  number of house sales across the Shire in the March Quarter 2004 was
                        Mapleton
                      Yaroomba                                                                                                                    higher at 495 sales, compared to the 437 sales recorded in the December
                          Kuluin
                    Coes Creek
                        Nambour
                                                                                                                                                  Quarter 2003. The suburb of Buderim remains a hot spot in terms of sales
                  Maroochydore
                     Mooloolaba                                                                                                                   activity in the Shire.
                 Mount Coolum
                Pacific Paradise
                      Woombye
                       Mudjimba
                  Coolum Beach
                        Marcoola
             Alexandra Headland
                                                   0%             50%            100%              150%                  200%              250%




TOURISM
                                                   Hotel/Motel Occupancy Rate                                                                     Room occupancy for hotel and motel accommodation (with 15 or more
%                                                           Maroochy Tourism Region
80                                                                                                                                                rooms) in the Maroochy Shire during the March Quarter 2004 was 66.9%.
75                                                              2001/02        2002/03            2003/04

70
                                                                                                                                                  Compared to the corresponding quarter a year previous the result was a 1.5
65
                                                                                                                                                  percentage point improvement. The occupancy rate in the Maroochy Shire is
60                                                                                                                                                slightly above the average recorded for the Sunshine Coast Tourism Region,
55
                                                                                                                                                  and well above the state average of 61.8%.
50
45
40                                                                                                                                                With the increase in room occupancy and guest arrivals for hotel and motel
35
                                                                                                                                                  accommodation establishments in the Maroochy Shire, the total level of
30
25
                                                                                                                                                  takings from accommodation rose by 6.5% to $19.1 million in the March
20                                                                                                                                                Quarter 2004.
                                         Jun Qtr                 Sep Qtr                      Dec Qtr                      Mar Qtr




©0, Sunshine Coast Regional Economy, Second Quarter 2004                                                                                                                                                             - 10 -