Just when we thought we had found the cheapest – a patch of dirt for $4.94 a square metre near the Queensland and NT border – we found another one.
And this “dirt cheap” vacant block is on the market for $2.08 a square metre – less than a 2L bottle of milk!
The fully fenced rural block of land has town water available and “power close by” but is only suitable for horses or recreation, hence the price.
It is listed with LJ Hooker Gayndah.
In Camooweal, yes that one near the border, a “drovers dream” is listed at 54 Cronin Street for $10,000.
With 2024sq m of vacant land that works out to be $4.94 a square metre — less than a beer at the local pub or a foot-long sub on discount day.
To help you wrap your head around that, that block of land would cost you over $1 million in Ipswich.
A recent report by property services group Oliver Hume found that Ipswich had the best value dirt in southeast Queensland, with land averaging $507 a square metre.
That is nearly half the price of vacant land in Brisbane, where buyers can expect to pay an average of $970 a square metre, so that block of land in Camooweal would set you back almost $2 million in the big smoke.
Bronwyn Finch of Jays Real Estate Mount Isa is marketing the Camooweal vacant block, which is located off the Barkly Highway.
Camooweal had a population of 208 at the time of the 2016 Census, with the average resident aged 36.
“It is walking distance to the local shop and garage, and you can wave at the tourists as they go past,” Ms Finch said.
“I sold another block about a year back, same deal for about $8000.”
Ms Finch said the cheap blocks were usually purchased by retirees looking for a spot to park their van between trips.
She noted it would be a tough ask to get a car park in Brisbane for the same price.
“It is quite close to the Gregory River, which is beautiful, and Adels Grove, our premiere tourist attraction out here, is about an hour away.
“That’s close for us. That’s a daily commute in the city.”
Meanwhile in Mungallala, a tiny outpost on the Warrego Highway west of Mitchell, is a 1012sq m vacant lot of land that is on the market for $6000, or the nearest offer.
That’s $5.92 a square metre – less than a cup of coffee in Ascot.
It is listed with Ray White Charleville agent Glenda Fill.
“There has been a new house built in the town in the last two years,” she said.
“It is very small town off the Warrego Highway and had a population of 136 in 2016.
“It is an hour and a quarter from here (Charleville) so it’s a bit closer to the coast than we are.”
And in Westwood, which is about half an hour from Rockhampton, the beef capital of Queensland, is an 1800sq m block for $9000.
There is also another 1174sq m lot for $8000, and the 962sq m lot, which was listed for $6000, has sold.
“Blocks are not serviced and would suit ‘off grid’ living,” the listing says.
“There is no town water in Westwood – households rely on tank or underground (bore) water.
“No town sewerage (septic or bio), Westwood has electricity – no current supply to this estate.”
Marketing agent John Neumann of Discover Real Estate said “it’s a bargain” with a “rural outlook”.
“There is a rail line nearby, a mining one,” he said. “I think there is a pub, a post office and a police officer there.
“It is only about 50km from Rockhamption and it is on the western highway to the mining belt.”
Mr Neumann said he had already had some interest in the lots, mostly from grey nomads looking for a base and people keen to “go off-grid”.
He said he had even had inquiries from uni students looking to get a leg – or toe – on the property ladder.
Westwood had a population of 174 during the 2016 census.
It was the first new town proclaimed in the Queensland Government Gazette, after the state became a separate colony back in 1859.
Source: www.qt.com.au
