Douglas has state’s highest amount of short-term rentals

FIGURES REVEALED

David Gardiner

Journalist

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While short-term rentals in Douglas are the highest proportion in the state, a review has found the impact is minimal on rental affordability. Picture: Stayz

It has been revealed that Douglas Shire has Queensland’s highest proportion of housing used for short-term rental accommodation.

The data, which surfaced as part of a state government-commissioned review into the impact of short-term accommodation, showed that in the first quarter of this year there were 851 active short-term rentals.

This equates to 12.4 per cent of the local government area’s residential housing stock.

The review was conducted by the University of Queensland as an independent body, which was engaged to assess the impacts of short-term rentals on housing affordability and availability across different communities.

It revealed short-term rentals are most prevalent in high tourism coastal local government areas like Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Noosa, Douglas, Whitsunday, Cairns, Moreton Bay, and Townsville.

It found that dwelling supply – which is low across the state and Australia generally – had the greatest impact on rental affordability. It also determined that short-term rentals had minimal or no impact on rental affordability.

In Douglas, with rental availabilities still fairly low and the cost of rental homes now around $100 per week higher than the previous 12 months, the impact of short-term and holiday rentals was not directly assessed in the review.

But what’s clear is that the higher proportion of short-term rentals in Douglas compared with everywhere else in the state, means that there is less availability of long-term rental accommodation. 

When demand is high and supply is low, prices inevitably are higher.

It’s not too surprising that Douglas has such a high rate of short-term accommodation, given the premium prices such rentals fetch for owners.

A quick look through Airbnb availabilities this weekend in this Shire for example, reveals a median price for two people, for three nights, of $1,119, out of 10 properties listed. 

The State Government is considering creating a register of all Airbnb, Stayz and short term rentals.

“A registration system could serve as a tool to support local governments in monitoring short term rental activity and could provide invaluable insights into its impact on our housing market over time, to inform evidence-based regulation,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said when part of the review was released.

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