More than 2,300 people moved to Pimpama on the Gold Coast last financial year, one of highest migrations to any regional area in Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Key points:
- The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released its annual regional population statistics, showing Pimpama is one of the most popular regions
- It had the highest growth rate outside of capital cities in the country at almost 13 per cent, according to the ABS
- Gary Mays from the Gold Coast North Chamber of Commerce says infrastructure is not keeping pace
The new data comes as the Gold Coast prepares to facilitate a predicted 1 million residents in the next decade.
Ray White principal in Pimpama Peter Catanzariti said the reflection of growth in the ABS statistics backed up what local real estate agents were seeing.
“We’ve certainly seen massive growth in terms of buyers wanting to buy into the Pimpama marketplace,” he said.
The data also showed the northern Gold Coast suburb had the highest growth rate, at 12.6 per cent, of any area outside a capital city.
Most of the population change was attributed to net internal migration.
Mr Catanzariti said the statistics were not surprising.
“The amount of buyer demand has translated directly to the increase in prices, which is great news for the buyers who got in early in Pimpama,” he said.
“Certainly the introduction of fantastic facilities has made it more desirable.”
Last month, a CoreLogic report revealed houses on the Gold Coast were among the fastest-selling in the country’s 25 largest regions.
Infrastructure woes
However, Gold Coast North Chamber of Commerce secretary Gary Mays said infrastructure was not keeping up with the rapid population increase.
“The lack of infrastructure at Pimpama — it’s just frustrating.”
Mr Mays said while the Pimpama Sports Hub and local schools were good facilities, the suburb was let down by roads and public transport.
“The developers just don’t pay enough in infrastructure charges,” he said.
“Infrastructure issues get down to the capping of infrastructure charges. This is something that needs changing by the Queensland Government urgently.”
Division 1 councillor Mark Hammel said the state government had been too slow to deliver key infrastructure and road network upgrades in Coomera, Pimpama and Ormeau.
“[The increase in residents] has been showing in the city plan for some time, it’s not a surprise to local government or the state government,” he said.
“But the infrastructure delivery is too far behind.”
Mr Hammel also pointed to the impact rising property prices had on residents, saying he received calls every day from stressed tenants who were being forced to move due to housing demand in the area.
“They’ve been told that their rent’s going up or they’ve been told by the owner that they’re taking the house back, or looking to sell the house,” he said.
Some property experts have been warning there are no signs the area’s growth will slow down.
A Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning spokesperson said the department was “currently looking at the infrastructure charging framework with a view to ensure it is equitable in balancing the needs and interests of the community, industry, state and local governments across Queensland.”
