Backpackers make up a big number of those searching for beachside house sharing. Photo: supplied Queensland’s love affair with the beach looks set to continue into the new year with home sharers searching more for Gold Coast beachside suburbs over inner-city Brisbane, according to Flatmates.com.au.
Surfers Paradise topped the list as the most searched for suburb, followed by neighbouring Southport.
Home sharing boomed in the state’s southeast in 2015, with both Gold Coast and Brisbane users increasing well above the national average, according to Flatmates.com.au.
In the past year the Gold Coast user base increased by 90 per cent and Brisbane users increased by 78 per cent which trumped the national average of 49 per cent.
Aerial view of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia Photo: supplied
Flatmates chief executive officer Thomas Clement said the beachside demand was likely driven by long-term travellers.
“Travellers and those new to an area will generally start their searches with somewhere they know,” Mr Clement said.
He said higher density of living on the Gold Coast was a factor.
“Brisbane has more suburbs than the Gold Coast, which means searches tend to be spread out between the north, west and south of the city” Mr Clement said.
“The Gold Coast, however, has a few suburbs with high density living, which attracts many sharers. Combine this with students attending nearby universities, long-term travellers and possibly even a few daydreamers and we see these beachside suburbs top the list.
“Given the lower cost of rent and added flexibility, share accommodation is definitely a popular option for travellers on working holiday visas.”
Dutch backpacker Milou Janssen, 24, chose the Gold Coast beaches over Brisbane city when she arrived in Australia in December.
Janssen says she chose the Gold Coast over Brisbane due to sand, sea and surf. Photo: supplied
“I like the beach life, the surfing, the vibe of the ‘beachy’ suburbs,” Ms Janssen said.
“Brisbane is nice, but the crowds kind of turned me away.”
She said after an initial search of Surfers Paradise, she chose Coolangatta for a better surf break.
“I’m currently searching for a home share – I think I’ll end up choosing somewhere like Burleigh,” she said.
She said she had no problems forking out more money for the beachside suburbs.
“I’d pay more for the beach, that’s for sure.”
Swedish backpacker Josefina Solberg, 21, has been in Australia over a year and has lived on the Gold Coast twice in that time.
“Both times I stayed on the Gold Coast,” Ms Solberg said.
“The surf, the beaches and being close to my farm work were the main reasons.”
Ms Solberg spent the majority of her time in Sydney’s south – on the beach.
Despite the coast’s popularity, Mr Clement said Brisbane is still considered the bigger of the two markets for house sharing.
“Despite the growth, however, Brisbane is still, and we believe will, remain a bigger market for share accommodation due to a larger population and higher rental prices,” Mr Clement said.
However, Brisbane’s beachside could be a better option for beach-loving home sharers with Redcliffe and Sandgate average weekly rooms for rent recorded at $174.
On the Gold Coast, the cheapest weekly rooms for rent are in Mermaid Beach for $182. Palm Beach and Nobby’s Beach both have average rooms rentals for $188.