Courier Mail

Samantha Healy

Australia’s top investment goldmines have been revealed, as rental markets continue to remain tight across the nation. New national research has identified 25 house markets where investors are finding rare alignment between affordability, yield and growth, according to the latest Pulse report by Washington Brown and Hotspotting.

The October 2025 edition of The Pulse reveals suburbs that are not only outperforming national trends but are also offering a blueprint for sustainable investment. Queensland dominated the top 25 with 11 suburbs making the cut, followed by seven in NSW, three in Victoria, three in the Northern Territory and one in Tasmania.

“These are not speculative picks,” Hotspotting general manager Tim Graham said. “They’re backed by real fundamentals, including strong local economies, infrastructure investment and low vacancy rates. We’re identifying locations where investors can achieve cashflow-positive outcomes without sacrificing long-term capital growth.”

Washington Brown director Tyron Hyde said Park Avenue in Rockhampton, which posted a 29.1 per cent annual price increase, and Lismore in NSW, which surged 26.8 per cent despite its recent flood recovery, were prime examples of this powerful combination of factors. “These markets are resilient, affordable and on the move,” Hyde said. “They’re attracting investors who are thinking strategically and not just chasing short-term returns, which is always a bad idea.”

Hyde said Park Avenue leads the nation with a 79 per cent price increase over two years and a 0 per cent vacancy rate. “Its affordability and rental yield of 6.1 per cent make it a top performer in regional Queensland. We’re seeing a decentralisation of investor interest with affordability driving exploration beyond the capital cities. While gross rental yields remain a key metric, savvy investors are increasingly looking at the full financial picture.”

Hyde said depreciation was becoming a critical lever for investors navigating the high-cost environment. “In a market where 6 per cent yields are harder to find, depreciation is the silent accelerator,” he said. “By claiming depreciation, investors can significantly boost their after-tax returns. We’re seeing this play out in real time across many of the suburbs featured in our research.” Hyde added that Washington Brown’s modelling showed that in tightly-held markets with rental vacancy rates below 2 per cent, depreciation could be the difference between a neutral and a cashflow-positive investment.