The Gold Coast's proximity to one of Australia's fastest growing agritourism regions is creating unexpected commercial property opportunities, as visitors increasingly combine beach holidays with hinterland food experiences.
The Northern Rivers region, immediately south of the Gold Coast, has been identified as a key agritourism "food bowl" by Tourism Australia, with more than 20 on-farm experiences now operating across the area. Combined with nearby south east Queensland food bowls including the Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast hinterland and Darling Downs, the region is emerging as a significant agritourism destination reshaping property demand patterns.
The numbers are compelling. Domestic overnight visitors engaging with agritourism spend an average $863 per trip, nearly double the $462 spent by typical domestic travellers. International visitors participating in agritourism spend $3,894 per trip compared to $2,044 for average international visitors, representing fundamentally different visitor profiles with significantly higher spending power.
Crucially, three in four agritourism trips visit regional Australia, compared to just three in five overall trips. This geographic bias is driving demand for accommodation, restaurants and retail in hinterland locations within easy reach of the Gold Coast.
Access has been critical to this growth. Both Gold Coast and Ballina airports serve the Northern Rivers region, with discount airfares making weekend farm stays and food tourism increasingly viable for interstate visitors. The Gold Coast's position as a major tourist gateway has opened up the hinterland to visitors who might previously have stayed coastal.
The property implications are significant. Luxury farm stays and bed and breakfast operations in the Northern Rivers and Scenic Rim are commanding premium rates, often achieving occupancy levels and nightly tariffs comparable to boutique city hotels. Purpose-built cellar doors, farm gates and distilleries require substantial capital investment in agricultural areas that traditionally struggled to attract commercial development funding.
Queensland accounts for 15 per cent of national agritourism trips, with identified food bowls all within a few hours' drive of the Gold Coast. This concentration creates opportunities for multi-day itineraries that start or end on the Gold Coast, supporting both coastal and hinterland accommodation providers.
The sector recorded 18.5 million trips nationally in 2024, up 2 per cent on the previous year, with international trips involving agritourism surging 15 per cent. Tourism Australia research shows 84 per cent of global travellers express interest in agritourism experiences, rising to 91 per cent among luxury travellers.
For Gold Coast property investors and developers, the value isn't just in beachfront assets. The hinterland regions accessible via Gold Coast and Ballina airports are attracting high-spending visitors seeking authentic food experiences, creating demand for commercial property in locations that complement rather than compete with traditional coastal tourism.
