The great Australian sea change has largely defined regional property markets in 2021, and nowhere is that more evident than when looking at the six most expensive regional markets in the country - all of them beachside locations, and all with median prices above $2 million.
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Based on CoreLogic median house price data, Northern NSW and the Illawarra/South Coast were home to most of the locations on the list, though south-east Queensland made two appearances.
We've scoured each of these markets to find examples of what spending around $2 million or more in regional Australia will secure you in today's market.
Byron Bay, NSW
Median price: $2,597,443
It won't come as a surprise to many readers that Byron Bay, on the NSW North Coast, topped the list of most expensive regional markets in 2021, although prices there are still far more affordable that the country's most expensive market - Sydney's Bellevue Hill, where the median price is $8,736,643.
On the market via expressions of interest is this four-bedroom property at 19 Oakland Court.
Features include a pool and a studio, and a future owner could choose to renovate or rebuild, according to the listing.
Sunshine Beach, Queensland
Median price: $2,414,687
Located in the Noosa Shire, Sunshine Beach offers relaxed beach vibes close to all of Noosa's amenities.
This five-bedroom house at 27 Solway Drive is currently on the market and could be the ideal renovation project, according to the listing.
It's being advertised with a price guide of over $2.2 million.
Casuarina, NSW
Median price: $2,281,092
Located under an hour from the Queensland border, Casuarina offers newer-style, larger properties within a short walk of the beach.
This property at 404 Casuarina Way, on the market with a guide of $2 million, undercuts the suburb's median price.
Gerroa, NSW
Median price: $2,242,137
Prices have risen 48.3 per cent in Gerroa, on the NSW South Coast, in the past 12 months.
The spot is a popular sea change location, as well as those seeking a holiday home within easy drive of Sydney, and listings were few and far between at the time of writing.
This property, steps from the beach at 125 Stafford Street, was available, though with a guide of $3.45 million to $3.45 million it's priced well above the suburb's median price.
For that amount, the new owners get views of Seven Mile beach from the deck and two of the five bedrooms, as well as two home offices.
Mermaid Beach, Queensland
Median price: $2,223,546
Queensland's second entry to this list, Mermaid Beach, located on the Gold Coast, offers sun and sand in bucket loads.
Given the Gold Coast's propensity for units, tracking down a house on the market can sometimes prove a difficult task, though at the time of writing this duplex at 2/49 Petrel Avenue was on the market for $2.2 million.
Suffolk Park, NSW
Median price: $2,196,344
Suffolk Park, a suburb in the Byron Shire, shares much of nearby Byron Bay's lifestyle attributes at a slightly more affordable price point.
We found this three-bedroom, two-bathroom house at 15 Pepperbush Street advertised with a guide of $1,695,000 to $1,795,000 - well below the suburb's median house price.