Why we moved from Adelaide to Townsville

Affordability and a better lifestyle were among the key reasons Sara Williams and her partner

Jayden Newchurch decided to make the move from Adelaide to Cungulla, a small beach community outside of Townsville.

The couple, who have a daughter, Hazel, 4, had spent 15 years in the southern capital and had owned their own home, but when they decided to move back to the regional town that Sara grew up in, it was an easy decision.

The family left Adelaide for the beachside suburb of Cungulla in Townsville. Picture: Supplied by JLL

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“We were ready for a change and when we scored a house in Cungulla we were cheering,” Sara, a small business owner, said.

“I grew up here (Townsville) and my whole family is here, my parents, my siblings, my nephews.

“We wanted to be close to the bush and the beach and we have both – bush to one side and the beach across the road.”

The family recently purchased a three bedroom home for $500,000, and Sara said it was the best decision.

“Already we have noticed that everything is cheaper here than Adelaide,” she said.

“Fuel, our grocery bill is not as high as we thought it would be, and being in Cungulla, you can’t just duck out every day and spend money on things.

“And the community is just beautiful. Everyone looks out for each other, with loads of kids just playing in the streets.”

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Jayden Newchurch and Sara Williams with their daughter Hazel, 4, outside their new home in Cungulla

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Sara said Jayden, a professional spraypainter, was also enjoying the relaxed lifestyle, even if the mosquitoes were a bit much at first.

“The mozzies did get to him a bit but I just said, get out the Bushmans,” she laughed.

As for Hazel, Sara said she had plenty of cousins to play with, and loved to walk down to the beach.

“She has one year left of kindy and then I think we will send her to school in Giru,” she said.

“It is a lovely little bush school with like 50 kids and I love that.

“She is very excited.”

Property prices in Townsville are tipped to rise between 25 and 30 per cent this year, according to the 2025 Property Market Outlook report from Propertyology.

“Across all of Australia the best-performed property market for the 2025 calendar year is expected to be Australia’s 14th largest city, Townsville,” Propertyology founder and head of research Simon Pressley said.

The annual McGrath Report also tipped Townsville to be the place to watch this year for both capital gains and rental yield.

“Prices are still on the lower side compared to many other parts of Queensland and gross rental yield is among the highest in Queensland, making Townsville a safe bet for both investors and owner occupiers,” McGrath Esate Agents founder John McGrathsaid.