Burleigh's Justin Lane building listed ahead of light rail opening

The fully leased dual-retail property at 1706 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads, is expected to test just how much value the long-awaited public transport extension adds to commercial real estate after almost three years of construction disruption.

Ray White Commercial Burleigh Group agent Emilio Ciavarella, who is marketing the site via expressions of interest for an undisclosed sum, says the building – which offers uninterrupted beach views now the diggers have gone – represents one of the first real tests of how major public infrastructure can influence commercial property values.

“The building is a landmark along the Gold Coast Highway, and it’s actually the first commercial property to hit the market as the tram opens, so it’ll be a good litmus test of how public infrastructure like this affects property values,” he says.

“Demand will be strong, and investors can buy with a lot of confidence.”

Infrastructure value test

The 6.7-kilometre Gold Coast Light Rail extension from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads is now in its final testing phase, with passenger services expected to begin in mid-2026 after a tram completed its first test journey on April 30.

Stage 3 adds eight new stations and five new light rail vehicles, extending the network to 27 kilometres in total, from Helensvale to Burleigh Heads.

Passengers will be able to travel between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads in about 17 minutes, right past the Italian restaurant and its fellow convenience-store tenant Quikstop, making it easier for residents and visitors to travel along the coast while helping reduce pressure on local roads as the city’s population continues to grow. 

Previous research into the Gold Coast Light Rail network suggests the benefits could extend beyond improved transport connections. A 2016 University of Queensland study found Stage 1 generated a $300 million uplift in land values for properties within 400 metres of stations after it opened in 2014.

The property sits about 200 metres from the new Burleigh Heads light rail terminus – located immediately south of Goodwin Terrace, before Park Street – placing it well within that catchment.

Ciavarella says the findings reinforce what he has seen throughout his career.

“Major transport modes, like a tram, always have a ripple effect in terms of real estate values,” he says. “1706 Gold Coast Highway could be a very good pick-up early in the piece as Burleigh Heads comes alive with the light rail.”

The station will provide direct access to Burleigh Heads’ shopping, dining and surfing precinct while connecting with east-west bus services, creating a major public transport hub. 

The public infrastructure investment is also fuelling significant private investment, with luxury residential projects including One Burleigh, Burly Residences and Josephine adding hundreds of new beachfront apartments within walking distance of this property over the coming years as the Gold Coast prepares to host events during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Prime beachside income

Opposite Burleigh Beach – known for its right-hand surf break – the striking white-painted double-storey brick building enjoys prominent Gold Coast Highway frontage with exposure to about 39,000 vehicles each day, in addition to the countless tram passengers set to whizz past its doorstep.

Justin Lane, which opened in Burleigh Heads in 2011, has become one of the suburb’s best-known dining, bar and event venues, renowned for its handmade sourdough pizzas, pasta, rooftop bar and weekly DJ sessions.

The 331-square-metre building on a 225-square-metre land parcel is also home to national convenience retailer Quikstop, whose bright green ground-floor shopfront stands out next to the pizzeria’s take-away outlet. Together, they generate an annual net income of more than $308,000.

Justin Lane, which also has a venue in Geelong, Victoria, recently renewed its lease for another five years, while Quikstop has a seven-year lease in place.

The property offers a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of 4.3 years, fixed annual rent increases of 4 per cent and a mid-term market rent review, providing further income growth potential.

Future development upside

The building also carries long-term redevelopment potential, with Centre zoning and a 20-metre height limit, subject to council approval.

Ciavarella says the freehold occupies one of Burleigh Heads’ most tightly-held positions, set between the beach and the popular James Street dining precinct, known for its boutique shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.

“It’s a stone’s throw from the beach. It’s in the heart of Burleigh’s retail sector where all the funky restaurants and bars and the acai bowls are, so it’s kind of like a go-to spot on that strip,” he says.

“It’s pretty much where most of the hip and the young people go to. People normally go there for night-time drinks … the music gets turned up, it’s a pumping venue.”

The surrounding precinct has undergone one of its biggest transformations in decades. 

The new Burleigh Heads light rail terminus has been built between Burleigh Heads Bowls Club and the site of the former Ampol service station, close to a park, the surf life saving club and a beach carpark.

Ciavarella says the extension is expected to dramatically increase foot traffic. 

“Passengers equal patrons, so Justin Lane, as a tenant, is about as secure as it gets and that makes it a great holding for a landlord,” he says.

“It already is, but Burleigh Heads will be really bustling when the tram starts rolling in. The only thing that’s missing now is the passengers.

“The tram is meant to activate Burleigh Heads – socially, but also financially for investors and owner-occupiers. It’ll almost be like a totally different market moving forward.”

Ciavarella says the timing of the campaign also differs markedly from the property’s previous sale attempt, which coincided with the height of construction activity.

“The previous sales campaign was smack bang in the middle of the light rail construction, so perhaps that worked against it – that’s no longer the case now,” he says.

Early buyer interest has already been encouraging.

“It seems to be going well. The commercial market is still very strong … a lot of the buyers have shifted to looking at commercial now versus the residential space, so we’ve seen a bit of a spike,” Ciavarella says.

He says opportunities to acquire commercial property in Burleigh Heads remain highly sought after, especially in this beachside pocket flanking James Street.

“Whatever stock comes on, the campaign goes pretty wild because it’s very sought-after stock.”