Why developers are circling this lychee farm on the Sunshine Coast
A 7.82-hectare lychee farm in Beerwah is emerging as a future housing supply, with developers circling the Sunshine Coast hinterland site amid mounting pressure to deliver new homes across South East Queensland.
The property at 2598 Old Gympie Road – known as Lychee Park – sits about 80 kilometres north of Brisbane’s CBD and 80 kilometres south of Noosa, within a key commuter corridor just five kilometres from the town’s centre.
Held by the same farming family for more than 40 years, the site is now being brought to market as developers look to unlock new residential land across the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
The Sunshine Coast has added more than 79,000 residents over the past decade – a 30 per cent increase – and is forecast to reach 540,000 people by 2046, requiring an additional 234,000 dwellings to meet demand.
Beerwah sits within a rapidly evolving infrastructure corridor, anchored by the Queensland Government’s proposed “The Wave” rail line ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, alongside plans for the 5200-hectare Beerwah East growth area, which could ultimately deliver up to 20,000 homes.
The town is designated as a major regional activity centre for the southern Sunshine Coast hinterland, with demand centred on detached homes on larger blocks. The site’s Rural Residential zoning, with a minimum lot size of 2500 square metres, points to a low-density subdivision outcome aligned with this buyer profile, while parts of the land capture views towards the Glass House Mountains.
Enquiry has been dominated by developers looking to unlock its residential potential.
“Mostly developer interest … strong interest from both developers around Queensland and interstate developers looking to get into the region,” says listing agent Jez McNamara of Ray White Rural Queensland.
As a working orchard, the property offers interim income while developers navigate approvals or position for future rezoning.
“The lychee farm does create holding income while you’re doing your DA or waiting for [rezoning] to straight residential in the future,” McNamara says.
Industry estimates suggest that orchards of this scale and productivity can generate about $300,000 per annum after costs, providing a holding buffer as planning pathways are explored.
However, the site is increasingly being viewed through a development lens.
“As a lychee farm … the land’s too valuable … unless someone wants to just land bank and have an asset that’s going to continue to grow into the future,” he says.
Opportunities of this scale and zoning are becoming harder to secure in the region, just 42 kilometres from Maroochydore Beach.
“There are not many [blocks] with this zoning already in the area … that are not already been developed,” McNamara says.
“There seems to be fairly high demand for rural lifestyle properties throughout that area that don’t stay around long on the market,” he says.
“That end product would have a very high demand over the next five to 10 years.”
The property includes a double-storey, four-bedroom brick home and extensive shedding, with three-phase power and cold storage supporting interim use or project staging, while the fully netted orchard spans more than 2000 trees across multiple varieties.
The vendors are understood to be seeking a development-aligned outcome.
“The owners are holding out for the right offer,” McNamara says.
