Property owners across the Sunshine Coast and Noosa council areas have had their land revalued, with a significant surge in prices being revealed.
The state’s Valuer-General issued the new valuations for 15 local government areas (LGAs) on March 11, covering more than 560,000 properties across Queensland.
They reflect market conditions as of October 1, 2025, and will take effect from June 30, 2026.
In the Sunshine Coast local government area, 116,754 properties were revalued with a combined value of about $89.2 billion – a 24 per cent increase since the last valuation in 2024.
The state government’s valuations website says property market changes on the Sunshine Coast were being driven by interstate migration; ongoing demand for coastal and hinterland-based lifestyles; and masterplanned communities supplying land to purchasers eligible for government incentives.
Noosa recorded an even greater jump in land values, with a total of 22,268 properties being revalued with a combined worth of about $29 billion – an overall rise of 37 per cent since the previous revaluation in 2023.
It notes increases were driven by zone changes restricting future development in medium- and high-density areas; demand for limited affordable housing and larger sites with potential for a secondary dwelling; and increased demand for coastal and hinterland-based lifestyle properties.
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A post in the Sunshine Coast Community Board about the jump in values prompted a flurry of comments.
“Did anyone else just get their land valuation? Some of the increases are up to 55 per cent. Another example of revenue raising?” the original post said.
One response said: “Mine went from $380,000 to $680,000 today! That’s 79 per cent! Ridiculous!”
Another added: “Ours went from $350,000 to $850,000.”
But other comments were more circumspect, with one saying: “I don’t really understand the negative comments? Of course land is going to go up. My property value has gone up $420k in four years.”
Another said: “Land valuations are state government decisions, not local council. And it’s no way the current ‘market’ value. So much misunderstanding from property owners.”
One commenter linked the higher valuations to the housing crisis, writing: “Valuations go up, land tax goes up for investors, obviously the rent goes up – governments are not helping the housing problem.”
A spokesperson said Sunshine Coast Council had not received any specific feedback from residents about the valuations and referred Sunshine Coast News back to the rates information page on its website.
“If your land value has gone up it doesn’t mean your rates will increase by the same percentage,” it says.
“Land valuations are only one of the factors council uses to calculate rates. By law, council must use these updated valuations when setting the 2026-27 differential general rates.
“For the 2026-27 financial year, council will carry out extensive rate modelling to help reduce the impact of valuation increases on general rates.
“Council will set the 2026–27 general rates and charges at a special meeting on June 18, 2026.”
Noosa Council CEO Larry Sengstock also reiterated that an increase in land valuations does not automatically mean an equivalent increase in rates.
“Changes in land values do not affect the underlying costs of operating and servicing the council area,” he said.
“Council’s differential rating structure is reviewed each year as part of our annual budget process and looks at how general rates are applied across different categories of land (residential, commercial, rural and transitory).”
Valuer-General Laura Dietrich has previously said the process was an important one for helping to determine rates.
“The decision to revalue an LGA is based on several factors, including a detailed property market analysis, the timing since last valuation and the results of consultations with individual local governments and industry stakeholders,” she said.
“Land valuations provide independent data that underpins decision-making and allows landowners to monitor the changing value of their land.
“It’s important to stress, it’s not the only data considered by a council when deciding rates.
“Local governments have wide-ranging powers to manage rates, including differential rating, setting a minimum rate, rate capping and the averaging of valuations before rates are assessed.”
Property owners who disagree with their valuation can lodge an objection with the Valuer-General within 60 days of receiving their notice.
