Australian city offers people $20,000 to move in

A town in Australia’s outback is so keen on expanding its population that it’s offering $20,000 to encourage residents to move there and help the region grow.

Quilpie is a tiny town in Queensland in the middle of nowhere, 1000km west of Brisbane and close to the Northern Territory border.

With land prices under $20,000, the region is essentially giving away land to newcomers willing to move to the desert.

Quilpie Shire Council first introduced its Home Owner Grant two years ago, offering a $12,500 grant for people buying land and building in the region, which is the same land size as Tasmania.

It now hopes that increasing the program to $20,000 will increase the city’s population by 20 percent to 1,000.

Quilpie Shire Council Justin Hancock (pictured) is hoping to attract more locals to the outback town

“We were the first community in outback Queensland to introduce such a policy and it was a huge success – we had interest from across Australia, as well as globally from the US, India and Ireland,” said Justin Hancock, community board chairman , opposite Western Times.

“Our new $20,000 grant will cover most of the price of the land if they build and live on it.”

“You would be hard pressed to find a better deal anywhere in Australia,” Hancock said in 2021.

“Depending on the cost of the land selected, this may mean we’re essentially giving away land.”

The subsidy has been increased to reflect rising property valuations, rates and pressure on the cost of living.

The initiative was first launched when there were more job vacancies than housing in the city.

Seven lots were sold and Quilpie was able to attract new business.

It has been possible to lure a Japanese academic to the city.

The town of Quilpie has many amenities that residents need. The main street is shown

Amenities include supermarkets, butcher, bakery, newsagent, hairdressers, retail stores, hospital, medical center, pharmacy, two schools, early learning center, community gym, sports ovals, tennis and basketball courts, free swimming pools, weekly Flights and lots of freedom.

To be eligible for the grant, residents must be new homeowners, building new property worth less than $750,000, and have lived in Quilpie for at least six months.

Young couple Tom Hennessy and Tessa McDougall have no regrets calling Quilpie at home while their city friends struggle with the real estate market.

He has a job with the council while his partner has moved to Quilpie to take an apprenticeship.

“There probably aren’t many people our age entering the real estate market – but it’s so affordable in Quilpie, and even more so with this great land grant, and we’re confident it will be a great investment for our future,” said Mr. Hennessy.

“It’s a great lifestyle and small town vibe, there’s no crime and everyone’s pretty chilled.”

Quilpie (pictured) is 1000 km west of Brisbane and close to the Northern Territory border

The couple were among the original recipients of the program in 2021 and have been happy with their investment.

“It added value to the country – we didn’t expect that to catch on,” Mr Hennessy told Daily Mail Australia at the time.

“The land cost $12,500, but with the grant we can get all that back,” he explained.

“The house cost about $100,000.”

The Home Scholarship Scheme has enticed a Japanese academic to live in Quilpie (pictured)