7 minute read • Prize Home Location
The price of living the dream in Montville.
For Brisbane or Sunshine Coast day-trippers, the picturesque hinterland town of Montville is the perfect weekend jaunt where we drink in the view while exploring the Main Street café menus.
Just thirty minutes from world-famous Mooloolaba beach, Montville village and its surrounds are also popular for indulgent weekend retreats, with loved-up couples eagerly checking into in the many luxury cottages that dot the ridges of the Blackall Range to snuggle by the fire.
Just 30 minutes is all it takes to swap country life for the beach.
But have you ever thought about what life would be like if you actually lived the hinterland dream?
For a lucky few, Montville is where they wake up 365 days a year*. (*Excluding holidays of course, but then if you actually live in a tourist destination, technically, you could just holiday at home.)
To be precise, 949 people listed Montville as their address on the Census in 2016.
Although, when our gorgeous country Prize Home is drawn on June 5th, the local population might see a small surge in numbers.
Endeavour Foundation’s Montville Prize Home is the sort of place that could tempt even the most committed urban dweller into making a tree change.
Our Montville Prize Home makes the idea of hinterland living even more attractive
But of course, if you buy a ticket and you’re lucky enough to have your name drawn out, you do have a number of other options.
If you’re not quite ready to put roots down in Montville, you could always choose to keep the home as a luxurious weekender or holiday home for your family and friends. Holiday let it the rest of the year and you could earn some handy extra income.
Another option is to keep the property as an investment and find permanent tenants. With a rental potential of up to $62,400 per annum (furnished) or $52,000 per annum (unfurnished), the investment angle is definitely worth considering.
Or, once the keys are yours, you could simply put it on the market and make the most of your windfall.
It’s really is a big decision though, so to help you make up your mind on what you’d do if you win, let’s take an objective look at the Montville real estate landscape. After all, it’s nice to have an idea of what you might be ‘sitting on’ so-to-speak.
Even though Montville hadn’t quite cracked the thousand in that last Census, Montville had still seen a not-too-shabby population growth of over 7%. Now that we’re another three years on, there’s a good chance its finally tipped into quadruple digits. But that’s pretty much where it’s going to stay. At least for the time being.
Why so? Much akin to Mark Darcy’s blossoming feelings for one Ms Bridget Jones, the general consensus is that Montville is pretty perfect, just the way it is.
It’s views like this that are being preserved thanks to Montville’s status as an ‘Iconic Place’ of Queensland.
Which is why, under the South-East Regional Plan laid out by the Queensland Government, there is no provision for future sub-division in the Montville/Flaxton area.
Instead, the equally charming, if somewhat larger, township of Maleny has been identified as the growth area for the Range.
With a rising population of over 3000, Maleny already offers a range of services including a State High School for the extended community of the Blackall Ranges.
For Montville locals, this really does deliver the best of both worlds.
They have access to all that Maleny has to offer just fifteen minutes up the road, yet, can still enjoy the ‘quiet life’ after the weekend explorers have retreated back down the Range.
In a further effort to preserve Montville’s magic, the Blackall Range (encompassing Montville as well as the neighbouring villages of Flaxton and Mapleton) was named an ‘Iconic Place’ by the Queensland Government in 2008.
This means that, under the Iconic Queensland Places Act, the unique character of Montville and the Blackall Range are protected from inappropriate development.
The Act ensures that the natural and built character of this area is being cared for and carefully considered in the planning schemes of the Sunshine Coast Council.
Covering an area of 17.6 square kilometres, Montville’s physical environment is another undeniable factor working to contain urban spread and population growth.
“We have the escarpment to the east, Kondalilla Falls National Park and steep gorges to the west, and Mapleton National Park to the north,” explains local real estate agent, Jenny Tatton.
Montville’s unique physical environment is also a large part of the attraction visitors and local residents alike.
Add Baroon Pocket Dam to your list of places to explore.
The storybook town is set amongst rolling green hills and boasts truly spectacular, panoramic views to the Sunshine Coast and beyond.
There are boundless opportunities to put your boots on and explore with three national parks within the Blackall Ranges region plus the picturesque Baroon Pocket Dam.
The man-made dam, which serves as the local water supply, is also a popular spot for fishing, swimming and paddling.
Although, invest half an hour in the car and you could be dipping your toes in the water at beautiful Mooloolaba Beach instead.
While the country atmosphere of Montville makes it easy to forget that the beach is so close, all you need is a glimpse of the Coral sea through the treetops to be reminded that the golden sands of the Sunshine Coast are just down the Range.
Seeing the ocean on the horizon is a beautiful reminder of just how close to the beach you are.
With all this considered, it’s not surprising that when patient buyers finally manage to wedge their muddy boot in the door (picture the rustic barn variety) of the Montville property scene, they are in no hurry to leave.
“A 10-year term of residency would probably be the most common with 33% of our buyers being local residents upsizing or downsizing for various reasons,” said Jenny, a licensed agent with Montville Real Estate.
“It is definitely a lifestyle choice living here with no traffic lights and a wonderful climate – three to five degrees cooler than the coast in summer and cool enough in winter to light a fire and wear a scarf.”
While Montville has a typically older population (the predominant age bracket is 60-69 years), there are still plenty of families choosing the country life for raising their kids.
The local primary school, established in 1896, currently has around 80 students enrolled.
It’s also not surprising that in this stable community, 80% of homes are owner-occupied.
So, if owning your own slice of Montville real estate is sounding more and more appealing, how much cash will you need to buy your country abode?
Ultimately, it depends on what you’re looking for, and the depth of your pockets.
But if that price range puts you firmly into the ‘dreamer’ category rather than ‘buyer’, don’t despair.
For less than the cost of a Main Street brunch, you could invest in a ticket in our Prize Home lottery and a chance at living a life of luxury in Montville.
It’s a small price to pay to live the dream.
For just $10, this million-dollar-lifestyle could be yours.
Take a day trip for a taste of country life
Head up the Range to live the treechange dream for a day. Plug 205-209 Western Avenue, Montville, into the GPS and enjoy the scenic drive.
Our stunning Montville Prize Home home is open daily between 10am and 5pm AEST right up until the lottery closes on Wednesday 29 May (except Good Friday and before 1pm on ANZAC Day).
Parking is available in the surrounding area.
Or take a virtual tour to bring the country life to you
If you can’t make there in person, you can still experience this amazing country estate from the comfort of your lounge. Take the virtual tour of our Montville Prize Home now
Entering the draw can be life-changing in more ways than one
When you purchase lottery tickets from Endeavour Foundation, you help to provide opportunities for people with an intellectual disability to learn life skills, live independently, have a job they love, and be actively involved in their local communities. Find out more about how Endeavour Foundation is helping people with disability to imagine what’s possible.