The most affordable beachside hotspots within three hours of Sydney

Sydney’s median house price may have cracked the $1 million mark earlier this year, but there’s still a bargain to be had for those looking for a sea change or holiday home close by.

In some coastal hamlets – north and south of Sydney – it is even possible to buy two houses for the price of an average Sydney pad.

Hawks Nest, on the NSW Mid North Coast, topped the list as the most affordable holiday hotspot with a median house price of $385,000, according to Domain Group senior economist Dr Andrew Wilson.

The small coastal township is an hour’s drive north of Newcastle and two and a half hours from Sydney.

Selling principal at Ray White Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest Stuart Sinclair said the location is its biggest drawcard.

26 Mermaid Avenue, Hawks Nest is listed for $525,000. Photo: Ray White.

“We’ve got pristine beaches, a golf course, you are five minutes from all the amenities and it’s also an easy drive to Newcastle – it’s just 10 minutes off the highway,” Sinclair said.

According to Sinclair, Hawks Nest is holiday-oriented but still relatively undiscovered compared to other areas along the coast.

“It’s definitely a secret getaway,” Sinclair said. “And It’s certainly not as commercialised as the Central Coast.”

“It really booms for six weeks at this time over Christmas and over Easter but for the rest of the year it is quieter.”

41 Hanson Avenue, Anna Bay is seeking offers over $380,000. Photo: Ray White.

Six other coastal holiday spots also stood out in terms of affordability and proximity to Sydney, each with median house prices well below $500,000.

Dr Wilson said a good mix of affordable areas to the north and south of Sydney was a pleasant surprise.

“The premise is always that the southern regions from Sydney are more affordable, but as it turns out Hawks Nest on the north side has topped the list,” Dr Wilson said.

Dr Wilson said that while it depended on personal circumstances, $500,000 was “a bit of a benchmark for an affordable holiday home.”

“A median under $400,000 is pretty good value,” Dr Wilson said, referring to Hawks Nest.

“One of the issues is that it’s a little more remote than some of the other areas. But that’s probably one of the drivers of affordability.”

Other holiday spots to the north that were more affordable than their surrounds were two suburbs of Port Stephens, a coastal holiday destination two and a half hour’s drive from Sydney.

Shoal Bay – Nelson Bay’s easterly neighbour – had a median house price of $450,000, while further south at Anna Bay, the median house price was $440,000.

To the south of Sydney, Culburra Beach in the Shoalhaven area and Callala Bay on the northern shore of Jervis Bay were the top picks, each with median house prices below $450,000.

14A Mia Way, Culburra Beach is listed for $495,000. Photo: Ray White.

Local property manager for Raine and Horne Debi Evans said Culburra was still affordable because it was a quiet, coastal town compared to the hustle and bustle of nearby Huskisson​.

“Culburra is very appealing for families as it has a lot of water options. We’ve got two beaches, a lake and a river,” Evans said.

A lot of buyers are from out of town, including many from Sydney and Canberra.

“We’ve been getting a lot of investment buyers looking for either a holiday rental or permanent rental,” Evans said.

One of the benefits of these affordable coastal areas is their proximity to regional centres: there’s Nowra in the south and Newcastle in the north.

Dr Wilson said the data proved there were still hamlets along the coast that offered affordable houses with some good options for Sydney buyers.

“There’s certainly food for thought for those wanting to transfer some of their equity to a home on the coast,” Dr Wilson said.