Skip to content
Suburb profile ·Busselton LGA · WA ·6281

Dunsborough WA 6281

Dunsborough is in Busselton LGA, WA, postcode 6281, with population 6,413.

The read

Growth-momentum

There are enough stretched or weaker signals here that you should assume trade-offs rather than a clean story. Use compare mode to see whether the downside is price, local quality, or weaker momentum before treating it as a target suburb.

$815/wk
Rising
+1.9% YoY
Oct 2024 → May 2026 · 20 periods
WA rental bonds · suburb grain · May 2026
$850
$600
Oct 2024May 2026
Why it fits

Recent price movement shows visible market momentum. Population movement supports a growth-led read. School coverage gives the page a stronger family/livability signal.

What to check

Gross yield looks low for an income-first use case.

Median house
$1.4M
House median, latest period
13.8%YoY D8 vs AU
Median rent
$815/wk
Rent-pressure candidate
1.9%YoY D10 vs AU
Gross yield
3.1%
Low yield band
D9 vs AU
Population
6,413
6K local footprint
D10 vs AU
Schools
3
Matched school context
D9 vs AU
Drive to city
3h 20m
261.5 km to Perth CBD · free-flow
Solar
2,444
109 added 12mo · 15MW
Price cycleAt its peak
LowPeak

At / near its all-time high

See trend depth →

Price history

Trend & investor depth

Cycle positionAt its peak
Low · 2017Peak · 2026

At / near its all-time high

Price growth (compound)% per year
3-yr
+17.1%
5-yr
+15.0%
Yield trend4.5% → 3.0% (-1.4pp · price outgrowing rent)
Indicative cashflow-$733/wk (-$38,103/yr) · interest-only @ 6.4%, 80% LVR
Rent stabilitytypical — rents vary ±6.3% around trend
Value vs advantage+23% vs suburbs of similar SEIFA advantage (decile 9)

Indicative cashflow is interest-only and excludes tax — use the calculator for a full projection. Turnover divides recorded sales by an estimated household count (population over average household size).

Investment grade

Agrade · 84/100 · top 16% of 3,604AU suburbs
Peer distributionstronger than 84% of AU suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Capital growth89
Rental yield56
Stability80
Volatility-8.2ppCycle-2.0

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer · stability drivers signed (+ = steadier)

Relative grade across Australian suburbs, combining qp's capital-growth (multi-year CAGR + cycle timing), rental-yield, and stability (price volatility + cycle + affordability) metrics via a three-pillar property-scoring method with an imbalance penalty. Within-Australia relative, indicative only — not financial advice.

Investor profile

Who invests in Dunsborough

Owner-occupied 78%Rented 22%
Investor activityATO
Negatively geared5.1%
329 of 907 landlords
Avg rental loss$7,253/yr
Landlords (rental income)907
Reported capital gains881
Investor exposure index(moderate vs national)73.7/100
The read

Owner-occupier stronghold

76% of homes here are owner-occupied and 21% rented, with 5% of landlords negatively geared.

Why it fits

76% owner-occupied — owner-occupiers hold longer and absorb rate shocks, supporting price stability.

What to check

Gross yield 3.1% is thin — returns here lean on capital growth, not cash flow.

ABS Census 2021 tenure (G37), ATO postcode rental statistics, and QuickProperty's investor-exposure index. Owner-occupied = owned outright + with a mortgage.

Mortgage affordability

89%
of household income to service a new loan
20.1 yrs
to save a 20% deposit
Severe
housing-stress band
Rent vs buyRenting cheaper

New-loan repayment $6,688/mo vs median rent $3,532/mo (+89% · +$728/wk)

If rates move

At 4.2%: $5,340/mo (-1,348) · at 6.2% (current): $6,688/mo · at 8.2%: $8,165/mo (+1,477)

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year principal-and-interest loan at the current RBA new owner-occupier variable rate, against median weekly household income (ABS Census 2021). Stress bands follow the 30% / 45%-of-income thresholds used in ANZ-CoreLogic and AIHW reporting. Rent vs buy compares that repayment with the suburb's median advertised rent; it excludes rates, insurance, maintenance and deposit opportunity cost.

Stronger alternatives nearby

Stronger 5-yr growth

similar price · cross-LGA

More affordable

lower price-to-income

Alternatives are similar-priced suburbs (0.7–1.4x this suburb's median) in other council areas that exceed it on the named metric. Indicative — not financial advice.

Affordability

Buying
15.1x
median home price as a multiple of annual household income
Stretched
Renting
47%
median weekly rent as a share of gross household income (the 30% rule)
High stress

Owners with a mortgage repay a median of $1,885/mo, while renters pay about $3,532/mo — renting runs $1,647/mo higher on these medians.

Median price
$1.36M
Household income · yr
$90K
Median rent · wk
$815
Owner mortgage · mo
$1,885
Gross yield
3.1%

Household income

$90K household · yr+5.7% vs WA suburb median
Personal
$46K
Family
$106K
Household
$90K
Household income distribution (ABS Census 2021 · weekly)fewer than 10% could service the median house
Under $300
67
$300-649
195
$650-999
239
$1,000-1,499
342
$1,500-1,999
252
$2,000-2,999
423
$3,000-3,999
204
$4,000+
198

Serviceability line: a household needs about $5,145/wk to hold a new loan on the median house at 30% of income (20% deposit, 30-year P&I, current RBA rate).

At the median asking rent, about 74% of households here would spend more than 30% of income on rent (rent stress line: $2,717/wk income).

Housing stock and tenure

Tenure (2,222 households)1.2% social housing
Owned outright
33%
Owned with mortgage
42%
Rented
21%
Dwelling structure38.0% of dwellings unoccupied on census night
Separate house
90%
Townhouse / semi
9%
Flat / apartment
1%

Getting to work: 76% drive, 1% public transport, 4% walk or cycle, 15% worked from home (2021 Census, taken during COVID-era work-from-home arrangements).

Schools

Total3
Avg ICSEA1050
Students1,130
Catholic1
Government1
Independent1
  • Dunsborough Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1051
  • Our Lady of the Cape Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1070
  • Dunsborough Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1028

Livability

81/ 100 livability index

Top 19% most liveable of 4,565Australian suburbs.

Peer distributionstronger than 81% of Australian suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Everyday access62
Public transport (61 stops)89
Schools & hospitals71

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer

Suburb-level access-density index (not an address-level walk-time score), normalised within Australian suburbs. Method based on the Urban Liveability Index (Higgs et al. 2019) and Walk Score — three equal-weighted domains combined with an imbalance penalty.

Development screen

Could a secondary dwelling be worth investigating?

ancillary dwelling / granny flat screening context Low broad constraint context

Policy position

Official policy reviewed

R-Codes Volume 1 apply across WA and are administered by local government; compliant ancillary dwellings can be proposed on residential zoned land including grouped/multiple dwellings and strata lots.

Rental use: Same-title ancillary dwellings can be relevant to hosted accommodation rules; check STRA registration and local government requirements where used short-term.

Open official policy source

Separate houses

55.6%

Suburb share of occupied private dwellings recorded as separate houses.

22.4 pp below the state median

State median 78.0% · 438 valid suburbs

Residential-zone context

Not staged

A comparable planning-zone layer is not staged for this state.

Rental households

20.8%

Demand context only; it does not establish permission to rent a secondary dwelling.

Near the state median

State median 24.1% · 438 valid suburbs

Mapped hazards

Not staged

No broad-area layer staged for this suburb. No broad-area layer staged for this suburb.

Approval pathway

Four checks, each with a different evidence threshold.

This is an investigation sequence, not a guarantee that every step applies or that approval will be granted.

  1. 01 Source reviewed

    State policy position

    QuickProperty reviewed the official ancillary dwelling / granny flat policy source.

  2. 02 Property dependent

    Planning pathway

    Confirm zoning, lot controls, overlays, setbacks, site coverage and whether planning approval is required.

  3. 03 Design dependent

    Building approval

    Confirm the building approval route after the design, site classifications, services and construction requirements are known.

  4. 04 Check separately

    Intended use

    Confirm long-term rental, short-stay or family-use rules separately from permission to construct the dwelling.

Property due diligence

Turn the suburb screen into a property checklist.

Every check starts unconfirmed. Progress stays in this browser and suburb evidence never clears an address-level requirement.

0evidence acquired
0evidence missing
0reviews due
0consultant questions

Active record: Dunsborough unnamed property

0/14checked
0issues found

Site controls

Lot area and dimensions

Confirm title dimensions, usable site area and any minimum lot threshold.

Status for Lot area and dimensions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Setbacks and site coverage

Test setbacks, private open space, landscaping and maximum site coverage against a concept plan.

Status for Setbacks and site coverage
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Slope and ground conditions

Check survey levels, soil classification, retaining needs and likely earthworks.

Status for Slope and ground conditions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title and planning

Zoning and overlays

Obtain current property-level zoning, overlays and applicable planning controls.

Status for Zoning and overlays
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title, easements and covenants

Review the title for easements, covenants, restrictions and common property.

Status for Title, easements and covenants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Services and access

Sewer and stormwater

Locate assets and connection points, then confirm capacity, clearances and discharge requirements.

Status for Sewer and stormwater
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Power, water and metering

Confirm service routes, upgrade needs and whether separate metering is permitted or practical.

Status for Power, water and metering
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Vehicle access and parking

Test driveway width, gradients, turning, parking and emergency access requirements.

Status for Vehicle access and parking
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Construction constraints

Bushfire exposure

Order an address-level bushfire assessment and determine any BAL construction response.

Status for Bushfire exposure
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Flood and overland flow

Obtain property flood information and check floor levels, flow paths and drainage constraints.

Status for Flood and overland flow
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Wind, corrosion and termite

Confirm site classifications that affect structural design, materials and durability.

Status for Wind, corrosion and termite
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Approval and use

Planning approval pathway

Confirm exemption, complying pathway or permit requirements with the responsible authority.

Status for Planning approval pathway
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Building approval and consultants

Identify required survey, design, engineering, energy, certification and inspection evidence.

Status for Building approval and consultants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Rental and intended use

Confirm occupation, rental, short-stay and family-use rules plus insurance and tax implications.

Status for Rental and intended use
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Dunsborough, WA 6281 · Local browser record

Investigation aid only. Confirm current planning, building, title, service and hazard requirements with qualified professionals and responsible authorities.

Building due diligence

Construction requirements can change by location.

The National Construction Code is the baseline. Local hazards and site classifications can change the required structure, materials, fixings, insulation and detailing.

Known here

SUBURB CONTEXT

No local compliance layer is staged.

This is missing evidence, not evidence that the property has no constraints.

Check the property

ADDRESS + DESIGN

NCC climate zone

Check the property

Confirm the NCC climate zone used for the building design and energy provisions.

May affect: Insulation and glazing · Condensation control · Roof-space ventilation

Wind class and BAL

Site assessment required

A suburb layer cannot determine the site wind classification or Bushfire Attack Level.

May affect: Structure and tie-downs · Cladding and fixings · Openings and bushfire detailing

Corrosion and termite exposure

Check the property

Confirm marine or corrosive exposure and the applicable termite-management requirements.

May affect: Fasteners and connectors · Roofing and coatings · Termite management

This screen identifies investigation triggers, not building quality or property compliance. Confirm the address, design and current jurisdiction rules with the council, building surveyor or certifier, designer and engineer.

NCC 2022 Housing Provisions: how to use · NCC 2022 Volume Two and Housing Provisions

Short-term rentals

548
active listings · ~85.5 per 1,000 residents
97%
entire homes (vs private rooms)
71%
run by multi-listing operators
Investment view Estimated
$316
median nightly (entire home)
17%
estimated occupancy
$19,423
estimated annual revenue (gross)

Estimated short-let income is 0.5× the $42,380/yr a long-term let would earn at the median rent — before management fees, cleaning, vacancy beyond the occupancy model, and short-stay regulation.

Active Airbnb listings point-mapped to this suburb from Inside Airbnb (CC BY 4.0). Occupancy and revenue are estimates from Inside Airbnb's San Francisco model (review-rate proxy, minimum-stay assumption, occupancy capped at 70%) — they are gross, indicative, and not a guarantee of returns. Short-stay letting is subject to state and local regulation.

Population outlook

12,674 people · 202215,261 by 2032 (+20.4%)

ABS population projection (2022 base) for the Busselton Surrounds SA2 statistical area — the finest official projection grain available; suburb-level projections do not exist.

Full data detail Census · ATO · ABS · state datasets
Dunsborough WA — Property Data and Demographics

Located in Western Australia within the Busselton local government area, Dunsborough is a mid-sized suburb (postcode 6281). With a population of 6,413, the suburb has a settled mid-life population with a median age of 41. Households earn a median income of $90K per year, with an average household size of 2.6 people. Recent annual estimates show population movement into the broader catchment, with population growth running at +2.2% year-on-year at the LGA level. WA employment has moved +1.9% year-on-year in the official ABS Labour Force trend series, which provides the broader jobs backdrop for this suburb. WA also had 24 Commonwealth-backed major projects under construction, 12 underway, and 12 in planning as at 2025-09-01, which is useful as a broader delivery backdrop rather than a suburb-specific project count. The most common occupations are technicians & trades, professionals, managers. Employment in the area leans toward accommodation & food and construction. The top ancestries reported are English, Australian, Irish.

Dunsborough has a median house price of $1.4 million, which has jumped by 13.8% year-on-year. The current median weekly rent is $815. This gives a gross rental yield of approximately 3.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1,885.

Dunsborough is served by 3 schools, including 2 primary, 1 combined. The average ICSEA score is 1050, which is above the national average of 1,000. Public transport access includes 61 bus stops.

Looking at the investment signals, Gross rental yield sits at around 3.1% (moderate yield). Property prices are above the state median ($1.4M/$1.0M), placing it in the premium segment. The price-to-income ratio of 15.1x is considered stretched. House prices have moved +13.8% year-on-year. Population growth of +2.2% year-on-year points to strong growth demand fundamentals. Building approvals have changed +0% year-on-year, indicating steady development activity.

Market & money
Investment signalsHeuristics
Rental Yield3.1%· Moderate Yield
Price vs State$1.4M/$1.0M Above Median
Affordability15.1x Stretched
Price Momentum+13.8% Rising
Pop. Growth+2.2% Strong Growth
Development+0%· Steady
InvestmentWA
Mortgage · mth$1,885
Rent · wk(Census)$450
Market rent · wk(Feb 2026)$815
Gross yield1.7%
Price / income15.1x
Population growth · Busselton LGAABS ERP
Population (2025)46,184
5-year growth+2.4% CAGR
YoY change+2.2%
20012025
Development · Busselton LGAABS Approvals
Approvals (2026)401
Houses 96%Units 4%
YoY change+0%
Employment · Busselton LGASALM
Unemployment (Dec-25)2.2%
YoY change-0.2pp
Dec-10Dec-25
Property investors · Postcode 6281ATO
Negatively geared5.1%
329 of filers
Avg rental loss$7,253/yr
Landlords (rental income)907
Reported capital gains881
People & prosperity
DemographicsCensus 21
Population6,413
Median age41
Household size2.6
HH income · wk$1,738
Personal income · wk$883
Persons / bedroom0.7
SEIFA indexABS
Advantage (IRSAD)9/10
Education (IEO)8/10
Economic (IER)8/10
Disadvantage (IRSD)8/10
Income momentumCensus 16→21
HH income · wk$1,649 → $1,738
Change+5.4%
vs WA median-8.3 pp
Median rent+9.8%
softeningvs WA 2016–21
Area & amenity
Local amenitiesOSM
Supermarkets1
Pharmacies0
GP / clinics0
Fuel stations2
Cafes & dining10
coles1
TransportGTFS
Bus stops61
Hospitals · Busselton LGAAIHW
Public1
Private0
Busselton Health Campuspublic
Aged care · Busselton LGAGEN
Facilities4
Residential places423
Aegis Ellenvale140 places
Capecare102 places
Baptistcare William Carey Court99 places
Capecare Dunsborough82 places · in suburb
Childcare · Busselton LGAACECQA
Services20
Approved places1,237
Exceeding NQS2
Nature's Atelier100 places
Goodstart Early Learning Dunsborough97 places · in suburb
Insight Early Learning Dunsborough94 places · in suburb
Goodstart Early Learning Busselton85 places
Bluebird Busselton84 places
Bush Kids Busselton82 places
+14 more in Busselton LGA
Shortlist workspace

Save suburbs here while you browse. Once the shortlist has two or more names, hand it straight into compare.

Current status
Add Dunsborough if it deserves a shortlist slot.

No saved AU suburbs yet.

EMPTY SET

No saved suburbs yet. Start with one ranking or suburb page, then compare once you have two candidates.

Open rankings to save the first candidates.

Sources & freshness
Strong evidence

Dunsborough has enough direct local evidence for a first-pass decision.

QuickProperty mixes release files, Census baselines, and matched local services on this page. Read the status panel before treating every metric as equally fresh.

PRICE POSTURE
Prices come from release-based suburb series.

REIWA public suburb pages (annual median series) scraped monthly; unmatched suburbs fall back to annual ABS SA2 series

RENT POSTURE
Rent is using a state market dataset when available.

Use current rent as a starting signal, not as a fixed underwriting truth.

SERVICE POSTURE
Service coverage is matched locally, not inferred nationally.

Schools, transport, and hospitals are useful as presence signals, but they still have different source cadences.

Data status
Property prices
REIWA · 2026 · REIWA public suburb pages (annual median series) scraped monthly; unmatched suburbs fall back to annual ABS SA2 series
medium stability · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Market rent
WA rental bonds · Feb 2026 · State market dataset
medium stability · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Crime
State crime dataset · No linked local crime series
Missing
Schools
ACARA 2025 · 3 schools matched
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Hospitals
AIHW · No linked local hospital coverage
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Missing
Transport
GTFS feeds · 61 matched stops/stations
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Available
Population growth
ABS ERP · 2025 · Annual estimate series
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Building approvals
ABS Building Approvals · 2026 · Annual release series
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Available means a direct local dataset is linked. Verify means coverage exists but freshness or precision is weaker, such as ABS price fallback, Census rent fallback, or low-confidence hospital matching.

Dunsborough FAQ

Common questions
  1. What LGA is Dunsborough in?

    Dunsborough is in the Busselton Local Government Area, WA, postcode 6281. Council-level context for Busselton LGA (suburb mix, population, rent, and price coverage) is available on the QuickProperty LGA page.

  2. What is the median house price in Dunsborough?

    The current median house price in Dunsborough, WA is $1.4M, based on the latest available sales data from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region.

  3. What is the typical weekly rent in Dunsborough?

    The median weekly rent in Dunsborough is $815/wk, based on the current market rent dataset. The current rent signal is rent-pressure candidate.

  4. What does the rent signal say about Dunsborough?

    Rent-pressure candidate: Dunsborough rents screen above the local benchmark. Use this as a suburb screening signal before comparing candidates or modelling a purchase; the matching rent ranking can provide broader market context.

  5. Is Dunsborough a good investment?

    QuickProperty's investment signals for Dunsborough show: Moderate Yield, Above Median, Stretched. These are computed from price, rent, income, and population data — not an opaque score.

  6. Where does QuickProperty get its data for Dunsborough?

    Property prices come from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region. Demographics are from ABS Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA. Crime statistics are from state police agencies. Transport data is sourced from GTFS feeds.

  7. How often is the Dunsborough data updated?

    Property prices update quarterly. RBA macro indicators update with each deploy. Demographics are from Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA 2025.