policy
Short-Term Rental Regulation Referendum: Housing Supply Changes for Sunshine Coast Residents
Voters across Maroochydore and surrounding suburbs will consider limits on holiday lets that could alter long-term rental options near the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and local beaches.
How we reported this
Queensland legislation sets out a ballot measure on short-term rental rules that would cap the number of days a property can be let to visitors each year if approved by voters. The measure applies to dwellings in the Sunshine Coast Regional Council area and would take effect from 1 January 2027 for existing operators.
Why the referendum reaches the Sunshine Coast now
State records show the number of short-term rental listings on the Sunshine Coast rose by more than 40 per cent between 2022 and 2025. Local advocates note that this growth coincides with pressure on permanent housing stock in coastal suburbs such as Caloundra and Mooloolaba. The ballot follows a 2025 state review of visitor accommodation that identified gaps in council powers to manage density.
Policy analysts say the rules would require owners to register each property and report occupancy days to the council each quarter. Properties within two kilometres of the Maroochydore airport or the hospital expansion site would face the same limits as those in quieter inland streets.
How daily life on the Sunshine Coast would shift
Residents seeking long-term rentals could see more properties move from the holiday market into standard leases, particularly in streets close to light rail feasibility corridors. Tourism operators in Noosa Heads have told community forums that reduced availability of short stays might affect seasonal staffing at cafes and tour businesses that rely on visitor numbers. Families already renting in the area would face no immediate change to their leases under the draft rules.
The legislation states that councils must publish annual compliance data, including the total number of registered properties and average occupancy days. A 2024 Queensland Treasury housing supply report recorded 18 500 short-term rental listings statewide, with the Sunshine Coast contributing roughly 12 per cent of that total.
Ballot papers will be mailed to enrolled voters in late August, with results expected within two weeks of the close of voting. If passed, the council would begin issuing registration numbers from October and enforce the day caps from the new year.