Parrearra / Kawana Island

Parrearra is the suburb on the south side of Mooloolaba. Most of its land is on the island that is surrounded by the Mooloolah River and includes the streets of Grand Parade and Kawana Way. The streets around Sunbird Chase and Marawa Drive off Nicklin Way are also part of Parrearra. The suburb’s western boundary separates it from Sippy Downs, while it is separated from Warana in the east and south by the river.

People

According the 2016 Bureau of Statistics, 4,468 people call Parrearra / Kawana Island home.  Here is a quick overview of population demographics for this suburb:

8.5%      Independent Youth

17.3%    Established Couples & Families

17.3%    Elderly Couples

1.5%      Young Families

History

Like many of the surrounding suburbs, Parrearra was named by Kawana Waters developer Alfred Grant in 1967. Parrearra is divided by a north-south waterway between the Mooloolah River and Nicklin Way. The waterway has been made into canals, separated by a lock and weir. The land east of the Parrearra and Wyura canals was developed in the 1980s, while the western side was developed in the ’90s. Development of the Kawana Island apartments occurred in 2001, and it’s thanks to this development that the name Kawana Island is now used by many when referring to suburb.

Property

Year                             Unit                         House

2007                          $390,000                 $515,000

2008                          $468,000                 $540,000

2009                          $498,000                 $515,000

2010                          $545,000                  $540,000

2011                           $477,500                  $575,000

2012                          $400,000                 $491,000

2013                          $393,000                 $525,000

2014                          $395,000                 $580,000

2015                          $442,500                 $595,500

2016                         $447,000                 $618,000

2017                         $488,000                 $675,00

Real Estate

There are a range of properties in Parrearra, including original brick and tile homes, smaller apartments and large waterside dwellings. Buyers can pick up relatively inexpensive homes that were built when the suburb was first developed in the 1990s. Add that to the many smaller apartments in the suburb and you’ll find plenty of Parrearra property for sale for less than $500,000. On the other end of the scale, high-end apartments and large canal-side homes sell for well over $1 million.

Parrearra’s attractions

The suburb has several apartments projects including Double Bay and St Kitts and three retirement precincts. The developers have built a beach at Double Bay and there is a restaurant and café plus parks and a waterfront boardwalk. It’s also the location that is the big drawcard for much of Parrearra. The University of the Sunshine Coast and Kawana Shoppingworld are a short drive away, and it’s easy to get on to Kawana Way and to the highway from most streets on the island. It’s also easy to get to the beach and Point Cartwright.