Follow the next big government infrastructure projects to unlock the next boom location across the states — the suburbs primed for the next decade of growth aren’t random, they’re the ones sitting directly in the path of $100B+ in committed spending.
Client Deal of the Week
A recent deal from the Assembly Finance team — smart finance, strong suburb, strong future.
Maffra, VIC 3860
🏦 Financed through Westpac
Jono A., a first home buyer in Melbourne, used the Federal Government’s 5% no-LMI scheme to secure his first property in Maffra — Assembly Finance structured the deal through Westpac at 6.02% IO, turning a 5% deposit into a $460k purchase and a 5.2% gross yield from day one. But the real story is Maffra itself.
Maffra sits in the heart of Victoria’s Gippsland region — a tightly held rural city with a stable employment base anchored by healthcare, education and agriculture. With Melbourne two hours away and affordability well below the state median, Maffra offers entry-level value that’s increasingly hard to find in today’s market. Gippsland’s regional infrastructure investment and the growing shift to remote work are steadily expanding buyer demand into quality regional centres like Maffra — supporting both capital growth and rental yields.
🏥 Central Gippsland Health — Major regional hospital anchoring the local economy and driving consistent employment demand
🌿 Tight Rental Vacancy — Regional rental markets are historically undersupplied, supporting above-average yields for investors
💰 Genuine Affordability — Entry prices well below the Victorian median with real yield and growth potential for long-term holders
Property Market Spotlight
Top performing markets for capital growth — sourced from Cotality (CoreLogic) data, April 2026.
Ballarat · Bendigo · Shepparton
Three regional centres outpacing the national average — all roads lead to regional VIC
Regional Victoria is firing on all cylinders — Ballarat leads with 15.2% annual house price growth and a vacancy rate of just 0.8%, while Shepparton’s 10.4% growth and Bendigo’s rising trajectory round out a trio of markets all sitting well below Melbourne’s median. Fast Rail connectivity, strong healthcare and education employment, and a new wave of Melbourne lifestyle relocators are driving sustained demand across all three centres — and with national growth averaging just 6.1%, the regional VIC premium is real.
Market Insights
Key news and developments for Australian property owners and investors this week.
Western Sydney’s $10B+ Year: Airport Opens, Aerotropolis Breaks Ground, Harbour Tunnel Advances
The $5.3B Western Sydney International Airport ( westernsydneyairport.gov.au ) opens at Badgerys Creek in 2026 — the catalyst for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, which will deliver 200,000 jobs, 60,000 homes and the new Bradfield City Centre ( planning.nsw.gov.au ). Suburbs including Leppington, Austral and Orchard Hills are repricing ahead of opening day, while Sydney Olympic Park’s Master Plan 2050 commits to 15,000 new homes and 26,000 jobs ( sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au ) and the $4.2B Western Harbour Tunnel reshapes North Shore and Inner West connectivity. NSW is running the most significant infrastructure buildout of any state — and the window to buy ahead of the market is closing fast.
Follow the Rail Lines: $75B+ in VIC & QLD Rail Is Redrawing the Investment Map
Victoria’s $30–34.5B Suburban Rail Loop East ( suburbanrailloop.vic.gov.au ) will densify every station precinct from Cheltenham to Box Hill — Clayton, Monash, Wheelers Hill and Glen Waverley are all in play — while the Melbourne Metro Tunnel unlocks Arden (North Melbourne) and Airport Rail links Tullamarine ~2029. In Queensland, Cross River Rail’s $7.8B tunnels open in 2026 ( crossriverrail.qld.gov.au ), the $12.6B Brisbane–Gold Coast Faster Rail doubles the southern corridor, and the 21km Brisbane Metro lifts frequency across existing busways — all building toward the 2032 Olympics infrastructure story ( statedevelopment.qld.gov.au ). The rule is simple: buy near the stations before the trains start running.
This article was originally sent to Assembly Finance clients as an email market update and is republished here for reference. Rates, figures and policy settings were current at the date of publication and may have changed. General information only — not financial advice. Assembly Finance is a Credit Representative of Finsure Finance & Insurance Pty Ltd (Australian Credit Licence 384704).
