It was once home to some of the cheapest property in the region, offering smallish blocks on a busy road where motorists heading to more desirable destinations cursed seemingly endless traffic lights.
Now, the Nicklin Way has become the latest stretch to join the Sunshine Coast’s millionaire’s club.
An unassuming two-storey Warana property, built in 1980, has smashed local records and become the new hot topic at barbecues.
Located just “13 rooftops from the beach” at 215 Nicklin Way, it sold for $1 million after just three weeks on the market.
It is believed to be one of the biggest sales ever along the thoroughfare.
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom home sits on a 570sqm allotment and was purchased by the vendor in March 2021 for $760,000, meaning they made $240,000 in 12 months – an almost 32 per cent increase.
The home (pictured below) first sold in 1988 for $93,500 and a decade ago it changed hands for $420,000.
Listing agent Richard Scrivener, from Next Property Group, said he wasn’t surprised by the result.
He said homes located on the east-side of the four-lane road were fast becoming a favourite, thanks to the beachside location, ease of access and high-rate exposure for business owners.
“It is a big number for Nicklin Way, but anything beachside along there is fetching top dollar,” Mr Scrivener said.
“It’s a lot to do with the affordability factor, too. The new owners are looking for exposure for their small business.
“There are lots of small business owners who can get that great exposure and live and work from home. That’s where the demand is.
“We’ve been in an undervalued market for such a long time. This market drove pretty strong, more so in the past eight months than the past two years.
“We’ve got so much to offer on the Coast, and with all its future offerings. It’s still affordable.”
Nicklin Way was the hidden gem right under our noses, he said.
Unveiled in 1965, the 10.4-kilometre stretch of road traditionally housed some of the cheapest land on the Sunshine Coast.
In the 1980s, you could secure a property in the vicinity for less than $100,000.
Today, the average asking price sits at around $800,000 to $900,000.
In recent years, buyers have started to recognise Nicklin Way’s appeal and its opportunity for the mixed use of residential and commercial purposes.
So, could this underappreciated road become the Sunshine Coast’s version of the highly sought after and pricey Gold Coast Highway at Tugun?
With local government plans in the works to revitalise the strip and make it the focus of a revolutionary mass-transit project, it was a possibility, Mr Scrivener said.
Last month Sunshine Coast Council outlined its vision for the region under proposed changes to the town plan.
The new planning scheme to 2041 aims to cater for the region’s growth and outlines changes for each locality, Nicklin Way included.
In council’s vision, the coastal corridor from Maroochydore to Caloundra could expect to undergo the most change, with more medium-rise buildings along the populated stretch and in suburbs like Currimundi and Battery Hill.
The Kawana stretch is a major growth area with hopes to concentrate most of the Coast’s increased density and height in “nodes” along the Nicklin Way.
The Nicklin Way itself would be “consolidated and revitalised” to form mixed-use precincts such as offices with apartments above.
