Murwillumbah and Lismore Commercial Rentals. The cheapest Commercial Rent, But....

The office in Broadbeach had no window, I would have been looking at a wall. It was the size of a large bathroom and the rent was nearly the same as a small apartment. So I started looking outside the Gold Coast for a Commercial Rental Property.

The search was simple: somewhere between the Sunshine Coast and Byron Bay, decent size, not embarrassing. A few months of inspections confirmed the obvious. Coastal QLD and northern NSW around Byron are expensive. Not Sydney expensive, but expensive enough that a small business starting out is looking at tiny spaces for serious money. Then someone suggested Murwillumbah and Lismore.

The 45 Minute Gap

Both towns sit about 45 minutes from the Gold Coast and roughly the same from Byron Bay. At the same weekly budget that got a 10m² shared room on the Gold Coast, Murwillumbah and Lismore were offering spaces five to fifteen times the size. One listing in Lismore was $100 a week for a small private office. Same budget, one tenth the floor space. That is what coastal pricing looks like right now.

"Same weekly budget. One tenth the square metres. That's the Gold Coast deal."

Why Is It This Cheap?

Flooding. Lismore took a serious hit in 2022, Murwillumbah has had its share too. Commercial tenants cleared out, landlords dropped prices, and spaces sat empty. Unlike residential rentals where 20 people show up to an inspection, commercial properties in these towns often get no enquiries for months. You are usually the only person looking. No queue, no pressure, no bidding. A good space can sit on the market for a long time, which gives you room to look around properly, inspect a few places, and compare before committing to anything.

The Flood Question

Not all of either town floods. Both have elevated areas, multi-storey buildings, and properties that have never seen water inside. Check the council flood maps before you fall for a space. NSW councils publish these online and a quick search will tell you what you need to know. A first floor tenancy changes the risk picture significantly. The space eventually chosen in Murwillumbah is one floor up and has been fine through multiple flood events.

One note for new commercial renters: Public liability insurance is required on almost every commercial lease in Australia, including personal offices where no customers ever set foot. It is in the lease. Budget around $30 to $60 a month for a basic policy. Not expensive, but most first-time commercial tenants have never heard of it before they sign.

What the Towns Are Actually Like

Both are cute towns with interesting business niches. Murwillumbah has antiques, art, farming supplies, good coffee, and Wollumbin sitting right behind the main street. Lismore is bigger, more of a proper regional hub, with a creative and small business scene that has rebuilt well since 2022. Neither is Byron Bay. Both are 45 minutes from it. If your business does not depend on coastal foot traffic, the rent difference is hard to ignore.

The Bottom Line

Flood risk is real. Do the research before you sign anything. But for an online business, a studio, or a solo setup, these towns have some of the cheapest commercial space in Australia and they are not far from anywhere. The $100 a week office in Lismore is still sitting there. Someone should take it.