Short-term rental restrictions are tightening across Australia as governments grapple with housing affordability, rental shortages and community complaints linked to Airbnb-style accommodation. Sydney is now investigating further restrictions on non-primary residence short-term rentals, while Byron Bay and Melbourne have already introduced caps, levies or permit systems.
While the Gold Coast remains one of the more flexible short-term rental markets in Australia, planning rules, body corporate by-laws, insurance requirements and local council approvals can all become relevant depending on how the property is used. Property owners dealing with those issues often seek advice from property lawyers on the Gold Coast familiar with Queensland planning and development laws.
Queensland laws treat short-term accommodation differently from ordinary residential use, and the rules can vary depending on where the property is located, how often it is rented and whether the owner lives onsite.
Why are councils cracking down on Airbnb properties?
Short-term accommodation has become a major political and planning issue in many tourist areas. Critics argue that converting residential homes into holiday accommodation reduces long-term rental supply and contributes to higher rents.
The City of Sydney is currently considering stricter controls on Airbnb-style accommodation in some areas, following earlier restrictions introduced in New South Wales, including a 180-day cap on non-hosted short-term rentals in Greater Sydney. Other councils and state governments have introduced levies, permit systems or restrictions in response to rental shortages.
That broader shift towards tighter regulation is also shaping discussions in Queensland, particularly in tourism-heavy regions such as the Gold Coast, where housing supply pressures and tourism demand continue to create tension.
Gold Coast property owners are already operating in a market under increasing scrutiny. According to 2023 data reported by the ABC, there were more than 11,000 registered Airbnb properties on the Gold Coast – a figure that has since fallen to around 6,100 active listings as some owners moved properties back into the long-term rental market as bookings softened and interest rates rose.
What counts as short-term accommodation in Queensland?
Understanding how Queensland law defines short-term accommodation is important because different rules apply depending on how the property is being used. Under the Planning Regulation 2017 (Qld), short-term accommodation generally means providing accommodation for less than three consecutive months to tourists or travellers.
The Gold Coast City Council treats short-term accommodation as a tourism and entertainment activity rather than a residential activity. That distinction is important because different planning rules apply depending on how the property is being used.
Queensland law also distinguishes between:
- ordinary residential use
- home-based bed and breakfast businesses
- short-term accommodation
- prohibited ‘party house’ uses.
Those categories can affect everything from development approval requirements through to enforcement action and neighbour complaints.
Renting out a spare room while living onsite may fall within home-based business rules. Renting out an entire property to guests on a recurring basis is more likely to be treated as short-term accommodation requiring approval. Owners uncertain about approval requirements sometimes seek guidance from a commercial lawyer on the Gold Coast experienced in planning and property matters.
Do Gold Coast Airbnb properties need council approval?
The answer often depends on zoning, intensity of use and whether the property is hosted or unhosted. The Gold Coast City Plan states that short-term accommodation is code assessable in certain zones, including parts of:
- high-density residential areas
- mixed-use zones
- major tourism precincts
- some medium-density residential areas.
Outside those areas, the use may become impact assessable, which means the proposal can require public notification and allow neighbours to lodge submissions.
Council scrutiny can also increase where a property begins operating more like commercial visitor accommodation than a traditional residence. In those situations, council approval may also be required where:
- a property changes from residential use to rental accommodation
- accommodation intensity increases
- building or plumbing work is carried out
- a previously abandoned accommodation use is re-established
Gold Coast City Council also warns that using a dwelling for short-term accommodation without the necessary development approval may amount to a development offence. In some cases, disputes about approvals or property use may require assistance from a property litigation lawyer.
Hosted vs unhosted stays
One of the biggest distinctions under Queensland planning rules is whether the property is hosted or unhosted. Hosted stays generally involve the owner remaining onsite while guests occupy part of the property. Some Gold Coast planning guidance suggests owner-occupied properties hosting four or fewer guests may fall within home-based business provisions rather than requiring formal short-term accommodation approval.
Unhosted stays, where guests occupy the entire property while the owner is absent, are more likely to trigger Material Change of Use approval requirements under the Gold Coast City Plan.
In practice, councils often look beyond the listing itself and focus on how the accommodation affects surrounding residents and the neighbourhood.
Issues such as frequent guest turnover, noise complaints, parking pressure and high-intensity operation can all increase enforcement risk.
Can a body corporate ban Airbnb on the Gold Coast?
Apartment owners should not assume council approval is the only issue. Body corporate by-laws, management agreements and Community Management Statements can all affect whether short-term accommodation is practical or lawful within a building.
This is particularly relevant on the Gold Coast, where many short-term rentals operate within apartment complexes and mixed-use developments.
Queensland law has historically been more favourable to short-term letting than some other states. Section 180 of the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld) limits the ability of body corporates to impose blanket bans on lawful residential use. However, body corporates may still regulate:
- noise
- security
- rubbish disposal
- use of common areas
- guest behaviour
- parking and access arrangements.
As a result, even where short-term accommodation is technically permitted, disputes can still arise if guest behaviour regularly disrupts other residents or breaches building by-laws.
Disputes often arise where short-term accommodation creates repeated disturbances or where the building was not originally approved for tourism-style use.
What other legal requirements apply?
Planning approval is only one part of the compliance picture for short-term rental operators on the Gold Coast. Operating a short-term rental property on the Gold Coast may also involve:
- public liability insurance requirements
- smoke alarm compliance
- pool safety obligations
- fire safety standards
- council rates classification requirements
- tax reporting obligations.
Gold Coast local laws require rental accommodation operators to hold at least $10 million in public liability insurance. Queensland’s smoke alarm laws are also becoming stricter. All dwellings must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms installed by 1 January 2027.
Failure to comply with those obligations can expose owners to both financial penalties and potential legal disputes if something goes wrong at the property.
Properties operating unlawfully may face enforcement action, fines or notices from council. Gold Coast City Council states that development approvals attach to the land itself, meaning future owners can also inherit compliance obligations. Property owners buying or selling accommodation properties may also work with conveyancing solicitors on the Gold Coast experienced in complex property conveyancing transactions.
Could the Gold Coast introduce stricter Airbnb rules?
Queensland currently has no statewide Airbnb cap, no statewide registration system and no short-stay levy comparable to Victoria. But that may not remain the case forever.
Brisbane City Council proposed a permit system and higher rates for short-term accommodation operators in late 2025, though the permit scheme was paused in May 2026 pending further review. Broader statewide registration reforms have also been discussed.
Although the Gold Coast remains more flexible than some other Australian cities, regulatory settings can change quickly as councils respond to housing pressure, tourism demand and community concerns.
The Gold Coast remains heavily reliant on tourism, which makes the regulatory balance more complicated than in some other cities. Councils are increasingly trying to balance tourism demand, housing affordability and neighbourhood amenity without discouraging investment altogether.
If you are involved in a dispute about short-term accommodation, planning approvals, body corporate by-laws or development compliance on the Gold Coast, QBM Lawyers can review your situation, explain your obligations under Queensland law and assist with negotiations, council matters or legal proceedings where required. Contact our team to arrange a confidential discussion about your matter with a Gold Coast lawyer experienced in property and commercial disputes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Short-term accommodation is legal on the Gold Coast, but properties may still require development approval, compliance with local laws and adherence to body corporate rules depending on how the property is used.
Possibly. Approval requirements depend on zoning, whether the property is hosted or unhosted, the intensity of use and whether the activity falls within short-term accommodation definitions under the Gold Coast City Plan.
Queensland law limits the ability of body corporates to impose blanket bans on lawful residential use. However, body corporates can still regulate behaviour, noise, security and common property use through by-laws.
Queensland planning laws generally define short-term accommodation as accommodation provided to tourists or travellers for less than three consecutive months.
Gold Coast City Council can investigate unlawful development and take enforcement action where required approvals or compliance obligations have not been met.
