The Cairns real estate market has outperformed many capital cities in recent years, and 2026 could be another breakout year. Whether you’re an investor chasing yield, a first home buyer, or relocating to Far North Queensland, this deep dive will help you understand where the opportunities (and risks) lie.

In this week’s episode, we chat with Emma Craig, one of Queensland’s most respected property managers and the youngest Principal in the Professionals Network globally. Emma brings over a decade of experience managing investment properties across Cairns and regional Queensland, sharing powerful insights into what it really takes to build a successful property portfolio in today’s market.

In this episode of Investment by Design, we sit down with James Fennell, a self-made multi-millionaire developer who’s built projects worth hundreds of million across Cairns, Gladstone, and Townsville. James shares his raw and unfiltered journey from his first development with no plan to navigating the GFC, when the bank literally ran out of money mid-project.

Looking for properties under market value in Cairns, Townsville, or North Queensland? 🏠

In this episode, Nicole Craike and I share how to find real opportunities in today’s property market, even when prices feel high. We dive into a block of units that had been sitting on the market for over 200 days, why it was overlooked by others, and how we turned it into a smart investment. If you’re interested in property investing in Cairns or North Queensland, this episode will give you actionable strategies for spotting diamonds in the rough and avoiding common pitfalls.

In this episode of Investment by Design, I sit down with David Galloway-Penny, who proves it’s never too late to start investing in property. After buying his first investment property at 41, David has built a portfolio of four properties in just five years, all while navigating Australia’s changing real estate market.

In this episode of Investment by Design, I’m joined by my wife, Nicole Craike, as we open up about our real property investing journey, the highs, the lows, and everything in between. We share the real story behind how we started investing in property, the mistakes we made, and the lessons that helped us grow a diverse portfolio across Cairns, Townsville, and Port Douglas.

From overcoming the fear of debt to finding off-market opportunities and managing risk, this conversation is an honest look at what it really takes to build wealth through Australian real estate.

Discover how Ken Turner purchased 6 properties in just 12 months and become a truly successful property investor in Cairns.