NSW and QLD Lead Pub Sales — But Victoria Remains a Strategic Property Market
Australia’s pub and hospitality property sector has seen strong momentum throughout 2025, with transaction volumes and investor interest accelerating nationwide. According to a recent Australian Financial Review (AFR) report, New South Wales and Queensland have dominated pub sales activity this year, emerging as the country’s most active markets for hotel and pub transactions.
While the AFR article places its spotlight on NSW and QLD, the broader data reveals a bigger national picture — one where Victoria continues to play a critical structural role in Australia’s pub and hospitality real estate landscape.
What the AFR Report Reveals About 2025 Pub Sales
The AFR’s analysis highlights several key national trends:
- Strong buyer demand for well-located, underutilised pub assets
- Growing interest in refurbishing and repositioning older pubs
- Large-scale transactions concentrated in NSW and Queensland
- Continued appetite from private investors and hospitality groups
These signals point to renewed confidence in hospitality-linked commercial property, particularly assets with redevelopment or value-add potential.
Where Victoria Fits into the National Picture
Although Victoria was not the headline focus of the AFR report, industry data shows the state remains one of Australia’s most significant pub and hospitality property markets.
Victoria, alongside NSW and Queensland, accounts for over 75% of Australia’s pubs, bars, and nightclubs, according to industry research. This positions Victoria as a long-term cornerstone market, even in years when deal volumes peak elsewhere.
For property investors, this means Victoria continues to offer:
- Dense metropolitan and inner-suburban pub locations
- Strong land value fundamentals, especially in Melbourne
- Assets suitable for refurbishment, redevelopment, or mixed-use outcomes
- Long-term demand driven by population growth and urban density
Why Investors Are Still Watching Victoria Closely
Despite NSW and QLD leading sales in 2025, Victoria presents several compelling advantages:
1. Prime Urban Locations
Many Victorian pubs sit on high-value land in established suburbs, making them attractive for future repositioning.
2. Mixed-Use Potential
Victoria’s planning environment has increasingly supported adaptive reuse — including hospitality-led residential or commercial integration.
3. Long-Term Stability
Victoria’s hospitality sector remains resilient, supported by tourism, population growth, and Melbourne’s global city status.
What This Means for Victoria-Based Real Estate in 2026
National trends suggest that renewed pub investment momentum is likely to influence Victoria next, particularly as investors seek opportunities beyond the most competitive NSW and QLD markets.
As older pubs across Australia attract interest for revitalisation, Victoria’s hospitality properties may emerge as the next wave of strategic acquisitions, especially those with strong land fundamentals and redevelopment potential.
The Bigger Picture for Victorian Property Investors
The key takeaway is clear:
While NSW and QLD may be leading pub sales volumes today, Victoria remains one of Australia’s most important hospitality property markets by structure, scale, and future opportunity.
For investors, developers, and commercial property buyers, understanding national trends — while positioning locally — is essential to identifying the next growth cycle.
Final Thought
Victoria doesn’t need to dominate the headlines to remain relevant. In a year defined by strong national activity, Victoria’s pub and hospitality assets continue to offer long-term value, strategic positioning, and redevelopment potential — making them a market worth watching closely as 2025 transitions into 2026.
