Redland Bay is really three different purchases wearing one postcode. There are the newer estates, there is the older acreage that was farmland until the zoning changed around 2002, and there are the southern Moreton Bay islands reached from the terminal on Banana Street. Each carries a different set of risks, and a contract that is fine for one can be a problem in another. Empire Legal reviews Redland Bay contracts on a fixed fee agreed up front, with a written report back to you inside 24 hours. More than 3,048 5-star Google reviews, and no surprises on the invoice.
Buying on Russell, Macleay, Lamb or Karragarra Island
Land on the southern Moreton Bay islands is cheap, and it is cheap for reasons that do not appear in the listing. Access is by ferry or barge from Redland Bay, so getting trades and materials across costs real money. Reticulated water and sewerage are not uniform across the islands, and a block that cannot be connected may need tank water and an on-site treatment system. Some blocks have never been built on, and there are constraints that make building difficult or uneconomic.
None of that means do not buy. It means find out before the contract goes unconditional, not after. We check what services the lot actually has, what the council records show about building approvals, and whether what you are planning is realistic for that block.
Acreage and former farmland
Much of Redland Bay was productive farmland until the early 2000s. Older acreage comes with a history: disused dams, on-site effluent disposal, bore water, sheds and structures built before anyone worried about approvals, and sometimes an expectation that the block can be subdivided when the planning scheme says otherwise. We look at what is actually approved and what the title and council records support.
Coastal and storm tide exposure
Redland Bay fronts Moreton Bay, and low-lying land near the foreshore can sit inside coastal hazard or storm tide overlays. That affects what you can build, what it costs to insure, and sometimes what a lender will accept. The searches tell us where the property sits, and we explain what it means in practice rather than sending you a map and wishing you luck.
What we do
We review the contract before you sign, run the searches that matter for the specific lot, deal with the agent and the other side, and get you to settlement. Redlands conveyancing across Cleveland, Capalaba, Victoria Point and Wellington Point, and the rest of Queensland from our Brisbane, Bayside and Gold Coast offices.
Common questions about conveyancing in Redland Bay
How much does conveyancing cost in Redland Bay?
Fixed fee, quoted before we start, whether the property is on the mainland or one of the islands. Search costs are set by Redland City Council and the state and vary depending on the lot, and we tell you those up front too. See our pricing page for the full breakdown.
Should I buy a block on Russell or Macleay Island?
People do, successfully. But check what services the block has, how you will get materials across, and what the council will let you build before you commit. Cheap land with no water, no sewerage and difficult access is not a bargain. We check the records for the specific lot rather than the island generally.
Is Redland Bay affected by storm tide or coastal hazard overlays?
Parts of it are, particularly low-lying land near the foreshore. It affects building work, insurance and sometimes finance. The searches show where a property sits and we explain what that means for what you are planning.
Does the property have town water and sewerage?
On the mainland, usually. On the bay islands it varies lot by lot. This is one of the first things we check, because the answer changes the cost of everything you do afterwards.
Can you act for me if I am buying from interstate?
Yes. Queensland settlements happen electronically through PEXA, so you do not need to be here and neither does your solicitor. We handle identity verification and signing remotely.
