Offshore investor acquires QLD childcare centre in $8.76m deal amid market surge

A childcare centre in southeast Queensland has sold for $8.76 million to an overseas investor, underscoring growing global interest in early learning real estate and the continued demand for long-term, land-rich assets in Australia’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.

The Ipswich-based property, leased to national provider Affinity Education Group, was sold through Stonebridge Property Group at a yield of 5.10 per cent. The 134-place facility is situated on a 3,961 sqm site in Flinders View, approximately 30 kilometres west of Brisbane.

According to Stonebridge, the campaign attracted strong interest from local, interstate and international buyers, with 94 enquiries and multiple offers received.

The sale comes as part of a wider pattern: more than $662 million worth of childcare assets have changed hands nationally in just eight months, with approximately $240 million in sales managed by Stonebridge alone in 2025.

While investor confidence in the asset class remains strong, the sector has also seen signs of operational unease, with some providers facing challenges around workforce, compliance and profitability factors that may be contributing to the rise in asset turnover.

For ECEC operators, centre managers and service owners, the trend raises important questions around service continuity, governance, and the potential implications of increasing foreign ownership in the sector.

The growing involvement of commercial investors both local and international, highlights the need for continued focus on quality, stability and regulatory oversight to ensure that children’s needs remain at the centre of all early learning environments, regardless of ownership model.