The Queensland Government has allocated $146 million to accelerate trunk‑infrastructure projects on the Gold Coast, aiming to make land available for roughly 18,900 homes across several growth corridors.
Funding targets roads, utilities and sewage upgrades
Under round two of the Residential Activation Fund, the money will support road extensions, electrical upgrades, water connections and a major expansion of the Merrimac Sewage Treatment Plant. The plant’s capacity is slated to rise to serve the equivalent of 110,000 people.
Minister for Housing and Public Works Sam O’Connor said delivering basic utilities is the fastest route to turn vacant parcels into livable communities. “Our number one priority is increasing all types of housing supply,” he said. “The Residential Activation Fund helps ensure essential infrastructure like water, sewerage, roads and power is in place to unlock more land to support growing communities, which allows homes to be built and moved into faster.”
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Acting Mayor Mark Hammel called the injection the most significant state funding for City‑owned enabling infrastructure on the Gold Coast in decades. The projects span Coomera, Upper Coomera, Pimpama, Robina, Worongary and Parkwood, areas identified as key corridors for future development.
Housing shortage deepens as land sales tumble
Industry data from property advisory group Oliver Hume shows a stark contrast between the Gold Coast and the broader South East Queensland market. Only 70 new land sales were recorded on the Gold Coast during the June quarter, versus 1,216 across the wider region.
Active allotments fell 35 % in three months, dropping from 92 at the end of March to just 68 by the end of June. The median asking price for the remaining stock rose to $1.199 million, while land values jumped 27.1 % quarterly to $1,752 per square metre. Although the median lot price slipped slightly to $820,000, it remains 16 % higher than a year earlier.
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Chief Economist Matt Bell said the figures point to a market under severe structural pressure rather than waning buyer interest. “The Gold Coast has experienced a prolonged shortage of new residential land, despite continuing demand from local buyers and people moving to the region,” he said. “Only 68 homesites were available for purchase at the end of the June quarter… Against that background, the government’s commitment to fund essential infrastructure is an important step towards restoring a healthier supply pipeline and improving housing choice.”
The data paints a picture of a market where supply has not kept pace with demand for years. The shortage has forced prices upward, and developers are waiting on the line for utilities to be installed before they can break ground. The situation, oddly enough, feels like a waiting room where the doors are finally being opened.
