The Queensland government’s Residential Activation Fund (RAF) has passed a significant milestone, unlocking more than 100,000 new homes across Queensland in less than 18 months.
The achievement is anchored by a fresh AU$146 million infrastructure investment targeting the fast-growing Gold Coast region.
The newly announced funding marks the first allocation under the second round of the now-AU$2 billion RAF, which was doubled in the state government’s recent budget following high demand from councils and the housing sector.
The money will fast-track more than 18,900 homes across multiple projects servicing Worongary, Robina, Pimpama, Coomera, Upper Coomera, and Parkwood.
The funds will deliver critical trunk infrastructure required to support new developments, including a major upgrade of the Merrimac Sewage Treatment Plant alongside essential road, power, and water works.
Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Jarrod Bleijie said the initiative is directly tackling the state’s housing supply shortages.
“For too long, the dream of having a place of your own was denied to too many Queenslanders. We’re playing our part to help make that dream a reality again,”Bleijie said.
He noted that by breaking down structural barriers and unlocking land, the government is successfully reversing a decade of declining lot approvals.
At least half of the expanded fund will continue to be partitioned for regional and rural Queensland projects.
Gold Coast Acting Mayor Mark Hammel welcomed the injection, labelling it the most significant amount of state funding the city has received for council-owned infrastructure in decades.
He stated that the investment is vital to future-proofing services as the Gold Coast’s population marches toward one million by 2040.
Local Government Association of Queensland CEO Alison Smith also praised the program, calling the RAF a “gamechanger” that successfully fills a critical funding gap for local councils trying to accommodate rapid growth.
The scheme forms a central pillar of the government’s Securing Our Housing Foundations Plan, which aims to deliver one million new homes by 2044.
This target includes a record pipeline of 53,500 social and community homes, alongside separate budget measures like the AU$30,000 First Home Owner Grant and stamp duty relief on new builds.
