$146m infrastructure package to unlock 18,900 Gold Coast homes

What's happening

The Queensland Government has committed $146 million to trunk infrastructure on the Gold Coast through its Residential Activation Fund. The Urban Developer reported the commitment on 22 July 2026. The money will pay for sewerage, road and power works that the state says will unlock land for about 18,900 homes across three projects, and these are the first projects funded under the fund's second round.

The new infrastructure will serve growth areas in the northern corridor and the central hinterland, covering Worongary, Robina, Pimpama, Coomera, Upper Coomera and Parkwood. The Gold Coast's population is forecast to pass one million by 2046, an increase of about 350,000 people over two decades, so the funding is aimed at one of the region's most persistent bottlenecks: getting serviced land ready for building.

The key details

The largest single item is an upgrade of the Merrimac Sewage Treatment Plant, which will lift its capacity to 110,000 equivalent persons. Road extensions and electrical works make up the rest of the package. Acting Mayor Mark Hammel described it as "the most significant amount of state funding" the City has received for City-owned infrastructure in decades.

• Commitment: $146 million
• Homes enabled: about 18,900, across three projects
• Program size: round two lifted to $1 billion in the state Budget, taking the fund to $2 billion
• Statewide progress: more than 100,000 homes fast-tracked since the fund began, about 98,000 of them in round one
• Regional share: more than half of round-two funding goes to projects outside South East Queensland

The fund sits under the state's Securing Our Housing Foundations Plan, which targets one million new homes by 2044. The opposition was critical. Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick welcomed private investment but questioned how long buyers would have to wait for the homes. He said housing remained "out of reach of many Queenslanders". The article also noted that in March the state scrapped a requirement for new developments to set aside 15% of homes as affordable housing.

Timeline and next steps

The article did not give construction start or completion dates for the three projects. What it does show is the sequence: round one fast-tracked about 98,000 homes, the 2026–27 Budget increased round two to $1 billion, and these Gold Coast projects are the first allocations from that round. Delivery timing for the Merrimac upgrade and the road and power works will decide when the land can actually be developed.

Why it matters for developers and landowners

In growth corridors, the limit on new housing is often servicing rather than zoning. A site can be in the right zone and still be undevelopable until sewer capacity, road access and power are available. State money for City-owned trunk infrastructure goes straight at that problem in the named suburbs.

For landholders in Pimpama, Coomera, Upper Coomera, Worongary, Robina and Parkwood, the practical question is whether their land sits within the catchments these works will serve, and when. That should be checked with the council and with a planner or engineer, because funding announcements and actual delivery dates can be far apart.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Gold Coast receiving from the Residential Activation Fund?

The state has committed $146 million for trunk infrastructure on the Gold Coast under round two of the fund.

Which Gold Coast suburbs benefit from the $146 million?

The three projects service development in Worongary, Robina, Pimpama, Coomera, Upper Coomera and Parkwood.

What is being upgraded at Merrimac?

The Merrimac Sewage Treatment Plant will be upgraded to a capacity of 110,000 equivalent persons.

Source: The Urban Developer, published 22 July 2026. This article is an independent summary and commentary by GC Prestige based on the original report — read the source for full details.