Mixed Reaction to Over-50s Lifestyle Resort Boom in Beach Town

By Katrina Beavan

ABC Capricornia

Topic: Regional Development and Planning

Fri 26 Jun 2026 at 6:45am

Ron and Joanne Ballard want key infrastructure in place before new large-scale approvals.

In short:

Four over-50s lifestyle developments have been approved for the Capricorn Coast, with two more being assessed.

It has prompted concerns from some residents, who say local resources will not cope with the influx.

What's next?

The local council is due to make a decision on two of the proposed developments next month.

An afternoon stroll on a quiet shoreline with her dog is why Joanne Ballard retired on the Capricorn Coast.

It's just wonderful. We really enjoy being here. We love it here.

The grandmother moved to the area in 2021 with her husband after working in Gladstone and western Queensland.

But her idyllic adopted hometown of Yeppoon is undergoing a transformation.

Ron and Joanne Ballard moved to the Capricorn Coast to retire after decades working in western Queensland and Gladstone.

Four over-50s lifestyle resorts have been approved for the area, totalling more than 1,350 new homes.

An extra two facilities, with a combined 612 homes, are also being assessed by the local council.

To have this concentrated number of over-50s in this smaller area, I just don't believe that we have the facilities to deal with that.

Livingstone has been among the fastest-growing local government areas in the state in recent years.

Livingstone has been among the fastest growing local government areas in the state.

According to state government data, the area's population reached almost 44,000 people last year, a more than 2 per cent jump.

Ms Ballard is worried the influx will push the sleepy beachside community to breaking point.

We've had people on the waiting list for years trying to get into the aged care facilities, and then you're going to bring a demographic into an area that isn't ready for it.

GemLife says the average age of residents in its communities is 71.

'We cannot put a gate up'

With a housing crisis and aging population, Australia has seen a surge in popularity in recent years for land lease communities.

Drawn in by the appeal of low-maintenance housing and close community living, the sector is now worth about $12 billion nationally.

But experts say their booming popularity leaves several regional Queensland towns facing the dilemma of balancing growth with pressure on existing infrastructure.

GemLife's facility in Rockhampton will include a clubhouse and pool.

Queensland University of Technology senior lecturer in urban and regional planning Mark Limb said the rise in these sorts of developments happened alongside regular population growth.

Generally, growth is a good problem for communities to have. It does mean much more economic vitality.

It's a very common planning issue to have to manage growth in this fashion.

Mark Limb says many regional communities face balancing huge growth while not pressuring services.

It is a problem the Livingstone Shire Council is well-versed in.

We have virtually zero rentals. We have people living in cars.

He said the council was working on several key road upgrades to keep up with the population growth.

We're advocating for more police, more teachers, a whole range of services, but ultimately the local government can't fix everything.

The reality is we cannot put a gate up on the Rockhampton to Yeppoon Road and say, 'No more people.'

Adam Belot says the new homes won't be built all at once and are usually a long time in their incubation.

Cr Belot said that, as the over-50s lifestyle resorts had not been seen on the Capricorn Coast before, development could also drive upgrades in infrastructure and essential services.

[And] if we don't believe that the network can cater for that development, then we will say no.

Adam Belot says the East West Connector, a road that will open access to 1,500 lots of vacant land, is one of many projects underway.

Two projects being assessed

Of the approved developments, three will be built in Yeppoon, while the fourth will be in nearby Emu Park.

The Lincoln Place development was initially knocked back by the Livingstone Shire Council, before the company moved to take the matter to court.

The matter was resolved outside of a trial, with an amended application approved.

The population on the Capricorn Coast has grown by more than 2 per cent each year since 2023.

The two projects currently being assessed are both proposing to build in Yeppoon, from previously affiliated but now separate companies GemLife and Living Gems.

Public submissions for the proposals closed this month, with a decision on both due in August.

Ms Ballard gathered more than 40 signatures for her submission against GemLife's 317-dwelling proposal.

She was concerned about Queensland Health data, which showed admissions at the local hospital increased by almost 90 per cent in the December quarter.

However, GemLife said about 80 per cent of the people buying into its regional over-50s communities were relocating from the local area.

A sentiment supported by the Property Council of Australia.

'Land lease communities are growing because they respond to the simple reality that people need more housing choice at every stage of life.'

Joanne Ballard gathered more than 40 signatures for her submission against a proposed over-50s community.

But Ms Ballard said there was no guarantee the potentially almost 2,000 new homes would be filled with existing residents.

She implored the council to 'look at the bigger picture' when making its decision.

Don't just focus on the here and now, because this is going to have implications for way down the track.

Adam Belot says demand for homes on the Capricorn Coast is outstripping supply.

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