Eagle Point and Townsville Lead Over-50s Housing Boom

A growing wave of over-50s lifestyle communities is reshaping the future of Australian housing, with major developments announced in both Victoria and Queensland. These purpose-built estates are not only offering resort-style living for retirees and downsizers but also driving demand for construction talent across planning, trades, and project management.

Lifestyle community provider Lincoln Place has made headlines with the $8 million acquisition of a 10.2-hectare site in Victoria’s East Gippsland. With plans approved for 209 homes, the Eagle Point Lifestyle Estate will become the region’s largest over-50s residential community, meeting what Lincoln Place CEO Paul Yeo described as “significant unmet demand” for high-quality downsizer housing in the Gippsland Lakes area.

The $100 million estate is set to be delivered in stages over the next five years, with first residents expected by Christmas 2026. Designed with lifestyle and wellbeing in mind, the development will include a clubhouse with a cinema, library, and alfresco dining areas, as well as a wellness centre featuring a gym, heated pool, and yoga studio. A competition-sized bowls green and a pickleball court are also part of the plan, promoting active living in a serene, coastal setting.

Importantly, homes will be positioned to take full advantage of the site’s elevated views over Eagle Point Bay. The estate will feature two- and three-bedroom, single-storey homes, built under a land lease model—a growing trend in the retirement living sector. Under this model, homeowners lease the land beneath their home, eliminating the need for stamp duty, body corporate fees, and council rates. A weekly site fee covers land use and maintenance of shared amenities, making the model both affordable and appealing to budget-conscious downsizers.

Yeo said almost one-third of Eagle Point’s population is already aged over 55, and that figure is expected to grow as the area’s lifestyle appeal draws new residents. “Providing quality new homes for over-50s is an important pillar of the housing ecosystem,” he said. “There is significant unmet demand for lifestyle estates of this calibre in the region.”

Meanwhile, in Townsville’s northern corridor, Lincoln Place is preparing to begin early works on another flagship project—Northern Beaches Lifestyle Estate at Mount Low. The $200 million development will deliver 350 homes and marks the first over-50s land lease community in the city in over five decades.

Construction is scheduled to begin within weeks, with first homes expected to be completed by Christmas 2026. Like its Victorian counterpart, the Townsville estate will offer high-end amenities and a vibrant, low-maintenance lifestyle for residents looking to downsize without compromise.

Together, these two projects will add over 550 homes to the national pipeline and signal a major upswing in demand for skilled professionals across construction, civil works, design, and community management.

With 23 lifestyle communities already in operation across Australia’s east coast, Lincoln Place is emerging as a key player in the rapidly expanding over-50s housing sector. Its focus on premium locations, elevated amenity offerings, and land lease affordability is setting new benchmarks and offering long-term employment opportunities for those in construction and development.

As Australia’s population continues to age and lifestyle preferences evolve, the over-50s sector is proving to be a golden opportunity—not just for residents seeking a better way to live, but also for the construction industry professionals helping to bring these modern communities to life.