Developer Living Gems unveils plans for new Gympie over 50s complex

Extraordinary plans to transform a 64ha block of vacant land on Gympie’s outskirts into a retirement village of more than 1000 residents and boasting facilities including tennis courts and a cinema have been revealed. See the plans.

Developer Living Gems is seeking permission to transform a 64.8ha vacant block at Eel Creek Rd, Southside, into an over 50s retirement complex able to be home to more than 1000 residents.

An Australia-wide retirement home developer has its sights on Gympie’s Southside as the future home of its extraordinary plan for a new over 50s complex complete with tennis courts, bowling alleys, a cinema and bar and cafe.

Developer Living Gems is seeking permission to transform the 64.8ha vacant block at Eel Creek Rd into an over 50s retirement complex that more than 1000 residents could call home.

Under the proposal 575 dwellings would be built, along with a range of communal facilities for its residents.

Each home would include two bedrooms and a multipurpose room, an alfresco dining area and rear courtyard.

Developer Living Gems is seeking permission to transform the 64.8ha vacant block at Gympie's Southside into an over 50s retirement complex able to be home to more than 1000 residents.

Amenities include a clubhouse, summer house, health club, tennis court, lawn bowls, pickle ball court and swimming pools.

Living Gems says the clubhouse is a “lifestyle hub for … residents, offering everything from ten pin bowling alley, lawn bowls green, pickle ball court, gym, cinema, library, golf simulator, craft room, billiard/ games room, bar and cafe”.

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Facilities on offer to residents in the new plan include a ten pin bowling alley, lawn bowls green, pickle ball court, gym, cinema, library, golf simulator, craft room, billiard/ games room, bar and cafe

The estate would front on to Eel Creek Rd, Woodland Dr and a third unnamed road.

More than 1300 parking spots would be provided including 1150 for residents, 182 for staff and 51 for RVs.

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The block proposed to be home to the new complex is about 1km from the Showgrounds, 2.3km from the Southside Medical Centre, and 4.6km from Gympie Hospital.

The block is about 1km from the showground, 2.3km from the Southside Medical Centre and 4.6km from Gympie Hospital.

Living Gems has been building retirement estates across the country since 1982.

Its portfolio of facilities includes at the Gold Coast, Bribie Island, Maroochy Quays, Rainbow Beach (near Port Macquarie), Lennox Head, Tweed Waters and Woodend in Victoria.

Parking for more than 1300 cars and vehicles is planned to be provided at the estate.

In its application, the company says its complexes “are not retirement villages in the traditional sense and the services and

facilities provided are unique to their communities and significantly exceed typical industry standards”.

“There is increasing demand Australia-wide for high-quality but affordable residential development designed exclusively for the active over-50s demographic,” it says.

“This demand is now strong in regional towns where people of retirement age (over 50) want the option to downsize and retire within their home region without having to relocate to larger towns and cities.”

The council has not made any decision on the application.