More than 200 social and community homes for CQ

The Queensland Government has announced the construction of more than 200 social and community homes around the Central Queensland region.

Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor and Rockhampton MP Donna Kirkland were in Gracemere Thursday, July 17 with to see seven social housing units currently under construction, part of more than 200 social and community housing to be constructed in Central Queensland.

More than 200 social and community homes will be built in Central Queensland as part of the Government’s attempts to deal with housing shortages across the state.

Of the new houses, 74 will be located in Rockhampton (Kawana, Koongal and Gracemere), 47 will be built across Livingstone Shire (Yeppoon and Emu Park) and a further 106 in the Gladstone area (Gladstone Central, South Gladstone and Kirkwood).

The State Government has pledged $5.6bn for new social and community housing over the next four years, which includes $95m for the Central Queensland region.

Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor was in Gracemere last week with Rockhampton MP Donna Kirkland to see seven social housing units currently under construction, of which six were two-bedroom units and one was a one-bedroom unit.

Mr O’Connor said social and community housing developments like the Gracemere project were critical to creating stable, sustainable communities which support economic and social inclusion.

“We are dealing with an unprecedented housing crisis and that means we have to deliver an unprecedented response,” he said.

“The Gracemere project includes homes built to meet the needs of older Queenslanders and people with disability.”

Minister for Housing Sam O’Connor was in Gracemere Thursday, July 17 with Rockhampton MP Donna Kirkland to see seven social housing units currently under construction, part of more than 200 social and community housing to be constructed in Central Queensland

The more than 200 houses to be built in the region are earmarked for those on the state’s social housing waitlist, with Mr O’Connor telling the media present there was roughly 1500 on that waitlist in Rockhampton alone, with a total of 52,031 in Queensland.

There are currently more than 4,200 social and community homes in Central Queensland.

The Gracemere project has thrilled Ms Kirkland who said it was proof that the Government was listening to regional Queenslanders.

“It is exciting to know we are going to see real delivery right here on the ground for the needs of our community, for Gracemere for Rockhampton...it’s just a fabulous investment by the State Government,” she said.

Along with the new homes, the government has also put in place programs and incentives for those tenants already in large social housing units who wish to downsize.

The Gracemere homes visited by Mr O’Connor and Ms Kirkland are set to be completed by January 2026.