Living Gems reveals plans for 292-home land lease community for the over 50s

A new 292-home community for the over 50s has been announced for Townsville, helping address the housing shortage by encouraging residents to downsize. Find out where it will go.

Living Gems chief executive Adrian Puljich is looking forward to delivering their over-50s lifestyle resort community at Bohle Plains. Picture: Supplied.

A newly announced lifestyle community providing hundreds of homes for the over-50s demographic is expected to play a key role in addressing Townsville’s housing shortage by supporting ageing residents in downsizing their homes.

Hot on the heels of developer Lincoln Place revealing plans to build a 350-home estate at Mount Low, which will use a land lease model, Living Gems has lodged its development application with Townsville City Council for a $210 million over-50s land lease resort at 99 Hogarth Drive, Bohle Plains.

Founded in 1982, family-owned Living Gems is one of Queensland longest-established over-50s developers, who have worked over the past two years to acquire a 13.6-hectare site within Maidment Group’s Harris Crossing masterplanned community.

Pending council approval, the first of six stages of construction was expected to begin in May 2025 to deliver 292 three-bedroom houses with double garages and generous floor plans in four designs.

Example of a home facade in the Living Gems over-50s lifestyle resort community. Picture: Supplied.

The dwellings will be supported by a suite of lifestyle amenities designed for downsizers to stay active, healthy and connected in a community environment.

These included a resort-style Summer House and Club House with two pools, a bowling alley, gym, undercover lawn bowls, golf simulator, yoga space, workshop, alfresco dining, barbecues, dog run, tennis court, pickleball court, and RV parking.

Living Gems over-50s lifestyle resort community is planned between Hogarth Drive and the Townsville Ring Road at Bohle Plains. Picture: Supplied.

Living Gems chief executive Adrian Puljich hoped to welcome the community’s first residents by Christmas 2025.

“We’re confident the proposed community would be met by high demand. This is an Australia wide (housing) crisis and this product plays a critical role in freeing up suburban homes for working families,” Mr Puljich said.

Living Gems Director and CEO Adrian Puljich. Picture: Supplied.

Layout of future Living Gems over-50s lifestyle resort community. Picture: Zone Landscape Architecture.

“There is such a large cohort of baby boomers that are still occupying four or five bedroom homes that really need to downsize, but are struggling for choice, because there’s limited product and supply out there.

“So we’re looking to meet that demand over the coming years, and our view is, the more product, the better, because that baby boomer market is not slowing down anytime soon.”

Land lease communities enable residents to purchase a modern home while leasing the land on which it sits, paying a weekly fee to the community operator – providing a flexible alternative for downsizers.

“Land lease communities have no entry and exit fees, stamp duty, deferred management or capital gains fees, which are associated with retirement villages,” he said.

Layout the early stages of Living Gems over-50s lifestyle resort community. Picture: Zone Landscape Architecture.

Home interior example at Living Gems over-50s lifestyle resort community. Picture: Supplied.

“Purchasers own their home and rent the land, with a weekly site fee covering security, amenities, gardens, communal areas and management. Federal government assistance is also available to eligible purchasers to help cover this fee.

“It makes it a relatively affordable option — as well as a great lifestyle choice — for those looking to downsize.”

Home interior example at Living Gems over-50s lifestyle resort community. Picture: Supplied.

Artist impression of the bowling alley at Living Gems over-50s lifestyle resort community. Picture: Supplied.

With Living Gems also expanding into northern New South Wales and central Queensland, Mr Puljich revealed they had another local 300-home development in the pipeline “around the corner” at Willowbend – Maidment Group’s latest masterplanned community.

The public notification period for the proposed development is now underway and will run until early January.

For more information, visit: www.livinggems.com.au.

Originally published as Living Gems reveals plans for 292-home land lease community for the over 50s