No start date set for Oak Tree Villages 10 year old Mackay development

Developers of one unrealised retirement village want an extension to a decade-old approval while other aged care facilities lodge ambitious plans for expansion.

Oak Tree Villages first submitted their plan for an aged care community in 2014, but more than ten years later and they're asking for their second extension. Photo: Contributed.

A 10 year old development, promising almost one hundred units to alleviate Mackay’s housing and aged care shortages is once again asking for an extension to its approvals.

In 2014 Oak Tree Retirement Villages, a retirement community developer owned by Aware Super, lodged plans to build a 98-unit community at 72 Rosewood Dr, Rural View.

The development promised to bring 100 new homes to the Northern Beaches, but since approval in 2015 has gone nowhere. Photo: Contributed.

The development would have created a new suburb of almost 100 homes complete with a community centre, pool and bowls green.

A variety of duplexes would have been available for potential residents, with most offering two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room, kitchen and living area.

The village had a variety of housing options from duplexes to three-bedroom houses. Photo: Contributed.

Larger options were available, as well as fully detached houses and the development received approval from council in 2015.

10 years on however and Oak Tree Retirement have asked council if they could extend their approved application for a second time.

After 10 years of development there is still no start date set for construction. Photo: Contributed.

Cameron Goffage the acting head of villages for Oak Tree said there was “no set program we’ve got in place around start dates”.

“Our development application was coming to an end, so we’ve extended the time frame,” Mr Goffage said.

“We’re monitoring market conditions.”

In 2024 there was at least four applications made to council to build or expand aged care in Mackay.

In March the Ipswich based business Karkel Contracting lodged its plan to build a 100-home retirement village at Armstrong Beach.

Development plans for a retirement village at Armstrong Beach. Pictures: Documents submitted to Mackay Regional Council

The proposed luxury, beachside suburb will cater to residents over the age of 55 and feature amenities such as a community pool and sports courts.

In July 2024 OzCare West Mackay also announced their intentions to add 86 units to their existing St Elizabeth facility after it found between 2020 and 2023 housing prices in Mackay increased by over 20 per and weekly rents by over 30 per cent.

Ozcare are launching a huge expansion of their St Elizabeth Villa facility in West Mackay by adding 86 new units and public facilities.

To meet demand for housing and address the needs of Mackay’s ageing population they aimed to deliver 21 duplexes, 18 townhouses and 32 units in the first stage of construction alone.

A 111-unit retirement village was also approved for Andergrove in August 2024 and Sarina OzCare as well as Ninyama Retirement Mirani also lodged plans to expand in late 2024.

According to Real Estate.com housing is still in high demand in Mackay with the median house price increasing by more than 17 per cent in the last 12 months and the median unit price up by almost 18 per cent to $330,000 as of March, 2025.

Originally published as No start date set for Oak Tree Villages 10 year old Mackay development