Caloundra South development: Stockland reveals thousands of homes in the works

Stockland is building a new city at the southern end of the Sunshine Coast with a major franchise, trades centres and thousands of homes to come. Take a look at what’s next.

Fast food restaurants, trades centres and thousands of new homes are in the works as development steams ahead at Stockland’s $5bn Caloundra South.

Amid a housing crisis the developer has fast-tracked the delivery of thousands of homes with 2200 homes in the next expansion plans.

The growing area will also soon be home to a trades centre, its first McDonald’s, and new schools.

Stockland Aura project director Josh Sondergeld said Aura was currently home to 11,500 residents in 3800 homes.

A further 800 homes were either under construction or due to start shortly.

“Stockland continues to accelerate planning for Aura with development applications for the first 1100 lots in the fourth suburb Gagalba and an additional 1100 lots at Banya,” Mr Sondergeld said.

Thousands of homes are on the way as development continues at Stockland’s Caloundra South.

“We have brought forward our plans in response to strong demand for new housing on the Sunshine Coast which is experiencing a land supply shortage.”

Development applications for precincts 15 and 18 were lodged with Economic Development Queensland in early-2022 for the homes at Gagalba and Banya.

Two milestone projects broke ground this year at the Aura Business Park with McDonald’s to open in September and Sunshine Mitre 10 to soon become the first tenant in Aura’s new trade and construction precinct.

Meanwhile Stockland has lodged an application for state government approval for a 45-apartment complex at Baringa, which would be built over two and three-storey buildings and feature a pool and communal vegetable garden.

McDonald’s is opening its first Caloundra South restaurant later this year.

The McDonald’s at Aura Blvd has created 100 construction jobs and once operational will employ 120 people while Sunshine Mitre 10 at Aura will have 400 staff.

Construction is continuing on the second stage of the Kennards Storage and Stockland has announced plans for a service station to open within three years.

Stockland senior economic development manager Matthew Byrne said the high calibre of brands investing in Aura Business park showed the highly sought after development was hitting the mark.

“Aura is a next generation urban community, carefully designed to seamlessly connect business hubs with the thriving community surrounding them,” he said.

Stockland's proposed 45-unit development at Baringa would include a pool area and a communal vegetable garden.

“We‘re positioned in the heart of the largest investment zone in the region, close to key infrastructure.

“From prospering home-based businesses to the booming Aura Business Park and Baringa Town Centre, it is the place to be for businesses on the Sunshine Coast.”

“Having two established brands such as McDonald’s and Mitre 10 open their doors will provide great employment opportunities.

“I love the idea of teens living in Aura, going to school in Aura and getting their first job in the Aura Business Park.”

The business park was expected to create 20,000 new jobs on the Sunshine Coast and eventually be home to 200 businesses ranging from light industry and manufacturing to bulky goods and indoor sports and recreation.

Development is continuing at Nirimba, Caloundra South. Picture: Patrick Woods

Once completed Aura is planned to include two business parks, 10 sporting grounds, 25 community facilities, 20 educational facilities and 700 hectares of conservation areas and parkland.

The extension of Bells Creek Arterial Rd to connect to the Bruce Hwy is also on track to be open in mid-2023.

“The next 18 months will be an exciting time for the Aura community with several key projects starting construction including Nirimba village centre, stage 1 of the People’s Place major parkland and over 18ha of sports and recreational park,” Mr Sondergeld said.

“We will also celebrate the opening of the new display village and vision centre and the first stages of the major central parkland, the Aura Brook.”

He said Aura was already home to three schools - Baringa State Primary, Baringa State Secondary College and Nirimba Primary School, as well as an early childhood centre in Baringa.

“With a number of schools in the pipeline, including a P-12 Catholic school and an early childcare centre to be delivered in the coming years, Aura is well on its way to becoming a centre for educational excellence,” Mr Sondergeld said.

Once completed Stockland’s Aura masterplanned community at Caloundra West is expected to be home to 50,000 people.

As a priority development area, guidelines and approvals at the $5bn development are handled by the state government.

It has a mix of densities with some areas of medium to high density having between 15 to 20 dwellings per hectare.

Originally published as Caloundra South development: Stockland reveals thousands of homes in the works