More than 450 homes will be built at Banyo after Queensland’s first Land Activation Program site named its developers today, fast-tracking a mix of townhouses, affordable rentals and aged care on a long-vacant government block.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie announced the proponents for the 6.4-hectare former Energy Queensland site in Brisbane’s north, describing it as the first delivery under the David Crisafulli Government’s push to unlock underused state land for housing.
The Banyo project
- Where: former Energy Queensland depot, Banyo (6.4 hectares)
- What: 450+ homes across three developments
- Status: declared a Provisional Priority Development Area (PPDA) to streamline planning and approvals
- Timeline: early works expected to start within months, only four months after the program launched in February 2026
Bleijie said the site had “sat fenced off and vacant” for a decade while Queenslanders struggled to find housing, and that the Land Activation Program was designed to partner with the private sector rather than fund builds directly.
Who’s building what
- AR Development Group: 207 townhouses, led by managing director Andrew Bauber, who called Banyo “ideal” for increasing supply close to jobs and transport in Brisbane’s north
- Rockpool Holdings: 180-bed residential aged care facility, with CEO Melissa Argent saying the company would deliver a “state of the art” home for Banyo and the surrounding communities
- Mission Australia Housing: 64-unit affordable housing development of one and two-bedroom homes aimed at key workers, with general manager Peter Garrone describing it as “hope, opportunity and a shared commitment to ensuring that everyone has a place to call home”
Economic Development Queensland received 157 expressions of interest for the Banyo parcel.
Government’s pitch
Bleijie framed the announcement as part of “A Better Lifestyle Through a Stronger Economy,” arguing the program delivers availability without “spending billions of taxpayer dollars or using failed restrictive mandates.”
He contrasted it with Labor’s record, claiming housing lot approvals fell 29 per cent under the previous government, leading to low rental vacancy, a growing social housing waitlist and the country’s lowest home ownership rate. He also criticised Labor’s Ground Lease Model as costing $2.4 million per dwelling.
“We’re achieving real availability and affordability to help tackle Labor’s Housing Crisis,” Bleijie said. “Availability equals affordability and by ensuring supply is unlocked… we’re delivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders.”
Industry reaction
Property Council of Australia Queensland Executive Director Jess Caire said reaching proponents in four months “reflects the pace and partnership needed to make a meaningful difference to housing supply, affordability and choice.”
“This shows what can be achieved when government and industry work together with a clear focus on delivery,” Caire said.
Wider program
According to the release, since February:
- more than 21 hectares of land has been released to market
- another 3,000 hectares of potential sites have been identified and are under assessment
The government links the Land Activation Program to its broader housing agenda, including a $2 billion Residential Activation Fund (targeting 98,000 homes), $2 billion in joint state-federal funding, stamp duty removal for first-home buyers on new builds, a Boost to Buy shared equity scheme, and a target of 1 million homes by 2044 including 53,500 social and community homes.