Who's building affordable housing for seniors?

Thousands of new luxury apartments are planned for Brisbane, but the latest development raises an important question: where are the modest, accessible homes that would allow ordinary older Australians to downsize? 

The skyline of Australia’s third biggest city is set to grow again, with almost 2,200 apartments planned across 13 towers on 6.1 hectares of government-owned riverfront land at Northshore Hamilton. 

Five developers have been selected for the project, which will also include a hotel, supermarket, shops, and community facilities. Construction is expected to begin in 2028, with the first residents moving in from 2031. 

The development will be on a site previously set aside for the athletes’ village for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics. Under plans announced by the previous Labor government, the site was to “deliver a diverse residential offering, including aged care, retirement living social and affordable housing”. 

However, none of the apartments in the new Northshore development announced by the current Liberal National Party government will be specifically designated as affordable housing. 

At least some of the riverfront buildings are being promoted as high-end or luxury developments, placing them far beyond the reach of pensioners and retirees with modest savings. 

The Queensland Government has suggested the project could help people in outer suburbs downsize into apartments, freeing larger houses for families. 

In theory, new apartment construction can improve the use of existing housing. But it only works if older homeowners can afford the apartments being built, and if those homes are accessible, practical, and suitable for ageing.  

For an older person living in an ordinary suburban home, selling up does not automatically provide enough money to buy a new inner-city apartment. 

Purchase costs, moving expenses, body corporate fees, and the possible effect of surplus sale proceeds on Age Pension entitlements can all make downsizing difficult. 

National Seniors Australia (NSA) research indicates that about one-third of older people are considering downsizing, but many encounter barriers, including the shortage of appropriate homes. 

The original vision recognised that a successful Olympic legacy should be measured not simply in new buildings or property values, but in the lasting social benefit delivered to the community. 

Northshore was an opportunity to create an inclusive neighbourhood in which older Queenslanders, essential workers, and lower-income households could live alongside private homeowners and renters.  

The athletes’ village may have moved to the Brisbane Showgrounds at Bowen Hills, but the housing legacy question has not gone away.