Queensland: Luxury Living for Retirees

Queensland is incredibly popular with those looking to retire from New South Wales and Victoria but also Britain and New Zealand. Developers are fighting for Queensland’s retirement dollar, buying large tracts of land and building everything from lagoon pools to in-house theatres according to Lou Robson writing for the Australian SundayMail.

Aged Care Queensland chief executive officer Allan Pidgeon said Queensland was home to 45,000 retirement villages and a growing number of luxury facilities. He said developers were upping the stakes to compete in the $30 billion-a-year Australian retirement industry.

Mr Pidgeon said: “Providing aged care was once seen as the responsibility of churches and charities with a welfare-type approach. But these days the market has become lifestyle choice and the offerings are lavish.”

Many retirees now expect luxury. Typically, Gold and Sunshine Coast units, with access to golf courses, outdoor heated swimming pools, and on-site hairdressing salons, masseurs and doctors, are advertised for between $300,000 and $525,000 (£128,000 to £234,000). Single-bedroom serviced units start at $60,000 (£26,000).

“Resort-style pools, fine dining, party and function rooms as well as trips to the opera and theatre are some of the facilities and outings that are offered.

Big retirement developments are now under way in Bundaberg, in Brisbane’s Sunnybank and on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

Bribie Island, Redcliffe and the Gold Coast suburbs of Bilinga, Runaway Bay, Paradise Point and Hollywell are all popular locations with retirees.

The proportion of elderly continues to rise. In 1999, 28 percent of Australians were 65 or over, and in 2019 that figure is expected to rise to 37 percent.