Construction has officially begun on GemLife Beachmere Waterfront, a $295 million over-50s land lease development on Gillian Street in Beachmere that will deliver 335 homes across a 62-hectare site beside the Caboolture River, with first residents expected to move in by the end of 2026.
GemLife Managing Director and Group CEO Adrian Puljich marked the start of works at a sod-turning ceremony on 23 April, joined by local community representatives.
The three-year project is expected to create around 400 jobs across housing construction, resort amenities and road upgrades, including new turning lanes and the widening of a section of Beachmere Road. A further $2.5 million will be spent on infrastructure as part of the development.
For a coastal township that has long sat in the quieter corners of Moreton Bay’s growth story, the scale of investment arriving on Gillian Street represents a significant shift.
A site designed around what’s already there
One of the most striking aspects of GemLife Beachmere Waterfront is how much of the 62-hectare site will remain untouched.
More than 80 per cent of the site will remain untouched, headlined by a 52.1-hectare wetland reserve. GemLife will rehabilitate this natural corridor before formally transferring the land to the City of Moreton Bay as a permanent, protected public asset.
At the heart of the site, an existing 1.1-hectare artificial lake with a tidal connection to the Caboolture River will be preserved and enhanced as a central feature of the community. A network of walking and cycling trails will thread through the wetland reserve, giving residents direct access to one of the bayside region’s most significant natural corridors.
GemLife Beachmere Waterfront is located 58 kilometres north of Brisbane in Beachmere, a coastal rural town, close to Beachmere Shopping Centre, local restaurants and Main Beach, with Caboolture just 15 minutes away.
What life inside will look like
The $15.5 million Country Club will anchor the community’s social heart, overlooking both the lake and the Caboolture River. Inside, residents will find an indoor heated pool, cinema, hall, bar and café, salon, golf simulator, lawn bowls, art room and dance floor, alongside a separate Summer House with an outdoor pool.
The homes themselves are designed around the sub-tropical climate, with open-plan indoor-outdoor living, generous outdoor spaces, solar panels connected to battery storage and access to GemLife’s 5G wireless internet network. Two-bedroom plus multipurpose-room homes are priced from $815,000. A weekly site fee covers all maintenance, management and amenities, with no stamp duty, entry or exit fees applicable.
Meeting a real gap in Moreton Bay’s housing supply
The Beachmere development addresses a genuine and growing demand. Early interest shows a distinct regional draw; while around a third of enquiries are coming from locals within a 30-kilometre radius, nearly half are from buyers in the 30 to 100-kilometre bracket looking to secure a spot on the coast.
The land lease model GemLife uses is distinct from a traditional retirement village. Residents own their homes outright and lease the land beneath them, retaining 100 per cent of any capital gains if they choose to sell, with no exit fees attached. That structure, combined with a one-level home format right-sized for active over-50s, has driven strong demand across GemLife’s existing Moreton Bay communities.
GemLife Beachmere Waterfront is GemLife’s fourth land lease community in Moreton Bay, joining GemLife Moreton Bay in Burpengary East, GemLife Bribie Island and GemLife Elimbah, bringing the total number of homes it is delivering across the region to more than 1,685.
The City of Moreton Bay is expected to welcome 210,000 additional residents over the next two decades, and GemLife has consistently positioned its regional investment around that long-term trajectory.
When to expect the first homes
GemLife Beachmere Waterfront will be released to market in June, in line with the opening of its onsite sales office. The first homes are expected to take shape from mid-2026, with first residents anticipated to move in before the end of 2026.
For more information or to register interest, visit click here or contact GemLife directly on 1800 GEMLIFE.
Published 27-April-2026
Featured Image Credit: GemLife
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