The Crisafulli Government’s $2 billion Residential Activation Fund (RAF) is accelerating Queensland’s housing pipeline, with three new announcements in Ipswich, Logan and Townsville set to unlock more than 21,000 homes.
Together, the projects represent $118 million in critical infrastructure funding, money earmarked for roads, intersections and upgrades that governments and councils say are essential to getting new residential communities off the ground.
Ipswich: Ripley Valley Expansion
Ipswich, one of the fastest-growing regions in the state, will see $73.6 million invested into two major road projects designed to ease congestion and unlock land in the Ripley Valley.
- Fischer Road upgrade: $15.8 million to transform the two-lane rural road into an urban sub-arterial with drainage, lighting, turning lanes and a shared pedestrian path. This will support 2,300 new homes.
- Ripley Road upgrade: $57.9 million to convert the rural arterial road into a four-lane divided urban road, with cycle tracks, bus stops, footpaths and tree plantings. This single project is forecast to unlock 9,000 new homes.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding described the funding as a “record infrastructure commitment” for Ripley Valley.
“No council in Queensland is forecast to grow faster than Ipswich in the coming decades, and the Ripley Valley is at the forefront of this growth,” Mayor Harding said.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the projects are part of the state’s push to support one million new homes by 2044, adding:
“This critical partnership with Ipswich City Council will unlock much-needed housing sooner.”
Logan: Flagstone and Yarrabilba
In Logan, the government has announced $30 million for two projects expected to deliver 8,250 homes across two Priority Development Areas (PDAs).
- Flagstone PDA: $20 million from the RAF will help fund a $61.3 million development to unlock 3,350 homes.
- Yarrabilba PDA: $10 million will go toward the $20 million Dollarbird Drive intersection upgrade, unlocking 4,900 homes and providing a crucial second exit for residents.
This comes just months after the government committed $136 million towards Logan’s Chambers Flat Wastewater Treatment Plant, unlocking a further 20,000 homes.
Logan Mayor Jon Raven welcomed the announcement, noting the long wait for the Yarrabilba project:
“While these upgrades unlock housing, they’ll also provide a vital second exit for everyone in Yarrabilba. Logan is an amazing place to raise a family and this will allow more people to enjoy the lifestyle and affordable homes we offer.”
Townsville: Cosgrove Estate Growth
In Townsville, $14.7 million will be directed to upgrading the Weston and Woolcock Street intersection, a project designed to unlock 1,600 homes in Cosgrove Estate.
The works include signalisation, pedestrian crossings, stormwater upgrades and road safety improvements.
This follows a $36.8 million RAF package announced earlier in the year for three projects across North Queensland, unlocking 2,700 homes.
Local MPs welcomed the commitment. Mundingburra MP Janelle Poole said:
“By partnering with local governments and landowners, the Crisafulli Government is ensuring housing can be delivered according to community needs.”
Thuringowa MP Natalie Marr added that upgrading essential road infrastructure was “a critical step in getting more Queenslanders into homes.”
The Bigger Picture
The RAF has already received 178 project submissions, with strong interest from both South East Queensland and regional councils. The government doubled the fund’s first-round budget from $500 million to $1 billion in its 2025-26 Budget, citing overwhelming demand for shovel-ready infrastructure projects.
The fund is a central pillar of the Securing Our Housing Foundations Plan, which aims to balance infill and greenfield development, deliver affordable housing, and support the government’s pledge of one million new homes by 2044.
While the political rhetoric often frames the RAF as a response to what the government calls “Labor’s housing crisis,” the announcements in Ipswich, Logan and Townsville highlight the reality: without major upfront investment in trunk infrastructure, housing supply simply stalls.
For builders and developers, these projects provide certainty that critical roads and services will be in place – a prerequisite for unlocking land and bringing new communities to market.
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