🌟 FCPIA Mentoring Program – Coming Soon
Connecting experience with ambition. The FCPIA Mentoring Program is designed to empower the next generation of property professionals by pairing younger members (under 40) with experienced mentors from within our association. This is about more than advice – it’s about connection, growth, and shaping the future of our industry together. 💡 Why join the waitlist? 🔒 Exclusive to FCPIA members and their employees. Join the waitlist below 👇
Housing for Who? Why We Need More Than Just Big Blocks
There’s a simple truth in housing: if we only build one type of house, we only attract one type of buyer. For decades, the Fraser Coast has relied on large-lot, low-density subdivisions. And while that may have suited the past, it’s failing the future. Right now, only 12% of our housing stock is medium density – compared to 26% across Queensland and 24% in regional areas. That means we are one of the least diverse housing markets in the state. Our average age is now 51 years old, far above the Queensland average of 38. We also have one of the fastest growing populations outside the southeast—over 2,500 new residents each year—putting enormous pressure on infrastructure, housing, and affordability. But rather than adapting, we’re doubling down on the old model: large blocks on the fringe, with limited access to shops, hospitals, or lifestyle hubs. Meanwhile, our rates are rising, infrastructure charges are climbing to state maximums, and many locals are being priced out – not because demand is too high, but because our housing mix is too narrow. This doesn’t mean high-rises on every corner. It means smaller, smarter living: duplexes, townhouses, small lots, walk-up apartments—well-designed homes near amenities like hospitals, universities, the beach, or vibrant town centres. We must reimagine what housing can be. Because housing is not just about land—it’s about lifestyle, access, community, and opportunity. If we want to keep our young people, support our ageing population, and maintain affordability, we need to stop cutting up just larger blocks—and start building smarter.
Why Is Development Still a Dirty Word in 2025?
Despite decades of evolution, regulation, and professionalism, the term “development” still makes many Australians uneasy. It lingers as a trigger word—conjuring images of greed, bulldozers, and soulless suburbs. But why? And more importantly, is that perception still valid in 2025? Much of the mistrust traces back to the Gold Coast’s notorious “white shoe brigade” of the 1980s—a colourful era marked by questionable ethics, unchecked sprawl, and political influence. But that was over 40 years ago. Today’s development landscape is nothing like that. In fact, the property and infrastructure development sector in Australia is now dominated by some of the most tightly regulated, transparent, and professionally run organisations in the country.According to the Property Council of Australia: So why, in 2025, is the word “developer” still met with scepticism, while companies like Woolworths or NAB—which also turn massive profits—are simply accepted parts of everyday life? We rarely pause to consider that nearly everything that shapes our lifestyle—the homes we live in, the cafes we brunch in, the schools our kids attend, the medical centres we rely on, the shopping centres we visit—was built by a developer. Even the parks, footpaths, and sporting facilities in new communities are often delivered by developers as part of planning conditions and infrastructure agreements. Development is not just about profit—it’s about placemaking. It’s about envisioning how people live, move, work, and connect with their environment. And yet, when a development company delivers a successful project and stays afloat financially, it’s often criticised for “profiting from the community.” This begs a deeper question:What is it in the Australian psyche that resents the very industry responsible for building our modern lifestyle?Is it tall poppy syndrome? Is it a lack of trust in the planning process? Is it media-fuelled opposition politics? Or is it that people simply don’t see the connection between development and the everyday fabric of their lives? At FCPIA, we believe it’s time to challenge the outdated narrative and ask ourselves:Are we as a society ready to have an honest, mature conversation about the role of development in shaping Australia’s future? Or are we still clinging to myths that no longer reflect reality?