We’re taking another important step toward addressing the housing challenges facing Far North Queensland, with the expansion of QBuild’s housing manufacturing facility in Cairns.
The Portsmith-based facility will increase production of modular homes by 40 per cent from July 2026, significantly boosting our ability to deliver new homes across regional and remote communities.
This expansion is focused on practical delivery—using modern construction methods to build homes off-site, reduce delays, and transport completed modules to communities when they are ready. It means construction can continue through wet season conditions and avoids some of the key challenges that have slowed housing delivery in the past, including workforce shortages and freight disruptions.
The facility has already delivered dozens of homes since opening in 2024 and is fast becoming a key hub for housing delivery across the north. This next stage will ensure that momentum continues.
Housing availability remains one of the most pressing issues facing our region.
Far North Queensland continues to experience strong population growth alongside ongoing supply challenges, particularly in regional and remote areas. Delivering housing in these locations comes with unique obstacles—from distance and access to weather impacts and workforce constraints.
This expansion directly responds to those challenges.
By increasing local manufacturing capacity, we can:
- Deliver homes faster and more efficiently
- Reduce reliance on stretched private sector supply chains
- Get essential workers, including teachers, nurses and police, into communities sooner
- Provide more housing options for vulnerable Queenslanders
Importantly, it also strengthens our local workforce by creating more opportunities for apprentices and tradies, ensuring we have the skills pipeline needed to support long-term growth in the region.
For Far North Queensland, this isn’t just about building more houses—it’s about building stability, supporting communities, and ensuring people have a place to call home.
This announcement builds on a range of initiatives already underway to increase housing supply across the Far North.
We are progressing the Youth Foyer project, which will provide safe, supported accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness—helping them stay connected to education and employment pathways.
We are also delivering new housing developments in Woree, increasing the availability of social and affordable homes in a key growth area.
In Cairns North, we are supporting the delivery of 40 new homes, providing more options for those in need of stable and secure housing.
Alongside these projects, major regional planning initiatives like the Mount Peter Priority Development Area are unlocking future housing supply at scale, supported by significant investment in enabling infrastructure.
Together, these efforts form a coordinated approach to tackling the housing shortage—combining immediate delivery with long-term planning.
The expansion of the Cairns QBuild facility is another practical step in delivering more homes across Far North Queensland.
It complements the work already underway and reinforces a clear focus: increasing housing supply, supporting local jobs, and ensuring communities across our region can continue to grow and thrive.
There is more to do, but this is the kind of on-the-ground action that makes a real difference, delivering more homes, faster, and helping to meet the needs of our region now and into the future.
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