This coastal suburb is just one of the regional areas that’s set to get major funding in Queensland.
The Queensland government has announced it has committed $25 million towards critical infrastructure to unlock 1500 new homes in the Hidden Valley Residential Precinct near Yeppoon.
The infrastructure will enable 1500 new homes in a residential precinct near Yeppoon. Picture: Getty
The funding includes construction of the East West Connection Road – Stage 1, which will link the precinct to the Yeppoon–Rockhampton Road, along with a series of road upgrades to support the Living Gems Rockhampton Retirement Village in Parkhurst.
The works are being delivered through the second round of the state’s Residential Activation Fund (RAF), part of the government’s Securing Our Housing Foundations Plan, which aims to support the delivery of one million new homes by 2044.
Initially announced in the 2025–26 state budget, the RAF was designed to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure so housing projects can proceed without delay.
The first round of the program invested $1 billion and is unlocking more than 98,000 new homes across 98 projects statewide.
In the state’s latest budget, the second round — originally slated to spend $500 million — has doubled in size, with $1 billion now allocated.
As with the first round, at least 50% of the funding will be directed to projects in rural and regional Queensland.
Queensland premier David Crisafulli said the RAF was critical to increasing housing supply across the state.
“For too long, the dream of being able to walk through your own front door has been ripped further and further away – we're making that dream a reality,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“By fast-tracking the funding, we can get the critical infrastructure in place sooner, ensuring more Queensland families can have a place to call home no matter where they live.”
Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) Queensland CEO Kirsty Chessher-Brown said infrastructure remained one of the biggest barriers to delivering more homes.
“Infrastructure servicing has been one of the biggest challenges facing the property industry, holding back hundreds of thousands of homes across the state,” she said.
“RAF delivers a real solution, offering a meaningful quantum of funds and a streamlined application and assessment process to boost supply. It's no surprise that the Fund is already facilitating real outcomes for Queenslanders, nor that it has been met with an overwhelming response from the industry.”
According to the state government, round two received 209 submissions, including 73 from south-east Queensland and 136 from regional, rural and remote areas.
Applications for round two of the RAF closed on 24 April 2026, with successful projects expected to be announced from mid-2026.
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