New rail stops and metro‑style services could change where buyers choose to live as the city prepares for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Queensland government has confirmed two major transport projects designed to support the Gold Coast’s rapidly growing population and improve connectivity ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Queensland government announced two new transport projects to cater for the Gold Coast's growing population. Picture: Getty
The first is an extension of the Gold Coast Light Rail from Harbour Town in Biggera Waters to the Gold Coast University Hospital. The second is The GC Surfer, a metro‑style service connecting Burleigh Heads with the Gold Coast Airport and Coolangatta.
Both projects are confirmed, although funding has not yet been announced.
Together, the projects are expected to have a significant knock‑on effect on housing demand across the corridor.
Proximity to high‑quality transport is widely regarded as a key driver of housing demand in growing cities.
Analysts and economists have consistently observed that well‑connected locations tend to attract stronger buyer interest, which can place upward pressure on prices over time.
For example, CBRE has estimated that when Sydney's Northwest Metro line and stage 1 of the Southwesst Metro line opened, suburbs with direct access to these transit stops saw price lifts that were on average 10% higher over 10 years than suburbs in the area that were further from the new lines.
On the Gold Coast, where population growth is forecast to accelerate in the lead‑up to the Olympic Games, the timing of these projects is expected to amplify those dynamics.
KPMG analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows south east Queensland continues to outpace the rest of the nation for population growth, with the region projected to reach 4.5 million residents by the 2032 Games.
The analysis also found nearly 68,000 people moved to the Gold Coast in the past five years alone.
What’s being built
The light rail extension is expected to run along Olsen Avenue and Oxley Drive, delivering three new stations at Musgrave Avenue, Labrador and Biggera Waters. Additional light rail vehicles will be acquired and a new depot constructed to support more frequent services across the network.
Several residential projects are already underway or planned in the northern Gold Coast, including Perry Residences by Regatta Properties and Lewis Land’s Harbour Shores at Biggera Waters.
Harbour Shores in Biggera Waters is set to develop its third stage - a seven-storey apartment building. Picture: realestate.com.au
Both developments reflect growing interest in waterfront living close to retail, employment and transport links, including Harbour Town.
Harbour Shores is also developing its third stage – a seven-storey building set to feature 91 apartments.
Further south, The GC Surfer will run metro‑style vehicles every ten minutes between Robina, Varsity Lakes, Burleigh Heads, the Gold Coast Airport and Coolangatta.
According to the state government, the metro‑style vehicles are designed to deliver a modern, efficient and sustainable transport option, with future corridor upgrades supporting faster connections to the airport.
In Robina, projects such as Cascade Robina highlight continued demand for higher‑density living near major health, education and employment precincts, including Robina Hospital, Bond University and Robina Town Centre.
Varsity Lakes is also emerging as a key housing growth area, with projects such as COMO Varsity Lakes, offering easy access to Bond University, parklands, cafes as well as schools and shopping options.
The state is also targeting Varsity Lakes for further residential growth through its Land Activation Program, with registrations of interest recently closing for 1.11 hectares of mixed‑use development land in the suburb.
The southern section of The GC Surfer route has long been one of the Gold Coast’s most contested transport corridors.
Burleigh Heads is already seeing a wave of apartment development, including ONE Burleigh, Josephine by Mosaic, Burly at Burleigh, Ocean Place and MYST.
All of these projects sit along or near The Esplanade, giving residents prime access to not only the beach but also cafes, dining and shopping amenities.
Further south near the Queensland/New South Wales border in Coolangatta, Greenmount Residences by Abedian and Co, is boosting supply with 61 apartments across two towers.
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