00:02A quiet beach walk is the reason Joanne and Ron Ballard retired to central Queensland in 2021.
00:09But Yipoon is about to undergo big change. Four retirement developments have been approved for
00:15the region with two more being assessed totaling almost 2,000 new homes. To have this concentrated
00:22number of over 50s in this smaller area, I just don't believe that we have the facilities.
00:31It's one of the fastest growing regions in the state. A further population boost has some worried
00:37already stretched resources like the 22 Bend Hospital will be pushed to the brink. Experts say
00:44it's a common problem. We're seeing that as a regular part of population growth across Queensland
00:50but especially in places that have high scenic amenity. The council says each project is heavily
00:57scrutinised. We're advocating for more police, more teachers, a whole range of services here
01:03but ultimately the local government can't fix everything. The land lease sector where people
01:08buy the house and lease the land is now worth around $12 billion. GemLife, a company looking to
01:15build a resort in Yipoon says around 80% of buyers in its regional locations, like this new one in
01:22Rockhampton, are moving from the local area, freeing up housing stock. But some retirees want a pause in
01:29and approvals while infrastructure catches up.
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