October 2026 · Issue #8
Good news on the Redlands Coast this spring
Rates and prices get the headlines, so here’s the other side of the ledger. These are the local projects and wins from the past few months that will shape what it’s like to live here for years to come.
Birkdale clears its environmental review
In the last issue I said the one thing still in play at the Birkdale Community Precinct was a reopened federal environmental review. On 17 September Council announced the outcome: the project keeps its “not controlled action” status. About 39 of the site’s 62 hectares stay as conservation land, around 10,000 native trees are to be planted, and works are scheduled for 2027 to 2029.
The precinct includes the Redland Whitewater Centre, a Brisbane 2032 legacy venue jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments. In August, Council also approved plans for a swimming lagoon of nearly 2,000m² with kids’ waterplay and a two-storey pavilion, with construction from mid-2027.
Kinross Road: $35.5 million, under way
Construction started in July on the Kinross Road upgrade in Thornlands, between Boundary Road and East Ridge Street — three new roundabouts and cycle lanes, due to finish in 2027. It’s fully federally funded and is the biggest federal grant Council has ever secured.
More beds at Redland Hospital
An $8.3 million upgrade to Redland Hospital’s Transit Care Hub opened in August, taking it from 12 to 19 beds for the more than 7,000 patients who pass through it each year.
At a glance
| Kinross Road upgrade, Thornlands | $35.5m · 2027 |
| Redland Hospital Transit Care Hub | 12 → 19 beds |
| Birkdale precinct, land kept for conservation | ~39 of 62 ha |
| Capalaba Town Centre, stage one | Due 2028 |
Capalaba’s new town centre is rising
Stage one of the Capalaba Town Centre redevelopment began construction in June: a new library, customer service centre, community and arts centre, offices and underground parking, due in 2028. In September, Council also voted unanimously to back an extension of Brisbane Metro to Capalaba, and will take its position paper to all three levels of government. That one is advocacy for now — it isn’t funded.
Planning for growth in southern Thornlands
The Southern Thornlands Priority Development Area covers about 900 hectares and is planned for around 8,000 homes and 24,000 residents over time. In its September submission on the development plan, Council asked for certainty that the trunk infrastructure — the major roads, water and sewerage — will be delivered at no cost to Council.
Smaller wins worth a mention
The RPAC forecourt in Cleveland was named Queensland’s Community Based Initiative of the Year at the 2026 Parks & Leisure Australia awards, with community use of the space up 30%. Redland City FC can now play night games for the first time, after new lights went up at John Edward Downie Sportsfield in Redland Bay. And the Redlands Coast Sporting Awards have drawn a record 64 nominations, up 35% on last year, ahead of the awards night on Saturday 17 October.
The Redlands read
Why this matters for property
None of these projects changes what a home sells for this month. Over time, though, roads, hospital capacity, town centres and places to swim and play are part of what makes a suburb easier to live in — and they’re on the list the next buyer weighs up when choosing between here and somewhere else.
Curious what your home is worth in this market?
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Greg Leigh — local Redlands specialist, Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty. Published 30 September 2026.
Sources: Redland City Council via Redlands Coast Today — Birkdale assessment, Birkdale lagoon, Kinross Road, Capalaba, Eastern Metro, Southern Thornlands, RPAC award, Redland City FC; Redland Bayside News — Redland Hospital, Sporting Awards.