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Hendra’s Nudgee Road Could Soon Be Home to Brisbane’s Biggest Indoor Action Park

An immersive indoor action park featuring more than a dozen giant themed slides, laser tag, junior go karting and parkour equipment is proposed for Hendra, with planners describing it as a first of its kind in Brisbane and Queensland.

Read: Whimsical Hendra Home Comes with One of Australia’s Largest Private Dr Seuss Collections

The development application, lodged with Brisbane City, outlines plans to transform an existing industrial building at Unit 21A, 441 Nudgee Road into “Slide Planet Brisbane,” an interactive entertainment venue catering primarily to school-aged children and their families. For families in nearby suburbs like Ascot and Hendra, the venue would represent a new local entertainment option, pending council approval.

The proposal comes from entertainment company Fever Up, the team behind several well-known Brisbane experiences including Dopamine Land in the CBD, Prison Island in Fortitude Valley, and the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest pop-up experience. The company already operates across parts of Australia and is looking to expand its Brisbane footprint.

What’s Inside Slide Planet?

Floor plan (Photo credit: Brisbane PD Online – A007037587)

According to the development application, the venue would offer five main activity categories: giant slides, circus and zipline experiences, sports and parkour on multi-use air courts, laser tag, and a dedicated junior activities zone for younger children.

The giant slides are the centrepiece of the proposal and are themed across a range of concepts, with names including a “black hole spiral slide,” “surf slide” and “avalanche slide” listed in the plans. Air courts, which use an inflatable material to allow guests to jump higher than they ordinarily could, can also be used for basketball, dodgeball and parkour.

Indoor Action Park — Photo credit: Brisbane PD Online – A007037587

The junior zone includes smaller slides, a jungle gym, a climbing area and go karting, with age restrictions applying to different activities within the zone. The venue would also include a zipline, jump tower, birthday party rooms, a toddler area, a bar, cafe and lobby spaces, all within a building footprint of around 3,000 square metres.

Guests would purchase tickets for a set time slot, typically 90 to 120 minutes, choosing either an all-ages or junior-only access pass. The venue could accommodate up to around 400 children at capacity. Parents and guardians who prefer to watch rather than participate would be able to stay on site without needing a participation ticket, similar to how existing trampoline and indoor adventure parks in Brisbane currently operate.

Why Hendra?

Planners note that multiple Brisbane locations were considered before settling on the Nudgee Road site. Its proximity to arterial roads, the separation from residential noise receivers, and the size of the existing building made it a strong fit. The site sits within walking distance of Brisbane Airport DFO, Skygate, and Golf Central.

The venue would sit alongside some notable neighbours in the industrial estate, including the Hungry Jack’s state headquarters. A Bounce facility (formerly Urban Xtreme), which offers large indoor trampolines, adventure courses and climbing walls, is located just metres from the planned site. The development application acknowledges the similarity but describes the venue as a “unique offering which will be a first within Australia.”

Additional parking spaces are planned to manage the expected increase in traffic. Operating hours would vary between school terms and holidays, with the venue running as late as 10pm during school holiday periods. Weekends are flagged as the anticipated peak trading times.

Read: Racecourse-Front Homes Drive Buyer Demand in Hendra

The concept already operates across multiple locations in the United States, but this would be the first in Brisbane and Queensland. A spokesperson for Fever Up confirmed the company is still working through final contractual arrangements, with more details expected to be made public within the coming weeks.

Published 12-June-2026

Four Friends Bring a Massive Japanese Sake Library to Albion

Photo Credit: Kizuna/ Instagram

Armed with a massive library of sake sourced from across Japan, four local hospitality veterans have transformed a former Albion wine bar into Kizuna, an educational izakaya designed to completely change how Brisbane locals view traditional pub food and drink.

The Bond Behind the Bar

The Japanese word ‘kizuna’ translates to a bond or connection forged through shared experiences. This concept sits at the very heart of Sandgate Road’s newest dining spot. Taking over the space previously held by Adela Wine Bar, four friends with deep roots in the hospitality industry decided to pool their talents to create a welcoming environment for the neighbourhood.

Sommelier Jenny, chef Jason, marketing manager Mathew, and venue supervisor Wing spent a long time planning this collaborative project, waiting for the perfect moment to launch their shared dream.

Demystifying Sake for the Community

The venue goes far beyond standard drink service by operating with a clear educational purpose. Jenny, whose impressive resume spans venues across Hong Kong, Europe, and Brisbane, studied under award-winning Japanese bartender Masahiko Endo. She uses this expertise to help grow the developing sake market in the area. The team wants to take the mystery out of the beverage, offering a huge selection that covers most provinces in Japan.

Mathew noted that this extensive range ensures there is a drink to suit every palate, whether a guest is a complete beginner or a seasoned expert. Beyond sake, the bar pours Orion beer and more than 120 whiskies, alongside creative drinks like the Nashi’O Fashioned.

Elevating Pub Classics

To complement the extensive drink options, the kitchen focuses on delivering a highly polished version of classic izakaya bites. Chef Jason uses refined techniques to elevate standard Japanese pub food, creating dishes specifically designed to balance and enhance the sake. Jenny explained that a proper sake experience requires high-quality, flavourful food.

Locals can expect beautifully presented dishes such as wagyu beef tataki paired with crispy enoki mushrooms, tempura-battered camembert, and salmon usuzukuri finished with a shiso ponzu dressing.

When to Visit

For those looking to explore this new addition to the neighbourhood, the venue operates six days a week. The team welcomes guests from Tuesday to Thursday between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, the hours extend from 4 p.m. until 11:30 p.m., while Sundays offer an earlier daytime service running from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The space remains closed on Mondays to give the hard-working crew a rest.

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Published Date 12-June-2026

4 Pines at Landers Pocket Named Queensland’s Best Pub in 2026 QLD Day All the Best Awards

A pub at Brisbane Airport has been named the winner of a Queensland-wide people’s choice award. 4 Pines at Landers Pocket, located within the Brisbane Airport precinct, was named Queensland’s Best Pub in the 2026 QLD Day All the Best awards.

Read: Landers Pocket to Open Near Brisbane Airport, Bringing Food, Sport, and Entertainment Together

It finished ahead of The Linville Hotel in Linville and Slipstream Brewing Co in Yeerongpilly, which placed second and third respectively.

Photo credit: Facebook/4 Pines at Landers Pocket

The venue describes itself as bringing “the laid-back 4 Pines vibe to Brisbane” with a rotating lineup of house-brewed craft beers and modern Australian food. It offers a beer garden, alfresco areas, a restaurant, and private dining halls for functions and special occasions.

Following the announcement, the venue posted on social media: “Millions of drinks poured, balls hit and laughs shared with the most incredible community behind us. We are so grateful.”

About the Awards

The All the Best awards are held each year in the lead-up to QLD Day. The 2026 campaign, sponsored by Youi, invited Queenslanders to vote across 15 categories covering local businesses and places, including best bakery, butcher, cafe, beach, and tourism attraction.

This year’s vote drew 74,630 unique votes, described by organisers as a record. Premier David Crisafulli said in the statement: “Queenslanders backing Queenslanders and getting behind the local spots and businesses that they love.”

“A record-breaking number of votes shows we are building something special for this State, just how proud Queenslanders are of where we live, and how good our local businesses really are.

“Congratulations to every winner and to the thousands of Queenslanders who got behind them to take the crown in their category.”

Read: Tee Off, Sip Craft Brews: Landers Pocket to Offer Unique Brisbane Experience

Youi’s Head of Marketing and Communications Dave Annesley said the campaign had “truly celebrated some of the outstanding small businesses right across Queensland.”

The full list of 2026 winners and finalists is available at qld.gov.au/qldday.

Published 5-June-2026

Ascot School Alumna Xenia Puskarz Thomas Takes Her Voice To The World

Photo Credit: Xenia Puskarz Thomas

From school years in Ascot to performances across major opera and concert stages, Brisbane-born mezzo-soprano Xenia Puskarz Thomas is building an international career shaped by training, travel and a growing list of demanding roles.

Major Award Marks Latest Step In Opera Career

Xenia Puskarz Thomas has been named the 2026 Dame Heather Begg Memorial Award recipient, receiving AUD $25,000 to support the next stage of her artistic development.

The award comes as the Brisbane-born mezzo-soprano continues a career that now stretches across opera houses, festivals and concert platforms in Australia, Europe and North America.

Rather than standing as a single career highlight, the recognition sits within a wider story of current international work, New York-based freelance practice and years of training that began in Brisbane.

A Career Now Playing Across International Stages

Xenia is now based in New York and working as a freelance artist, with recent and upcoming engagements placing her in several major opera and concert settings.

Her recent work includes The Woman in Picture a Day Like This at Teatro di San Carlo, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Calgary Opera, and mezzo-soprano soloist appearances in Michael Haydn’s Requiem in C minor with the Munich Philharmonic and Bach’s Mass in B minor with the Berlin Philharmonic.

She has also performed in Rossi’s Orfeo at the Adelaide Festival with Ensemble Pygmalion under Raphaël Pichon.

Her 2025/2026 season continues that international run, with appearances connected with Teatro San Carlo, Glyndebourne Festival, Adelaide Festival, Münchner Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker and Gewandhaus Orchester.

Upcoming performances include roles in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo at the Glyndebourne Festival, Mozart’s Lucio Silla at the Salzburg Festival, Mozart’s Zaïde for Opéra Comique, and Die Walküre at the 2027 Salzburg Easter Festival.

Ascot School Ties Behind A Wider Opera Path

Before the international schedule, Xenia’s story included school years at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot.

Her formal training continued at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University before she later studied at The Juilliard School. She was also a Melba Artist in 2019.

That training path was followed by time as a Young Artist at the Bayerische Staatsoper Opera Studio in Munich during the 2023–2024 seasons, adding another major step in her development as a performer.

The result is a career that now links Brisbane and Ascot school ties with professional work across several major opera centres.

A Legacy Linked To New Opera Careers

The Dame Heather Begg Memorial Award was established in 2013 and supports emerging opera singers from Australia or New Zealand as they continue their professional growth.

It honours Dame Heather Begg DNZM OBE, a New Zealand opera singer whose career extended across Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and North America.

Dame Heather made her professional debut in 1954, later performed with J. C. Williamson’s Italian Opera Company, studied in London, appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and became a principal mezzo-soprano with Sadler’s Wells Opera.

Her later career included performances with the Royal Opera, La Scala, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Australian Opera and other companies and festivals.

The award has previously supported twelve artists, including Samuel Dundas, Janet Szepei Todd, Amina Edris, Jeremy Kleeman, Emily Edmonds, Lauren Fagan, Nicholas Jones, Fleuranne Brockway, Filipe Manu, Nathan Bryon, Anna-Louise Cole and Madison Nonoa.

Administered by Melba Opera Trust on behalf of the trustees of Dame Heather Begg’s estate, the award continues to support opera artists during important stages of their professional development.

For Xenia Puskarz Thomas, the recognition places her Ascot school ties and Brisbane training within a broader career now moving through international opera and concert programs.

Published 3-June-2026

Brisbane Airport Travellers Are Falling in Love With These Therapy Dogs

Photo Credit: Brisbane Airport/Facebook

At Brisbane Airport, stressed travellers are swapping pre-flight nerves for puppy cuddles as therapy dogs return to the terminals for the school holidays.

The therapy dogs will return to Brisbane Airport during the June and July 2026 school holidays, bringing another round of wagging tails and puppy cuddles to both the Domestic and International terminals.

Sessions at the Domestic Terminal will run from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on selected Tuesdays and Thursdays, while International Terminal visits are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on selected Fridays.

Where Airport Stress Meets Puppy Cuddles

Holiday travel can turn even the calmest traveller into a bundle of nerves. There are crowded check-in queues, delayed flights, teary goodbyes, and children running low on patience before the plane even leaves the ground. It’s exactly the kind of environment Therapy & Support Animals Australia had in mind when the organisation partnered with Brisbane Airport to launch the country’s first airport therapy dog program.

Since then, the dogs have become a familiar sight during busy travel periods. Labradoodles, cavoodles, groodles and labradors now spend their school holiday shifts moving through the terminals with handlers, greeting travellers looking for a lighter moment before boarding.

Photos and videos shared across Brisbane Airport’s Facebook and Instagram pages show passengers lining up for photos, puppies sprawled across terminal floors and airport workers stopping by for a quick visit during shifts.

The Dogs Travellers Remember After the Flight

The therapy dogs may only work two-hour sessions, but for many travellers, the interaction stays with them long after take-off. Over the past three years, the dogs have comforted nervous children afraid of flying, grieving families travelling for funerals, and FIFO workers missing their own pets after weeks away from home.

Brisbane Airport Corporation communications executive Sarah Whyte previously said the airport expected the dogs to be popular, but the response quickly grew beyond what staff had imagined. Airline crews, retail workers and airport staff now regularly stop by the therapy dog areas alongside passengers.

The program also includes puppies in training, some just over 10 weeks old, giving young dogs early socialisation in a busy public setting filled with rolling luggage, loud announcements and constant movement.

A Holiday Tradition Taking Over the Terminal

The airport’s first therapy dog sessions were introduced as a short trial in the Domestic Terminal back in July 2023. Within months, the program expanded into the International Terminal after receiving strong feedback from travellers and staff.

Now, many passengers actively look forward to the dogs returning during school holiday periods. According to Brisbane Airport’s own travel advice page, the dogs are there specifically for public interaction under handler supervision. Unlike assistance dogs travelling with passengers, these therapy dogs are brought into the airport to mingle with the public and help ease stress during busy travel periods.

And in an airport handling tens of millions of passengers each year, those few minutes of connection seem to be leaving a lasting impression.

Published 28-May-2026

Grassroots Albion Support Group Beyond DV Wins Major State Volunteering Accolade

Photo Credit: Beyond DV Australia/ Facebook

An Albion-based domestic violence charity has claimed the state’s highest volunteering honour after leading a massive wave of forty-nine thousand local heroes who are keeping communities safe and supported.

A Massive Celebration of Service

The Queensland Volunteering Awards took place on 15 May 2026 to celebrate the massive scale of community service across the region. This year holds special meaning as the United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers.

The event highlighted the work of forty-nine thousand seven hundred and twenty-two individuals who were nominated across the state. In total, community groups submitted two hundred and seventy-five nominations, which the judging panels narrowed down to twenty-one finalists and eight ultimate recipients across six separate categories.

Top Honours for Grassroots Leaders

Carolyn Robinson from Beyond DV took home the main Volunteer of the Year Award for her efforts. Other major individual winners included Jaylyn Rongo, who received the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award for work with DonateLife Queensland.

Phillip Smith won the New to Volunteering Award for driving the Ride in Shorts for Leah campaign, while Roger Whyte received the Lifetime Contribution to Volunteering Award for his long-term commitment to the Queensland Rugby League. In the leadership category, Nicole Ashley from Play Matters Australia won the Excellence in Volunteer Management Award.

The Catalyst and Foundation

Beyond DV was born out of a lived family experience. In 2017, Brisbane resident and long-time educator Carolyn Robinson received a 5:00 AM telephone call from the police informing her that her younger daughter had been physically assaulted by her partner.

Over the next six months, Robinson accompanied her daughter through the unsettling and often isolating court process. Standing in the courtroom, she observed hundreds of women from all walks of life navigating the exact same trauma. Recognising a profound gap in the long-term recovery phase for survivors—where initial crisis intervention ends but the rebuilding of a life begins—she decided to act.

Drawing on her 36-year background as an educator, Robinson sought to bypass rigid, “one-size-fits-all” institutional frameworks. She formally registered Beyond DV as a charity in late 2017 and officially launched its first programs in January 2018 with just three volunteers.

Groups Making a Difference

Organisations also received major recognition for their structured programs that help vulnerable residents. Foodbank Queensland won the Community Volunteering Impact Award for its massive food distribution and relief network. In the government sector, Sunshine Coast Health took out the top spot for its widespread volunteer initiative. Origin Energy also secured an award for its corporate volunteering program.

Supporting Communities Through Tough Times

Organisers explained that volunteers are currently providing essential support as families deal with rising living costs and a higher demand for local services. Volunteering Queensland chief executive officer Jane Hedger stated that these awards offer an important moment to value the people who keep communities stable during difficult periods. Minister for Volunteers Ann Leahy stated that the administration is focused on backing these everyday helpers and ensuring their massive contributions receive the respect and practical support they deserve.

Published Date 18-May-2026

Anna Spiro’s Beloved Ascot Queenslander Has Found New Owners

Ray White

The Ascot home of celebrated interior designer Anna Spiro has sold immediately following its auction, passing to new owners who have taken on one of Brisbane’s most personally curated properties. Located at 10 Kidston Street, the circa-1920 character home spent two years bearing Spiro’s signature layering of colour, pattern and original period detail.

Spiro and her husband Luke Warwick, managing director of Melbourne-based Elliott Clarke Textiles, purchased the home in 2023 for $2.5 million. It changed hands on 16 May 2026 via Ray White Collective agents Matt Lancashire and Will Blewitt, with the final sale price withheld. The couple have already purchased another property in the immediate Ascot area, which Spiro is looking forward to transforming next.

“This house was always a temporary house for us,” Spiro said of the decision to move on. “We weren’t sure if we were moving to Melbourne or staying here at the time, and we’ve decided we need something bigger. Now it’s time for the next custodians to come and enjoy it.”

A home that wears its history well

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home sits on a 607-square-metre corner allotment with a wide 20-metre frontage along Kidston Street. Privately set behind lush greenery, the property is positioned 250 metres from St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, 5.5 kilometres from the CBD and 13 minutes from Brisbane Airport.

The circa-1920 bones remain beautifully intact, featuring classic hoop pine floors, a covered front verandah, sash windows and original pressed-metal ceilings.

The living and dining rooms feature a traditional fireplace, while the stone-top kitchen features premium Qasair, Miele and Smeg appliances. Outside, the property includes a swimming pool, courtyard and secure yard, complemented by extensive under-house storage and workshop space downstairs.

Spiro added her own distinctive style without disrupting the home’s historic integrity. She repainted the property inside and out, installed new cabinetry, air conditioning and fresh carpets, and hung her own custom window coverings.

The result balances more than a century of Queenslander character with the maximalist, pattern-driven aesthetic that has made her one of Australia’s most recognised interior voices.

The designer behind the home

Spiro began her design career at 17 as a junior assistant before establishing Anna Spiro Design a decade ago. Her portfolio spans residential projects across Australia, the UK and the US, alongside major hospitality commissions including northern New South Wales boutique hotel Halcyon House and Brisbane riverfront venues Mr Percival’s and Arc Dining.

Her reach also extends to a collaboration with global homewares retailer Anthropologie and two published books, A Life in Pattern and Absolutely Beautiful Things.

Her connection to the classic Australian architectural form is genuine and long-running. “This is a quintessential Queensland home for a family,” she said. “It’s all done and has a gorgeous garden.”

For international design enthusiasts, the home draws immediate comparisons to the fictional Heeler family house from the animated series Bluey—itself modelled on a classic, elevated Brisbane Queenslander—bringing global attention to how these iconic properties look and feel to live in.

The new owners inherit a very particular version of Brisbane history, shaped by a designer whose response to a place is always deeply personal. Spiro’s next residential project is already underway, located just one street over.

Published 18-May-2026

A New Jan Power’s Farmers Markets Has Landed at Eagle Farm Racecourse

A new weekly farmers market has arrived in Brisbane’s inner north, with Jan Power’s Farmers Markets Eagle Farm now open at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Ascot.

Read: Redevelopment Aims to Preserve Heritage of Paddock and Members Stands at Eagle Farm Racecourse

The market officially launched on Sunday 10 May and returns this Sunday 17 May, running from 7am to 1pm. It brings Jan Powers’ curated mix of farm-fresh produce, coffee, flowers, hot and cold food, bakery goods, plants and artisan products to the grounds of one of Brisbane’s most historic venues, and will continue to do so every Sunday.

Fresh Produce, Live Music, and Room to Move

Photo credit: Facebook/Jan Power’s Farmers Market

Shoppers can fill their bags with locally grown fruit and vegetables, quality meat and sustainable seafood, freshly baked bread and pastries, artisan deli lines and pantry staples including spices and specialty flours.

Acoustic musicians play throughout the morning, setting the tone as local providores and regional farmers lay out their seasonal produce and handmade goods. Coffee vendors and food stalls are on hand for those wanting breakfast or lunch on site, along with sweet treats from food vendors.

The spacious open-air setting at Eagle Farm Racecourse gives the market a relaxed, unhurried feel, with plenty of room for families. Dogs are welcome.

Read: Eagle Farm Racecourse Enhances Accessibility with Stylish New Lift

Part of a Growing Network Across Brisbane

The Eagle Farm markets join the long-running Jan Powers Powerhouse Farmers Markets at Brisbane Powerhouse in New Farm, held every Saturday from 6am to 12pm, and the twice-monthly Jan Power’s Farmers Markets at Manly Harbour, also held on Saturdays from 6am to 12pm.

Jan Power’s Farmers Markets Eagle Farm runs every Sunday from 7am to 1pm at Eagle Farm Racecourse, 230 Lancaster Road, Ascot. Entry on foot is via Gate 4 from Lancaster Road, with infield parking available via Gate 7 behind Racecourse Village Shopping Centre. For more information, visit janpowersfarmersmarkets.com.au.

Published 14-May-2026

Eagle Farm Tyre Theft Allegation Emerges During Brisbane Hoon Blitz

Photo Credit: QPS

An Eagle Farm tyre theft allegation has emerged from a wider Brisbane hoon blitz that saw eight people charged, 66 traffic infringement notices issued and two Ford Falcons seized after an alleged long weekend hooning event across Brisbane and Ipswich.

Police have charged eight people and seized two vehicles during Operation X-Ray Antler, a multi-district operation targeting alleged hooning activity across Brisbane and neighbouring policing districts.

The operation disrupted more than 30 vehicles attending an alleged hooning event across Brisbane and Ipswich between 2 and 3 May. Four vehicles are alleged to have participated in hooning driving behaviour.

A 20-year-old man was among those charged after allegedly stealing tyres near one of the hooning events before being chased down by police in Eagle Farm. The allegation forms part of a wider enforcement response to dangerous driving and related offending across the area.

Eagle Farm hoon blitz — Photo Credit: QPS

Police allege some activity connected to hooning events has extended beyond dangerous driving, including thefts and the use of unregistered or unroadworthy vehicles. Tyres used during burnouts were also alleged to have been stolen from businesses across the region.

Two Ford Falcons Seized In Brisbane Hoon Blitz

Two vehicles were seized during the operation: a blue Ford Falcon and a silver Ford Falcon.

A 19-year-old man was charged with driving a motor vehicle without a driver licence and is expected to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court on 9 June.

The eight people charged so far face a range of alleged offences, including possessing dangerous drugs, stealing wheels, having a face masked or disguised with intent to commit an indictable offence, tainted property, unlicensed driving and driving under the influence of drugs.

Officers also issued 66 traffic infringement notices during the operation. These included 22 notices for spectating without a reasonable excuse in hooning group activity and 19 notices for exceeding the speed limit.

Other notices related to defective vehicles, unnecessary noise or smoke, unregistered or uninsured vehicles, number plate offences and other traffic breaches. One notice was also issued for allegedly organising, promoting or encouraging participation in, or spectating at, hoon group activity.

Gateway Bridge Incident Still Under Investigation

The Brisbane hoon blitz also included an alleged Gateway Bridge incident after one vehicle initially evaded police and was allegedly involved in hooning offences on the bridge.

A Highway Patrol unit responded and disrupted the alleged activity to prevent further offending. Investigations into both the wider hooning event and the Gateway Bridge incident remain ongoing.

Operation X-Ray Antler was led by North Brisbane District Highway Patrol, with support from Highway Patrol units and Tactical Crime Squad units from South Brisbane District and Ipswich.

Police are continuing inquiries into the alleged hooning event, the Gateway Bridge incident and related offences identified during the operation.

Published 7-May-2026

Beside the Racetrack in Ascot, a New Kind of Retirement Village Is Already on Its Third Stage

Keyton’s Bernborough Ascot beside Doomben Racecourse in Ascot has completed its second building, Poinciana House, sold it out entirely, and broken ground on a third stage, with the precinct emerging as the most watched example of vertical retirement living in Australia as the sector reshapes itself around what a new generation of retirees actually wants.

The project sits within Brisbane Racing Club’s $1.5 billion transformation of the Doomben and Eagle Farm racecourse precincts, about 8 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD.

What Keyton has built there is something Australia had not seen before: a retirement community designed vertically, in a genuine inner-city location, with the lifestyle amenity and design quality that older Australians have increasingly come to expect from premium residential living. Both completed stages have sold out. Stage three is now underway.

“We’re seeing a clear shift in what people want from retirement living,” Keyton CEO Nathan Cockerill said. “Many retirees want to live closer to the action and are choosing to stay close to the city, to services and to family, while also looking for homes that are secure, low maintenance and designed for the long term.”

Five Buildings, One Precinct, Built for Ageing in Place

Bernborough Ascot opened its first stage, Fig Tree House, in late 2020 with 69 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and a suite of resort-style amenities including the Master’s Lounge trackside bar and dining, a private cinema, library, art studio and gymnasium. Fig Tree House sold out entirely.

Poinciana House followed as the second stage, delivering 53 architecturally designed apartments with sweeping views over Doomben Racecourse and the Brisbane skyline. New community facilities arrived with it: an indoor heated magnesium pool, fitness studio, bowling green, consulting rooms with allied health services, salon, café, residents’ lounge and dining, and a rooftop terrace. Poinciana House also sold out.

Construction on Magnolia House, the third of five planned buildings, is now underway with Balmain & Co, the builder who delivered Poinciana House, and is due for completion by mid-2027.

Magnolia House will deliver 72 apartments across two and three-bedroom configurations, three premium trackside-facing penthouses and a rooftop dining and alfresco space. A waitlist for early access is open at keyton.com.au.

The full Bernborough Ascot masterplan spans five residential buildings, with the final two to follow Magnolia House in subsequent stages. When complete, the precinct will represent one of the most significant concentrations of purpose-built retirement living in inner Brisbane.

The Care Piece Is Coming Next Door

What makes Bernborough Ascot more than a premium apartment development is its integration with a broader continuum of care. Opal Healthcare is planning a six-storey, 190-bed aged care facility called Ascot Grove Care Community on an adjacent site within the BRC precinct, with construction planned to commence in 2026.

Photo Credit: *BCC / developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au*

When complete, it gives Bernborough Ascot residents the ability to move from independent living into residential aged care without leaving the precinct, the community or the relationships they have built.

Cockerill describes the model as reflecting a fundamental shift in how retirees think about where they choose to live.

“A new generation of retirees no longer view retirement communities as temporary housing, but rather as ‘forever homes’ where both independent living and potential eventual care needs are met within one continuum,” he said.

A Name That Honours a Racing Legend

The Bernborough name is no accident. It honours the legendary Queensland thoroughbred Bernborough. Barred from racing in Brisbane for several years, the “Toowoomba Tornado” went on to win 15 consecutive races after moving south, cementing his place as one of Australia’s greatest turf champions.

Naming the precinct after him ties the retirement village to the rich history of Doomben Racecourse, which it overlooks, and gives the development a strong sense of place that many generic high rise retirement projects lack.

The precinct holds a 6-Star Green Star Communities rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, one of the first retirement communities in the country to achieve that rating, recognising its sustainability credentials and urban regeneration contribution to the Ascot precinct.

For more information about Bernborough Ascot or to join the Magnolia House waitlist, click here.

Published 30-April-2026