Where big money is moving

Brisbane will be unrecognisable within the decade. Its metamorphosis into a world city is only just beginning, and yet Queensland’s capital is already outpacing Sydney and Melbourne on key economic metrics.

More than $100 billion in committed infrastructure is transforming this city of ours, including Cross River Rail, Queens Wharf, the Brisbane Metro and the Olympic precinct. The CBD, once like a ghost town during the COVID years, is expecting a 70 per cent increase in residents by 2035. Vicinity Centres has plunged up to $350 million into improving Brisbane’s Uptown Mall, as one of a slew of major companies keen to capitalise on Brisbane’s skyrocketing economy.

This week we’ve also seen Lendlease selected to redevelop South Brisbane’s 7.1ha Visy site into a large-scale city-shaping development that’ll provide one of the last links in Brisbane’s Olympic transition. The project is expected to deliver more than 4,000 homes and include 1.2ha of public riverfront parkland. Then there’s the job factor – 2,100 jobs per year during construction and approximately 1,000 ongoing jobs once completed.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said the riverfront transformation would deliver a thriving new community precinct.

“The Crisafulli Government is delivering this golden opportunity to unlock a riverfront jewel for all Queenslanders,” Deputy Premier Bleijie said.

“This is a once-in-a-generation moment to reshape a significant slice of Brisbane and deliver lasting benefits – thousands of new homes, and public spaces for all Queenslanders to enjoy well beyond the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – unlike Labor’s plan which would have delivered zero benefits and zero new homes.”

Sure, our city is busy now, but this rapid population growth and attraction of international attention is only the tip of the iceberg. International visitors contributed a record $8.2 billion to Queensland’s economy in the past year, a significant 17.3 per cent above projections, with Brisbane hitting a record $4.1 billion in international visitor expenditure, followed by the Gold Coast ($1.5 billion), Tropical North Queensland ($1.3 billion), the Whitsundays ($271.8 million) and the Southern Great Barrier Reef ($143.1 million).

Tourism Research Australia data shows Queensland outpacing the national average, with international visitor expenditure up 35.2 per cent year-on-year, compared to 20.5 per cent nationally. China was the top market by expenditure at $1.6 billion (up 90.6 per cent).

If Brisbane’s property market is struggling to keep up with demand in 2026, imagine how it will fare as we edge towards 2032. The numbers don’t lie, and our clients have the luxury of selling property in Australia’s most exciting city for decades to come.

I hope you enjoy the read

Matt Lancashire