Woree Social and Affordable Housing Precinct

At a disused former drive-in cinema south of Cairns, a new master-planned development is set to create 490 new social, affordable and specialist disability homes for independent seniors and people living with disability and deliver lasting social benefits in the region. It will be Queensland’s largest social and affordable housing precinct, Cairns’ largest-ever apartment development, and a major contribution to easing the crisis in housing supply and affordability.  

The managed-housing project is designed to help seniors downsize from larger homes – freeing up under-utilised social housing for families in need – while enjoying the benefits of social connection, lifestyle programs and support services. The low-maintenance, energy-efficient 1- and 2-bedroom homes will be developed across 16 buildings in clusters of 4, in a pleasantly landscaped setting including facilities for recreation and socialising and with easy access to public transport. 

Led by Tetris Capital, in partnership with Community Housing Limited (CHL), the project is a leading example of collaboration to tackle regional Australia’s housing challenges.  

Providing reassurance to lenders and mitigating project risks 

WT has been involved with this landmark housing project since its very early stages, beginning with our Cairns QS team providing a cost estimation report. WT has provided lender’s technical advisory services through to contract close, and our team are engaged as Financier’s Certifier for the duration of the project.  

To support securing debt finance for the project, we developed a key document as part of our lender’s advisory role, outlining the project in detail and considering the range of potential risks (financial, construction, program, operational) across design and construction (D&C), operations, and long-term facilities management. This included suitability of D&C and facilities management contractors and subcontractors, financial modelling and cash flow, lifecycle costs, and mechanisms for payment and performance.  

With support from our independent, reliable services delivered by highly experienced specialists, the project was able to secure funding. Our team identified potential risks and presented these objectively to the project team, working through solutions for each issue. A number of potential risks have been reduced or eliminated with appropriate mitigation strategies. 

Working alongside the project sponsor, the design and construction team, and the project operations team, we continue to support the project with post contract quantity surveying and cost management services.  

Innovation in construction  

Modular construction is emerging as an innovative way to reduce construction costs, improve quality and accelerate delivery, particularly in regional and remote areas experiencing labour and skills shortages. The Woree development is harnessing this potential and is Australia’s largest modular construction project to date.  

The adoption of the modular approach pushed our team to think differently about the project. In this new construction paradigm, we brought inventive thinking to develop project-specific risk registers and solutions alongside FCC Construction (D&C contractor) and Modscape (modular subcontractor). We will continue to provide services to the project throughout the construction phase, which is now underway. 

Building a better future for Queenslanders 

The Woree development’s 245 social, 223 affordable and 22 specialist disability apartments are an important step towards the Queensland Government’s target to deliver 1 million new homes, including 53,500 social homes, by 2046 – helping give more Queenslanders a roof over their head and a safe, comfortable place to call home. 

It is being supported by the Queensland Government’s Housing Investment Fund, Housing Australia, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), ANZ, and Housing Australia’s National Housing Infrastructure Facility.  

The project is expected to be completed in 2026, ready to welcome tenants and create a supportive and thriving community.