Riverside Retirement Redo Planned for Graceville

RetireAustralia wants to build a contemporary seniors living community on its newly acquired 2.4ha Brisbane River site.

The community would be built around the refurbished, heritage-listed Verney House and stables at 19 Bell Terrace, Graceville, 10km south of the Brisbane CBD.

An application is expected to be filed with the Brisbane City Council in the coming weeks for the former Beth Eden Nursing Village.

The property is believed to be the largest privately owned parcel of riverfront freehold land within 10km of the CBD.

It was vacated last year when Bethany Christian Care in June appointed Knight Franks’ Christian Sandstrom and Sam Biggins to divest the site via an expressions-of-interest campaign.

The proposal included three, four-storey buildings with 101 independent living units and a 10-suite care hub for acuity care, pool and pocket park.

▲ Verney mansion was designed by Richard Gailey and built in 1888.

RetireAustralia chief executive Brett Robinson said the development would be code-accessible and in keeping with the council’s expectation for the site.

“There is a shortfall of seniors-living supply in this area compared more broadly to South-East Queensland,” Robinson said.

“We have worked closely with an expert design team, including Marchese Partners, Life 3A and CUSP.

“We will be the only seniors living provider in the catchment offering independent living with the continuum of care services.”

RetireAustralia works in the medium-density space with projects in the planning process including one in Lane Cove, Sydney, to a 253-apartment complex at Lutwyche, in the north of Brisbane.

Meanwhile, construction was recently completed on its Burleigh greenfield project.

As well, former RetireAustralia duo Tim Russell and Mark Taylor are working on plans for 1.6ha Brisbane golf course.