Council has formally submitted its Round 2 Residential Activation Fund (RAF) application, seeking $45.4 million from the Queensland Government to help deliver critical infrastructure within the Mount Peter Priority Development Area (PDA).
The application, lodged on 24 April 2026, outlines a $58.9 million package of water, wastewater and transport infrastructure designed to remove immediate development constraints and accelerate housing supply in the Southern Growth Corridor.
Council has committed to funding the estimated $13.5 million in project costs deemed ineligible under the RAF guidelines, including finalising design, pre-construction activities and associated Council costs.
The proposed works include a new trunk water main, water pump station upgrades, sewer infrastructure upgrades, and signalised intersection improvements at Mount Peter Road.
The project is expected to support thousands of future housing lots in the long term, including enabling infrastructure for up to 2,400 lots through water upgrades alone.
The infrastructure package was developed collaboratively with Economic Development Queensland (EDQ), developers, landholders and industry stakeholders, and aligns with Council's Securing Cairns Housing Foundations Plan.
Whilst Council's RAF application will be critical to opening up immediate land supply for housing in the Mount Peter PDA, today's Council report also recognises that further State and Federal infrastructure investment will be needed to unlock the PDA's full housing potential.
With this in mind, Council warmly welcomes the recent announcement of a federal housing infrastructure fund and looks forward to working collaboratively with both the State and Federal Governments to secure the additional investment needed.
