Canberra Railway Precinct Readied for 5000 Homes

Preparation of a railway station precinct in Canberra’s inner south for the development of 5000 homes on an “underutilised” site has begun. 

Development would centre around the new station and a multi-modal transport hub next to the current terminal building.

The precinct is being made “housing-ready” with an initial joint investment of $5.8 million by the federal and territory governments. The ACT Government’s $3-million investment in planning, engagement and tendering for the plan has been backed by the Federal Government injecting $2.8 million. 

The federal funding comes from the Australian Government’s $150-million urban Precincts and Partnerships Program (uPPP). It provides funding of between $500,000 and $5 million to activate partnerships and deliver precinct plans.

▲ A map of the wider East Lake precinct including the railway and former landfill sections.

The Government wants to encourage partnerships between developers and the ACT Suburban Land Agency, the NSW Government and the Canberra Institute of Technology in the new precinct. 

The initial funding outlay will allow the site between Kingston and Fyshwick to be made ready for construction.

Around 5000 homes would be delivered as part of the precinct as well as civic space on the former landfill site.

The territory Government is also promoting the development of new business spaces for an estimated 1000 jobs across commercial, technology and service industries.

The Kingston Foreshore was identified in the 2025 Housing Supply and Land Release Program as a “substantial” urban infill opportunity. 

It would join another precinct in the suburb, the Kingston Arts Precinct. Plans for it were filed by the ACT’s Suburban Land Agency recently.

It is the latest in major precinct plans being pushed forward by the ACT Government, which opened consultation for the 2000-home Acton Waterfront precinct this month.

If planning and design work is completed by 2027, it would become the first land releases for the wider East Lake Railway precinct urban renewal program.

The East Lake precinct, which consists of The Causeway and Mildura Street, as well as the railway and former landfill sites, also includes opportunities for light industry, tourism, education and “diverse housing choices”, according to the vision released in 2023.

The plans for the former landfill section include recreational uses to create a buffer between the more developed precincts and the neighbouring Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

Canberra was growing, with plans under way to enable 30,000 new homes across the national capital by the end of the decade, federal infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government minister Catherine King said. 

“We want to turn this under-utilised corner of Canberra’s inner-south into an exciting new community with homes close to transport links,” King said.

“The planning process we’re now embarking on will help the ACT Government deliver new open space and public places, and shovel-ready land for new homes and employment opportunities.”