Oly Homes delivers first Queensland modular housing trial for Defence

Three Sunshine Coast-built homes travelled 2,350 kilometres to RAAF Base Scherger as Defence Housing Australia tests modular delivery for remote locations.

Defence Housing Australia has completed its first trial of modular housing for Defence members in Queensland, transporting three factory-built homes more than 2,300 kilometres from the Sunshine Coast to RAAF Base Scherger on Cape York Peninsula. (Credit all images Oly Homes)

The three-bedroom homes were prefabricated by Queensland manufacturer Oly Homes before being separated into sections and transported across nine semi-trailers. The journey covered 2,350 kilometres over five days along the Bruce Highway and Peninsula Developmental Road.

Onsite setup has now been completed, including detached garages, services connections, fencing and landscaping, with Defence members expected to move into the homes in coming weeks.

It is the first time Defence Housing Australia (DHA) has trialled modular construction for Defence housing in Queensland.

Factory production targets remote delivery challenges

DHA said the use of prefabrication was intended to reduce some of the construction and logistical difficulties associated with delivering housing to remote locations, including weather disruption.

DHA Managing Director Andrew Jaggers said factory production had provided greater certainty around the construction program.

“Prefabrication of the modulars in a controlled environment has enabled DHA to improve build time certainty and on-site installation efficiency when delivering the properties on behalf of the Department of Defence,” Jaggers said.

The homes were adapted from existing Oly Homes designs for conditions in Far North Queensland.

Measures include raised homes, hot water systems and air-conditioning units to reduce exposure to potential flooding, air-conditioning equipment selected to assist with moisture management, non-timber decking and mould-resistant paint.

Oly Homes Managing Director Dale Funston said modular construction provided another approach to supplying housing to remote Defence bases.

“Modular gives us a smarter, more adaptable way to deliver homes to remote bases, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see these come together so well in a challenging location,” Funston said.

Oly Homes expanding Sunshine Coast production
The Defence trial comes as Oly Homes prepares for a substantial expansion of its manufacturing capacity on the Sunshine Coast.

Built Offsite reported in May that the company had acquired a 2.19-hectare High Impact zoned site at Corbould Park for $9.855 million ex-GST, with plans for a 21,900 square metre modular housing factory.

The proposed facility is expected to increase production capacity from around 200 homes annually to approximately 550 and consolidate manufacturing currently split between Yandina and Cooroy.

At the time, Oly Homes General Manager Steven Nousala told Built Offsite that increasing demand and a growing order book were behind the decision to expand.

“Our order book was becoming more and more full, time frames pushing out further than we’d like—so we needed more space,” Nousala said.

The Scherger project provides an example of the type of remote housing delivery that could support demand for increased factory capacity.

DHA has not announced whether the Queensland trial will lead to further modular housing procurement. It said it would continue to explore different approaches to delivering housing for Defence members and their families nationally.

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