Queensland’s timber industry has thrown its support behind the Prosper 2050 blueprint, launched by the State Government at the Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) earlier this week. Speaking at the event, Timber Queensland CEO Mick Stephens praised the 25-year strategy for its holistic approach to growing the state’s primary industries.
“What we like about the blueprint is that growing the primary industries sector for both food and fibre also creates direct downstream benefits for the built environment,” Stephens said. “This is not only about producing the best clean, green food across the state, but also the best timber as a renewable and green building material for housing and infrastructure projects.”
Published by the Crisafulli Government on Monday, the blueprint outlines a vision to boost Queensland’s primary production output to $30 billion by 2030. It includes region-specific action plans and industry strategies, including the draft Queensland Future Timber Plan, which is now open for consultation.
The Ekka site—set to become the Athletes’ Village and a major precinct upgrade for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics—was chosen to highlight timber’s role in sustainable infrastructure. “The launch of Prosper 2050 and the draft Queensland Future Timber Plan by the Primary Industries Minister during Ekka week is laying the groundwork for the timber industry to work collaboratively with the Government on long-term solutions to meet growing building demand,” Stephens said, adding that the redevelopment of the Brisbane Showgrounds site (including Machinery Hill) and the development of the Athletes’ Village at Bowen Hills both present a “significant opportunity” for collaboration between government and industry.
“Queensland has a long and rich heritage of using durable and sustainable local timber for its housing and public building needs. Incorporating this heritage into new iconic projects, such as the Athletes’ Village and sporting venues, can showcase both modern innovation with timber building systems and their biophilic health benefits for athletes and future occupants alike.”
Pointing to the Paris Olympics as precedent—where the Athletes’ Village and Aquatics Centre were both built using mass timber construction systems—Stephens said government support plays a vital role in driving positive outcomes. “Procurement policies that preference sustainable construction materials such as timber can play an important role in delivering future infrastructure solutions in terms of sustainability, on-site workplace safety, and total project cost savings through prefabrication systems.”
Please Note: Wood Central understands these opportunities will be explored further at the upcoming Doing Timber Business in Queensland conference, scheduled for 2–3 September 2025 in Brisbane.
