G’day Group, Australia’s largest regional accommodation provider, plans to invest more than $200 million in regional Queensland in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The company – majority owned by Australian Retirement Trust (ART) – will expand 12 of its regional Queensland Discovery Parks and Resorts, including a $20 million upgrade of Discovery Parks – Townsville. The announcement coincides with ART’s board and senior leadership meeting in Townsville this week.
The investment is aimed at improving tourism facilities, enhancing visitor experiences and supporting jobs and economic growth in regional communities.
G’day Group founder and chief executive officer Grant Wilckens said demand for high-quality holiday parks and resorts was growing ahead of the 2032 Games.
“We have invested more than $110 million across regional Queensland over the last three years, including the acquisition of eco-tourism destination Habitat Noosa earlier this year,” he said.
Wilckens said developments at properties including Discovery Parks – Fraser Street and Discovery Parks – Rockhampton had generated around $215 million and 1,720 full-time jobs in broader economic impact.
The $20 million Townsville upgrade will add 30 new cabins and 30 sites, along with new visitor facilities, building on a recently completed $5 million investment that delivered 18 new cabins.
“Together, these upgrades will expand the park’s accommodation offering and increase capacity to support growing visitation to the region for major events and local attractions,” Wilckens said.
Further developments are planned at Discovery Parks in Bargara, Mackay, Coolwaters – Yeppoon, Noosa, Airlie Beach, Tannum Sands and Lake Tinaroo, and across the Queensland Discovery Workstay portfolio.
ART chief investment officer Ian Patrick said the G’day Group investment demonstrated how the fund’s investments could deliver strong returns while contributing to communities and economic growth.
“Our investment in G’day Group shows how our long-term investments can support experienced operators to expand and improve their regional assets, particularly in sectors like tourism where we see strong long-term demand,” Patrick said.
“The expansions aim to drive jobs and opportunities in these North Queensland regional areas, bringing benefits for communities and our members.”
Discovery Parks has grown from three Western Australian parks in 2004 to become Australia’s largest owned and operated parks network, with more than 100 parks nationally. G’day Group also operates G’day Parks, a network of more than 250 independently owned, licensed parks.
ART, founded in Queensland more than a century ago, now invests more than $375 billion on behalf of members, including the retirement savings of more than one in two working Queenslanders. As at 1 July 2026, ART held more than $8 billion in shareholdings of Queensland-headquartered companies and assets, including more than $5 billion in major infrastructure assets such as Brisbane Airport and the Port of Brisbane.
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