Building and maintaining housing in regional and remote Australia is no small feat, with high construction costs, skilled labour shortages, and unpredictable weather often slowing down operations. Yet, these homes are vital to the backbone of rural communities, providing safe and reliable living spaces for essential service workers like nurses, police, and Indigenous families. With about seven million1 people residing in these areas, including over 4,000 nurses2 and more than 11,0003 health professionals, addressing the housing needs of these critical workers is essential to sustaining the services and support that rural communities rely on.
The QBuild approach: Meeting the challenges of remote housing
QBuild, as the Queensland Government’s builder, is responsible for delivering a range of building and maintenance services across the state. From building and maintaining housing projects, their work ensures Queensland’s communities have the resources they need to thrive. A cornerstone of their strategy is the Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) program, which leverages off-site prefabrication to deliver high-quality homes faster and more efficiently. This approach not only accelerates delivery but also ensures homes are durable and sustainable.
Tackling barriers to access with smarter access structures
While QBuild’s MMC has transformed how homes are built, challenges remain. One significant hurdle was the reliance on traditional materials like timber, concrete, and steel for constructing access structures such as ramps, stairs, and walkways. These materials often cause delays due to on-site fabrication requirements, labour shortages, and ongoing maintenance needs—particularly problematic in remote regions.
The QBuild & Terra Firma Partnership
Recognising the need for a more efficient approach, QBuild partnered with Terra Firma, a leader in prefabricated composite access structures and the only supplier of pre-engineered solutions for this initiative. Terra Firma’s Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) structures offered the ideal combination of speed, durability, and low-maintenance performance.
Revolutionising access structures on Stradbroke Island
For QBuild’s housing project on Stradbroke Island, Terra Firma’s FRP solutions delivered significant advantages:
- Prefabricated efficiency: Access structures were built off-site and delivered ready for same-day installation alongside the dwellings.
- Height adjustability: Standardised, adjustable FRP structures are with a built-in height adjustment mechanism and allowed for quick and easy post-installation tweaking to accommodate building settling, eliminating the need for on-site modifications.
- Unmatched durability: FRP resists corrosion, cracking, and rot, ensuring minimal maintenance and longevity in harsh conditions.
- Aesthetic designs: FRP structures and products are available in a range of colours that complemented the dwellings
 Lightweight FRP profiles are 25% of the weight of steel
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Lightweight and easy to transport, Terra Firma’s FRP structures simplified logistics, reduced safety risks for workers, and enhanced project timelines for the Stradbroke Island modular housing project. Fully compliant with bushfire zone regulations (up to BAL40), these solutions align with QBuild’s MMC principles of innovation and efficiency.
Learn more about other benefits of FRP access structures.
Setting a new standard for remote housing
The collaboration between QBuild and Terra Firma showcases how innovative materials and prefabricated methods can overcome logistical and financial challenges in remote construction. Key benefits included:
- Faster delivery and same-day installation.
- Reduced reliance on skilled on-site labour.
- Long-lasting, low-maintenance structures tailored for remote environments.
- Improved safety through lightweight, easy-to-handle materials.
Safe and durable housing across Australia
Similar to QBuild, the New South Wales MMC Taskforce and Homes Victoria MMC Regional Housing are leveraging innovative materials and prefabricated methods in their housing projects. These initiatives showcase the potential to deliver cost-effective, durable, and sustainable housing solutions across Australia.
At Terra Firma, we’re proud to have contributed to this project – helping build homes for the people who keep our communities running. Prefabricated composite access structures aren’t just faster and more cost-effective. They’re a smarter way to create safe, resilient housing for even the most remote locations.
Explore our FRP composite access structures, including walkways, stairs and rampways.
Want to utilise FRP access structures for your projects? Get in touch.
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