Infrastructure boom propels Riverlea housing supply three years ahead of schedule

The rapid rollout of water infrastructure in South Australia’s fastest growing masterplanned community has advanced housing lot supply delivery to move Riverlea three years ahead of schedule.

Walker Managing Director and CEO David Gallant said Riverlea demonstrated the economic and social value of delivering enabling infrastructure early.

“By investing upfront in water infrastructure alongside the Malinauskas Government, we’ve been able to bring housing supply forward by around three years, support thousands of local jobs and drive sustained investment into the South Australian economy.”

Since launching in 2020, Riverlea has grown into a well-established residential community. Early delivery of critical water infrastructure, in partnership with SA Water and the South Australian Government, has accelerated construction-ready land delivery to 75 percent above original forecasts, allowing homes to come online sooner for hundreds of South Australian families during a period of strong population growth and demand.

Originally forecast to deliver around 40 lots per month, Riverlea is now consistently delivering approximately 70 lots per month, equating to around 840 homes each year.

This accelerated delivery is underpinned by significant investment, with Riverlea set to inject more than $314 million into the South Australian economy over the next three years through subdivision works, major infrastructure delivery and professional services.

Since construction commenced, the project has supported around 2,000 local jobs, with more than 200 South Australian contractors and suppliers engaged across civil works, utilities, landscaping, consulting and construction.

To date, Riverlea has delivered nearly 1,000 completed homes and is now home to approximately 2,650 residents, with a further 245 homes currently under construction.

The first major retail hub is underway at The Palms Shopping Village, a $100 million neighbourhood centre anchored by Coles and more than 25 specialty retailers, with alfresco dining, extensive landscaping and parking for more than 400 cars.

The new $60 million Xavier College Campus is also under construction at Riverlea and is set to open in 2027 as the community’s first school. Catering to students from Reception to Year 6, the school will feature modern classrooms, a multistorey design, an early learning centre and out-of-school care, with plans to expand through to Year 12 over time. 

Riverlea resident and owner of By Seah Nail and Tanning Boutique Seah Katsidis said seeing the early infrastructure plans and watching how the community has grown in such a short time is exciting to see.

“With a new shopping complex and school opening in 2027 that our children, and future Riverlea families, will be able to attend, it’s exciting to see how quickly the community is growing. We can't wait to see what the future holds and for our community to grow.”

Construction on the school began in 2025 and is supporting around 300 jobs, delivering quality education close to home for Riverlea’s growing population.

Complementing housing delivery, Riverlea is creating lasting community value through extensive public realms, including 22.5 hectares of landscaped open space, kilometres of shared cycling and walking paths, multiple playgrounds, a basketball court, a dog park and a recycled water irrigation network servicing all open space areas.

With hundreds of new allotments scheduled for delivery over the next three years, Riverlea is positioned as a major contributor to South Australia’s housing supply, construction sector and long-term economic resilience.