New homes to let young people thrive at Tonsley

The first stage of a major housing project at Tonsley is complete, delivering new youth and social housing apartments while bringing hundreds of new workers to the growing precinct.

Junction Australia marked the opening of Thrive Tonsley last month, a $36 million facility featuring 50 studio, one and two-bedroom apartments, a café and the community housing provider’s new headquarters.

The apartments provide a mix of youth and social housing, supporting young people and other South Australians experiencing housing stress with access to safe, secure and affordable homes, alongside services delivered by Junction Australia.

Junction Chief Executive Maria Palumbo said the building reflected the not-for-profit’s vision to deliver integrated housing and services within a thriving neighbourhood.

“It shows who we are as an organisation and where we are heading, strengthening the support we provide to communities while expanding our impact,” Ms Palumbo said.

The eight-level development is located on the western side of the Tonsley Innovation District, a mixed-use precinct developed by Renewal SA.

Thrive was built by national construction company Schiavello, with construction beginning in 2024.

About 400 staff, previously located across offices in Parkside and Marion, are now based at Tonsley.

Renewal SA Senior Development Manager Andy Nicolson, who oversees Tonsley, said the completion of Thrive would deliver significant benefits for the wider precinct.

“The delivery of Thrive makes a great contribution to housing diversity and builds on our aspirations for an inclusive community,” Mr Nicolson said.

“Having so many new people working here also drives real economic outcomes for local businesses already operating in the precinct, while supporting future investment as Tonsley continues to grow.”

Thrive’s second stage, announced last year and currently under construction, is expected to be completed in 2027 and will add a further 63 apartments to be offered as affordable rental housing to eligible tenants.

The second stage will bring the project’s total to 113 homes at a combined cost of about $70 million, was made possible through a $26.5 million contribution from the Commonwealth Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund Facility (HAFFF), which aims to increase the supply of affordable and social housing across the country.

Ms Palumbo said the second stage of the development would help address a growing gap in the housing market.

“These are often young people who are in good, stable work but still can’t get a foot in the door of the housing market,” she said.

Thrive joins a range of projects underway at Tonsley, delivering new homes, amenities and public spaces.

Adjacent to the development, Otello is in the final stages of delivering a three-storey health and fitness facility, known as Level Eleven, which is expected to open later this year.

Work is also progressing on a new outdoor plaza adjoining existing public space at the western edge of Tonsley’s Main Assembly Building, stretching 125 metres to nearby MAB Circuit, the precinct’s main ring road.

Meanwhile, PEET, which is leading the residential component of Tonsley Village, continues to make headway in the delivery of homes and apartments.

About 570 homes have been completed in the precinct since residential development began in 2018, with approximately 1,000 homes targeted by 2028.

Construction is also progressing on 80 residential apartments across two PEET-led towers known as Neon.

One tower is expected to be completed in early 2027, while the second is scheduled for completion later that year.

Together, these projects continue to strengthen Tonsley’s position as one of South Australia’s leading innovation districts, delivering more housing choice, jobs and community infrastructure in a connected, mixed-use precinct.