Guide Dogs QLD Breeding Centre

For decades, Guide Dogs Queensland has been changing lives by breeding, raising and training guide dogs for people with vision impairment. As demand for these life-changing companions grew, their Bald Hills Breeding Centre needed a future-ready, purpose-built upgrade to support the expanding program.

The site was loved for its balance of city accessibility and tranquil rural surroundings. As President Richard Anderson OAM explains, it offered “the ideal combination of being close to the city but also in a beautiful rural setting.” However, the facility itself had not been upgraded in more than 20 years. To protect the future of their program, Guide Dogs Queensland needed a modern, fit-for-purpose environment designed around welfare, training outcomes and daily operations — a place that would give puppies the best start in life, support staff and volunteers, and meet the growing demand for highly trained guide and assistance dogs across Queensland.

Therian was proud to be chosen to lead this transformation, taking on the architectural design and end-to-end project management for the redevelopment. The result is a facility designed to serve the program for decades, ensuring Guide Dogs Queensland can continue its work for generations to come.

Guide Dogs Queensland partnered with Therian for an extensive redevelopment of their 680m² Breeding Centre at Bald Hills. From veterinary and animal facility concept design to project management of the construction and fit-out, Therian helped deliver an integrated breeding and training environment that strengthens animal welfare, improves staff workflow, and supports future capacity – including specialist animal facility design for assistance dog programs.

1. Refurbishment of the Existing Breeding Centre.
   The original building required a substantial upgrade to continue meeting operational needs. Therian redesigned interior layouts, upgraded finishes, and enhanced animal housing to meet best practice canine welfare standards. The refurbishment also added two new grassed exercise yards for puppy development, plus a multipurpose area for sessions with trainers, handlers and volunteers.
2. Design and Construction of a New Multi-Purpose Building
   To expand capacity and provide essential support services, Therian designed and delivered a new Multi-Purpose Building. This building includes ancillaries and functional support spaces, a laundry and grooming zone, a veterinary consult room, and upgraded staff amenities.

Breeding facilities require thoughtful evidence-based design to support both physical and behavioural wellbeing of animals. Therian’s approach ensured:

• Optimised animal housing for welfare, hygiene, and stress reduction
• Efficient flow paths for staff, volunteers, and dogs
• Specialist materials and finishes that support infection control and intensive cleaning
• Dedicated, functional staff zones to improve safety, visibility and daily efficiency

Every design decision was guided by the needs of Guide Dogs Queensland and those of the dogs in their care – at the forefront, ensuring the facility supports seamless day-to-day operations and strong welfare outcomes.

In addition to architectural design, Therian provided full project management—coordinating consultants, overseeing contractors, managing timelines, and ensuring each phase met the required standards. Our team ensured the project delivered:

• A smooth, well-sequenced construction process
• Clear communication with stakeholders
• Minimal disruption to ongoing operations
• A high-quality fit-out aligned with Guide Dogs Queensland’s long-term operational goals

By combining deep sector design expertise with seamless delivery, Therian helped Guide Dogs Queensland achieve a facility that truly reflects their vision and commitment to those they serve.

With the upgraded Breeding Centre and Multi-Purpose Building complete, Guide Dogs Queensland strengthened their capacity to raise and train the next generation of guide dogs for Queenslanders with vision impairment. Chief Executive Michael Knightley said the improvements will have a lasting impact:

“The breeding centre is truly the heart of our organisation as it’s where the journey of every one of our life-changing guide dogs starts.”

~ Michael Knightly, Chief executive, Guide Dogs QLD

The redevelopment safeguards the organisation’s breeding program and expands operational capacity, ensuring more Queenslanders can access life-changing assistance dogs in the future. It marks an important milestone for disability support in Queensland and positions the Bald Hills Breeding Centre as a leading guide dog breeding facility for years to come.

Project Details

DATE

May 8th, 2017

CLIENT

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association of Queensland

PROJECT TYPE

Animal Charity Dog Breeding Centre

ARCHITECT

Therian

SIZE

680m²