Aim To describe the age at which the geriatric syndromes and frailty become common in community‐dwelling men. Methods The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project involves a population‐based sample of 1705 community‐dwelling men aged 70 and over from a defined geographic region in Sydney. Data were obtained by physical performance tests, clinical examinations, and questionnaire to determine the prevalence of the following conditions by five‐year age group. Results Poor mobility, recurrent falls, urinary incontinence, dementia and frailty phenotype were all uncommon (less than 10%) in men in their 70s, but the prevalence of each of these conditions exceeded 10% in men aged 85–89. The prevalence of Frailty Index‐defined frailty, multimorbidity, polypharmacy and instrumental activities of daily living dependence was constantly high in all age groups. Conclusions The different health‐care needs of the ‘old old’ aged 85 years and older should be accounted for in health service planning.