Kawana Island homes to be resumed for Mooloolah River Interchange
Shocked island residents have learnt their homes may be resumed in future stages of a major Sunshine Coast road upgrade. Read where they’re in the firing line.
Sunshine Coast
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Residents of a ritzy Sunshine Coast island have been left stunned after learning their homes may be in the firing line for a major new road upgrade project.
The Mooloolah River Interchange will eventually provide a new river crossing and connectivity to the Sunshine Mwy and Kawana Way plus more lanes on the Sunshine Mwy.
However, some residents in Fitzroy Court, Parrearra — also known as Kawana Island — were sent information earlier this week that their homes may be resumed by the state government to make way for future stages of the interchange.
It comes only a week after Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey visited the Sunshine Coast to announce community consultation about four major transport projects including the interchange.
Christina and Alec Kutek have lived in Fitzroy Court for nearly 10 years.
“How can they force us out?” retiree Mr Kutek asked.
Mrs Kutek, 68, said the “thought of relinquishing” her home was daunting but even if the plan did not go through, she would not want to live so close to a major interchange anyway.
“It does come as a very big shock to us, especially at our time of life when we’ve retired and we thought this would be our home for our retirement,” she said.
Mrs Kutek’s mother has dementia and also lives with the couple and the retiree said she would have to find a new home that was safe for her mum too.
Fellow Fitzroy Court resident Connie Sillaman said she had always been aware her home of 12 years would be resumed but thought it was only her property affected.
Ms Sillaman, 82, said she would sell, “get the money” and then buy something else.
“They gotta take it so they’re going to take it,” she said.
Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie said he met with residents on Kawana Island who were having their houses “forcibly acquired” by the state government.
He said he believed about 12 homes had been notified.
“Now this came as a shock to me, the community and the residents of Kawana Island,” he said.
“Minister Mark Bailey was on the Sunshine Coast a week ago and he announced consultation for four projects including the Mooloolah River Interchange.”
The politician said only “24 hours” after that announcement the residents received notices about the acquisition of their properties.
“I think it’s disgraceful to do this fake charade of a consultation process when the government have clearly made up their mind and they’re already trying to negotiate people now out of their homes,” Mr Bleijie said.
But the state government said there was no confirmation yet on the number of homes that would need to be resumed and the correspondence with residents was to let them know they were near a proposed transport corridor regarding future stages of the interchange.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said Mr Bleijie could not “have it both ways” and say the state government was not doing enough for the Sunshine Coast and then stop progress.
“To make way for future stages of the Mooloolah River Interchange, some homes may need to be resumed for the road corridor, based on the current design,” he said.
“We are engaging with potentially affected property owners as is normal process with future infrastructure planning which the department is following.”
The minister said the Department of Transport and Main Roads would “work closely” with any affected residents.
“The Mooloolah River Interchange is an important project for a growing Sunshine Coast,” he said.
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