Mooloolah River Interchange: Concerns grow Maroochydore CBD has been left off heavy rail map with latest plans

Concerns are growing that Maroochydore may set to be snubbed for a major transport upgrade with heavy rail links ‘missing’ in $320m road upgrade plans.

Questions have been raised about the prospect of a heavy rail line ever making it to Maroochydore as planning rolls on for a $320m major road upgrade.

Recent vision released as part of the latest modelling for the long-awaited Mooloolah River Interchange appeared not to reference a heavy rail link along the Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study (Camcos) alignment.

The Camcos study was finished in 2001 and the corridor had been preserved as part of a long-term vision to link the urban heart of the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads had acquired 115 properties since 2002 to make way for the Mooloolah River Interchange project.

But recent renders and a fly-through video released as part of a recent update on the first stage of the Interchange project, which was currently out for community consultation until August 27, failed to show a rail link as part of the road upgrades.

It was understood Walker Corporation was currently advocating to the state government to produce new online renders to ensure heavy rail was allocated for all the way into the new Maroochydore city centre.

Mr Bailey explained in responses to questions on notice in May and June this year that construction of a heavy rail bridge over the Mooloolah River at the same time as the Mooloolah River Interchange road bridge would not currently be considered economical.

Mr Bailey said that was in part due to the Camcos project not reaching a full detailed design phase.

The Daily reported in 2015 the Camcos link had been cut from the Mooloolah River Interchange project by the former LNP state government.

The link had been included in 2008 plans but the line through to Maroochydore appeared to have dropped off design plans in early-2015.

Maroochydore MP Fiona Simpson – who noted the positive steps being taken to deliver the upgraded interchange – said it was “crazy not to bring the rail bridge and all its preparatory work through” at the same time as the link road was built across the river.

“It’s absolutely critical that rapid transit heavy rail to Maroochydore on the Camcos route is put into the transport studies and built at the same time as the road link through the Mooloolah River,” Ms Simpson said.

“We need rapid transit to the heart of the Sunshine Coast and this is vital to that network, not just for the Olympics but into the future.”

Mr Bailey said in May that a business case for the Mooloolah River Interchange upgrade was not progressed by the former Newman government.

An aerial impression of the first stages of the Mooloolah River Interchange.

He also stated that Infrastructure Australia had knocked back the business case for North Coast Connect which included the Camcos corridor, when asked what the state government was doing to bring forward the Camcos project.

Ms Simpson asked whether Mr Bailey was aware one of the reasons Infrastructure Australia had stated for not prioritising North Coast Connect was because it was “not currently identified in Queensland’s transport strategy”.

Mr Bailey’s response included that the Camcos line remained an important part of the state government’s long-term vision for public transport on the Sunshine Coast.

He said the state government’s focus remained on delivering infrastructure while planning for “high-capacity transport access to potential Olympic venues”.

Concerns were shared by several business figures that the Camcos line to Maroochydore was set to be scrapped after the release of the Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Draft Options Analysis report earlier this year.

The report listed Camcos North, the link from Kawana to Maroochydore, as fourth out of five priority sections.

When asked this week whether he would commit to having a heavy rail connection delivered to Maroochydore by 2032 Mr Bailey said the state government’s priority was starting work on stage one of the Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade due to start in early-2022.

He said the state government was committed to developing a local mass transit service for the region and was “also committed to the Camcos heavy rail concept”.

“It’s not one or the other – all of these concepts for the future development of new transport options on the Sunshine Coast as viable, and all levels of government are working together to ensure they are ready to be delivered when they’re needed,” Mr Bailey said.

He said further planning was being progressed to deliver faster rail between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast which included options to use the Camcos corridor.

“The Camcos proposal will not be compromised by the Mooloolah River Interchange upgrade,” he said.

“A corridor for a future rail link is accommodated as part of that project, with an alignment determined during the detailed design phase.”

Ms Simpson said the state government needed to recognise the Camcos line was “big legacy infrastructure” and the opportunity to secure major works before the Olympics had to be taken.

“Blink and we’ll miss it,” she said.