Sunshine Coast’s most dangerous intersections of past five years revealed

From the sounds of screeching brakes and smashes to tales of horror fatalities, Sunshine Coast residents living on the region’s worst corners, intersections, and stretches of road have shared what it is like to live near a crash black spot. Read their stories + see the list of worst roads.

Sunshine Coast residents living on the region’s worst corners, intersections, and stretches of road have talked about the carnage they face every day.

The latest data from the Department of Transport and Main Roads has revealed the intersections with the most serious crashes across the Sunshine Coast for the past five years.

The top five intersections for serious crashes include Beerburrum Rd and Steve Irwin Wy at Beerburrum, Caloundra St and Forestry Rd at Landsborough, Kawana Wy and Sunshine Mwy at Mountain Creek, Buderim Ave and Mayfield St at Alexandra Headland, and Brisbane Rd and Amarina Ave at Mooloolaba.

The release of the data comes following the deaths of 18 people on Sunshine Coast roads in 2023.

The RACQ has also revealed the top three postcodes for crashes across the Sunshine Coast, with 4551, 4556, and 4560 topping the list.

For those postcodes, 9704 insurance claims were lodged for vehicle collisions in the past three years, with 2884 insurance claims lodged in 2023.

The residents living at these intersections have talked about the regular destruction they face, from the heart-stopping moments they experience when they hear the horror sound of brakes and smashes, to witnessing the scene of shocking fatalities.

Black Spot Intersections: The intersection of Beerburrum Rd and Steve Irwin Way, Beerburrum, has seen the highest number of serious crashes across the Sunshine Coast over the past five years. Picture: Patrick Woods.

‘Horror fatal etched in memory’ 

For Beerburrum resident Tracey Heilig, the memories of a horror fatal at the intersection of Beerburrum Rd and Steve Irwin Way over twenty years ago are hard to erase.

Beerburrum local Tracey Heilig remembers witnessing the scene of a horror fatal at Steve Irwin Way, then Glass House Mountains Rd, and Beerburrum Rd. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Andrew John Daley, 18, and Simon Daley, 20, both of Lismore were killed after their ute was struck from behind by a gravel truck at the intersection of Steve Irwin Way, then known as Glass House Mountains Rd, Beerburrum Rd, and Red Rd in late August, 1996.

The pair were incinerated after their ute exploded in flames when it was rear-ended by the truck.

A local of over 40 years, Ms Heilig remembers the terrifying crash like it was yesterday.

“I actually saw the one where the truck took out the backpackers many years ago,” she recalled.

“It was just one of those times where you could see that people were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“That’s the worst one that I’ve seen, that’s happened over 20 years ago and I remember that accident.”

Ms Heilig said that the crash saw improvements made to the intersection, but she believes more is needed.

Black Spot Intersections: Beerburrum Rd and Steve Irwin Way, Beerburrum. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“They then altered the intersection, they did put a turning lane in which has been better, but all that has done is made people heading south turn across an additional lane to head south,” she added.

“They need to put a set of lights in there or a roundabout.”

Ms Heilig said she was not surprised to hear the notorious intersection had seen the highest number of serious crashes for the Sunshine Coast for the past five years.

“That doesn’t surprise me at all, when you look at the amount of traffic that goes through there and the speed that goes through there, even slowing the cars down is not going to make a difference,” she said.

‘Hope no one was hurt’ 

Landsborough residents Lee Baxter and Yasmin Parr are nervous every time their kids are on the road heading to the intersection of Caloundra St and Forestry Rd.

Landsborough residents Lee Baxter and Yasmin Parr with Malakai, and Isaiah at the intersection of Caloundra St and Forestry Rd. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The sounds of screeching brakes and blaring horns is a regular occurrence at the intersection according to the couple, who have lived near the intersection for the past six years.

“You hear trucks honking their horns at somebody who has pulled out, near misses, crashes, and screeching of brakes,” Parr said.

“We also hear the sirens of ambulances, fireys, and police regularly, if not daily, every second day.

“Every time we hear a crash, we are like ‘gosh I hope no one was hurt’ or ‘that one sounded really bad’.”

Black Spot Intersections: Caloundra St and Forestry Rd, Landsborough. Picture: Patrick Woods.

As parents of young kids and teenagers, Parr said she worries for them every time they head out on the road.

“We’ve got our teenage boys as well, they are behind the wheel and it is scary,” Mr Parr said.

“I try to get them to always turn left out of here and not go across the intersection.

“There needs to be something done about this intersection, something has to be done.”

‘Scared the hell out of me’ 

Alexandra Headland local Zachoria Bohoski said it has always been difficult to navigate the intersection at Buderim Ave and Mayfield St, whether it is in the car, on bike, or on foot.

Alexandra Headland Zachoria Bohoski at the intersection of Buderim Ave and Mayfield St. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr Bohoski, who has lived close to the hilly intersection for the past seven months, said the crossroad is challenging to get across.

“There’s been a few close calls, there’s always a high chance someone is going to get T-boned at this intersection,” he said.

“It’s just a dangerous area.”

Buderim Ave and Mayfield St, Alexandra Headland. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr Bohoski recalls being “scared” having to traverse the crossroad as a student at Mountain Creek State High School.

“I used to have to ride across here on my push bike and that scared the hell out of me,” Bohoski said.

“You only had a short amount of time to get across, without getting nicked by a car.”

Having used the intersection for several years, Mr Bohoski has seen enough to know that the intersection needs to be improved.

“I’ve witnessed a lot on this hill, you know, and yeah, it would be nice if they made it easier here for people to cross,” he said.

“Anything they can do to fix this intersection would be welcomed.”

‘Hoon hotspot’ 

Whie having only recently moved to the area, Warana resident Simon Brown has quickly realised that the intersection of Nicklin Wy and Kawana Island Blvd is one of the worst hoon hotspots on the Sunshine Coast.

Warana resident Simon Brown at the intersection of Nicklin Wy and Kawana Island Blvd,. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr Brown regularly hears the sounds of beeping horns and speeding cars emanating from the highly-trafficked intersection.

“We hear a lot of road rage, beeping horns, carrying on, there’s a lot of people who lose their cool and run the red lights,” Mr Brown said.

“There are people driving over the nature strip all the time, it’s crazy.

“It is annoying when people are revving and carrying on when they don’t need to.”

Black Spot Intersections: Nicklin Wy and Kawana Island Blvd, Warana. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Mr Brown said the noises continue well into the night, with the road often becoming a drag strip for hoons in the early hours.

“There’s a lot of people that speed through here especially late at night, there’s cars doing well in excess of 100 km/h,” he added.

“On weekends it is pretty bad, especially between 1am and 3am, there’s a lot of boy races out there.

“It’s a hoon hotspot.”

While Mr Brown is in favour of improvements to the intersection, he is not sure what can be done to deter poor driver behaviour.

“They can put in another red light camera or speed camera there, but there’s a camera a kilometre down the road, so they’re not going to spend money on that,” he said.

“You can’t have them everywhere, people just need to stop being stupid.”