Construction begins at USC Moreton Bay campus at Petrie

Piling works at USC Moreton Bay began last Thursday today, marking the start of stage one of construction of the campus’ first building.

PILING works at USC Moreton Bay began last Thursday today, marking the start of stage one of construction of the campus’ first building.

Hansen Yuncken has been contracted to build the three-storey building that has more than 16,000m sq of floor space.

The building will include a large lecture theatre, multipurpose rooms, and an open auditorium suitable for community events.

It has been designed to cater for rapid growth of the student population over the campus’s first three years, with the university expected to open in time for Semester 1, 2020.

USC Moreton Bay site at the start of piling construction work. Picture: USC

The first intake of students could be up to 1200 and will have a choice of almost 50 study programs including business, education and computer science.

Moreton Bay Region Mayor Allan Sutherland said the start of work on the campus was history in the making.

“In less than two years this building will be complete and its doors will be open to the first intake of USC students right here in Petrie, which is just incredible,” he said.

An aerial view of what the university campus will look like at Petrie.

“Given there hasn’t been a new greenfield university campus opened in Australia in about 15 years, the eyes of the education world will certainly be looking at us and I expect significant investment to follow.”

USC vice-chancellor Professor Greg Hill said it was thrilling to see USC Moreton Bay begin to take shape.

Piling work starts at on USC Moreton Bay's foundation building. USC’s Chief Operating Officer Dr Scott Snyder and Hansen Yuncken Queensland State Manager Greg Baumann. pine rivers press

“Moreton Bay is one of Queensland’s fastest growing regions, but has been the only region of its size in Australia without its own full-service university campus,” he said.

“USC Moreton Bay represents an exciting opportunity to harness the region’s potential, and significantly boost educational opportunities for local residents.”

He said USC Moreton Bay’s initial undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs would have an employment focus to ensure benefits flow quickly to the wider community.

Builder Hansen Yuncken has have worked for more than 10 universities and many schools across Australia.

USC Moreton Bay Campus at Petrie. Photo: Hassell Studio

Its recent projects included QUT’s Education Precinct Building at Kelvin Grove, The Cairns Institute at James Cook University, the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre, and the award-winning Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, constructed for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“We are excited to commence piling works and look forward to working with USC and the project’s stakeholders to deliver an exceptional facility,” Queensland state manager Greg Baumann said.

University of the Sunshine Coast USC Petrie campus foundation building. Artist’s impression of the large amphitheatre inside the foundation building that will be used for community events. Photo: Hassell Studio

USC won the tender in 2015 to provide a university campus as the centrepiece of Moreton Bay Regional Council’s The Mill at Moreton Bay development.

USC last year secured a $121 million loan from the Federal Government for stage one of the campus, which is tipped to reach a student population of 10,000 by 2030.