Flashback: Nerang Railway Station opens in December 1997 with traffic chaos tipped by 2017

TRAFFIC on the M1 was so bad an MP said the Gold Coast would regret not extending the railway to the border by 2017. Turns out she was right.

THE Gold Coast has this week celebrated the major milestone of the light rail’s second stage, finally connecting trams to train for the first time.

More than 40,000 people rode the tram on its opening day and operators have already hailed the extension a success.

For the first time since 1964 you can travel from Brisbane to the beach by rail.

But this link would not have been a reality if not for the extension to the heavy rail back in the 1990s.

December 16, 1997: Premier Rob Borbidge on train at opening of Nerang Station extension. Picture: Paul Riley

It was 20 years ago this month that the Gold Coast marked another major rail milestone – the opening of the Nerang Railway station.

The $375 million link was the latest step in the railway’s extension and construction was still ongoing to take passengers all the way to Robina.

Premier Rob Borbidge hailed the project as an important step for the city.

“A fast and efficient train service is essential for the continued growth of southeast Queensland and to preserve the quality of life enjoyed in this part of the world,” he wrote for the Gold Coast Bulletin.

“The opening of the rail link to Nerang is a critical phase of the development.

“With Nerang open to rail travellers and Robina to open in the new year, accessibility to the Gold Coast will be greatly improved.

Dec 11 1997 - Stationmaster Doug Baillie ready for opening of Nerang railway station.

And the Borbidge Government was weighing up options to go even further.

Three options on the table involved taking a rail line to run beside the M1, going through the Currumbin and Tallebudgera valleys or simply stopping at Robina.

Some Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tallebudgera residents were already protesting against any further extensions.

Neighbouring MPs Judy Gamin and Currumbin’s Merri Rose were at odds over the development.

Rob Borbidge with Vaughan Johnson at Helensvale - Nerang Rail track.

Mrs Gamin, who favoured better bus services, said she would fight any extension past Robina as her constituents believed it was not in their interests.

“A rail link to Coolangatta without a station planned in Palm Beach would not provide any benefits to my constituents,” she said.

“It is a wonderful idea in theory but with the levels of disruption it would because I hardly think it’s worth it.”

Mrs Rose said while she opposed any extension through the Currumbin-Tallebudgera valleys on environmental grounds, the extension beside the Pacific Motorway was necessary.

Map of the railway extension, 1997.

Mrs Rose told the Bulletin the rail link would reduce future congestion on the Pacific Highway, with the number of vehicles travelling daily expected to almost treble by 2011 to 192,000 cars per day.

“While I sympathise with anyone who lives near the proposed rail corridor we can’t continue to ignore the future transport needs of the region and a decision has to be made on behalf of the whole community,” she said.

Premier Rob Borbidge enjoys his first train ride to Nerang. Picture Paul Riley

“We have traffic problems already because of poor planning in the past and a no-rail decision would be regretted 20 years down the track.”

Mrs Rose’s words can be looked at with great irony with two decades of hindsight.

Following the 1998 opening of the Robina station, a further southern link would not be built until Varsity Lakes station was constructed and completed in late 2009.

In the near decade since, no moves have been made to extend the heavy rail network south of Varsity Lakes, with focus moving instead to the light rail.

Rob Borbidge with Vaughan Johnson as construction of the railway continued.