Booming Southport: but where is the backup in infrastructure as population hits new peak

The population of one of the Gold Coast’s oldest suburbs is forecast to grow by an astonishing 60 per cent in coming years, leading to calls for a big infrastructure spend.

SOUTHPORT’S population is forecast to more than double to 80,000-plus in about 20 years, putting extreme pressure on its ageing schools, roads, poor police resources and court facilities, State Parliament has been told.

The Palaszczuk Government, which has focused on the north of the city in the State Budget, has been “put on notice” about a lack of support infrastructure in the Gold Coast’s booming Southport CBD.

Southport MP Rob Molhoek used a budget-in-reply speech to warn the Government, referring to projections that the centre’s population will jump from 34,000 to 83,000 by 2041.

Marine Parade at Southport.

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The suburb’s boundaries include Loders Creek in the north, Olsen Ave and Wardoo St in the west, Slatyer Ave near the golf club in the south and the Broadwater in the east.

Mr Molhoek said demographer Bernard Salt, when crunching the figures at the Future Tourism event in Brisbane this month, found the Gold Coast’s old commercial heart had the second highest number of new jobs in the last census.

“There were 10,100 jobs – more even than Brisbane city, which is fantastic,” Mr Molhoek told Parliament.

The Southport electoral district accounted for 16.5 per cent of all jobs on the Gold Coast, with 38,507 employed in the business centre.

But Mr Molhoek said forward planning in the Government’s spending showed “absolutely nothing” for the 18 schools in the area.

Keebra State High School was in a growth area and had not been targeted for funding. Neither were the busy Benowa state high and primary school or Ashmore State School, which had ageing classrooms.

Councillor Dawn Crichlow and Rob Molhoek — Southport political leaders. Picture: Jerad Williams.

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“Most of the schools are at capacity or approaching capacity. With so many people moving into the area through infill development and growth within the Southport electoral district, there will be an urgent need,” Mr Molhoek said.

“I am putting the House on notice that there will be an urgent need for significant investment in our local schools.”

Mr Molhoek had welcomed council funding to upgrade the Sundale Bridge but noted that QTRIP, the government program that showed planned spending for future transport projects, had nothing in forward funding to upgrade Southport Nerang Rd from Wardoo St through to Queen St, despite it being nominated a priority more than a decade ago.

Mr Molhoek asked Police Minister Mark Ryan to conduct an urgent review of police numbers in Southport.

“Southport Police Station currently has 80 to 90 officers assigned. It covers one of the largest policing districts on the Gold Coast,” he said.

“It is in fact one of the busiest police stations in the state. It is a police station that is constantly under pressure.

“I am told that around 30 per cent of Southport Police Station’s workload deals specifically with domestic violence and family-related issues. If we do the maths and work out what a typical seven-day roster looks like, we can appreciate just how stretched those resources are.”

An aerial view of Broadwater Parklands, Southport.

Mr Molhoek said the Southport police station was having to babysit the watchhouse due to the number of youth justice cases and an overflow of prisoners in Brisbane.

Veteran Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow acknowledged the CBD was strong in terms of jobs growth, but said it faced massive challenges with parking.

She said the latest report from the council (see Southport at a Glance) confirmed why Carey Park in front of Australia Fair should not be used as the site for a second casino.

“The thing that still concerns me the most is whether Carey Park will still be there,” Cr Crichlow said. “We are spending $5.5 million on improving the foreshore (at the Broadwater Parklands).

“If we can’t have people able to park there to use it, it’s the end of it. We have to keep that parking.”

SOUTHPORT AT A GLANCE

● A priority development plan was introduced in late 2013 which includes the former hospital site and takes in the aquatic centre, Broadwater Parklands and housing north of Queen Street.

● In the past two years, there has been a 40 per cent increase in retail trade floor space, 65 per cent boost in premises open after 7pm, and 1512 new dwellings approved to be built.

● Light rail patronage has increased by 13.6 per cent. Southport station average day boardings increased from 2248 in 2014-15 to 2554 in 2016-17.

● A mix of decreases and increases in traffic depending on light rail – the biggest drop along Nerang St between High and Garden streets, by 19.2 per cent.

● Main dwellings are apartments, up from 4984 in 2015 to 5487 in 2017. Thirteen apartment towers approved, with most around the Australia Fair shopping precinct.

● Consultants found retail trade was the largest business land use followed by health care, social assistance, professional and technical services.

Source: Gold Coast City Council Building Our City report