Sunshine Coast rail link: Eyewatering new cost, as LNP demands full disclosure

A critical rail line into the heart of the Sunshine Coast has a big new price tag, with the Opposition demanding the full business case.

A critical rail line into the heart of the Sunshine Coast would cost at least $12bn to build in full, with new documents revealing how the major project will differ from a high-profile vision dreamt up more than two decades ago.

It comes as a summary business case for the direct Sunshine Coast rail line, released by the state government, reveals advice was to take the line to Birtinya by 2032 – but authorities decided this was too risky.

Instead the government has committed to building the first stage of the critical project to Caloundra in time for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, arguing a staged approached is safer for costs and timing.

Transport Minister Bart Mellish released the documents as the government moved to pressure the LNP over its promise to build the rail line in full to Maroochydore and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli’s belief that this can be done by 2032.

Deputy Opposition Leader and Member for Kawana Jarrod Bleijie slammed the move to release a summary report, labelling the document nothing more than talking points as he demanded the full business case.

The government in late February revealed it would pour $2.75bn into building the direct Sunshine Coast rail, while admitting the money would only take it as far as Caloundra by 2032 on the proviso the federal government tipped in a total of $2.6bn.

Stage 1 of the project, at $5.5bn, costs significantly more than the $3.2bn initially earmarked in 2022.

Now the summary business case has revealed the full rail line would cost at least $12bn, and would take a decade or more to build even when working across multiple work fronts at the same time.

“Without staging no sections of the rail corridor would be able to be operationalised before this time,” the report says.

The original Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Options Study completed in 2001 suggest a total of nine stations along the line, but the new study has scrapped three due to challenges including engineering and space. The new business case ultimately suggested the first stage of the line be built as far as Birtinya by 2032, but the state government ruled the risks made Caloundra the better option.

“Stage One alone involves building 19km of track; 7km of that track is elevated rail on viaducts, including 10 bridges, crossing roads, creeks and the Bruce Highway,” Mr Mellish said. “Stage two is even more complex, involving construction of another 7.5km of track between Caloundra and Birtinya, including a 1.2km tunnel at Little Mountain.”

The government argued the full business case could not be released as it contained commercial-in-confidence information.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast rail link: Eyewatering new cost, as LNP demands full disclosure