Sunshine Coast Olympics venues unveiled, direct rail line plan revealed

The LNP has broken a key promise to deliver heavy rail into Maroochydore, instead opting for a new metro bus system while a $1 billion Olympics venue in the CBD has been given the go ahead. VOTE IN OUR POLLS

Premier David Crisafulli has announced the Olympic venues' blueprint today, March 25.

The state government’s promise for a direct rail line to the heart of Maroochydore is officially dead in the water after Premier David Crisafulli unveiled a blueprint for the 2032 Olympics.

Instead, the state government announced “The Wave” with a the direct rail line from Beerwah to Birtinya followed by a direct metro bus hub to the Sunshine Coast Airport, through the Maroochydore CBD.

The plan to stop the line at Caloundra was rejected with David Crisafulli saying the community didn’t want to see their town turned into a car park.

Metro infrastructure will be constructed from the Birtinya station to Maroochydore station, delivering the long-awaited Mooloolah River Interchange.

The Wave, Sunshine Coast Airport bus link for the Olympic Games.

The state government would build the interchange as a priority to remove congestion and allow The Wave to carry commuters without delay.

The line to Caloundra has been jointly funded by the federal and state governments, at $2.75bn each.

Stage one works to Caloundra are due to start in 2026.

The Walker Corporation billion-dollar submission for an entertainment venue in Maroochydore’s CBD with a new athlete village, hotel, arena and cultural precinct was also given the green light for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Walker Corporation CEO David Gallant said he was very excited for the Sunshine Coast moving forward.

An artistic impression of Walker Corporation's Horizon Centre proposal, which is a $1bn proposition offered to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) for an arena and athletes village in Maroochydore. Picture: Supplied

“The Maroochydore city centre for the people of the Sunshine Coast it’s terribly exciting now to have a clear picture of moving forward so we’re very excited to have contribution to the Sunshine Coast’s future,” he said.

“We’re very well advanced in terms of our partnership agreement with our contractor and designers so we’re very excited that we can get on with it starting from tomorrow.

“I also think the announcement today on the public transport to the city centre is also critical and great for the community to understand what that future looks like for public transport.”

Metro infrastructure will be constructed from the Birtinya station to Maroochydore station, delivering the long-awaited Mooloolah River Interchange.

The state government would build the interchange as a priority to remove congestion and allow The Wave to carry commuters without delay, a press release stated.

Under the blueprint for the 2032 Games, upgrades to the Sunshine Coast Stadium in Kawana Sports Precinct have been earmarked, along with upgrades to the Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre.

Premier David Crisafulli said 2032 would be the Queensland Games.

Premier David Crisafulli has announced a public transport plan for the Sunshine Coast along with the venues that have the green light for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games at the Courier-Mail’s Future Brisbane event.

“These Games are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver an infrastructure, tourism and grassroots sports legacy to benefit all of Queensland,” Premier Crisafulli said.

“Delivering 2032 and Beyond sets the plan to build much more than what’s needed for a few weeks of competition.”

The LNP government promised throughout the state election campaign last year that it would deliver a train line to the Maroochydore CBD.

But a cost blowout of the project was revealed after the LNP won government.

Deputy Premier and Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie also spoke at the Future Brisbane event at Howard Smith Wharves.

Outside of the event, opposition leader Steven Miles said this was a let down for the people of the Sunshine Coast.

He said David Crisafulli lied to Sunshine Coast locals saying he would get the rail line to Maroochydore and that having it go to Birtinya was his plan all along.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said it was a big win for the community.

“Connecting to the airport is also something we’ve been thinking about and wanting for years,” she said.

“We will now have that opportunity to make sure our people can move around, our visitors can move around, and that that legacy continues well beyond 2032.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli and Walker Corporation CEO David Gallant.

“That’s what this is about for the people of the Sunshine Coast way beyond the games.”

When asked when she was advised the rail line would not go all the way to Maroochydore Ms Natoli said “never”.

“We’ve been waiting for this exact moment to see exactly what was on the table and we are really excited about anything that is going to deliver for our people a long lasting legacy,” she said.

“We know that there is an athletes’ village in the Maroochydore city centre but the exact detail is still to be determined. We just received news of the plan.

“What we’re looking at for the Sunshine Coast is incredible opportunity. That’s the whole reason that we were first involved in the bid for the Sunshine Coast.

An artistic impression of Walker Corporation's Horizon Centre proposal. Picture: Supplied

“The Sunshine Coast future is very bright.”

Ms Natoli said the Sunshine Coast was a very fast growing region.

“For the Mooloolah River interchange that project is vital for the future of the Sunshine Coast in terms of public transport,” she said.

“Homes have already been resumed there long before the project was actually scrapped in its funding so that will go ahead there now.

“The detail (of the costs) is still to be seen. It’s certainly not something I’ve seen.”

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Olympics venues unveiled, direct rail line plan revealed