Maroochydore to Brisbane rail: Major players call for urgent government funding

Some of the Sunshine Coast’s powerful businesspeople fear the region could lose a golden opportunity with $1.6bn on the table for Brisbane to Maroochydore rail.

Prominent Sunshine Coast businesspeople fear a golden opportunity could be lost if all levels of government fail to “put politics aside” and deliver Maroochydore to Brisbane rail.

With $1.6bn on the table from the federal Liberal National Party, calls are being made for local and state governments and federal Labor to commit to the long-­awaited project.

The latest proposal is to extend rail from Beerwah with stations at Caloundra and Kawana, before finishing at Maroochydore near the CBD and Sunshine Plaza.

It would be built on land set aside as part of the Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Study (CAMCOS). But the state government has refused to commit to match the funding for the $3.2bn project.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the state government was yet to see “any detailed or credible CAMCOS costings” and described the LNP’s funding as an “election bribe”.

Businesspeople including Sunshine Coast Business Council chair Sandy Zubrinich fear that without funding locked in, the region could miss the crucial 2032 Olympic Games deadline for the ­region-making project.

They have spoken out as the Sunshine Coast Daily launches its Train for the Games campaign in support of Brisbane to Maroochydore rail.

The business council is writing to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese and Sunshine Coast Council to seek for support.

“We believe both the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council are putting the committed federal (LNP) $1.6bn in funding at risk and therefore the project,” Ms Zubrinich said.

“We have called for the council to work with the Queensland Government to secure matched funding so this critical project can proceed and federal funding is not lost.

Brendan Bathersby, Damien Glanville, Dirk Long, Sandy Zubrinich, Paul Fisher and Murray McCarthy say a train from Brisbane to Maroochydore is critical for the success of the 2032 Olympic Games. Picture: Patrick Woods.

“Three tiers of government need to work together, transparently and put the politics aside.”

The Sunshine Coast’s population is expected to surpass 500,000 by 2041, and the region’s economy – including Noosa – is already worth $21bn.

Rail from Maroochydore to Brisbane has also been identified as crucial for the new CBD and the ability to attract blue-chip businesses to the 52ha development site which is being developed by Walker Corporation.

Walker Corporation development and major projects director Peter Saba said it would help take tens of thousands of car trips off Queensland’s clogged highways.

“The Sunshine Coast population is one of the fastest-expanding regions in Australia so the crucial next step is to build the big transport infrastructure and bring connectivity to the whole region,” Mr Saba said.

“The 2032 Olympics and recent federal government budget announcements are bringing the vision to reality but there are a few political handbrakes that still need to be released.”

He said the company considered heavy rail as essential to “properly activate” the Maroochydore CBD, where it expected $2.5bn in investment over 20 years. as well as blue chip companies.

“Rail is one of the most convenient, effective, mass transit options,” Mr Saba said.

“It brings scores of people in and out fast. People are crucial to having a CBD thrive and prosper.

“With the recent announcement of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and the federal government budget, there has never been a better opportunity for this vision to become reality.”

Evans Long managing director Dirk Long said the Sunshine Coast had reached a size where residents and businesses would expect critical infrastructure including rail.

The development company was an early supporter of the CBD, with its Foundation Place development the first office building for the area.

Mr Long said the region had long been overlooked for critical infrastructure funding.

“This is a significant investment so there is no surprise it has become fairly political,” he said.

“At the end of the day the federal government has put its money where its mouth is.

“I think all residents in this region would say we have been overlooked for a lot of critical infrastructure spend in the last 20–30 years and it would be good to see the state step up on this issue.”

Foundation Place is fully tenanted and attracted businesses including major energy retailer LPE and Cardno to the Maroochydore CBD.

LPE chief executive Damien Glanville said it would be hard to grow his business without heavy rail. and they would have to look at other regions for growth.

“Heavy rail will provide cost-effective and safe transport for our staff to the CBD from Caboolture through to Kawana,” Mr Glanville said.

“It is a far more sustainable approach and will relieve long-term parking pressures.”

He said the state government needed to think long- term and take a bipartisan ­approach. Mr Glanville said a lack of public transport had become a major issue and was affecting parking in Maroochydore.

“Why have a CBD without safe, cost-effective public transport – it’s a non-negotiable … they might as well stop building today,” Mr Glanville said.

Walker Corporation’s Maroochydore City Centre project director Murray McCarthy, who relocated from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast for the project, said rail was a no-brainer.

“The groundswell of support is so strong for heavy rail into the heart of the Maroochydore CBD to ensure Brisbane’s Olympic legacy is remembered for its smart foresight to build connectivity out of Queensland’s capital and into its thriving regions,” Mr McCarthy said.

Walker Corporation also developed Parramatta Square which Mr Saba said was “flourishing” because of its heavy rail connections.

“In all the major urban transformations Walker has delivered, location and access to key infrastructure have been the essential ingredients to success,” he said.

Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Andrew Brodie. Picture: Barry Alsop

Sunshine Coast Airport chief executive Andrew Brodie said the organisation was supportive of heavy rail from Beerwah to Maroochydore with the potential to extend it to the airport eventually.

“We believe this once-in-a-generational opportunity … should be supported by industry leaders, local and state governments working hand in glove to create a lasting legacy which will benefit this region up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and well beyond,” Mr Brodie said.

Regional Development Australia Sunshine Coast chief executive Paul Fisher said it was important for rail connections to be in place before the 2032 Games.

RDA Sunshine Coast’s data – collected from ­economy.id – revealed the region’s $21bn economy had grown 2.2 per cent in the year to 2021.

“Large national and global brands are looking at Maroochydore CBD as a place to locate their businesses,” Mr Fisher said.

An artist’s impression of the Maroochydore CBD.

“They will lose interest and not think the Sunshine Coast is serious without this.

“We’re competing with the likes of Western Sydney, Geelong and Wollongong to locate these businesses so we risk losing that credibility.

“We need requisite infrastructure ahead of the ­population curve because sometimes that tends not to happen leading to congestion and unaffordable housing.”

Mr Fisher said that after 25 years in the making, the LNP’s $1.6bn commitment was the “closest the region has been” to turning rail into a reality.

Maroochydore Chamber of Commerce president Brendan Bathersby said the chamber had been a supporter of heavy rail for years. He said the chamber would continue to advocate for the project.

“This is about creating a legacy project well beyond the 2032 Olympic Games where future generations of Sunshine Coast residents will have the ability to access key destinations across our region as well as a safe and affordable transit into Brisbane’s CBD,” Mr Bathersby said.

Mr Bailey said the state government had jointly funded a $6m planning study with the federal government which was under way to establish costings and firm planning for a new heavy rail connection to the Sunshine Coast.

“We’ll maintain our commitment to heavy rail to the Sunshine Coast with a real and thorough process driven by experts and make any ­future decision based on a robust assessment,” he said.

A federal Labor spokesman criticised the LNP’s funding commitment, however, did not respond to questions about whether or not they would match it.

“The government announced this project with a big song and dance, but the reality is that works aren’t even beginning until 2024 at the earliest,” he said.

“With the Olympics only 10 years away there’s no time to waste.”

Ms Zubrinich said the business council called for an integrated transport strategy in 2013, and since then supported several Brisbane to Maroochydore rail proposals including the faster rail bid in 2017, and the 2020 North Coast Connect.

She said the project would improve connectivity and safe travel between Sunshine Coast and the state’s capital as well as accommodate the region’s growing population, during and after the 2032 Olympic Games.

It has been estimated the project would support 9500 construction jobs.

Originally published as Maroochydore to Brisbane rail: Major players call for urgent government funding