Olympics 2032: Future Sunshine Coast event reveals lessons to learn from Munich

Think big and build for the future was the key advice from an experienced demographer wanting the Sunshine Coast to get the most out of the 2032 Olympic Games.

An experienced demographer wants the Sunshine Coast to learn from Munich’s bold and big-thinking approach when it comes to building for the 2032 Olympic Games.

Simon Kuestenmacher said the region should build infrastructure to last decades to take full advantage of the history making event.

Speaking at the Sunshine Coast Daily’s Future Sunshine Coast lunch the Demographics Group co-founder said rail transport was completely transformed in Munich in the lead-up to the 1972 Games.

He said the work shaped what the German capital city looked like today.

“With some bizarre way of foresight the local authorities built a railway system way bigger than it needed to be,” Mr Kuestenmacher said of his home town.

“They extended the rail road east, south, west, all directions from Munich.

Simon Kuestenmacher, director of research for the Demographics Group.

“They did this at quite a cost, but it was worth it.

“You can build yourself into future decades of success, use this as a catalyst to build infrastructure.

“Don’t wait until you’ve doubled in size.”

The Sunshine Coast is expected to be home to four key Olympic venues and host sporting events including football, basketball, marathons, mountain biking, cycling and kiteboarding.

More than $2bn worth of infrastructure funding is available from the International Olympic Committee to deliver legacy projects.

Mr Kuestenmacher was among several experts to share insights at the Future Sunshine Coast event into how the region can harness the billions of dollars in tourism, infrastructure and trade expected to flow from the event.

Nadja Fleet, James Tuma, Andrew Brodie, Dawn Fraser and Carol Cashman discuss what the Sunshine Coast needs to take advantage of the 2032 Olympic Games. Picture: Patrick Woods

Rail upgrades were crucial, he said, but the region also needed a convention and exhibition centre and a five-star hotel.

“You need to be honest about growth prospects,” Mr Kuestenmacher said.

“The population here will double in the next three to four decades, so take that as a given.

“You have a wonderful decade ahead of you … tap into this, you’re the big winner.”

Fairfax MP Ted O’Brien said the benefits would extend from Maroochydore and Alexandra Headland to Kawana and Nambour.

He said there was no time to waste to create a decades-lasting legacy.

Mr O’Brien wants to use the Olympic Games as a catalyst to build a multipurpose convention and exhibition centre at the Maroochydore CBD – where preliminary basketball events can also be held.

He said this would strengthen the case for rail into Maroochydore.

Rail duplication to Nambour was also critical, Mr O’Brien said, with the suburb expected to host Olympic mountain bike events.

Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien is calling for funds for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to go towards an $80m convention and exhibition centre at the Maroochydore City Centre.

“We don’t want a glitter strip of high rises, nor do we want urban sprawl,” he said.

“Investment in rail isn’t just about connectivity and taking cars off the road it’s also about getting ahead of population growth.

“If we can get rail done right it’ll provide density along new inland stations along the CAMCOS corridor and rejuvenated old railway towns.”

Mr O’Brien said Kawana hosting football preliminaries would provide a new opportunity to call for funding for an upgraded stadium.

Sunshine Coast Airport chief executive Andrew Brodie said a seamless connection from the Gold Coast to the Maroochydore CBD was what the region needed to create a lasting legacy from the Games.

But he said the time to deliver it for the Games was closing in.

“We have the opportunity to put this region on the world stage. We will never have that again,” Mr Brodie told the crowd of about 200 people at Maroochy RSL.

Fairfax MP Ted O'Brien is calling for funds for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to go towards an $80m convention and exhibition centre at the Maroochydore City Centre.

“We need to have one voice. Tourism Australia, Visit Sunshine Coast and Tourism Noosa need to work together over the next 10 years.

“The time is now, we can’t talk about it in five years’ time, it’s now.”

Mr Brodie said the Sunshine Coast had not had a five-star hotel for 30 years.

“We need great accommodation … that’s important because we want interstate and international visitors to come back,” he said.

“We also need a world-class convention and cultural facility to bring high-value tourism direct into the region not only for the Olympic Games, but post Games too.”

Carol Cashman, Sunshine Coast Chair, Regional Development Australia, at the Future Olympics 2021 – Sunshine Coast Event. Picture: Patrick Woods

Regional Development Australia Sunshine Coast chair Carol Cashman said many of the Sunshine Coast’s 40,000 small businesses stood to benefit from the Games.

She said the procurement and business possibilities were huge, with the state expected to gain $4.6bn from in trade and tourism.

She said it was also expected to create 91,600 jobs in Queensland over 20 years.

“We need to make sure we get our fair share of that,” she said.

“There is a risk that a lot of tenders will go to big business but there’s lots of potential for those businesses to then use locals in their procurement.”

Originally published as Olympics 2032: Future Sunshine Coast event reveals lessons to learn from Munich