Sunshine Coast businesses battling effects of Mooloolaba roadworks

Hospitality operators reveal their struggles after a sharp drop in foot traffic since major roadworks began in a beachside tourism town in a bid to future-proof the area.

Small businesses in Mooloolaba are battling to stay afloat as lengthy road closures in the area make it tough to draw customers in.

The Sunshine Coast Council is working on the Mooloolaba Transport Corridor Upgrade to primarily widen Brisbane Rd and Walan St from two to four lanes to increase traffic flow, reduce delays and cater for future traffic growth in the heart of the area.

The project – which started in 2019 and is expected to end next year – has currently closed the end of Brisbane Rd and an intersection from Brisbane Rd to Tarcoola Ave.

Mooloolaba Indian restaurant Carry On Curry owner Shappy Sapija, 38, said weekly sales had dropped by 30 per cent since nearby road closures started three months ago.

Manager Kanupriya Bhhambi said the decline in foot traffic created a “headache” for her business, which struggled to pay overheads.

“It’s too much for us to pay even a single penny [extra] because of this,” she said.

Indian restaurant owner Shappy Sapija of Carry On Curry, Mooloolaba. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Noodle Box owner John Ji, who operated at the same shopping centre, said weekly sales had dropped by 30-40 per cent in the past six weeks.

“Your costs increase but sales drop, so how can you make a living?” he said.

Some small businesses along Mooloolaba Esplanade were also feeling the effects.

The Toast Office owner Mikayla Stuart, 19, said over 30 per cent of sales had dropped off since late April.

“The foot traffic … is just dead,” she said.

“Getting in and out is so much harder than it used to be.”

Ms Stuart closed her doors on a few weekdays in a bid to “try to be sustainable and not waste products”.

Ms Stuart said there had been little warning from the council of the closures and said other businesses around her were also suffering, but noted wet weather and the cold winter had added to their pain.

Roadworks in the heart of Mooloolaba.

She said the council had worked hard on keeping them updated on the road closures since works started and the organisation was doing its best to attract visitors to Mooloolaba.

“They’ve done a good job in that department,” Ms Stuart said.

The Sunshine Coast Council said it acknowledged the impact of road works on the community but stressed the long-term benefits of the project.

Councillor Joe Natoli said he was sympathetic towards businesses but said it was part of the council “investing millions” to improve the area.

“There’s no doubt it has really irked some of the businesses,” he said.

Major works are under way in Mooloolaba.

Mr Natoli said the council partly opened fully closed roads to cater for a rise in traffic during the school holidays but said these ‘band-aids’ can delay the completion of road works by a month while wet weather had also impacted the timelines.

“We believe it’s necessary to make it more tolerable,” he said.

Mr Natoli said the “worst” of the roadworks should be finished by August, but ongoing disruption could continue along Brisbane Road for 18 months.

He also said minor development could last for the next two to three years.

“As soon as (road closures are) reopened, there will be a big sigh of relief for everyone,” he said.

Mooloolaba Chamber of Commerce president Graeme Juniper said there was no way around the challenges of roadworks on businesses.

“Mooloolaba has to have these roadworks so access in the future is capable of handling the increase in traffic,” he said.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast businesses battling effects of Mooloolaba roadworks