The state Opposition says it is committed to bringing a rail line to Maroochydore within eight years, but the state government insists that’s impossible.
The LNP recently spruiked its dedication to build the full 37.8km rail line from Beerwah to Maroochydore, without revealing when they could do it by or how it would be paid for.
But, on Tuesday, party leader David Crisafulli said the project could be achieved before the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics.
“Make no mistake, we’re committed to making it go all the way through to the Maroochydore CBD by the 2032 Games,” he said.
“We’re determined to make sure there is legacy infrastructure that comes out of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and there’s no greater legacy play than making sure that people in a fast-growing place like the Sunshine Coast can use a piece of infrastructure to connect with the capital.”
The state government has committed to building about half of the line by then.
The Minister for Transport, Bart Mellish, said the full track could not be delivered before the Games, due to cost and construction complexities outlined in a report in March.
“The business case makes it clear the entire line to Maroochydore can’t be built by 2032,” he told Sunshine Coast News.
“A construction program was developed with input from expert industry advisors.
“Even when staged or built concurrently, this program demonstrated that construction of the dual track rail line to Maroochydore would not be feasible prior to 2032.”
Mr Crisafulli announced, in his 2022 budget reply, that the Opposition wanted to have the line built to Maroochydore by 2032, but references to timing have been largely absent since, until this week.
“We are committed to bringing it all the way through and we’ll work with other levels of government to make sure that’s done as best we can,” he said.
“It does have to occur and it’s something we’re determined to see done by 2032.”
An athletes’ village will be at Maroochydore for the Games, while Games events will be held at Kawana, Alexandra Headland and near Nambour.
Mr Crisafulli said a half-built line would only create problems.
“To stop it at Caloundra would be a disastrous mistake,” he said.
“It will turn that part of the Sunshine Coast into a car park, and it will mean that people from other parts of the Coast are less likely to use it in the first place,” he said.
“It’s got to go all the way through to Maroochydore if it’s truly going to be the strategy that’s needed to get people out of their vehicles.”
But the Opposition has not detailed how a completed line would be paid for.
Mr Crisafulli said the LNP would speak to local and federal sectors to get the job done.
“We’re willing to work with whoever to bring this to fruition,” he said. “I do believe there will be a strong desire from federal parliament … there’s a strong desire to invest in these kinds of projects.”
Meanwhile, the state government has assured that the first 19km section of the line, from Beerwah to Caloundra, will be built by 2032, with $5.5 billion in state and federal funding. The government has also committed to the planning of the line to Kawana and the protection of the alignment to Maroochydore by 2032.
Mr Mellish said it was impossible to build the entire line by then.
“Delivery of rail between Beerwah and Maroochydore is anticipated to take a decade or more, even when working across multiple work fronts at the same time,” he said.
“Without staging, no sections of the rail corridor would be able to be operationalised before this time.”
The business case summary stated that it would cost $5.4 billion to build the track from Beerwah to Caloundra, $8.4 billion to Birtinya and $12 billion to Maroochydore, and there were several cost and construction constraints.
“The business case recommends that the project be built in stages for multiple reasons, including cost to taxpayers, workforce and skills capacity in Queensland and construction impacts,” Mr Mellish has said previously.
“As the business case reveals, building between Caloundra and Birtinya is very complex for engineers as it will include building a tunnel (at Little Mountain) and a number of bridge structures.”
The summary also stated that the stretch between Birtinya and Maroochydore posed challenges.
“Construction of the corridor carries the highest construction risks due to the presence of significant utilities (power, water and sewer), crossing of the Mooloolah River, construction adjacent to the Mooloolah River National Park and landfill at Mountain Creek and interaction with the Sunshine Motorway,” it stated.
A spokesperson for the federal Department of Infrastructure said the federal government was committed to co-funding Stage 1 to Caloundra, and any possible future funding would be subject to examination.
“We will continue to work with the Queensland government to deliver priority land transport infrastructure, including considering new priorities in context of future business case and budget processes,” they said.
Premier Stephen Miles has previously hailed the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, which will include several stations and high-speed trains, as a breakthrough project.
“A direct rail connection to the Sunshine Coast will unlock thousands of homes in the growing Sunshine Coast region and accelerate the release of new, affordable developments,” he said.
A TMR spokesperson said travel on the line will be “significantly faster than trips in a private vehicle (in peak hours) and more reliable” with connections to an enhanced bus network.
