Sunshine Coast Train UPDATE: When and Where will the Sunshine Coast Train reach the Coast?
Fast facts:
- The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is a proposed 37.8km rail extension between Beerwah and Maroochydore to increase public transport opportunities and improve connectivity to Moreton Bay, Brisbane and beyond.
- Stage 1 will deliver 19km of rail between Beerwah and Caloundra (over halfway), with possible delivery of Birtinya by 2032 pending procurement activities and advice from leading engineering and construction companies.
- The business case evaluated technical requirements for the full rail line including 7 new stations (including a proposed future station at Beerwah East), 17km of structures, a 1.2km tunnel at Little Mountain and 2 new stabling facilities. 17km of elevated structures accounts for over 40% of the corridor.
- The business case has determined an optimal realignment of the corridor between Beerwah and Maroochydore, which enables rail speeds of up 160km/h. The current trains can and do travel 140km/h, their maximum speed.
- The new corridor will be protected in 2024.
- Over 80% of community feedback received during community consultation in 2023 was supportive of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line project, helping inform the business case.
The money will fund geotechnical investigations between Beerwah and Birtinya, to help construct what will be the longest rail spur line in South East Queensland. One third of the initial 19km rail line will be built on viaducts and 10 bridges - crossing roads, creeks and the Bruce Highway.
The project team will also install ground water monitoring wells and conduct further environmental investigations. This process will ensure environmental impacts are properly assessed and any impacts mitigated.
It will also seek to reduce track curves which are integral to allowing trains to travel faster for longer. 83 per cent (or 15.8km) of track between Beerwah and Caloundra stations, is designed to allow speeds of 140km/h or faster. This is what enables passengers to travel between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane at least 46 minutes faster.
The Miles Government will also start directly engaging with the construction industry on the tender process for Direct Sunshine Coast Rail line.
This crucial next-step, known as market sounding, ensures companies have the expertise, workforce capacity and readiness to deliver the massive, multi-billion dollar rail project.
The Department of Transport and Mains Roads (TMR) has also launched an online portal for businesses to register for upcoming industry engagement sessions. The sessions will provide companies the opportunity to learn more as the project progresses. Contractors and suppliers who register will also get regular updates tailored to their industry.
Direct Sunshine Coast Rail is expected to support thousands of local jobs and create a pipeline of opportunities for the region. Procurement will be guided by the Buy Queensland policy to help ensure local businesses benefit from the project. Buy Queensland has seen more than $64 billion invested in Queensland-registered businesses, since 2017.
Direct Sunshine Coast Rail will revolutionise travel, providing a fast and reliable alternative to car trips between the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and Brisbane regions.
A trip from Brisbane to Caloundra during peak is an hour faster than the car, helping reduce congestion on the Bruce Highway and local roads across the Sunshine Coast.
The Miles Government has committed $2.75 billion in funding to deliver Stage 1 of the project from Beerwah to Caloundra, subject to matched funding from the Federal Government.
The TMR industry engagement portal is separate to a formal expression of interest to undertake work on the project, which will be announced in due course.
Businesses can now access the online portal at www.yoursay-projects.tmr.qld.gov.au/direct-sunshine-coast-rail
Quotes attributable to Bart Mellish, Minister for Transport & Main Roads:
“The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is a gamechanger for transport, with trains able to travel at 140kph on large sections of the new line.
“It’s also a significant opportunity for Queensland businesses and local suppliers to contribute to this critical infrastructure project.
"The market sounding and industry engagement process will look at the capacity and capability of businesses to do the work required to bring the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line to life.
"This important step will tell us more about when shovels can get in the ground and when we could potentially see the first trains operating from Caloundra to Brisbane.
"We want to hear from Queensland businesses and work with them to seize the opportunity the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line represents for the future of transport in South East Queensland.
“The Miles Government has a detailed plan for this project and $2.75 billion in funding of funding on the table.
“Rather than playing petty party politics, we are cracking on with delivery.
“The LNP don’t support progressive coal royalties which leaves them with a multi-billion-dollar budget black hole.
“That means more than $6 billion in cuts would be needed to deliver the rail line in full to Maroochydore. There is simply no other way.
“Which projects will they cut? Or will it be the jobs of doctors and nurses and teachers that go instead to “prune back” costs?
“The LNP need to come clean with Queenslanders about how they deliver their unfunded commitment.”
Quotes attributable to Jason Hunt, Member for Caloundra:
"The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is another major investment in our rail network by the Queensland Government and we want Queensland businesses to be front and centre.
"Delivery will take a workforce with expertise from across the construction industry from engineers to architects and manufacturers, builders and truckdrivers.
“The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will offer opportunities for students to complete local apprenticeships in the booming rail and construction industries, encouraging talent to grow and stay in South East Queensland.
“Projects of this size and scale don’t come around everyday. It is important that we maximise the opportunity that this project presents for the people of Queensland and deliver a secure pipeline of good jobs in one of Queensland’s fastest growing regions.
“The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will support thousands of jobs during construction and ongoing operation and maintenance of the line after construction means secure jobs well into the future.
"The Queensland Government last year released the Q2032 Procurement Strategy, which builds on the Queensland Procurement Strategy 2023 (Jobs, Economy, Legacy, Confidence) – both plans under Buy Queensland.
"We're getting on with the job and backing Queensland businesses to deliver the projects and services our growing state needs."
Published Tuesday, 16 April, 2024 at 12:51 PM "Multi-million-dollar package lays the foundations for Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line"
Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services
The Honourable Bart Mellish
Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line business case summary released
Thursday, 07 March, 2024 Source: Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services - The Honourable Bart Mellish
The Queensland Government has published a summary of the business case for the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, releasing new details about the project. The summary includes further information about the technical solution, construction challenges and cost estimates.
The proposed line to Maroochydore is 37.8km of new dual track, narrow gauge rail line through greenfield and highly urbanised environments.
Other features include:
- Approximately 17 kilometres of rail is raised including viaducts and 24 bridges, to minimise flooding and environmental impacts, and to pass over local and arterial roads.
- A 1.2 kilometre tunnel at Little Mountain to minimise environmental and community impacts.
- Six new stations at Nirimba (Aura), Caloundra, Aroona, Birtinya, Mountain Creek and Maroochydore with an upgrade also planned for Beerwah station.
- Relocation and protection of major utilities such as power, water and sewer.
- Construction in constrained urban environments.
Project cost estimates have also been released for each stage, with construction to Birtinya expected to cost approximately $8.4 billion and construction to Maroochydore approximately $12 billion.
The summary document confirms that construction of the full 37.8 kilometre rail line to Maroochydore would take at least a decade. It also shows that unless the line was built in stages, none of the stations would open to passengers prior to 2032.
The business case recommends a staged delivery of the rail line. Staging takes into account the length of the corridor, affordability and market capacity. Building in stages will not only open sections of the rail line years earlier, but creates a progressive pipeline of thousands of local jobs and helps ease construction impacts on the local community.
The business case tested staging to both Calounda and Birtinya by 2032, ultimately recommending staging to Birtinya. Although recommended, the summary notes the complex construction and engineering activities in building to Birtinya, presenting risks to the project cost and timeframes, which could prevent the rail line opening by 2032. Delivery alone between Caloundra and Birtinya is another 7.5km, including 4km of track on viaducts and 6 bridges, and building a 1.2km tunnel.
Based on this advice, the Miles Government has committed to delivering Stage 1, including building rail to Caloundra by 2032, protecting the revised alignment to Maroochydore, and further planning, environmental investigations and design. The corridor to Caloundra requires zero homes to be resumed.
Stage One also includes going to market to test the risk to construction timeframes and costs, for the section from Caloundra to Birtinya. If fully funded, in partnership with the Australian Government, Stage 1 would see at least 19km built prior to 2032 – more than half the rail line.
Stage 1 is expected to cost between $5.5 billion to $7 billion, with cost estimates to be finalised following further design development, market engagement and procurement.
The Miles Government has committed an initial $2.75 billion to deliver the first stage of the project, which will require matching funding from the Federal Government before works can get underway. Stage 1 works are expected to commence in 2026, targeting completion by 2032. The Federal Government has previously committed $1.6 billion towards the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line. The business case has been issued to Infrastructure Australia for their review and assessment.
The full business case cannot be released as it contains information that is commercial in confidence. Releasing the full business case would prejudice the procurement process, and could influence commercial negotiations.
Quotes attributable to Transport and Main Roads Minister Bart Mellish:
“Direct Sunshine Coast Rail will change the way people travel - making a trip from Caloundra to Brisbane at least 45 minutes faster than a car in peak
“With the number of trips on the Bruce Highway set to increase by 49% by 2046, residents in the region need a direct, fast and reliable connection to the South-East.
“Direct Sunshine Coast Rail will not only help ease congestion, but will also help unlock future housing development on the Sunshine Coast.
“The business case recommends staging and we have committed funding to deliver the first stage, more than half the length of the full rail line, with possible extension to Birtinya subject to procurement activities.
“This is a complex project and the business case was an important part of the planning process. It sets out how the project should be delivered and identifies the complex engineering challenges along the rail line.
“Stage One alone involves building 19km of track. 7km of that track is elevated rail on viaducts, including 10 bridges, crossing roads, creeks and the Bruce Highway.
“Stage two is even more complex, involving construction of another 7.5km of track between Caloundra and Birtinya, including a 1.2km tunnel at Little Mountain.
“Again, 4km of that is elevated rail on viaducts including 6 bridges, due to the number of creek crossings and low-lying terrain. So we will require further advice from leading infrastructure construction companies on the approach, materials and timeframes to deliver this section of the line.
“The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is another record investment in Queensland’s rail network from our government, building on the multi-billion dollar rail revolution currently underway.
“Through the delivery of Cross River Rail, we are removing the bottleneck in Brisbane’s CBD and creating opportunities to provide better rail services to some of South East Queensland’s fastest growing regions.
“With better, more connected rail options available we hope commuters will leave the car at home, reducing congestion and lowering transport emissions on the path to net zero”.
To read the business case summary, visit www.yoursay-projects.tmr.qld.gov.au/direct-sunshine-coast-rail
Fast facts:
- The Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is a proposed 37.8km rail extension between Beerwah and Maroochydore to increase public transport opportunities and improve connectivity to Moreton Bay, Brisbane and beyond.
- Stage 1 will deliver 19km of rail between Beerwah and Caloundra (over halfway), with possible delivery of Birtinya by 2032 pending procurement activities and advice from leading engineering construction companies.
- The business case evaluated technical requirements for the full rail line including 7 stations (including a proposed future station at Beerwah East), 17km of structures, a 1.2km tunnel at Little Mountain and 2 new stabling facilities. 17km of elevated structures accounts for over 40% of the corridor.
- The business case has determined an optimal realignment of the corridor between Beerwah and Maroochydore, which enables rail speeds of up 160km/h. The current trains can and do travel 140km/h, their maximum speed.
- The realignment aims to minimise environmental impact and reduce curves in the line to allow for faster train speeds. The new corridor will be protected in 2024.
- Over 80% of community feedback received during community consultation in 2023 was supportive of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line project, helping inform the business case.
Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services
The Honourable Bart Mellish
Media contact: Minister Mellish office – 0419 288 284
