Maroochydore railway line
Proposed railway line in Queensland, Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Maroochydore line is a preserved corridor and planned interurban commuter railway line in South East Queensland. Operated by Queensland Rail, the line will run from the Sunshine Coast to the Brisbane CBD.
- Beerwah
- Caloundra (Stage 1), Birtinya (Stage 2), Maroochydore (Stage 3)
| Maroochydore line | |
|---|---|
| |
| Overview | |
| Status | Construction |
| Owner | Department of Transport and Main Roads |
| Locale | Sunshine Coast |
| Termini |
|
| Stations | 7 (subject to further planning) |
| Website | tmr.qld.gov.au |
| Service | |
| System | Queensland Rail Citytrain network |
| Operator(s) | Queensland Rail |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 37.8 km (23.5 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
| Electrification | Yes |
| Operating speed | 160 km/h (100 mph) |
It was first proposed as the Caloundra and Maroochydore Corridor Options Study (CAMCOS) before being revised and superseded by the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line, which was later branded as The Wave Stages 1 and 2 (Rail).[1]
Planning history
A direct rail line serving the coastal areas of the Sunshine Coast has been identified as an integral transport project since the mid 1990s.[2]
CAMCOS
The corridor between Caboolture and Maroochydore was initially studied and released in the Caboolture to Maroochydore Corridor Options Study (CAMCOS) in 1998. A regional heavy rail line was recommended. It also suggested the introduction of new bus services along the corridor prior to the completion of the rail line.[3]
Public consultation was conducted in January 1999, with newsletters and displays of aerial photographs.
2001 CAMCOS protected corridor
On 31 March 1999, the Minister for Transport & Main Roads, Steve Bredhauer, announced that a route from the existing North Coast line at Beerwah through to Maroochydore had been decided.[4] In 2001, a corridor between Beerwah and Marcoola was preserved to then standards for a single-track railway.[5]
In July 2007, the City of Caloundra and Queensland Government commissioned a study into the realignment of the proposed corridor in Caloundra South. It was proposed that the corridor should be altered to run west of Golden Beach, and through the Caloundra Airport site.[6]
In 2009 in preparation of the project, 14-kilometre (9 mi) alignment on the North Coast line from Caboolture to Beerburrum was duplicated.[7]
Although the project was listed as major regional project in the Queensland Government's landmark transport policy Connecting SEQ 2031, a Strategic Assessment of Service Requirements (SASR) in the same year indicated that rail investment in the region was not required prior to the 2030s.[8][9]
In 2021, work on track duplication between Beerburrum and Beerwah commenced.[3]
In the 2022 federal budget, the Morrison government announced a commitment of $1.6 billion towards the construction of the line to improve transport facilities for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. The federal government funding was under the condition that the project's budget would be split 50:50 with the Queensland Government.[10] In November 2023, the federal Transport Minister, Catherine King, announced a cut in funding for the project, citing cost blow-outs and a lack of demand, and the project was put on hold until the cost has been determined.[11]
2023 Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line
In 2020, a private consortium under the name North Coast Connect undertook a business case on faster rail services between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. In late 2023, this business case was released, updating the CAMCOS alignment to current Queensland Rail standards, allowing updated speed up to 160km/h and dual-track. This was referred to as the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line (DSC).[12]
The proposal presented in the business case removed three stations from the project scope: Parrearra station, Creekside station and Pelican Waters station. This was reasoned due to location in flood prone areas, accessibility challenges and to allow for faster journey times and higher speeds.[3]
It was recommended the project be built in stages. Stage 1 would include
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construction of the rail line from Beerwah Junction and Caloundra, including a new Nirimba (Aura) station, Caloundra station, the Beerwah South Yard and the upgrade of the existing Beerwah station. Stage 2 included from Caloundra to Birtinya Yard, including construction of Birtinya station, Aroona station and the Birtinya Yard facility, with Stage 3 running from Birtinya station to Maroochydore, including construction of Mountain Creek station. It was stated however that the line would only be operational to Birtinya by 2032.[3]
In February 2024, the Queensland government announced funding of $3 billion for the first stage of the project, from Beerwah to Caloundra. If the federal government provided matching funding, construction could start in 2026 for completion by 2032.[13] In May 2024, the federal government announced its contribution of $2.75 billion for the first stage of the line to Caloundra.[14]
2025 The Wave Stages 1 and 2 (Rail)
In March 2025, the new Queensland government announced that the line would terminate at Birtinya, with procurement and pre-construction of Stage 1 (Beerwah to Caloundra) to commence.[15]
This new proposal, marketed at The Wave, would see Stages 1 and 2 built according to the DSC rail planning, with Stage 3 (formerly Birtinya to Maroochydore) superseded by a new bus rapid transit system stylised as The Wave Stage 3 (Metro).[16] The BRT would be built on the preserved corridor via Maroochydore to Sunshine Coast Airport, being planned to include the DSC station at Mountain Creek and a connection to Sunshine Coast University Hospital bus station.[17]
Listed as key transport project for the 2032 Summer Olympics in Brisbane, the full system to the Sunshine Coast Airport is set to be operational by 2031.[18]
Stations
The 2009 proposal included eight new stations, and one existing station.[19]
The 2023 proposal included six new stations and one existing station.[20] The 2025 proposal includes four new railway stations and three new Bus Rapid Transit stations, with the terminus of the railway line to be at Birtinya.[21]
| 2009 | 2023 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Coast Airport (BRT) | ||
| Maroochydore | Maroochydore (BRT) | |
| Mooloolaba | Mountain Creek | Mountain Creek (BRT) |
| Parrearra | ||
| Kawana Town Centre | Birtinya | Birtinya
(rail and BRT interchange) |
| Erang Street | ||
| Aroona | ||
| Caloundra | ||
| Pelican Waters | Nirimba | Bells Creek (Aura) |
| Beerwah (upgraded) | ||