By Sonia Isaacs
SUNSHINE Coast Council has flagged that development of the contentious Aura South growth area may be required to meet the region’s rapidly escalating population targets, despite insisting the Beerwah East SEQ Development Area remains its priority for medium to long-term growth.
The comments come as Stockland’s proposed Aura South masterplanned community moves into public consultation, with the release of its Draft Public Environment Report (PER) marking a major milestone for one of the Sunshine Coast’s largest remaining greenfield sites.
A council spokesperson said Beerwah East remained the focus of the proposed Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme, but confirmed the Halls Creek Potential Future Growth Area, commonly referred to as Aura South, could still be needed to meet targets set under the South East Queensland Regional Plan.
“Whilst the Beerwah East SEQ Development Area remains a priority for Council in managing medium to long-term growth, as reflected in the Proposed Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme, Council does acknowledge that … Aura South may be required to accommodate population growth to meet the SEQ regional plan targets,” the spokesperson said.
Under Shaping SEQ 2023, Sunshine Coast Council is required to plan for an additional 84,000 dwellings and 219,100 people between 2021 and 2046, a statutory obligation that continues to drive pressure on remaining developable land across the region.
The Aura South proposal, a 1,231-hectare development at Coochin Creek adjacent to the existing Aura–Caloundra South community, would deliver up to 12,000 new homes and more than 22,000 jobs, dramatically reshaping the southern Sunshine Coast if approved.
The project is currently being assessed by the Commonwealth Government as a Controlled Action under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), reflecting its proximity to the internationally protected Moreton Bay Ramsar Site and the presence of threatened species and sensitive ecosystems.
With the Draft PER now publicly available, the proposal has entered a decisive phase, opening Stockland’s plans to scrutiny from residents, environmental organisations and government agencies.
The proposal has long attracted opposition from some residents and environmental groups concerned about habitat loss, development scale and downstream impacts on sensitive waterways.
Stockland argues Aura South is essential to easing the region’s worsening housing crisis, with population forecasts pointing to tens of thousands of new residents over coming decades.
The developer says the project could begin delivering “market-ready” homes by 2029, leveraging existing roads, utilities and community infrastructure already established at Aura, rather than pushing development further into less serviced or environmentally intact areas.
Central to the PER is a Nature Strategy committing to the protection of 50 per cent of the site, or more than 500 hectares, for conservation, rehabilitation and open space.
Proposed measures include extensive environmental buffers, wildlife corridors and long-term management zones designed to protect downstream ecosystems linked to the Pumicestone Passage and Moreton Bay.
Detailed technical modelling within the report focuses heavily on water quality and hydrology, acknowledging the vulnerability of Ramsar-listed wetlands.
Stockland proposes a combination of stormwater treatment systems, groundwater monitoring and adaptive management frameworks intended to ensure urban runoff does not degrade marine and estuarine environments.
The PER also assesses impacts on matters of national environmental significance.
While studies conclude most impacts can be avoided or mitigated through design and management, the report identifies a residual impact on Wallum Sedge Frog habitat, triggering a commitment to establish a 348-hectare on-site environmental offset area.
Beyond environmental considerations, the PER outlines the project’s projected economic and social footprint.
Stockland estimates Aura South would generate approximately 22,800 direct jobs and contribute $3.4bn to the Sunshine Coast’s Gross Regional Product, driven by construction activity, employment precincts and new business parks.
The development also proposes a mix of housing types targeting first-home buyers and key workers, alongside a $300m regional roads package, early public transport funding and future connections to the planned Aura Town Centre train station.
The Aura South site has been identified in regional planning frameworks since 2009 as part of the Halls Creek Potential Future Growth Area.
Stockland notes more than 85 per cent of the land was cleared more than 50 years ago for pine plantations and later used for low-intensity grazing, a land-use history the developer says supports its suitability for future urbanisation.
“Pending the necessary approvals, Aura South could help deliver much-needed housing by 2029,” the spokesperson said.
“Assessment of the Public Environment Report by the Commonwealth is the first step. If approved, the project will then move through further State and local assessments before any development can begin.”
Council confirmed Aura South sits within the Regional Inter-Urban Break, a core component of the region’s “green frame” intended to preserve landscape character and lifestyle values, but outside the Shaping SEQ Northern Inter-Urban Break.
Following completion of the EPBC assessment, the State Government will determine which, if any, parts of Halls Creek are suitable for urban purposes.
The State declined to be drawn on any timeframe for a potential Priority Development Area declaration, citing the ongoing federal assessment.
Public submissions are open until Feb 2, with community feedback set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Aura South. More information: aurasouthinfo@stockland.com.au
