By Sonia Isaacs
BEERWAH residents have launched a gutsy grassroots campaign to force the Government to consider an alternative site for a 400-bay car park on the site of the Beerwah Co-Op ahead of construction for the multi-billion dollar Wave rail project.
Backed by a petition that has already gained more than 5600 signatures, a newly formed Community Action Group is hoping to put enough pressure on Transport and Main Roads (TMR) to find a new location for the car park, warning if it goes ahead it will choke local streets, displace essential services and rip the “heart” out of the town.
The campaign has gained rapid momentum amid concerns about TMR’s plans to redevelop the Beerwah station as part of Stage 1 of the Wave rail project connecting Beerwah to Caloundra.
The project will see a significant upgrade of the Beerwah train station including an extra track, island platform, bus interchange and the four-storey car park.
Community Action Group spokesperson Peter Boyle said residents felt “blindsided” by the proposal and were now in a race to force the state government to reconsider the car park’s location before construction contracts were finalised.
“We’re extremely concerned,” Mr Boyle said.
“There’s been very little community consultation and almost no clear information released about what’s actually planned for the western side of the station.
“Once a contractor is appointed, our chances of changing anything become almost nonexistent. We’re not prepared to sit back and do nothing.”
The action group has organised a public meeting, to be held on January 21 at the Church on the Rise to discuss options (see p15).
At the centre of the dispute is the 90-year-old Coochin Creek Fruitgrowers Co-Op, which operates as a service station and supplies hub for the hinterland.
The Co-Op occupies land within the state-owned rail corridor with its current 12-year lease due to expire on June 30, 2027.
TMR says the site remains the preferred option for a four-storey park ’n’ ride facility after assessing alternative locations, stating the land is critical to delivering The Wave within required timeframes.
The Wave is a three-stage public transport project designed to transform travel across the Sunshine Coast, support population growth and meet future transport demand ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It includes a new heavy passenger rail line from Beerwah to Birtinya (Stages 1 and 2), connecting with a high-frequency metro-style service (Stage 3) through the Maroochydore CBD to the Sunshine Coast Airport. Construction of Stage 1 is anticipated to commence in 2027.
TMR response
In a statement, a TMR spokesperson said the department had reviewed potential alternate locations with design and engineering specialists.
“Limited state-owned land and the need for a larger car park to support growth leave few alternatives, as other options would impact private homes and open spaces,” the spokesperson said.
“The Co-Op is on state-owned land. Once the potential impact was known, TMR contacted the Co-Op Board and is working with them on next steps, including possible opportunities within the new park ’n’ ride retail space.
“Traffic modelling and a network assessment show the project will have minimal impact on surrounding roads and intersections.
“TMR will continue to provide appropriate support to the Co-Op Board and the wider community before and during construction.”
Mr Boyle stressed the group was not opposed to the rail upgrade or The Wave project itself.
“We are pro-rail, we are pro-progress, and we are pro The Wave,” he said. “We’re not even anti-car park. What we’re against is this car park being built on the Co-Op site, which we believe is the wrong place for it.”
Member for Caloundra Kendall Morton said the issue was deeply important to the Beerwah community, describing the Co-Op as a long-standing and much-loved part of the town.
Ms Morton said she had met with the Co-Op to hear concerns and discuss options, while TMR continued discussions with the board.
“I will do whatever I can to work with the Co-Op on solutions,” she said.
Traffic modelling
Mr Boyle questioned TMR’s traffic modelling, arguing it failed to reflect real-world differences between the Co-Op’s operation and a major commuter hub during peak periods.
“TMR says the Co-Op services around 800 customers a day, but those customers arrive gradually, and the site operates 24 hours,” he said.
“I’ve never seen more than three cars entering or exiting at the same time.
“Now compare that with a nine-carriage train arriving in peak hour, potentially unloading two or three hundred people at once, all trying to enter or exit the same area.
That’s a completely different traffic load on local streets, and we don’t believe it’s being properly acknowledged.”
The group is also alarmed by what it describes as a lack of transparency around the project’s design, particularly for the western side of the rail corridor.
TMR has yet to release detailed plans for the car park, traffic circulation, pedestrian access or service relocation, saying final designs will be developed once a contractor is appointed.
“We’re being asked to accept something we haven’t even seen,” Mr Boyle said.
“We’re told there are ‘no final plans’, but by the time we’re shown anything it will be a fait accompli.
“We can’t propose meaningful alternatives when we’re effectively barking at shadows.”
With the Co-Op’s lease due to expire in mid-2027, residents fear pressure to deliver infrastructure before the 2032 Games will override concerns about congestion, safety, emergency access and the loss of a long-standing community asset and local jobs.
Historic role
Mr Boyle said the Co-Op’s importance extended far beyond its commercial role.
“It’s been part of Beerwah for around 90 years,” he said. “For many people it’s the first and last stop in town. We believe it’s the heart of the place.
“The consequences of building that car park go far beyond the impact on the Co-Op itself – it affects how the whole town functions.”
The Community Action Group is calling on TMR to publicly release its designs and seriously investigate alternative locations for commuter parking.
Members are continuing to lobby local MPs and Sunshine Coast Council representatives ahead of a community meeting scheduled for January 21. “There was no way we were just going to lay down and take it without a fight,” Mr Boyle said. “The Co-Op and the town are worth fighting for.”
sonia@gcnews.com.au