By Mitch Gaynor
THE first stage of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line is set to proceed after the Federal Government announced last night that it was committing an extra $1.15 billion towards the $5.5 billion project.
The Commonwealth’s total commitment to the project now stands at $2.75 billion, matching the State Government’s funding commitment for Stage 1 of the project.
The Commonwealth already had a long-standing commitment of $1.6bn towards the project, extending back to the previous LNP Government.
Stage 1 will see the construction of a 19-kilometre dual track extending from Beerwah to Caloundra, making it the longest spur in the south-east Queensland passenger network.
The project includes the creation of two new stations, at Nirimba and Caloundra, as well as a significant upgrade of Beerwah station to make way for a third track.
It will also include the protection of the updated rail alignment from Birtinya and Maroochydore.
A $14 million State Government business case study found the project would cost between $5.5bn and $7bn.
The DSCRL will help ease congestion on South East Queensland roads while making public transport a quicker, safer and more viable choice for Queenslanders and visitors to the Sunshine State, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said.
“We’re investing $1.15 billion making sure the Sunshine Coast has the infrastructure it needs to connect it to opportunities in a faster, more reliable way.”
“Once complete, the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line will save commuters up to 45 minutes, with journeys from the new Sunshine Coast stations to Roma Street station taking around 45 minutes less than driving in peak hour.
“We’re delivering the infrastructure – built by Australians – that improves safety, revitalises regions, and ensures Australia is well placed to compete in the new, net zero economy.”
Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Senator for Queensland, Anthony Chisholm, said as the Sunshine Coast continues to boom, better infrastructure was needed to ensure the region kept up with growing demand.
“Once completed, the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line won’t just benefit locals here and those in Brisbane, but also the millions of tourists who visit the Coast each year,” he said.
Queensland Premier, Steven Miles, said in February this year that the rail line would be a significant enabler for new housing, including supply for 50,000 people at Caloundra South and up to 100,000 people at Beerwah East.
It’s expected the initial stage of the project will accelerate the delivery of more than 3,000 affordable and diverse homes already planned within the region.
“Without the rail line, that development would bring an unmanageable level of congestion to the local road network, making this connection essential for new housing to be brought forward.”
The initial aim of DSCRL was to construct a rail line into Maroochydore by the 2032 Olympics, however the cost of the total project as well as challenging infrastructure demands, has forced the project to be rolled out in stages.