Residents say lack of planning for pedestrian path to town unacceptable
By Sonia Isaacs
RESIDENTS of Mellumbrook Estate in Landsborough are calling on Council to address what they describe as a critical oversight in planning—a lack of a safe, accessible pathway linking their community to the township.
With three estates consisting of over 75 houses, connected to the Mellumbrook development off Maleny-Landsborough Road, locals say the absence of pedestrian infrastructure leaves children, elderly residents, and commuters exposed to serious safety risks.
The missing link, approximately 423 metres of pathway, would connect the estates to an existing footpath near Peace Memorial Park. Currently, there is little to no space for pedestrians along Maleny-Landsborough Road, a busy hinterland arterial route that sees increasingly high volumes of local, tourist, and freight traffic.
Residents say walking along or crossing the road is fraught with danger, particularly for school children making their way to the bus shelter at Peace Park.
Long-time resident Ole Harboe, who has advocated for the path for several years, said the issue had been overlooked from the outset.
“At the time of development, we assumed a pathway would be installed given the estate’s proximity to Landsborough and the two other estates planned,” he said.
“Five years later, there is still no safe access. The area is home to many families, retirees, and dog walkers, yet they’re forced to navigate an extremely hazardous road just to reach town. It’s not a long way but a dangerous way.”
Council estimates the cost of constructing the missing link sits around $600,000, an amount beyond the current minor capital works budget.
Residents argue that other estates in the region have been provided with safe pedestrian links and are questioning why this development was overlooked.
Joccoaa Lavell, who frequently walks into town with her daughter, described the route as “incredibly dangerous.”
Lara Taylor-Hayhurst, whose children have walked the route since Year 2, said the lack of infrastructure was unacceptable given the rapid growth of the area.
“It’s unreasonable to build an area up and not provide adequate safety infrastructure,” she said. “Cost or not, we pay our rates.”
A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said Council acknowledges that many residential developments in and around Landsborough, were not connected to the existing pathway network upon completion.
“The Mellumbrook Estate development was approved under the Caloundra City Plan by the former Caloundra City Council,” the Council spokesperson said.
“The subdivision’s assessment was limited to the relevant planning controls which applied at the time and did not extend to delivering footpath connections beyond the development site.
“While funding is not currently allocated for this project, it has been added to the Capital Works database for future consideration.”