By Sonia Isaacs and Mitch Gaynor
THE Beerwah Co-Op and service station will be replaced by a four-storey, 400-space car park and retail precinct when construction for the Wave train station upgrade begins in mid-2027, a public meeting on the future of the 90-year-old business was told.
The Co-Op has emerged as the major casualty of the $5.5 billion Wave rail project, which will connect Beerwah to Caloundra via a 27km line by 2032.
Under current plans, the historic site, home to the Co-Op since 1936, and the adjoining service station will be demolished for an expanded station including an extra train line, island platform, multi-storey park-and-ride, bus interchange and new retail facilities.
Emotions ran high at a public briefing on November 25, attended by about 50 residents, where the Co-Op board confirmed the State Government had indicated the long-term lease was unlikely to be renewed after mid-2027.
Board members said no formal eviction notice had been issued, but acknowledged discussions with TMR and Queensland Rail made it clear the board must investigate alternate premises.
“We want to be upfront with our community… the Co-Op is facing a significant transition period ahead,” said Co-Op board spokesperson James Stretch.
“We are reaching out to all levels of government and exploring every avenue, but the signs indicate we will need to move.”
Residents expressed strong concern about the potential loss of Beerwah’s only independent fuel provider.
It appears unlikely the Co-Op could relocate to a site that also accommodates a service station, although this has not been ruled out.
Practical issues were raised, including the inability of large vehicles to use the Ampol facilities at Woolworths.
A car park on the eastern side of the tracks was dismissed due to lack of space, the meeting heard.
Residents also raised concerns about traffic being funnelled onto Simpson Street and the flow-on effects for surrounding streets, particularly Kilcoy-Beerwah Rd and its roundabout.
The board said engineers had assessed potential sites and found the western Co-Op location most suitable, but locals argued the decision did not reflect community needs.
“You get the feeling these decisions are made by people in offices in Brisbane who never actually walk this area or see how we live,” one resident said.
High cost
The board was candid about the financial and operational challenges of relocating, especially if retail and fuel operations must be split.
“To reconstruct both the fuel station and retail store elsewhere could cost upwards of $7 million,” board member Matt Larsen said.
“That is an insurmountable burden for a member-owned business whose profits are largely returned to shareholders and the community.”
Relocation also presents logistical hurdles.
The board said it was unlikely the Co-Op and servo could move together, raising concerns about continuity of service.
“We are exploring options and remaining optimistic, but these are serious challenges,” the spokesperson said.
Despite the uncertainty, the board urged the community to rally.
“People power can work. We have seen it before when locals stick together.
The only chance the Co-Op has now is if the whole community stands behind it,” a board member said. Following the meeting, a change.org petition, Save Beerwah Co-Op, was launched.
The petition argues the car park is not worth the loss of more than 50 jobs or the disruption of removing a major business established in 1936.
It states the Co-Op serves 30,000 customers a month and is a major employer and supporter of local clubs, schools and sporting groups.
Organisers say residents are overwhelmed by the scale of the proposal and want assurances that all options have been considered and the long-term impact on Beerwah fully assessed.
TMR response
A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said the land was a state-owned rail corridor site, with the current Co-Op lease expiring in June 2027.
“As is the case with leases, at its end vacant possession is required,” they said.
“We have engaged extensively with the Co-Op and the Beerwah community, including releasing refined corridor maps for The Wave in 2025 and hosting local drop-in sessions.
“After assessing all available options, this site remains essential to deliver The Wave, a high-frequency, high-capacity rail link between Beerwah and the Sunshine Coast Airport that will support future growth and the 2032 Games.”
The spokesperson said the redesigned station and car park would be “designed to complement Beerwah’s unique character and provide better access to jobs, education, healthcare and lifestyle opportunities for generations to come.”
Detailed design for the upgraded station and precinct is expected to begin in 2026, with further opportunities for public feedback at that time.
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