By Sonia Isaacs
TRANSPORT and Main Roads is considering establishing a local project office in Beerwah following escalating community backlash over a proposed multi-storey park-and-ride car park slated for the Beerwah Co-Op site as part of the state’s Wave rail expansion.
The move follows a tense but “constructive” face-to-face meeting on Thursday, January 22, between senior TMR representatives and the Heart of Beerwah Community Action Group, which has accused the department of failing to properly consult residents about the scale and location of the project.
The state opposition weighed in last week, with Shadow Transport Minister Bart Mellish urging the government to better communicate with the community and consider shifting the car park to the eastern side of the rail line.
Mr Mellish said earlier designs for the Sunshine Coast rail project in 2023 had identified the eastern side as the preferred park-and-ride location and questioned why the government had since shifted plans to the western side, forcing the removal of the Co-Op and impacting an active petrol station.
“This is a great rail project, but the government has to do it right,” he said.
“They need to go back to the drawing board and actually talk to locals.”
Heart of Beerwah chair Peter Boyle said the meeting with TMR confirmed long-held community concerns that locals were never clearly informed a multi-level car park was planned for the middle of Beerwah’s main street.
“Residents were shown glossy material about the rail upgrade, but not the full impact of what was proposed,” Mr Boyle said.
“The reality of a large, multi-storey structure in the heart of town was just not made clear.”
While Mr Boyle described the meeting as “generally positive”, he said major questions remained unanswered, including the final location of the car park, construction timelines and the long-term impacts on traffic, local businesses and town amenity.
“Substantial follow-up and far clearer public consultation will be essential,” he said.
He added he was concerned about the amount of disruption in the centre of town from 2027.
Mr Boyle said information provided at the meeting indicated TMR wanted the site “shovel ready” by mid-2027, ahead of an estimated three-year construction period for the car park and associated roadworks.
He warned the timeline risked turning Beerwah into a prolonged construction zone and could become a significant state election issue if the government failed to genuinely engage with residents.
“This could leave the town effectively operating as a worksite for years,” he said.
Heart of Beerwah representatives used the January 22 meeting to challenge TMR’s consultation record and push for serious consideration of alternative locations, including relocating the park-and-ride facility to the eastern side of the rail line.
The group argues this option would reduce congestion, visual bulk and disruption to the town centre while preserving the Co-Op.
“At the meeting, TMR officials told us they’ve narrowed their preferred contractors down to two and would continue engaging with the community,” Mr Boyle said.
“But they also made it clear that key decisions about the final location and delivery of the project will ultimately be subject to ministerial sign-off.”
Despite lingering anger, the community group said there had been some early wins.
TMR committed to ongoing meetings, likely on a monthly or six-weekly basis, and agreed to establish a Beerwah-based project office to give residents a direct point of contact for information and feedback.
Member for Caloundra Kendall Morton said TMR was continuing to work closely with the Co-Op and that she would keep advocating for the community’s concerns.
“I fully understand how important this issue is for Beerwah and the significant role the Co-Op plays,” she said.
TMR was contacted for comment.
sonia@gcnews.com.au
