Southern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy

We have developed a public transport strategy for the southern Sunshine Coast region, building upon previous planning efforts and incorporating community feedback. Our goal is to provide a public transport system that meets the future needs of the southern Sunshine Coast, while protecting its natural environment and lifestyle.

The Sunshine Coast is South East Queensland’s (SEQ) third largest urban area, with most of its population located in the southern Sunshine Coast between Beerwah and Maroochydore.

ShapingSEQ estimates that by 2041, an additional 190,000 people will need to be accommodated in the Sunshine Coast local government area, which will require 87,000 more dwellings and generate over 800,000 daily trips. Most of this growth is expected to occur in the southern Sunshine Coast area.

The southern Sunshine Coast vision for 2041

A public transport network that is inclusive, connected, safe and accessible, and provides a reliable travel experience for the community.

The network provides frequent and attractive services for Sunshine Coast communities and for visitors travelling to and from Brisbane and elsewhere.

People living within urban areas have fast and convenient access to all their primary needs and the rest of the region is accessible by easy transfer.

Locals and visitors alike have attractive public transport travel options, reducing reliance on the private vehicle.

A connected southern Sunshine Coast network

Our vision for a connected southern Sunshine Coast consists of several key corridors and connections. Each element is required by 2041 and has a distinct role in supporting movements between our communities and beyond. Some of these corridors and connections are already in place. Others require future decisions on road and/or public transport infrastructure initiatives.

Western corridor

The western corridor is an inter-regional freight and passenger line, connecting coastal Queensland between Brisbane and Cairns.

Centre corridor

The centre corridor will enable medium and longer distance trips connecting the economic centres of the Sunshine Coast and delivers a fast, reliable and direct link to the western corridor at Beerwah.

Coastal corridor

The coastal corridor will enable local, intra-regional travel with access to key coastal tourism, health and business precincts and to the centre corridor.

Key connectors

The key connectors include trips to and between major centres and areas of strategic importance that are not directly connected by the western, centre or coastal corridors.

Planning for the future network

The future network strategy topics are:

Focus 1: Connections

The southern Sunshine Coast public transport network will be revitalised and expanded through staged investment in new rapid connections, stops and stations, and by providing more frequent and reliable services.

Focus 2: Access

An effective public transport system relies on it being safe and easy to access. Access to the proposed network will be provided through a variety of ways, such as active transport connections or interchanges between connecting services.

Focus 3: Support and Enable

The connected southern Sunshine Coast network needs to be supported by changes that encourage public transport use.

Focus 4: Sustainability

The environmental impact of transport is significant. The connected southern Sunshine Coast Network is planned to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will be designed and delivered to minimise environmental disturbance and maximise resilience to a changing climate.

To support this growth and encourage sustainable travel choices, we are investing in a high-quality public transport system that will help renew the coast, strengthen connections to the greater region, and enhance the area's character and identity.

For more information, download the full Southern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy.

Download the Southern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy

Consultation on the draft Southern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy

We received feedback from key stakeholders and the wider community during the consultation period for the draft version of the strategy, which ended on 16 March 2022. This feedback helped shape the final version.

We will continue to engage in further consultation on the individual projects outlined in the strategy as they progress.