Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4, Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta, planning

The proposed Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 is a world class public transport system for residents and visitors to the Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast Light Rail system is being delivered in stages to manage the demands of a growing population and reduce traffic congestion, especially in the southern areas of the Gold Coast. The planned Stage 4 extension will extend the current light rail service by 13 kilometres. This will create a direct route from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta and include a stop at the Gold Coast Airport.

Stage 4 will service important cultural and urban attractions including the Burleigh Head National Park, Palm Beach Village Centre, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast Airport and Coolangatta shopping and business precinct.

Planning for the future of the transport network is critical to achieving local, state and federal planning targets as set out in:

the City of Gold Coast's Gold Coast City Transport Strategy 2031
the Queensland Government’s Shaping SEQ Regional Plan and Regional Transport Plan
the Australian Government's Smart Cities Plan.

Review and consultation

The Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning is currently undertaking a review of all GCLR4 planning to date.

Public consultation opened on 21 March 2025 and closes on 2 May 2025.

Have your say on the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4.

Benefits

Improves network efficiency
Contributes to economy
Contributes to regional growth
Better active transport
Reduces peak hour congestion
Reduces travel time
Accessibility

Key features

13km extension from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta via the Gold Coast Airport.
14 stations.
A new stabling facility and satellite depot.
8 new trams compatible with current operations.
2 northbound and 2 southbound traffic lanes on the Gold Coast Highway will be maintained.
Right-of-way for the light rail vehicles along the full corridor with new bridges over Tallebudgera Creek and Currumbin Creek.
Improved connectivity to the M1.
Improved active transport - bicycle and pedestrian - facilities including dedicated bridges, a potential beachfront oceanway path, and enhancements to road and intersections for safety and efficiency.
The project aims to preserve and improve access to the Burleigh Head National Park and enhance ecological corridors by providing wildlife connections.
Redesigned bus network to improve connectivity and accessibility to the light rail.

Funding

The project is jointly funded by the Queensland Government and Gold Coast City Council. The Queensland Government and Gold Coast City Council are undertaking planning activities together and procuring individual contracts within this joint funding.

Investment ID: 1748742

Total investment: ^$30 million

Queensland Government: ^$15 million

Local government: ^$15 million

Current status

Work on the detailed business case has commenced. This detailed planning has been paused pending the outcome of the planning review.

The preliminary evaluation for Light Rail Stage 4 has been completed and the cost estimate for Light Rail is $4.467 billion. To note, this is a strategic cost estimate only at the early planning stage. The cost range for delivery of the project is estimated between $3.13 billion and $7.60 billion allowing for unknown risks which will be further clarified and updated in the business case.

View the summary report – Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta Public Transport Project, Preliminary Evaluation. For alternative accessible formats, email [email protected].

Burleigh Heads to Tugun

The department has approved corridor planning for the upgrade of the Gold Coast Highway through Palm Beach. Since 2003, we have been protecting the corridor against encroachment of development by conditioning building setbacks to allow for a future upgrade. Much of the corridor is protected under this scheme.

The Gold Coast Highway (Burleigh Heads to Tugun) Multi-modal Corridor Study investigated whether existing planning will be adequate to accommodate the objectives of Shaping SEQ and the Gold Coast City Transport Strategy 2031, while balancing other considerations including current and future transport demands and the benefits and capacity gained from the M1 (Varsity Lakes to Tugun) upgrade.

For more information, download and read the:

Gold Coast Highway (Burleigh Heads to Tugun) Multi-modal Corridor Study Executive Summary
Gold Coast Highway (Burleigh Heads to Tugun) Multi-modal Corridor Study
Project newsletter for more information about the study.

Community consultation on the findings from the study was undertaken in March/April 2020. Read the Multi-modal Corridor Study community consultation summary for more information.

Tugun to Coolangatta

The Gold Coast Highway (Tugun to Coolangatta) Multi-modal Corridor Study was completed in June 2022. The study builds on the work completed for the Burleigh Heads to Tugun section and considered all transport modes to determine the preferred function for the next 20 years.

The study investigated alternative routes, finding the preferred route for a light rail extension to the Gold Coast Airport is along the eastern side of the Gold Coast Highway. The preferred route into Coolangatta is via Coolangatta Road and the Lanham Street Park to a station on Chalk Street. This is the most direct and efficient route.

View the Gold Coast Highway (Tugun to Coolangatta) Multi-modal Corridor Study publication set.

Past consultation

Burleigh Heads to Tugun section

Community consultation on the Burleigh Heads to Tugun section was carried out from 12 July to 17 September 2021.

Download the BH2T Community Consultation Report December 2021 to find out more.

For more information regarding the Burleigh Heads to Tugun section of the project, please download the:

Or you can watch our flythrough video – Burleigh Heads to Tugun

Tugun to Coolangatta section

Community consultation on the Tugun to Coolangatta (via the airport) section was carried out from 31 October to 25 November 2022.

For more information regarding the Tugun to Coolangatta section of the project, please download the:

Or you can watch our flythrough video – Tugun to Coolangatta

Concept designs, artist's impressions and the flythrough video were created for past consultation. These will be updated during the detailed planning stage before future consultation.