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  • North Coast Region
  • The Wave
Location
Birtinya to Sunshine Coast Airport
Timing
Investigations are underway
Status
Planning
Artist’s impression of a metro-style service showing two metro buses traveling across a two-lane bridge over bright blue water, with sandy banks, green trees on left, and a clear blue sky in the background.

Artist's impression of The Wave Stage 3 (Metro)

The Wave Stage 3 (Metro)

The Wave Stage 3 (Metro) will improve travel across the Sunshine Coast by delivering a high-capacity, high-frequency service from Birtinya to the Sunshine Coast Airport.

The Wave is a major public transport initiative announced as part of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games delivery plan.

The Wave will include:

  • a new heavy passenger rail line from Beerwah to Birtinya (The Wave Stages 1 and 2)
  • a connecting high-capacity, high-frequency service (The Wave Stage 3) from Birtinya to the Sunshine Coast Airport via Mountain Creek and Maroochydore CBD.

The Wave Stage 3 (Metro) will help to ease congestion, reduce private vehicle use and support the Sunshine Coast's rapid growth. It will connect key hubs—Mountain Creek, Maroochydore CBD and Sunshine Coast Airport—by a high-capacity, high-frequency service that will integrate seamlessly with buses and heavy rail, creating a user-friendly, efficient transport network.

The modern transit solution will combine sustainability with the latest technology. It will play a vital role in helping locals and visitors to travel efficiently during the Brisbane 2032  Olympic and Paralympic Games and make the Sunshine Coast more accessible, liveable and future-ready.

The Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade will support the delivery of The Wave Stage 3 (Metro).

Benefits

  • Accessibility
  • Contributes to regional growth
  • Contributes to economy
  • Improves network efficiency

Key features

  • High-frequency public transport corridor.
  • A faster and more reliable way to travel.
  • Decrease reliance on private vehicles.
  • Reduce congestion.

The Wave project overview video

Video Transcript

Home to almost 400,000 and enjoyed by more than 3.8 million holidaymakers annually, the Sunshine Coast is one of Queensland's fastest growing regions.

With public transport patronage in the region less than 3%, the Department of Transport and Main Roads is transforming travel with the introduction of a seamless public transport system that will be accessible to all.

The Wave will create a legacy and revolutionise travel with a new heavy rail line from Beerwah to Birtinya, connecting to an express metro style service through to the Sunshine Coast Airport via Maroochydore.

Three major projects are critical in facilitating the delivery of The Wave.

The direct Sunshine Coast rail line forms the rail portion, and will tie into the existing North Coast line at Beerwah station.

Designed for the future, this dual track will cater for speeds up to 160km/h, propelling the region into a new era of travel.

In addition to an upgraded station at Beerwah, four new stations will be built at Aura, Caloundra, Aroona and Birtinya.

With dedicated infrastructure, the Sunshine Coast Metro will connect Birtinya to Australia's largest greenfield CBD development at Maroochydore and on to the airport, offering swift, frequent journeys with sustainable metro style vehicles.

Combined with a significant upgrade of the Sunshine Motorway Mooloolah River Interchange, this transformative blueprint will enhance safety, reduce congestion and improve connections.

The Wave is our legacy for the Sunshine Coast, keeping our vibrant community moving smoothly today and planning the path for an even brighter future beyond 2032.

Funding

This project is a planned investment. The Queensland Government has allocated funding towards planning and market readiness for The Wave (Stages 2 and 3). Investment ID: 3557421

Current Status

We are currently undertaking investigations to assess the public transport corridor.

Project location map

Map of The Wave Stage 3 Sunshine Coast Metro, showing stations at Sunshine Coast Airport, Maroochydore, Mountain Creek, and Birtinya
Map showing The Wave Stage 3 (Metro) and stations including Sunshine Coast Airport, Maroochydore, Mountain Creek, and Birtinya.

Last updated: 2 December 2025

Related projects

The Wave

We're improving travel across the Sunshine Coast with The Wave, a major transport upgrade featuring a heavy passenger rail and a metro-style service connecting the Sunshine Coast Airport to Maroochydore city centre.

  • North Coast District
Artist's impression of a metro-style transport service from Birtinya to the Sunshine Coast Airport.

Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade (Stage 1)

The Mooloolah River Interchange Upgrade project will address long-standing safety and congestion issues on the Sunshine Motorway, with the Sunshine Coast experiencing rapid population growth and development.

This project is critical to improving north-south road connectivity and is a key component of The Wave – a broader plan to deliver generational infrastructure for the region.

  • North Coast District
  • Construction

The Wave – Stages 1 and 2 (Rail) (previously Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line)

We’re directly connecting the eastern communities of the Sunshine Coast to South East Queensland’s passenger rail network, making it easier to travel locally, and to and from the Sunshine Coast.

  • North Coast District
  • Pre-construction
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Sunshine Coast public transport, business case

The department undertook a detailed business case for an improved public transport system for the Sunshine Coast.

  • North Coast District
  • Planning
No image supplied