A significant $9.5 million land acquisition will expand the region’s green spaces for recreation, sport and conservation purposes.

Sunshine Coast Council secured the 214 hectares on Rainforest Drive, Meridan Plains in an area to become known as the Lower Mooloolah River Green Space.

This will be one of council’s five major green spaces and add to Mountain View, the Regional Inter-urban Break, Blue Heart Sunshine Coast and the Coast.

The land is a long-term strategic acquisition and its final land uses will be determined through a future site assessment and master planning process.

Sunshine Coast Council Environment and Liveability Portfolio Councillor Maria Suarez said the purchase, made via the Local Government Infrastructure Funds (LGIP) for sport and recreation purposes, would expand the publicly accessible open space network and was important to both the community and environment.

“This land provides an opportunity to establish a regional sport and recreation precinct and provide future recreational trail linkage opportunities to the north and south,” Cr Suarez said.

“It also has environmental importance as it helps to protect and enhance significant biodiversity and cultural values and assist to maintain and responsibly manage the floodplain.

“The Rainforest Drive acquisition is a valuable contribution to plan and protect the emerging Lower Mooloolah River Green Space building on the existing public lands in this area.

“The green space is approximately 3000 hectares of non-urban land located east of the Bruce Highway, extending north to Buderim and Palmview, south to Caloundra Road and east to Kawana.

“It provides an important sub-regional inter-urban break which maintains openness, provides the boundary for the urban footprint and provides relief from the surrounding urban landscape.

Mayor Mark Jamieson recently told Sunshine Coast News why the break is so important for the region’s future.

“Securing these properties will contribute to the ongoing liveability of the region, protect the natural environment and strengthen our resilience for the future.”

The acquisition is one of the transformational actions in the Environment and Liveability Strategy 2017.