One of the Sunshine Coast’s busiest thoroughfares could resemble a country road following a change in maintenance responsibilities.
Sunshine Coast Council had looked after the median strips on Nicklin Way by arrangement with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, but returned the responsibility to TMR last year.
The Nicklin Way median strips have not been mowed in more than two months and longer grass has been evident.
A TMR spokesperson confirmed the change in responsibility for the Nicklin Way’s median strips.
“Vegetation maintenance is an essential part of our routine maintenance program, to ensure the state-controlled road network remains safe,” the spokesperson said.
“Sunshine Coast Council mowed Nicklin Way under an agreement with the Department of Transport and Main Roads until the end of the 2022-23 financial year, when it chose to cease the arrangement.
“TMR’s maintenance contractor now mows Nicklin Way approximately 12 times per year, weather permitting.”
The spokesperson said the mows were scheduled based on the weather, the height of the grass and the season.
“The last mow took place in mid-April 2024 and the next mow is scheduled for late July 2024, weather and scheduling permitting,” the spokesperson said.
“Our maintenance contractor endeavours to keep the grass height on Nicklin Way below 30cm.”
According to the council, it pulled out of the arrangement a little earlier than indicated by TMR.
“Council maintained the Nicklin Way median strip up until January 2023,” a spokesperson said.
“This was through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Transport and Main Roads.”
The council spokesperson outlined the work that was carried out by the council on the median strips.
“When the Nicklin Way median strip was maintained by council, our works included litter removals, mowing, edging, weed control, mulching and tending to gardens,” they said.
“Depending on the season, the maintenance schedules would be adjusted – for example, during warmer months maintenance would increase to manage vegetation growth.”
The spokesperson did not say why the council had handed maintenance of Nicklin Way median strips back to TMR but did say it was the only road removed from the MOU.
A 2021 traffic count showed more than 50,000 cars a day using Nicklin Way.
Councillor Joe Natoli, whose division includes the Nicklin Way, said its appearance and that of the adjoining Sunshine Motorway was disappointing.
He “could not believe the amount of litter on the side of the motorway, as well as the median, (and) the grass was also long”, and said graffiti at the Maroochy Boulevard interchange had not been dealt with for months.
“It is an absolute disgrace to see our main roads around the Coast managed by TMR being so badly managed and (it’s) not a great image for our tourists, and not a standard locals deserve,” he said.
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