The $29.9 million Caloundra South emergency services precinct has been officially opened.
The 6000sqm precinct brings police, fire and ambulance personnel to the one location in the Aura Town Centre, strategically located close to major routes so that crews can respond swiftly to incidents.
The new $8.5m fire station will be staffed 24/7 and will feature a three-bay engine room, a rest and recline area, duty office space, breathing apparatus and equipment storerooms, a locker/turnout room with the capacity for 50 firefighters and a freestanding training tower.
The new $7.9m ambulance station will offer modern facilities and will be staffed by 16 paramedics and an officer-in-charge.
It will include a 10-bay plant room, office and write-up space, equipment recharge area, break and locker rooms, a multi-function rest/study room, as well as a secure staff and on-site visitor parking.
Community safety will be boosted with the new $13.5m police station that will feature a general duties dayroom, duty officer station, investigation workspaces, interview rooms, conference/major incident rooms, property storage, gymnasium and staff locker room.
The government has also committed $15m towards a new Police Citizens Youth Club on 6500sqm of land leased from the Sunshine Coast Council near the police station.
Premier Steven Miles was joined by ministers, commissioners, local MPs and PCYC CEO Phil Schultz to open the emergency services precinct yesterday.
Mr Miles said his government was doing what mattered by delivering world-class facilities for emergency services.
“This new precinct will help support the growing Caloundra South community now and into the future,” he said.
“Each day our firies, paramedics and police help Queenslanders in need.
“This modern facility will have all three agencies in the one location ready to respond to any emergency.”
Mr Miles said PCYCs also played an important role in the lives of young people and it was good that there would be another on the Sunshine Coast.
Shannon Fentiman, whose ministerial portfolios include ambulance services, said the government was proud to support emergency services with the new precinct.
“We want all Queenslanders to have access to the emergency services they need to stay safe and healthy, closer to home,” Ms Fentiman said.
“I’m thrilled these fantastic new facilities will ensure the growing Sunshine Coast communities can access the emergency services they need, when they need them.”
Caloundra MP Jason Hunt said the opening of the precinct was a milestone for his community and the southern Sunshine Coast.
“The community response has been overwhelming, and we had more than 1000 come through to get their first look at the precinct over the weekend,” he said.
“This precinct guarantees that the men and women working across our emergency services have a fit-for-purpose facility that will allow them to respond quickly to the needs of our rapidly growing community.”
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