A husband and wife who owned their home in Maroochydore for 53 years have been forced to give it up to make way for a road upgrade project.
Carole and David Fuller bought their house at 113 Maud Street in 1972 and raised their children there, but the home has been resumed by Sunshine Coast Council as part of the Sugar Road and Maud Street upgrade.
Their home will make way for a left-hand turn from Maud Street into Trinder Avenue.
The Fullers were initially informed by the council that it needed only a small portion of their land.
“At first we were told they would only need a slither of our land and they would relocate our pool and pay us an agreed-upon amount for the parcel of land they required. We were happy with that,” Mrs Fuller said.
“Then the letter came that sent chills down our spine: they wanted our home for a left-turning lane.”
The council’s project webpage says plans have been in place for more than 20 years to widen and upgrade the Sugar Road and Maud Street corridor, which forms one of the main routes into the centre of Maroochydore from the south.
“Reducing congestion and providing safer and more accessible walking and riding paths along this important transit route are top priorities for council,” it states.
A draft concept design for the upgrade was released for community feedback in 2023, with divisional councillor Joe Natoli saying more than 80 per cent of survey respondents indicated support for an upgrade.
“The community’s ideas and inputs from community consultation informed further investigations by council resulting in an updated concept design,” he said.
Mr Fuller said he unsuccessfully attempted to seek technical clarity from the council, while Mrs Fuller said the council did not assess traffic volumes before demanding their property.
“Nobody from council ever came to count just how many cars actually turn left into Trinder Avenue from Maud Street,” she said.
“Had they asked us, we would have told them hardly any. There is already a left turn into Trinder Avenue near the IGA and there is no dedicated turning lane.
“There are several examples of heavily trafficked areas in Maroochydore with no dedicated left-turning lane, including into the new city centre.
“Trucks have been turning right via the roundabout for years with no incident. Yet nobody wanted to talk to the people who actually knew.”
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
The Fullers rejected the council’s first offer on their home and engaged a solicitor and an independent valuer.
Mrs Fuller said the council was obliged to pay ‘reasonable costs’ for the solicitor and valuer, but she said the council deemed their costs were not reasonable, which meant the couple has to pay the shortfall.
While what council paid for their home was “close in the end” to what they wanted, Mrs Fuller preferred not to disclose the final price. The sale went through on August 28.
“Council did not budge on their final offer, even though it was pointed out by our solicitor that both their valuer and our valuer were of equal qualification and our valuer had done work on their behalf in the past,” she said.
A council spokesperson said council acquired the property “through agreement with the owners”.
“In determining purchase prices, council relies on the guidance of a professionally qualified independent valuer to ensure the offer reflects fair market value,” they said.
“Council’s contractual arrangements with private landowners are confidential.”
The Fullers, who are in their 80s, have found a new residence at a townhouse complex on Bradman Avenue but it doesn’t allow noisy pets, forcing the couple to euthanise their beloved pet cockatoo of 40 years, Fatty.
They said they were “not anti-progress” and trying to see their rehoming as a new beginning, but had found the process an “absolute quagmire”.
“The one constant was our home that we intended to stay in until it was on to the next life,” Mrs Fuller said.
“We understand we are luckier than many. We have a roof over our head, our health and each other. We hope by sharing our story, in the future, council big wigs will deign to bestow just a modicum of humanity upon those who are forced to give up their homes in the name of progress.
“Instead of adding trauma to an already stressful situation, surely a little bit of kindness, respect and dignity is not too much to ask.”
