The Turbine food and beverage pilot project proposed for the Sunshine Coast Industrial Park will not proceed in its originally scoped form, following a detailed period of planning, consultation and market testing.
Turbine Sunshine Coast Ltd confirmed in a statement to Sunshine Coast News that the project was unable to secure the level of commercial support required to meet key milestones and associated funding conditions within the required timeframe.
In particular, the project did not achieve the critical milestone of securing tenancy commitments. As a result, construction did not begin in September 2025 as required under the funding agreement.
The statement went on to say that tenant commitments were considered central to the long-term viability of the project. Turbine said the inability to secure sufficient commercial backing ultimately impacted its capacity to progress the project at the scale originally proposed.
After considering available options, including alternative funding models and scaled delivery approaches, the Turbine Board resolved to close the project in its current form.
Turbine chief executive officer Andrew Eves-Brown said the outcome was disappointing for those involved in developing the concept.
“This is clearly a disappointing outcome for Turbine and for the many stakeholders who contributed to the development of the concept,” Mr Eves-Brown said.
“We sincerely thank our partners and the broader Sunshine Coast business community for their engagement and support.
“A range of factors contributed to the project not progressing, including the challenging commercial environment and the inability to secure sufficient market commitment to support the pilot’s originally scoped delivery.”
Turbine, a not-for-profit organisation, has commenced formal closure processes and is working with the federal government to finalise outstanding obligations, including reporting and acquittal requirements, in accordance with governance and funding frameworks.
The organisation confirmed it will return funding to the federal government as required under the grant agreement.
Sunshine Coast News has sought comment from Member for Caloundra Kendall Morton on the $8.78 million in federal government funding allocated for the project.
Want more free local news? Follow Sunshine Coast News on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and sign up for our FREE daily news email.
Mr Eves-Brown said Turbine had followed appropriate governance processes throughout the project lifecycle and would now focus on ensuring the closure was managed responsibly and professionally.
Turbine also confirmed that all local businesses and suppliers engaged during the project have been paid for services provided and have not been negatively impacted as part of the closure process.
The state-owned 30,321sqm Corbould Park site identified for the proposed project was held under a call option deed and will now be returned to the market.
