A major Sunshine Coast foreshore project has been delayed by at least six months, extending the financial pressure on businesses already battling months of disruption and falling trade.
Sunshine Coast Council documents published ahead of this week’s ordinary meeting show the Moffat Beach seawall reconstruction, originally expected to be completed by the end of 2025 or early 2026, has now been pushed out to August.
According to the council’s Operational Plan Activities Report Quarter 3 2025-26, construction had experienced “delivery and budget impacts” linked to supply chain issues and environmental conditions during summer.
“Council has adjusted its construction methodology and project completion is now anticipated in late-2026,” the report stated, before council clarified it would likely be finished by the end of August.
The timeline has renewed concern among traders who have already spent months dealing with reduced access, less car parks and ongoing construction activity in the beachside precinct.
Ours by the Beach owner Niki Moran said the latest delay was difficult to absorb.
Ms Moran said she was now seeking another bank loan to keep her business doors open.
“I’m on struggle street,” she said.
“Our takings are down about 49 per cent since council started the works.”
She said even the Christmas holiday period, typically one of the busiest times of year, had brought little relief.
“They [council] said they were going to pause it [the construction], but they gave us two weeks with no interruption and then blocked all the car parks off again.”
Ms Moran said customers were turning away from the small beachside retail and hospitality precinct without realising the impact.
She urged people to consider walking, cycling or spending a few extra minutes looking for car parking nearby in order to support local businesses while works continued.
“That tiny little gesture, that tiny little part, what it does for us as business owners…
“People are driving through and saying, ‘Let’s go to the beach, get a coffee’, but when they see the works and no car parks, they keep driving.
“If people knew we might not be here for much longer … I just don’t know how we’re going to be here. We’re grasping at straws.”
The business owner said she had spent months adapting and changing her operations to survive.
Ours by the Beach has introduced events including trivia and open mic nights, while the former Ours Cafe & Goods site has evolved into a new concept called Mumma’s Deli.
“I’m not going to give up,” Ms Moran said.
“If I look at this on a positive note, it has made us dig deep into looking at what we are, who we are and our vision.”
The seawall reconstruction began in May 2025 after sections of the structure were damaged during severe weather and heavy rainfall in 2022 and again in early 2024.
The project is designed to protect Moffat Beach Park and surrounding infrastructure from future coastal erosion and storm impacts.
The council’s latest April project update said the eastern and western sections had now been completed, while the central section was about 85 per cent complete.
The update said earlier supply issues delayed work on the central section and pushed key construction into summer, the most difficult period for beach works.
“Although we anticipated challenging site conditions, the reality has been far more restrictive than forecast,” the project update stated.
“Even small changes in swell or tide remove the beach area required for construction.”
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The council also said protecting the Norfolk Island pine trees had created additional construction issues because crews were required to work from the beach rather than from land.
Beach accesses 274 and 275, along with the sandy beach area near the goat track rock shelf entry, remain closed while works continue.
Despite the revised timeline, the council said it anticipated completing the seawall capping and new stairs by early July.
The council has told Sunshine Coast News that it’s anticipated the project will be complete by the end of August.
Council’s activation officer has been holding weekly meetings with Moffat Beach business owners to provide support for place activation activities.
Council’s Place Activation Team collaborated with the Moffat Beach business community to deliver a Sunset Cinema screening of Surfs Up in Eleanor Shipley Park in April, when about 200 locals and school holiday visitors attended.
