A well-used sports and events venue is projected to make way for a mass public transport project.
The Kawana Sports Western Precinct at Birtinya is expected to be significantly impacted by The Wave: a multibillion-dollar rail and metro vehicle corridor between Beerwah and Sunshine Coast Airport.
Mapping shows that the venue, which is home to sports groups and used for events including concerts, will be required for the project.
A Sunshine Coast Council representative confirmed it would be affected.
“The Kawana Sports Western Precinct will see changes as a result of The Wave Stage 2,” they said.
“The Queensland Government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is the lead agency for The Wave Stage 2, which will improve travel across the Sunshine Coast.
“Sunshine Coast Council is working closely with TMR to understand the project’s requirements and impacts on Kawana Sports Western Precinct as the project develops.”
A TMR spokesperson provided limited details.
“The Queensland Government is currently reviewing land and property requirements as part of the detailed design process for The Wave: a region-shaping transport project that will transform how people move across the Sunshine Coast.”
The site is the home to the Kawana Football Club and the Kawana Touch Association.
Sunshine Coast News asked both levels of government what the site could be used for, including whether it could be a stabling yard.
SCN also asked them whether there were plans to relocate groups that are based there, including whether a new facility could be built to the west of the precinct, in or near the Kawana Forest Bushland Reserve, but did not receive a direct response.
The western precinct is part of the broader Kawana Sports Precinct. It is on the western side of Kawana Way and less than 500m north of the planned Birtinya Station, where trains and metro vehicles are expected to operate from.
The precinct includes three national sized football fields and a warm-up field, competition standard lighting, four change rooms, a referees’ room, canteen and parking.
The mapping also shows that The Wave may have some impact on parts of the industrial estate to the north of the fields.
SCN has approached local MP and Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Jarrod Bleijie, the Kawana Football Club and the Kawana Touch Association for comments.
Kawana Touch Association president Troy Clark said he understood the fields, where the group has been based since 1999, would be replaced and that sports bodies would be relocated but “no definitive advice has been provided to KTA as yet”.
He said the association’s 1500 members would be informed when there are “conclusive answers”.
“Our understanding is that the current fields will no longer exist.”
“Details around shared use of a facility for our members has yet to be discussed.”
The Wave will consist of three stages, including a rail line between Beerwah and Caloundra (Stage 1), further rail line between Caloundra and Birtinya (Stage 2) and a metro vehicle system between Birtinya and Sunshine Coast Airport, via the Maroochydore City Centre (Stage 3). It is partly funded by the state and federal governments and is expected to be completed by the 2032 Games.
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The aerial imagery in this story is from Australian location intelligence company Nearmap. The company provides government organisations, architectural, construction and engineering firms, and other companies, with easy, instant access to high-resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D content, artificial intelligence data sets, and geospatial tools to assist with urban planning, monitoring and development projects in Australia, New Zealand and North America.
