A petition calling for pedestrian safety upgrades along along a Mooloolah Valley road has been launched following the fatal crash that claimed the life of a local resident.
The change.org petition is urging Sunshine Coast Council to consider infrastructure improvements on Diamond Valley Road, between Mooloolah Valley town centre and Diamond Valley Lodge respite facility, including additional lighting and a continuous pedestrian pathway.
Mooloolah Valley resident Alex Rixon is the organiser of the petition and said concerns about the route had existed within the community for some time, but the recent fatality had prompted him to formally advocate for change.
When contacted by Sunshine Coast News about the petition and residents’ safety concerns, a council spokesperson said: “This tragic incident is still under investigation by Queensland Police, with findings yet to be handed down.”
Mr Grosse died after being struck by a vehicle late on the night of January 23 during wet conditions.
Mr Rixon said that while he did not directly witness the collision, he became aware something serious had happened when his daughter heard a loud impact and he later saw emergency services nearby when returning home.
Mr Rixon said he had known Mr Grosse through regular interactions in the community over several years.
“He was a friend – more of a passing friend,” he said.
“He would come down from the lodge into town, get the train and go on little adventures. He’d always stop and say hello.”
He would often see Mr Grosse during informal morning gatherings held by local residents at Jones Street Kitchen.
“He’d pop by and say g’day. We’d all acknowledge him, have a bit of a chat,” he said.
Mr Rixon said the idea for the petition developed after he attended a memorial for Mr Grosse and spoke with other residents, including people connected to the lodge, about possible ways to improve safety in the area.
“I suggested at the time it would probably be necessary to write some letters,” he said.
“I thought I’ve got the skills to do so, so I just took it on board.”
The petition has attracted more than 70 signatures and calls for improved pedestrian lighting from the Mooloolah town centre to Diamond Valley Lodge, as well as extending the existing footpath network by about 700 metres beyond Anderson Road, where it currently ends before reaching the facility.
Mr Rixon said the incomplete pathway and environmental conditions along the remaining stretch created a situation he believed could place pedestrians at risk.
“There is a footpath that goes out from Mooloolah to Anderson Road and then it stops quite abruptly,” he said.
“The next section is narrow and I wouldn’t want to walk that section any time, day or night.”
He said poor visibility at night was a key concern, particularly where vegetation encroaches on the path, potentially making the roadway appear easier to navigate than the designated pedestrian area.
“The pathway is very, very dark and encroached by bushes, whereas the road is a big open pathway with a high-contrast white line,” he said.
“There is a chance it would be easier to walk on the road than the footpath in that section, just due to lighting.”
Mr Rixon stressed he did not know the exact circumstances surrounding Mr Grosse’s death and was not attributing blame to the condition of the path, but said the incident had highlighted broader safety considerations along the route.
“It’s probably been a long-known risk to the community, but sometimes it takes an incident like this to bring that risk to the forefront,” he said.
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Mr Rixon said residents of the lodge were among the most frequent users of the corridor and could face increased vulnerability due to personal circumstances.
“There’s a high use and high risk,” he said.
“It’s advocating for people who maybe can’t advocate for themselves.”
Mr Rixon said the improvements he was seeking were practical and achievable, focusing on lighting and continuity of the pedestrian network.
“At a minimum, I’d like to see either using the existing electrical network or solar lighting to add pedestrian lighting, and the extension of the footpath from Anderson Road to the lodge,” he said.
He has written to multiple levels of government, including local councillors, Mayor Rosanna Natoli, state MP Andrew Powell and federal MP Andrew Wallace, and said he had received supportive responses from state and federal representatives. The area of concern is solely governed by Sunshine Coast Council.
“If we don’t mention it, it will be easily forgotten,” Mr Rixon said.
“If we can get it on their agenda and they consider it, they may do a thorough assessment and say it’s fine as it is – but I personally can’t see that being a realistic outcome.”
Mr Rixon said he and his family had decided long ago not to walk that section of road after dark because of safety concerns.
“We did a few evening walks when we first moved here five years ago and went, ‘No, this is not going to happen’,” he said.
He hoped the petition would contribute to preventing another tragedy along the route between the town centre and the lodge.
“I don’t want to see this happen again – certainly not to my other friends who live at the lodge,” he said.
Sunshine Coast News also sought comment from Division 5 councillor Winston Johnston regarding the petition but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
