Design and pre-construction contracts have been awarded for a multibillion-dollar rail line on the Sunshine Coast.
Contracts have been announced for Stage 1 of The Wave, a planned rail and metro vehicle route between Beerwah and Sunshine Coast Airport.
Stage 1 will include 19km of dual track rail line between Beerwah and Caloundra, new train stations at Aura (Bells Creek) and Caloundra, and upgrades to Beerwah station.
Beerwah Coast Connect, a consortium of Georgiou, Hatch and Laing O’Rourke, has been awarded the contract for design and pre-construction works across existing sites in Beerwah and surrounding areas (brownfield works).
CoastalTraX, a consortium of Acciona and Georgiou, will deliver design and pre-construction works across undeveloped land (greenfield works), connecting with the brownfield package east of Steve Irwin Way through to Caloundra.
Alstom and UGL have been awarded the contract to deliver the European Train Control System (ETCS) signalling solution.
The state government will work with Beerwah Coast Connect and CoastalTraX to refine detailed designs during the next 12 months. This will include ongoing site investigations and further community consultation on station precincts later this year.
Stage 1 has $5.5 billion in joint funding from the federal and state governments.
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Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said the rail line was infrastructure the region needed.
“This project will create jobs, boost economic growth and improve connectivity for Sunshine Coast communities and businesses,” she said.
Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Member for Kawana Jarrod Bleijie said The Wave would transform the Sunshine Coast’s transport network.
“This milestone demonstrates our commitment to delivering the infrastructure Queensland needs,” he said.
“Stage 1 is just the beginning. The Wave will connect people to jobs, education and essential services, now and into the future.”
State Member for Caloundra Kendall Hatcher said the region required key infrastructure.
“The southern end of the Sunshine Coast is one of the fastest growing regions in the state,” she said.
Future stages of The Wave include a rail line between Caloundra and Birtinya and a metro vehicle network between Birtinya and Sunshine Coast Airport, but it’s not clear how they will be paid for.
The state government aims to complete The Wave by the 2032 Olympic Games.
