Community engagement

Find out about the opportunities the community has had to have their say on the Mass Transit Project.

Community engagement on the Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Options Analysis occurred over the 8 weeks from 28 April 2021 to 22 June 2021. Over 50 community engagement activities were hosted in relation to the draft Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Options Analysis Report (PDF, 10.9MB)

The engagement included the following activities:

  • 19 pop-up events
  • 4 virtual reality sessions
  • 2 community round tables that included representative groups, aged care, youth, business, and accessibility groups
  • a special presentation to council and State Government officers by MTAG, the Beach Matters Group and OSCAR on their views
  • an Intergenerational Forum that brought together a wide range of interests from across all generations
  • an Enquiry-By-Design workshop
  • an online survey.

In addition to community engagement sessions, council officers also presented at:

  • 5 schools
  • 19 community and stakeholder briefings

An engagement process with First Nations People was also commenced.

What did we hear?

During the engagement process over 3,894 unique surveys were completed and 1 million+ words, through the survey and other deliberative processes, were contributed and analysed. Key finding included:

  • There was strong support for maintaining greenspaces, beachside amenity, improving active transport networks and the Sunshine Coast lifestyle into the future.
  • Most people (68 % of survey respondents) consider it is important to have a good mass transit system on the Sunshine Coast.
  • The majority of people under 50 years of age were satisfied that all five options should progress to a Detailed Business Case while the majority of people aged 51 years and over were dissatisfied with all the options progressing.  However, of those dissatisfied, more than one third were still supportive of one or more of the five options - Trackless Tram, Quality Bus Corridor, Light Rail Transit, wLight Rail Transit and Bus Rapid Transit.
  • Options with tracks and wires received the lowest numbers of positive comments. However, wireless light rail transit was viewed more favourably in the open ended survey feedback and in the deliberative activities. It therefore appears the wires are of significant concern to those persons who participated in the community engagement process.
  • Most elements of a good public transport system were considered important. However, convenient services on a predictable (legible) route were considered the most important factor, along with frequency and reliability.
  • There was support for the delivery of public transport services in the CAMCOS corridor and improvements to the region-wide public transport network
  • Focus any increased density away from the beachfront but close to transit stations.

A significant amount of feedback provided through the engagement period did not directly relate to the Option Analysis, but will be progressed through other processes including:

  • providing feedback to inform the preparation of the new Planning Scheme
  • further master planning for certain areas
  • placemaking projects
  • infrastructure planning (e.g. parks and bikeways)
  • Council's involvement in Department of Transport and Main Roads consideration of the passenger rail network to and on the Sunshine Coast.

Where are we now?

Following Council's endorsement of the Sunshine Coast Mass transit Options Analysis (PDF, 7.3MB) on 20 October 2021, the Options Analysis was referred to the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Department of Transport and Main Roads is now leading the preparation of the Detailed Business Case for the project, which Department of Transport and Main Roads is now referring to as Sunshine Coast Public Transport (SCPT).

Further information about the project and its progress can be found on the Department of Transport and Main Roads website. An queries about the Sunshine Coast Public Transport  Project should be directed to Department of Transport and Main Roads. Their contact details can be found on the website.

Where to find information about the findings of the engagement process

The Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Engagement Report is attached to the Options Analysis (PDF, 7.3MB) as Attachment 1 (PDF, 14.6MB). A summary of the key findings from the engagement process and how they have been responded to are in Section 15.4 of the Options Analysis.

Engagement material

Project Brochure (PDF, 1.3 MB) - this brochure provides a summary.

Options Analysis Fact Sheets (PDF, 8MB)

Mass Transit Stage 1 Route (JPG, 804.7KB)

Slides from Enquiry by Design/Intergenerational Forum (PDF, 5.2MB)

Previous community engagement

Council has engaged with the community, business and stakeholders since 2012 about the best ways to service the Sunshine Coast’s growing population, and we will continue this in the detailed business case phase.

An online consultation hub as part of A Line in the Sand (Full Report) Pre-feasibility and Rapid Economic Appraisal Report - 2012 (PDF, 5.2MB) report attracted more than 2,900 visits and 228 people took part in the poll on the hub. The recommended proposal for light rail on the Sunshine Coast was supported by 82 per cent of those who completed the poll.

In November 2014 more than 700 people had their say on light rail route options proposed for Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Kawana and Caloundra. The vast majority (87 per cent) supported council's investigations into light rail and their feedback on route options contributed to the selection by council of a preferred route for further study.

Council undertook market research and community consultation between November 2017 and July 2018 to help shape the Integrated Transport Strategy endorsed by council in 2018. Key findings from the market research and community consultation relevant to the Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Project have been integrated with the business case workings.

Consultation on the broad need for improved transport connections and consolidation of urban development was also carried out during development of the:

The Queensland Government also undertook community consultation in relation to the extent and form of dwelling and employment provision on the Sunshine Coast as part of the preparation of ShapingSEQ (PDF, 13.4MB)- the South East Queensland Regional Plan - released 2017.