Smart city initiatives

Street poles have evolved over the years from the jumble of wires and lights to multi-function poles. These can be fitted with WiFi, environmental sensors, people and vehicle counters, digital signage, LED lights and optic fibre cable. This removes the need for other poles and signs.

Council has already deployed over 350 multi-function poles in eight locations. This includes 60 wirelessly connected street lights in the new Maroochydore City Centre. These lights brighten and dim when people walk past.   

Sensors measure waste levels and send alerts if a bin is full or still empty.  This helps council deliver more cost-effective waste management services.

There are approximately 45 sensors which inform the deployment schedule for several areas in the region.

Monitor how many people use public areas, eg parks and walking trails, allowing council to better maintain and clean facilities.

Turned on/off automatically during twilight periods, reducing energy consumption, electricity costs and CO2 emissions

Provide interactive content to the public about events, wayfinding, local and community emergency information.

There are four digital kiosks installed in the new Maroochydore city centre.

The IoT gateway is a wireless communications network. It enables sensors and devices to communicate at very low power over distances. These sensors send small amounts of data over a wide area and collect valuable information to help council to make better data driven decisions and deliver improved services to our community.​​​​​​​

Council has 17 IoT gateways installed across the region. These gateways provide coverage to several locations, allowing sensors to be deployed more cost effectively.

Council is the first local government in Australian to invest in an international submarine cable which connects to the new Maroochydore city centre. It also provides Queensland's first direct international data and telecommunications connection to global systems.

Australia's first underground automated waste collection system (AWCS) for a CBD is live in the new Maroochydore City Centre. Waste and recyclables from buildings and street bins will move by vacuum pressure at up to 70km/h through a 6.5km network of underground pipes to a collection station. The collected material will then be transferred to disposal or recycling facilities.

The existing AWCS underground pipe network will be progressively extended into future stages as the city centre is developed.