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Regional Inter-Urban Break

For a long time, the Sunshine Coast community and local Councils have argued for the protection of the inter-urban break between the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay.

The Regional Inter-Urban Break identified in Council’s planning scheme is a critical part of the green frame that plays an important role in preserving the Sunshine Coast’s distinct character, identity and lifestyle.

Pumicestone Passage

It is a large area of predominantly rural and non-urban land that separates the Sunshine Coast from the urban areas of Greater Brisbane to the south, providing a regionally significant environment, economic, cultural and recreational asset.  

The Regional Inter-Urban Break has progressively reduced in size over the last 30 years and until recently, it remained at high risk of being further eroded or lost altogether as a significant and intact greenspace area.

Protecting the area’s core values from inappropriate development remains a priority for council and our local community, particularly as the region’s population continues to grow. 

The Regional Inter-Urban Break area includes:

  • the Glass House Mountains
  • the Pumicestone Passage and parts of Bribie Island and
  • areas around and between the small townships of Beerburrum and Glass House Mountains.

The Regional Inter-Urban Break provides a number of benefits for the Sunshine Coast as well as the wider South East Queensland region. These include:

  • protection of water quality in the Pumicestone Passage as well as environmental and cultural values more generally
  • significant tourism, scenic amenity and recreation opportunities and
  • local agricultural production, forestry and associated employment opportunities.

The State Government’s 'Shaping SEQ’ South East Queensland Regional Plan 2023 (SEQ Regional Plan) identifies most of Council’s Regional Inter-Urban Break as the ‘Northern Inter-Urban Break’ (excluding Halls Creek which is identified as a Potential Future Growth Area).

For the first time, land use in this area is specifically regulated by the State Government under the Planning Regulation 2017, providing an additional level of protection for the area’s non-urban values beyond Council’s planning scheme. 

Council made a submission to the Draft SEQ Regional Plan in 2023 that included specific commentary on the extent of the Northern Inter-Urban Break (as defined by the State Government). View Council's submission.

Council continues to advocate for the protection of the whole of the Regional Inter-Urban Break (as defined by Council) from development that is incompatible with its values. Any further erosion of the Regional Inter-Urban Break will have a significant impact on its integrity as a regional greenspace and its inherent environmental, cultural and economic values. 

The Regional Inter-Urban Break map

The SEQ Regional Plan Northern Inter-Urban Break can be accessed through the State Government’s Development Assessment Mapping System (DAMS), available at Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning website.