Bells Creek work rings in Sunshine Coast jobs bonanza

A multi-billion program of major upgrades is transforming Sunshine Coast roads and supporting thousands of local jobs.

Driving that program are four jointly-funded Bruce Highway projects worth almost $3 billion, including the well-advanced upgrade between Caloundra Road and the Sunshine Motorway and the Maroochydore and Mons Road interchange upgrades.

Major construction is also due to start on the $70 million Bells Creek Arterial extension, creating a new southern road connection to the Bruce Highway at Bells Creek Road for growing communities at Caloundra South.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the government’s investments in Sunshine Coast infrastructure was ramping up to support Queensland’s economic recovery.

“We’re investing in new infrastructure to create jobs and rebuild the economy here on the Sunshine Coast,” the Premier said.

“We have a $50 billion infrastructure guarantee to build projects that support growing communities.

“That guarantee is backed by a record transport and roads investment program over the next four years designed to sustain jobs in regions like the Sunshine Coast.

“Coming out of the pandemic, people want to know their job is secure and that they won’t have to consider moving to find new work.

“We have a strong pipeline of investment that means when one major project finishes, another will have already started, giving local businesses and their workers certainty around local job and investment opportunities.

“This is only possible because we’ve kept Queenslanders safe.”

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the current level of investment in Sunshine Coast roads was unprecedented.

“There has been a lot of focus in recent years on upgrading the M1 between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and we’ve worked with the Federal Government to deliver record funding for those much needed upgrades, two of which we completed last year,” he said.

“While that’s been happening, we’ve also been building up to a massive investment on the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Gympie.

“That Bruce Highway investment is larger in terms of its value, at almost $3 billion, as well as the number of projects involved and the jobs it will support.

“The good news for 340,000 thousand residents who rely on the Bruce Highway and the wider Sunshine Coast economy is that the investment in these upgrades is happening at a time when that economic boost is greatly needed.”

Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt said the local road upgrades associated with the larger Bruce Highway projects would help to take local traffic off the highway.   

“Building the Bells Creek Arterial will give Caloundra South locals a new connection to the Bruce Highway, easing the burden on Caloundra Road,” Mr Hunt said.

“Our investment in the Bells Creek Arterial project has bought forward the construction timeline for the new road.

“That investment is the catalyst for unlocking $300 million of additional housing and infrastructure investment at Caloundra South, supporting 314 direct jobs, and more than 550 indirect jobs.

“Further north, we’re also seeing local service roads built between Mons Road and Maroochydore Road as part of the $301 million interchange upgrades.

“That means locals will be able to make local east-west trips without having to get on the Bruce Highway, which a great outcome in terms of safety, as well as reducing congestion.”

For more details about the transport and road upgrades being delivered on the Sunshine Coast, visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/districts/north-coast

ENDS

Media contact: Toby Walker – 0439 347 875