News

N2C  -  Nambour to Coolum Trail 

In September the JWG (the Joint Working Group on which Tony Philbrick and Fiona Hughes are the CRA representatives) met with the Council team working on the project. The news was that the $5M joint Commonwealth, State and Local Government City Heart funding for trails in the Blue Heart had been received by Council. 

A Council Project Team has now been established to actively progress the N2C Trail. Their task is to design and construct as much of the Trail as possible from the site of the proposed Blue Heart Regional Park on River Rd toward Coolum.  
In October a delegation from the JWG met with Tourism Minister Andrew Powell seeking to progress the part of the Trail from Nambour to Bli Bli, which is outside the Blue Heart. The meeting was facilitated and attended by Ninderry Member Dan Purdie and Nicklin member Marty Hunt also attended. 

The outcome is that Minister Powell has agreed for his Department to provide matching funding up to $500K in their 2026 Budget toward the Investigation and Design of the section of Trail from Nambour to Bli Bli provided a match can be found. 

The JWG will now be seeking a meeting with Council to urge them to match the Minister’s offer. 

Sub-committee Activity Updates 

Active Transport Sub-committee 

Sunshine Coast Draft Active Transport Plan Update 

A submission was made by CRA on a number of local aspects of the Update. Topics addressed included the Coastal Pathway, the Nambour to Coolum Trail, and Peregian Springs to Quanda Industrial Park 

CRA is urging an uplift in Council expenditure on local Active Transport in coming years. 

Pedestrian Safety and Amenity Sub-committee (PSAC) 

In the last few months there has been much engagement by the PSAC members in Active Transport matters, namely surveys, information sessions and a workshop. 

Pedestrian Priorities 

To clarify our position on Coolum’s pedestrian needs, the PSAC has identified the following five pedestrian priorities for Coolum: 

1 Lower traffic speeds in Coolum on DLW plus Med/High density residential zones, and the main business district ie Birtwill St and neighbouring areas. 

2 A new refuge type pedestrian crossing in the Mona Vista/DLW general area. The two refuge type crossings near the Coolum Hotel/ Bus Stop need upgrading with safety barriers as per the one near the northern end of Lions Park. 

3 A walkable verge or a footpath on both sides of all streets in medium/high density residential areas. For new Med density zones, pedestrian accessibility should be upgraded within a two-year window after areas are changed from low density to medium density residential. 

4 Compliance enforcement of the Council’s own Driveway Crossover Standards and better regulation of verge vegetation plantings that interfere with pedestrian access. 

5 E-Bikes only on roads, registered, riders licensed and only riders over 16yrs old. Wider separated networked pathways where possible, for walkers and pedal bikers. 

Walking Network for Coolum 

On the 29th October three members of the PSAC Bronwyn Jackson, Bill Evans and Bernie Caffery, plus John Fuller and Tony Philbrick, attended a workshop in Coolum run by the SCC and Active Transport Consultants to look at the Draft Walking Network for Coolum. 

This was a good opportunity to discuss in detail the improvements to walking infrastructure needed in Coolum, namely pedestrian crossings on David Low Way, more pedestrian pathways and walkable verges plus other issues such as traffic speeds and parking. 

The SCC is presently working towards speed reductions in Cotton Tree and has similar ideas for the Central Business Area of Coolum, this is thoroughly endorsed by the CRA. 

We wait to see what changes to traffic speeds, walking pathways and pedestrian crossings are forthcoming in the New Active Transport Plan. 

Pedestrian crossing of DLW near Mona Vista 

With the temporary crossing over the David Low Way definitely going when the foreshore restoration work at First Bay finishes at the end of this year, the push to get a permanent refuge-type pedestrian crossing over DLW in the vicinity of the Mona Vista Court junction, (not an easy solution) is continuing through recent correspondence and discussion with the SCC, Dan Purdie and TMR. 

CAP [Coolum Art Project] is a sub-committee of CRA and is now celebrating being one year old. In the year so far we have curated 10 exhibitions in the Galley – the space between Yum Gelato and Heirloom cafe. We have been able to operate via the fabulous efforts of the committee and other people who recognise the value of art, culture and community. Costs have been met by grant money, both from council and CRA plus our own fundraising. The space is graciously given to us by Archer Body Corp. 

The current exhibition is from Owen Cavanagh and other artists from Studio 53, in Qanda Park. 

CAP is revisiting the UnChanged Photo Exhibition again this December and is now calling for artists and photographers in our community to contribute images for the exhibition that say 'Coolum - now’. 

The exhibition will consist of a combination of some of the images from last year and some ‘recently acquired’. If you have any older images of the Coolum district that would be good to show some of the change please contact us - [email protected] 

All images submitted will be shown digitally in the Galley and the five images selected as 'Coolum - now’, will be printed and framed A1 size, with those 5 artists receiving $100 Artist Fee. 

Please email submissions to [email protected] by Friday 14th November. Please share with anyone who would be interested.

Project Updates from our local Councillors 

Division 8 Updates from Taylor Bunnag: 

• Greenoaks Drive Pathway to Yungar St delivered; 
• South Coolum Road Pathway from Scottlynd St to Warrack St delivered; 
• Design work ongoing to finalise Beach Access 94 (Mount Coolum) ramped structure; 
• Procurement completed for Mount Coolum Amenities - construction to commence in February 2025 (post-school holidays); 
• Suncoast Beach Drive and South Coolum Road Extension - design works underway and will roll into next financial year; and 
• Pedestrian crossing being designed for Tanah Street West between the David Low Way and Jarnahill Drive. 
• Division 9 Updates from Maria Suarez 
• Landslip repair works at First Bay. Public notification will go out shortly to advise that the works have again been delayed. Rain from early in the year significantly put the project well behind schedule and recent variations that were required for underground services has required additional work to be undertaken. I don’t have a firm date however the team are working to have the project completed as soon as practicable including continued construction work on Saturdays. At this stage it is more likely that it will be early in new year for completion. The team will reduce fencing and barriers as staged works are completed so the impact to residents and motorist will be less in area as the project construction comes to an end. 
• Lows Lookout pathway (Stage 2) - doorknocked residents and design is being finalised. No funding for construction at this stage. 
• Pacific Terrace will undergo remedial works. Awaiting Energex approval to work around the timber power pole. 
• Pathway on Yungar St between Greenoaks to Centenary Heights starting soon. 
• Coolum Pump track going out to tender. Expecting construction in 2026. 
• Coolum Beach DDA compliant beach access ramp at Tickle Park planned for construction mid- 2026. 
• Development applications are coming in steadily for projects in and around Coolum. Set saved searches or undertake a location search and use Coolum Beach as the suburb. 
• Barn’s Lane application is marked as ‘returned’. Development Watch made a submission on the nature of proposed changes.