after the 10.9 hectare site at Tower Lane was purchased for $860,000 through the Environment Levy On a hinterland hilltop overlooking Beerwah and the coastline beyond a slender-leaved shrub blooms into bursts of yellow between the volcanic rocks The Critically Endangered Coochin Hills grevillea (Grevillea hodgei) is found in only two small pockets: the peaks of the Coochin Hills and this rocky outcrop known locally as Rupari Hill Rupari Hill is now part of Sunshine Coast Council’s protected estate Environment and Liveability Portfolio Councillor Tim Burns said the site was home to many locally significant plants and habitat for wildlife like the koala and powerful owl “This is a special ecosystem here on Rupari Hill with a unique assemblage of native species including several plants only known to occur in the Glasshouse Mountains,” Cr Burns said “The volcanic rock and soil here creates conditions that these plants rely on so it was a high priority site for Council to purchase and protect “It really is a showcase of the unique flora our Sunshine Coast Biosphere has to offer.” The purchase links environment reserves on either side of the site and the Coochin Hills section of Glass House Mountains National Park beyond A map showing the location of the newly protected land parcel The area is within a mapped biodiversity corridor where Council aims to establish protected natural connections and habitat across our Sunshine Coast Biosphere “Protecting habitat and building landscape connections are priorities for the Environment Levy land acquisition program,” Cr Burns said Division 1 Councillor Jenny Broderick said the strategic acquisition of this important piece of land would enable Council to more effectively manage issues with any ongoing illegal dumping in the area “With the site now under Council ownership we can all  better protect this special place we know our locals love,” Cr Broderick said “Managing these issues will ensure Rupari Hill remains a beautiful and precious natural area for our own local species and all the benefits that it brings to our community.” Council identifies and acquires properties for conservation as it works to implement its Environment and Liveability Strategy contributing to a sustainable future in our Sunshine Coast Biosphere This acquisition also contributes towards meeting Council’s strategic biodiversity target, our region’s growing conservation estate and expanding habitat areas, identified in the Biodiversity Report 2024 paid through rates by every property owner in our region enables Council to invest in a range of environmental programs and projects to deliver a healthy natural environment your Environment Levy has supported the acquisition of more than 4,200 hectares of land for conservation All Environment Levy land acquisitions are mapped on Council’s website Locally significant plant species found on Rupari Hill which are largely restricted to the Glasshouse Mountains area include: Threatened plant species found or known to occur on the site include: Threatened animals found on the site include: Sunshine Coast Council acknowledges the Sunshine Coast Country home of the Kabi Kabi peoples and the Jinibara peoples We wish to pay respect to their Elders – past and acknowledge the important role First Nations people continue to play within the Sunshine Coast community Our Sunshine Coast is a free community website proudly produced by Sunshine Coast Council Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team The transition of a Sunshine Coast rural area into a long-term growth corridor has hit a speed bump after the state government stymied a council move to rezone it The Sunshine Coast Council has favoured Beerwah East 5200 hectares of land between Steve Irwin Way But the Director-General of the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning has told the council it must remove an emerging community zone from the Beerwah East development area in its draft planning scheme and replace it with a rural zoning In a letter to the council, John Sosso stipulates the zoning amendment as one of a number of conditions of departmental approval for the council’s new draft planning scheme to move to the next phase of becoming reality A map within the 2014 planning scheme that is still in use by the council shows the Beerwah East development area as predominantly rural Although the draft planning scheme has not been made public which has been uploaded to the ‘Have your say’ section of the council’s website indicates the council intended to zone it as emerging community Want more free local news? Follow Sunshine Coast News on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and sign up for our FREE daily news email Mr Sosso’s letter says an area of land at Beerwah East that is not subject to native title can be zoned as emerging community and that other changes must be made to maps and tables reflecting the zoning amendment he says they will “ensure negotiations with relevant stakeholders in Beerwah East are not prejudiced by pre-emptive zoning” Mr Sosso says the conditions will “facilitate a small early release area that is not subject to native title” The Kabi Kabi Aboriginal Peoples Corporation was granted native title last year for more than 300,000 hectares of land and water on the Sunshine Coast which is currently under a 99-year forestry lease The Director-General says the proposed planning scheme provides for a coordinated and integrated land use policy for the Beerwah East development area that is “consistent with state government’s long-term planning and investment decisions” Mr Sosso says the conditions will also ensure the strategic framework for Beerwah East “do not prejudice or pre-empt any state government transport infrastructure decisions” Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli said the council’s next step was to review the state government-imposed conditions and their implications for the proposed scheme “Council understands that the conditions imposed cannot be easily understood without the full context of the proposed planning scheme,” Cr Natoli said “However, council does not intend to publicly release the proposed planning scheme until such time as we have considered and made all the necessary changes “This process takes time as the proposed planning scheme is a complex planning instrument A range of changes will be necessary to address the conditions imposed “Once this step is complete and council is confident to move to the next stage of the plan-making process council will be implementing a robust community consultation program.” Cr Natoli encouraged people to read the state government’s conditions on the ‘Have your say’ section of the council’s website, and to familiarise themselves with the details of the draft planning scheme when it is released for public consultation. Connecting the Communities of Glasshouse Country and the Blackall Range HI, I’m Paul Howell, the franchise owner of the new 24hr Jetts gym that is scheduled to be open in the Beerwah Health Hub somewhere between late January 2025 to early February. It will be a fully premium equipped gym offering, in a space of around 400sq meters.  It is designed to cater for all sectors of the surrounding community and will include a diverse range of equipment from strength training and aerobics to a couple of reformer pilates machines.  It will follow the standard Jetts guidelines of no lock in contracts and highly competitive pricing. I’m currently in the process of employing a manager to help me gather potential member interest for when we kickoff the presale in mid to late November. A NEWLY completed ANZAC memorial has been unveiled at Beerwah Golf Club ahead of this year’s ANZAC Day commemorations. The informal event last Tuesday, March 18, served as an opportunity to thank neighbouring RSL representatives from the Beerwah and Glass House Mountains sub-branches, who, along with other key figures, played a vital role in securing funding for the project’s completion. Last year, the club secured a $10,000 federal ‘Saluting Their Service’ grant from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, enabling the construction of the memorial located near the Pro Shop gardens. Club board member Allan Warry, a Vietnam veteran, expressed his gratitude towards the club executive, volunteers, and local stonemason Wayne Osborne along with other local tradespeople for ensuring its timely completion. “I want to thank everyone who has supported this project to fruition over the last three and a half years,” Mr Warry said. “I’m very pleased we have been able to create a dedicated memorial here at the club that honours both the service of our veterans, past and present, as well as the original history of the golf club.” He also acknowledged the support of Federal MP Andrew Wallace in securing the grant, and is now working on a pictorial display highlighting the historical significance of the club’s origins as the ‘Beerwah and District Memorial Club.’ The new ANZAC memorial will be a key feature of the club’s 2025 ANZAC Day celebrations. Sunshine Coast Libraries and QLD Blue Light invite you to a series of free movie screenings at Beerwah Community Hall. Bring your favourite comfy camp chair, bean bag, or blanket—or just come as you are! Plenty of chairs will be available, and snacks can be purchased from the hall kitchen. The first screening is Ready Player One on Thursday, April 10, from 6 pm – 8:30 pm. Based on Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel, the film takes viewers to the year 2045, where the real world is bleak, and people escape into the OASIS, a virtual universe. When teenager Wade Watts cracks the first clue in a hidden contest, he and his friends embark on a thrilling adventure to secure control of the OASIS before it falls into the wrong hands. experience Battle of the Bands or join a skate comp Youth Week has kicked off and runs to April 12 and is a celebration that shines a spotlight on the talents achievements and contribution our young people make to our community Check out all the activities planned below When: Friday, April 11, 2 - 10pm.Where: Baringa Town Centre, 20 Edwards Tce, Baringa.Details: Council’s website. bean bag or blanket and head over to Beerwah Community Hall for some epic movie nights children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult Where: Beerwah Community Hall, 25 Peachester Road, Beerwah.Details: Sunshine Coast Libraries website Dive into hands-on workshops led by super talented local artists at Beerwah Heart April 10 from 1 - 9pm.Where: Beerwah Community Hall You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream The emergence of past plans to close Mt Beerwah in the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast has sparked intense debate that climbing advocacy group Save Our Summit obtained documents through a Right to Information request suggesting the mountain be considered for permanent closure “My response is that there will be categorically no closure to Mount Beerwah on a permanent basis any other of the Glasshouse Mountain peaks or for that matter BEERWAH’S first annual Dog Olympics is on this weekend (March 22-23) showcasing a range of sports and showing events It is expected to draw in hundreds of dogs to the Beerwah Sportsground This year’s event will have something for everyone but keep your own dogs at home as they will interfere with the show and competing dogs There will be market stalls with dog-themed merchandise there will also be a fun-filled treasure hunt set up most of the show events and sprint dog will take place and scent dog will continue to entertain crowds Popular Beerwah business set to close citing unsustainable economic environment AFTER 10 years of serving locals at its Simpson Street location will close its doors due to mounting economic challenges.  Co-owner Steve Moon said a “catalogue of circumstances” had led to the decision.  “It just all became too much,” he said.  Mr Moon cited increasingly tough financial pressures as the key reason for the closure The news that the Vianta premises would face a significant rent hike earlier this year was a final blow.  Mr Moon expressed his heartbreak over the decision “We’ve been here for 10 years and evolving Vianta closing means Beerwah will be losing a community centre,” he said “This was a place that people could come and feel valued and cared for.”  The post-COVID period had been particularly difficult coupled with the relentless expenses of running a small business.  We cook everything fresh; we’re not a franchise with massive buying power,” he said.  “These are all costs we’ve had to absorb.  “We’re not in Noosa or New Farm—we can’t keep passing the costs onto our Beerwah customers,” he added Mr Moon acknowledged that he wasn’t alone in facing these challenges noting that many local business owners were in the same boat.  “There are plenty of other business owners in town who are finding it just as tough.”  The Vianta building changed hands earlier this year with Mr Moon informed that the rent would rise in line with commercial property rates on the Sunshine Coast.  He said he had benefited from a “very favourable private agreement,” but the new lease terms “To meet the current premium commercial rates I’d need to charge prices that would be completely unacceptable for our community,” he said.  Mr Moon added that higher property values were pushing rents to unsustainable levels.  “The current prices are so out of balance with the returns for small businesses.  That’s why there’s so many empty shops,” he said.  “Running a café is nearly impossible in the current environment.  food outlets – there’s no money to be made.  It’s done out of a passion for making a difference in the community.” A PROPOSED $2.6 million upgrade to Kilcoy-Beerwah Road and Peachester Road is set to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion around Beerwah The LNP made the election promise last week with Caloundra candidate Kendall Morton saying: “In addition to the improvements for local school students and road users this will also allow safer freight access for one of the region’s largest employers The project aims to make the roads safer for local users while cutting the numberof truck movements along Kilcoy-Beerwah Road and Peachester Road in half who has been advocating for the road improvements for several years noting the benefits it will bring to the local community and businesses “I have been trying to get this road upgraded for many years now as it does not meet an acceptable standard,” Mr Elks said “Woodland Enterprises will also be contributing a significant direct investment into the project “This will mean that truck movements along the road will halve.” The upgrade is expected to address growing concerns over road safety while also supporting local businesses by providing improved transport links The road network’s enhancement willbe beneficial for the community offering safer routes for daily commuters and school children and reducing wear and tear on roads due to heavy freight traffic BEERWAH State High School Year 12 cohorts celebrated their formal in fine style last Thursday November 14.  It was a flurry of excitement and glamour as the graduating class of 2024 rolled up to Maroochy RSL in a procession of flashy hot rods A “seamless public transport” link for the Sunshine Coast has been spruiked as part of the 2032 Olympic Games Delivery Plan The state government has announced that the region will be connected from Beerwah through to the Sunshine Coast Airport with a major new rail and metro bus connection dubbed The Wave It is one of the major infrastructure legacy projects revealed for the Sunshine Coast including the revitalisation of the Mooloolah River Interchange initiative The Wave is set to roll through the Sunshine Coast, with heavy passenger rail from Beerwah to Birtinya then metro bus to the airport with stations at Mountain Creek and Maroochydore Infrastructure will be constructed from the Birtinya station to the Maroochydore station The state government stated that it would build the interchange as a priority to remove congestion and allow The Wave to carry commuters without delay The state government had previously planned to build the rail line from Beerwah to Maroochydore by 2032 we’re committed to making it go all the way through to the Maroochydore CBD by the 2032 Games,” then-Opposition leader David Crisafulli But the Opposition maintained it would be impossible to construct the whole line by then due to rising costs and construction complexities there are plans for the line to reach Birtinya which is where Olympic events will be held at an upgraded Sunshine Coast Stadium and where commuters are expected to link with an enhanced bus network Sunshine Coast mayor Rosanna Natoli welcomed the announcement of The Wave saying it would support the sustainable growth of the region “We know that the delivery of a world-class transport solution by 2032 is intrinsically linked to our Olympic venues and the role we will play in hosting the Games,” Cr Natoli said “This is a great day for the Sunshine Coast and we look forward to getting back to work on delivering this important legacy infrastructure for our community.” Premier Crisafulli said The Wave would keep the Sunshine Coast moving “The Games are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver the infrastructure the Sunshine Coasts needs not only today but in the decades to come,” he said with seamless public transport all the way to the Sunshine Coast Airport and connect to the Athlete Village built for the Games it is necessary for the future of the Sunshine Coast beyond the Games.” Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said The Wave would deliver a lasting public transport legacy for the Sunshine Coast “The Wave is something the Sunshine Coast can really get behind,” he said “We are delivering seamless public transport further than what was initially planned with commuters now able to travel past Maroochydore all the way to the Sunshine Coast Airport “By delivering metro, we are able to build the Mooloolah River Interchange which locals have been waiting for decades to see but has repeatedly been delayed by Labor “The Mooloolah River Interchange will ease congestion at the well-known traffic chokepoint on the Coast and will include two extra lanes on the Sunshine Motorway north of Kawana Way “The Wave is just part of Delivering 2032 and Beyond Federal LNP Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace hailed the plan we will finally see legacy public transport in the form of direct Sunshine Coast Rail from Beerwah to Birtinya with an integrated metro hub connecting Birtinya with the Maroochydore CBD and the Sunshine Coast Airport,” he said “It is now time to get on with it.” Funding has been secured for delivery of Stage 1 of the new direct heavy rail line from Beerwah to Caloundra (19km) The 2032 Delivery Plan also includes bus service improvements on the Sunshine Coast The European Train Control System (Level 2) will also be delivered on the rail network from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast to improve safety and allow for increased service frequencies on this high-demand sector of the rail network and his grandmother Samantha recently held a fundraiser on Sunday for the retinoblastoma clinic at the Queensland Children’s Hospital This was to help raise funds and awareness for the aggressive rare childhood cancer which Kayden was diagnosed with just a few months ago he lost his left eye as 80 per cent of it had already been infected by the cancer They raised $2200 through patrons buying raffle tickets and donations I understand and agree that my personal information will be collected, stored and used, in accordance with the PGA of Australia's privacy policy Queenslander Nigel Weldon has put his three-stroke win at the Elgin Valley Beerwah Legends Pro-Am win among his greatest achievements in golf The 51-year-old joined the PGA Legends Tour this year after coming through both stages of Qualifying School and is proving to be something of a multi-round specialist His breakthrough win came at the 36-hole Moree Legends Pro-Am in September and he has had three top-10 finishes at two-round events since October But over two days at Beerwah Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast Weldon had to line up alongside the likes of PGA TOUR Champions member David Bransdon Australian golf legends Peter Senior and Terry Price and prolific Legends Tour winners Brad Burns and Adam Henwood It’s why this latest win was one to savour “It’s very inspiring,” Weldon said of the company he is now keeping “These guys that I’ve watched and followed their careers in my life and then finally be out here playing with them against them and then to finish on top against that sort of a field “It’s up there with my biggest achievements in this sport.” Weldon trailed Scotsman Dell Bain by two strokes heading into Round 2 but compiled a superb 5-under 67 for a 9-under total three clear of Nigel Lane (68) with six players sharing third Weldon leant into that patient mindset from the outset Four pars to start kept him in contention before back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13 elevated him up the leaderboard A third birdie followed at 17 but he gave that back almost immediately with a dropped shot on 18 five and seven to put some distance between himself and the rest of the field “You can be a little bit patient the first day You don’t have to come out and fire at everything “You can get yourself in the mix and then know what you’ve got to do the next day “I do like the multi-round events more than the single round events “I’ve been struggling a little bit with my putting of late I’ve been working hard on it and my short game I identified that that was letting me down and the boys are doing it a lot better than I in that department LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN1          Nigel Weldon               68-67—1352          Nigel Lane                    70-68—138T3        Tim Elliott                     68-72—140T3        Perry Parker                  70-70—140T3        David Bransdon           68-72—140T3        Euan Walters                70-70—140T3        David Diaz                   67-73—140T3        Dell Bain                      66-74—140 The PGA Legends Tour heads south to the Gold Coast on Tuesday for the $40,000 Sanctuary Cove G&CC Legends Pro-Am hosted by Peter Senior and Adam Scott one of the richest one-day events on the calendar For the latest news and scores on Australian golf Subscribe © 2025 PGA of Australia | Powered by Advertise with us JETTS Beerwah held its official opening on Saturday to celebrate its newest location in the Beerwah Health Hub A large crowd attended the event to enjoy free workouts including a 5-year membership and $1000 cash said the club had already signed up 600 members – which was incredible “We’ve built such an amazing community within this gym,” she said The 24/7 gym is located on Turner St in the new Beerwah Health Hub with brand new equipment please provide the steps you took so we can replicate You can use CTR+V to paste a screenshot from your clipboard directly into the textarea above Otherwise you can upload a file from your computer below but we could not find the page you are looking for beautiful nature and a great community – but not the page you’re looking for Our team has been notified and we thank you for your patience while we get this resolved Experience Sunshine Coast Living and community Environment Business Development Council Pay and apply © Sunshine Coast Regional Council 2008–2025 THE Beerwah train station upgrade is set to begin in 2026 with Stage 1 of the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line expected to take six years to complete The update comes as the next stage of the Beerburrum to Nambour (B2N) Rail Upgrade is delayed a few months with progress to begin in 2025 before completion in 2027.  Both projects will vastly increase the number of hinterland train services with capacity for a train every five minutes through Beerwah during the Olympics Contractors for the B2N contract were revealed last week with the state government announcing that preliminary designs were underway ahead of construction which will be delivered in a staged sequence over the next three years.  Construction on the next stage of the $1 billion project was meant to begin this year However it is now expected to begin some time in 2025.  The staged construction includes: Road works to accommodate the new rail corridor and track infrastructure; Duplication of the section of rail between Beerburrum and Glass House Mountains on an improved alignment This delivered an expanded park ‘n’ ride facility at Landsborough station with 300 new car parks and a new bus interchange on the eastern side of the station It also included an expanded park ‘n’ ride facility at Nambour station with 50 new car parks on the eastern side of the station.  it realigned a section of Steve Irwin Way at Glass House Mountains to accommodate the new rail corridor and track infrastructure The B2N upgrade will increase the capacity and reliability of the North Coast Line enabling more efficient travel and improved passenger and freight connections between the Sunshine Coast A Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said DSCRL construction would begin in 2026 This would include the Beerwah station upgrade to but TMR could not say how long the station would be closed Six hikers have been rescued from two mountains in the Sunshine Coast hinterland when they became stuck at the same time Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535 Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) Council says Beerwah Sportsground to be permanently closed CAMPING and caravan enthusiasts face a prolonged wait for camping options in the lower hinterland as the Sunshine Coast Council has confirmed the Beerwah Sportsground campsite will remain closed indefinitely.Division 1 Councillor Jenny Broderick said the site is no longer available for permanent camping.“As the Sportsground is now unavailable as a permanent camping site I would hope that we will be able to find an appropriate area within our Hinterland area for our drive-through tourists,” she said.“For several significant and appropriate reasons will not re-open as a full-time public camping site.“However camping is still available for permitted events; groups can apply to Council for permits for short-stay camping at the Sportsground.”Beerwah Bulldogs president Kurt Quinn called the decision to keep the camping closed “ridiculous” arguing that the absence of campers has hurt the local economy and community.“People who used to camp at the Sportsground were kind of like security having a presence at the clubhouse throughout the week when the Bulldogs committee weren’t there,” he said.“On the weekends a lot of the campers would come over and watch our home games when they were on maybe buy some food or drinks while they were there too.“Those tourists would have brought a lot of money into Beerwah and now we don’t have that.”Cr Broderick said she had raised the lack of camping options with Council officers.“I have certainly brought the lack of camping options available up with our Council officers and have asked for them to seek out appropriate location options as it’s essential economy for our Hinterland townships,” she said The campsite closed in May 2023 after the Beerwah Sportsground Management Committee dissolved and handed over tenure to Council.Council then secured a third party to manage the site but the contract was abruptly revoked in June 2023.kirra@gcnews.com.au Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE A 20-year-old Mountain Creek man reported missing from Mount Beerwah since Sunday 8 December has been found dead His body was spotted by emergency services crews walking the western track Rescue 511 confirmed the discovery of the man on the north-western face of the mountain Police and emergency services are now working to recover the body The man was last heard from around 1pm on Sunday and significant search and rescue efforts have been ongoing since then on foot and from the air The death is being treated as non-suspicious and police will prepare a report for the coroner including a state-of-the-art general practice clinic has officially opened on the Sunshine Coast The Beerwah Health Hub is set to improve community access to health care with medical practice MyLocalDoc relocating to an expanded space in the hub and doubling its number of GPs to eight two-storey 2165sqm hub features primary and allied health care providers including The Wellness Practice holistic health centre the hub houses the Happy Hearts Childcare Centre and a veteran hub at the Veteran Wellbeing Foundation Command Post Cafe It is the eighth health hub in the Cornerstone Group’s portfolio Group director Simon Heazlewood said the Beerwah facility would help the region keep up with the growing demand for services with up to 140,000 people expected to move to the Sunshine Coast by 2040 Related story: ‘New opportunities’: $18m medical centre underway “We believe that everyone deserves access to quality health care and the Beerwah Health Hub is a critical addition to the growing region and will play a key role in supporting the increasing demand for health care services,” he said “We’re thrilled to see MyLocalDoc expand its services within the Beerwah Health Hub offering integrated care alongside like-minded practitioners “With a new state-of-the-art general practice clinic hosting eight generous consult rooms procedure room and a dedicated care plan room MyLocalDoc Beerwah is positioned to meet the needs of the underserviced Beerwah district and surrounding areas.” MyLocalDoc managing director Ben Child was excited about the increased capacity and the opportunity to further connect with the community “Relocating to the Beerwah Health Hub allows us to not only care for thousands of patients each year but also continue to be an integral part of the community we deeply care about,” he said Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au “We’re excited to work at a greater capacity and collaborate with other health care providers in the Beerwah Health Hub to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients “This is a game-changer for the region.” The hub also helps address the region’s need for childcare with the Happy Hearts Childcare Centre accommodating 104 places and featuring an outdoor playscape on the top floor “There is significant pressure on childcare places across the region and the new centre will be a welcome addition for local families,” Mr Heazlewood said operated by Young Veterans president Peter Kennedy will serve as a meeting point for veterans providing a space where they can connect and receive essential support through an onsite wellbeing officer The cafe is dedicated to fostering veteran health and wellbeing offering a community-driven environment that welcomes all members of the public within walking distance of public transport It offers more than 70 car parks across two levels All it requires is your name and email at the bottom of this article Coles has withdrawn its application for a shopping development in Beerwah In documents just lodged in the Planning and Environment Court the supermarket giant cited skyrocketing capital costs increased costs associated with external roadworks and delays in ongoing litigation between the supermarket and Sunshine Coast Council and the owners of Beerwah Marketplace In a discontinuance notice lodged in the P&E Court lawyers for Coles wrote: “Coles has ultimately decided not to proceed with the project.” “Coles made this decision with regret and that its prospects would otherwise have warranted proceeding.” on the corner of Steve Irwin Way and Roy’s Road which was then appealed by Coles and has been in the P&E Court for nearly three years The original application was rejected in 2021 by the council •  Significant conflict with the council’s strategic vision for economic development regarding activity centres and industry and enterprise areas •  The proposal would create a new retail centre outside the existing Beerwah major regional activity centre and would fragment and undermine the CBD the proposed McDonalds would represent an unwarranted intrusion of a business activity into an area identified specifically for industrial developments scale and design of the proposed development would result in significant loss of industry zoned land (more than 11ha) Pot plant specialists have moved to Beerwah EXCITING news for all garden enthusiasts and home decorators in the area The Spot Sunshine Coast are thrilled to announce the opening of their new location strategically situated at the bustling corner of Roys Road and Steve Irwin Way (9/1 Roys Road This prime location offers easy access for all visitors and promises a delightful shopping experience Our warehouse boasts a stunning collection of pots and designs to suit every taste and preference Whether you’re looking for something classic our selection is designed to inspire and enhance any garden or home decor We invite the local community to visit us and check out our stunning pots on offer The Spot Sunshine Coast“Your Number 1 SPOT for High Quality Pots!” Illegal rubbish is making a mess at Tower Lane clothes and personal items are among some of the rubbish illegally dumped at Tower Lane with no sign it will be cleared away any time soon.Beerwah resident lives around the corner from Tower Lane and passes the rubbish on his daily walks.Besides the main heap of rubbish which hasn’t been removed in many years there is other rubbish such as food wrappers that is left regularly Mr Vangeninden said he couldn’t understand why people felt the need to dump rubbish in bushland and why they couldn’t dump it at the local tip.“I tell people that I see on my walk especially in places like this – like it’s absolutely beautiful,” he said.“People are even spraying graffiti on the rocks and trees there and it’s just like why would you do that?“It’s funny as soon as you see graffiti on the water towers give it a week and it has all been painted over but you dump a trailer worth of rubbish and it’ll stay there for two years.”A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said they had received complaints about illegally dumped rubbish at Tower Lane but that it could not act as it was on private property.“In 2024 Council received one complaint of illegal dumping in Tower Lane Beerwah,” they said.“Council investigated and took enforcement action.“Since 2021 Council has received seven complaints relating to this area the property owner is responsible for the clean-up.”The spokesperson could not publicly disclose who owned the land that the rubbish was dumped on years ago.Council has added illegal dumping tape to the rubbish several times since it was dumped.“Every three to four months if they keep just replacing the tape why don’t they just take it with them?” Mr Vangeninden said.kirra@gcnews.com.au BEERWAH State High School is celebrating after two teams made the Oztag finals at the Queensland School Championships.It is the first time a Beerwah High team has made the final after four previous attempts.The Year 12 Mixed Team reached the quarters Eight teams from Beerwah High attended the championships with more than 300 teams from years 7 to 12 participating over three days (July 26-28).Beerwah High sports teacher said it was the most teams the school had ever entered.“I had no voice on Sunday this is our fifth tournament and the first time we’ve had teams make finals and really win a lot of games,” she said.“Our little school playing against big Oztag schools honestly I have no words of how proud I am it was so good.” The year 12 team went undefeated in the competition’s regular rounds This is probably not the page you’re looking for VWF Command Post Café is Beerwah’s newest café and community hub focusing specifically on providing veterans’ health and wellbeing as well as anyone who is in need.The hub is the first of its kind in Australia serving as a one-stop shop for veterans seeking mental with a wellbeing officer based at the café.Owner the hub has helped many people looking for support through the café and his new charity ‘Veteran Wellbeing Foundation’.“I have probably had ten people through the back to the triage that I’ve already given assistance to because realistically the café is just the facade,” he said.“The café is here for a number of reasons but the café is what gets the people through the door of Veteran Wellbeing Foundation is what happens in the back.“The general feedback from the community has been fantastic so far It’s not about competition between cafés or anything like that it’s providing a unique service that no one else is doing.”Support available for veterans is endless at the hub anything that they need.“We offer veterans help with their general health all those kinds of things,” he said.“We have a conversation advocate in there for the DVA paperwork.“We also have a wellbeing officer in there who’s a veteran and understands that landscape.”Pete added that all the profits that the café makes will go straight back into the community which is what the hub is all about.“Basically the only people that get paid out of this are the girls and boys working in the café because that’s their job,” he said.“Any other profits that are made out of it will go into a welfare fund and that will be available for us to run any projects We will be able to provide meals if someone is struggling.“You can also pay it forward with a pie or coffee and leave a note on the giving board for those who need something to eat or drink providing a dignified experience for those who are struggling.”VWF Command Post Café is located at the Beerwah Health Hub on Turner Street.kirra@gcnews.com.au Website Feedback OnlyPlease leave your website feedback comments below kindly provide the steps you took so we can replicate the issue For general council inquiries, please see Council Contact page A fictional tale of Beerwah’s history has been brought to life in Simpson Street Five innovative artworks have been installed in the town as part of the Beerwah Streestcape Project Division 1 Councillor Rick Baberowski said they were created by renowned local artist Russell Anderson “Russell’s playful and interactive sculptures are known as the ‘steampunk’ style and already feature in many high profile public places like Melbourne and Brisbane Russell tells me his next project is in London so we’re very pleased to see Beerwah added to that list,” he said “These particular pieces were inspired by a fictional local farmer 'Speedy King' who was famous for his incredible machine that transported pineapples to market at record speed These artworks are mechanically quite amazing and when lit (in a few weeks time) will also look good at night They also add value to our town as a tourist attraction and can become a great talking point because of the mysterious and fun nature of the local legend story that’s associated with them.” Anderson’s artworks consist of four ‘isolation pods’ and a ‘roving transporter’ that were created from objects and mechanical parts (such as a 1930's milk churn) made from steel Sensor lighting has been incorporated into the works to turn on when movement is detected nearby and dim to off when the street is quiet CLICK HERE TO GET THE GAZETTE DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX The announcement was: “The general objective is that we would have fast rail up to Nambour in five years and to Maroochydore in ten years.” on 18 January 2018 at Nambour rail station But it was an ambitious plan that set expectations high A business case was to be prepared by a consortium comprising Stockland The North Coast Connect Consortium was one of three proponents to win a share of $20 million in federal funding for a business case The Consortium was hamstrung by a limited budget from the outset.  The Queensland Government made no monetary contribution towards the business case but offered an ‘in-kind’ contribution (of reports and information) that they valued at $5 million The business case was completed in December 2019 submitted to the new National Faster Rail Agency (NFRA) and handed to the State Government in February 2020 It was submitted to Infrastructure Australia in August 2020 The North Coast Connect Consortium was originally tasked to investigate options for upgrades along the existing rail corridor from Brisbane to Nambour and a spur line from Beerwah to Maroochydore The objective: a 45 minute trip to Brisbane What is of concern is that the National Faster Rail Agency website now shows that route options have changed to what was announced at Nambour on that sunny January morning It says “The detailed business case investigated options for a spur line from Beerwah to Maroochydore upgrades along the existing corridor from Brisbane to Beerwah (not Nambour) and a range of faster rail speeds.” Beerwah to Nambour residents (with a single track rail line) deserve to know why their fast rail has been derailed at least ensure they get duplicated tracks for their tortuous The NCCC could not confirm if Nambour fast rail was in the mix Ted O’Brien MP said that he understood that it had been presented with options to Nambour Why does the National Faster Rail Agency website state otherwise I ask the National Faster Rail Agency to release the business case in the interests of transparency once Infrastructure Australia has released their report on it A consortium with members interested in a fast rail line to their Caloundra invested developments will never be amenable to it reaching Nambour first Perhaps the plan was flawed from the start I am not against a fast rail service to Maroochydore If the Federal and/or State Governments want to fund it and the advantaged proponents make significant contributions towards it Passenger rail services are heavily subsidised by the state government (and so they should I have always campaigned for Nambour rail duplication due to the freight benefits which are economic and positive Improved passenger services are collateral advantage Nambour doesn’t deserve more hardship – headed its way on a single track Jeffery Addison at Nambour station… “Nambour doesn’t deserve more hardship - headed its way on a single track” Editorial: editor@sunshinevalleygazette.com.au | 0409 424 487 Advertising: tanya@sunshinevalleygazette.com.au | 0400 069 711 Display Ads   Ad Rates   Ad Specs   Privacy   Terms & Conditions