Selling insights · October 2026
The Wave Sunshine Coast: What It Could Mean for Locals
Mitch Lund looks at The Wave Sunshine Coast, proposed stations and what better transport could mean for communities from Minyama to Caloundra.
By Mitch Lund, Co-Director, ELITE Lifestyle Properties
Project information checked 25 October 2026
Thumbnail: editorial recreation of the proposed Caloundra station, based on TMR’s artist’s impression. Design subject to change.
The Wave could change how we get around the Sunshine Coast, with rail planned from Beerwah to Caloundra and Birtinya, connecting with a metro-style service to the airport. For those of us living between Minyama and Caloundra, there is plenty to follow as the plans develop.
I grew up in Kings Beach and came back to the Coast after working away and travelling. I’m positive about the opportunities growth brings. Better transport is something I welcome, particularly if it makes everyday trips easier for the people who live here.
The Sunshine Coast council area had approximately 382,000 residents in June 2025, up by 7,659 in a year. Almost 2,000 of those additional residents were in the Caloundra West–Baringa area. That growth brings more demand for homes, services and ways to get around. Queensland Government population figures
I’d like people growing up here to have good opportunities to work, study and build their lives on the Coast. Making it easier to travel between our communities is part of that.
What is The Wave?
The Wave is a Queensland Government transport project being delivered through the Department of Transport and Main Roads, or TMR. Its three main stages are:
- Stage 1: passenger rail from Beerwah to Caloundra, with an upgraded Beerwah station and new stations at Bells Creek/Aura and Caloundra.
- Stage 2: rail from Caloundra to Birtinya, with new stations at Aroona and Birtinya.
- Stage 3: a metro-style service connecting the hospital precinct and Birtinya with Mountain Creek, Maroochydore CBD and Sunshine Coast Airport.
Passengers travelling north from the new rail line would change to the metro-style service at Birtinya. The Mooloolah River Interchange upgrade also supports the wider network. Council’s project overview
The 2032 Games are part of the reason the project is getting attention now. Its everyday usefulness will matter well beyond that.
What it could mean from Minyama to Caloundra
Around Minyama and Buddina, the nearby Mooloolah River Interchange works are worth following. TMR’s plans include a new overpass connecting Nicklin Way with Brisbane Road, along with changes to motorway connections. For anyone regularly heading towards Mooloolaba, the construction arrangements and completed road connections will be relevant. Interchange plans
At Birtinya, the proposed rail and metro interchange would become an important connection near the hospital precinct. TMR’s corridor maps specifically cover the Birtinya Station/Warana area and the infrastructure planned around it. Official corridor maps, map 18
For people living in Warana, Bokarina and Wurtulla, a useful connecting bus or safe cycling route could make the station a practical option. TMR is planning bus improvements alongside The Wave, including new or extended routes, additional trips and longer operating hours. The individual future services still need to be confirmed. Bus connection planning
Further south, Currimundi and Meridan Plains appear in the rail corridor maps, including an elevated crossing over Kawana Way Link Road. The proposed Aroona station is shown at Parklands Boulevard, with a tunnel through Little Mountain towards Caloundra. These form part of Stage 2. Rail corridor maps, maps 15–16
For nearby coastal neighbourhoods, including Battery Hill, Dicky Beach and Moffat Beach, the connecting journey is the detail I’d watch. How easily could someone reach a station from home, and would the services suit the times they need to travel?
The plans for Caloundra station are more developed. The August 2026 fact sheet places it south of Caloundra Road and west of Pelican Waters Boulevard. The design includes a bus interchange, 700 park-and-ride spaces, walking and cycling connections, and public green space. TMR identifies connections to Caloundra, Golden Beach, Bulcock Beach and Kings Beach. Caloundra station fact sheet
Having grown up in Kings Beach, I’m interested in how those connections develop. Being able to reach a train comfortably from our coastal neighbourhoods would open up more choices for residents and visitors.
What residents are saying
There is enthusiasm for better transport, along with sensible questions about how it will work.
Beerwah resident Charli Winters, discussing the cost of her existing disability transport journeys, told Glasshouse Country & Maleny News:
“I’m excited about having a way to connect to the coast.”
I can understand that. Another way to get to work, attend an appointment or visit family can make a real difference, especially for someone who cannot drive.
Closer to home, residents in Parrearra and Kawana Island have sought more detail about construction impacts and changes to everyday life. Residents association president Natalie Briggs welcomed a briefing with TMR while acknowledging that some local information was still developing. Community briefing
If major works are happening near your home or business, you deserve clear information about what to expect.
In Golden Beach, resident John Hinton suggested a shared walking and cycling pathway on the proposed rail overpass across Caloundra Road in a published reader letter. His suggestion is a resident proposal, rather than an approved feature, but it raises a useful point about reaching the station safely. Local resident feedback
I’d like to see that practical local input continue as the designs take shape.
Funding and construction timing
Stage 1 has $5.5 billion in committed funding from the Australian and Queensland governments. TMR’s published estimate puts its cost between $5.5 billion and $7 billion. Stage 2 remains subject to funding approval, while Stage 3 is listed as a planned investment. Rail funding information, Stage 3 status
Major rail construction is expected to begin in early 2027, subject to approvals, with Stage 2 also dependent on funding. Those conditions matter when discussing what is coming and when. Construction updates
As a real estate agent, I’ll be looking closely at the detail around each suburb: access to stations, connecting services and the effect of construction on nearby homes. The relevance will vary from one street to another.
Owners considering a move can find more local property context on my Aroona page and in ELITE’s Currimundi seller guide. Any discussion about a home’s value still needs to start with that property and comparable sales.
I welcome investment that gives people more opportunities to live and work on the Sunshine Coast. We have a lot worth looking after here, and good planning can help us accommodate growth while keeping our neighbourhoods enjoyable places to live.
I’d like to see The Wave become something locals use comfortably as part of their week—a train to work, an easier hospital visit or a trip to Brisbane without driving.