Maroochydore will have Australia’s fastest telecommunications and data connection to Asia from the east coast of Australia and the second fastest to the United States, via a new international submarine broadband cable
A contract has been between Sunshine Coast Council and RTI Connectivity Pty Ltd (RTI-C) to deliver the cable project
There are currently five other Australian connections: one at Perth; four at Sydney.
The submarine cable will land at Maroochydore and be operating by 2020
Vital milli-seconds of advantage will be gained by banking and finance operators, digital solutions developers, and those businesses and industries heavily reliant on online transactions.
With future-proof capacity, the new cable will increase data transmission speed, reduce risk and lead to a reduction in international communication costs for business and consumers.
The international submarine broadband cable connection to the Sunshine Coast will generate an additional $700 million to the Sunshine Coast economy every year.
Automated Underground Waste Collection
Automated Underground Waste Collection
The Maroochydore City Centre will be the first development in Australia to incorporate a CBD-scale underground automated waste collection system.
Wheelie bins will be obsolete. Instead, waste will be transported from commercial buildings and apartments at up to 70kmh through a 6.5km system of underground vacuum pipes.
The Swedish-designed system has been used in many cities, including Stockholm, Seoul, Barcelona, London, Singapore and Beijing. It will be a first in Australia.
Every building in the new Central Business District will include waste inlets for recyclable and general waste. The vacuum system will then collect the waste, transporting it via a system of underground pipes to a central storage facility, reducing the noise, emissions and odours associated with above-ground waste collection.
Smart City Technology
Smart City Technology
A high-speed, high-quality fibre optic network will be built into the new Maroochydore City Centre’s underground infrastructure.
The network will allow free Smart City Wi-Fi throughout the city centre’s ‘public realm’ – streets, parks and plazas
Smart signage will provide live travel information to pedestrians throughout the Central Business District.
Smartphone apps will allow drivers to find the nearest car parking space quickly.
Energy-saving LED lights will be installed throughout the Central Business District.
Clean Energy
Clean Energy
The electricity consumption of the CBD’s council-owned infrastructure – including street lights and community facilities – will be completely offset by green energy produced at Australia’s fifth-largest solar farm.
The Sunshine Coast Solar Farm has been built on council-owned land at nearby Valdora.
The solar farm will generate 15,000 kilowatts of electricity from the sun into the Energex network.
Walkability & Public Transport
Walkability & Public Transport
Pedestrians, cyclists and public transport will have priority over private vehicles in the new Maroochydore City Centre.
Walkways are designed to be universally accessible and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities, while cycling is encouraged via shared paths and roads with slow- speed traffic environments.
Frequent and reliable buses will deliver residents, workers and visitors to and from the city centre, and there are plans for the future provision of passenger and light rail into the city heart.
Key facilities will be located near public transport stops, where visibility and safety will be maximised. Access to other popular destinations surrounding the Central Business District has been considered, and seamless integration will be pursued.
Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion
Sunshine Coast Airport Expansion
The Sunshine Coast Airport is Australia’s fastest-growing airport, catering for regular commercial flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Auckland.
Designated as an international airport in November 2016, approvals and funding are secured for the Sunshine Coast Airport to commence a $347 million expansion in September 2017.
A new runway will be open and operating in 2020 to enable direct flights from key destinations in Asia and the Western Pacific.
Proposed Light Rail
Proposed Light Rail
Plans are being developed for light rail to connect the key coastal centres of Caloundra, Kawana, Mooloolaba, Alexandra Headland and the Maroochydore City Centre.
Options are currently being investigated to deliver the proposed light rail system by 2025.
Proposed Passenger Rail
Proposed Passenger Rail
The blueprint for the largest ever expansion of public transport on the Sunshine Coast will be created under a planning partnership between the State Government and Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
$7.5 million has been contributed by the State Government which will be matched by Council to help develop a detailed business case for the first stage of an integrated urban public transport solution for the Coast.
The blueprint will look at how a better public transport network can be built within the region, in order to meet the travelling needs of people living in the fastest growing parts of the Sunshine Coast.
Identifying the corridors, connections and solutions will help ease congestion and support more job opportunities here on the Sunshine Coast, and that means less time sitting in traffic.