Maroochydore City Centre has been recognised as a benchmark for excellence, winning the Strategic Planning Project Award at the Planning Institute of Australia’s 2024 Queensland Awards. This accolade cements our City Centre as a shining example of innovative urban planning, celebrating a vision that sets new standards for sustainable, community-focused development.
A vision rooted in innovation
Maroochydore City Centre represents a forward-thinking approach to modern city planning. As the first greenfield CBD project in Australia in over a century (the last being Canberra in 1913). It was designed from the ground up to embody the principles of sustainability, connectivity, and liveability.
Built on the former Horton Park Golf Course, the masterplan integrates cutting-edge technology and thoughtful design to create a precinct that meets the needs of a rapidly-growing region.
Key to this vision was the collaboration between SunCentral, Sunshine Coast Council, and Walker Corporation. This partnership combines local insight with global expertise, ensuring the project is both community-centred and future-ready.
What sets our masterplan apart?
The Strategic Planning Project Award for Excellence recognised the transformative potential of Maroochydore City Centre as a future-ready city centre within an existing urban landscape.
Led by Walker Corporation, Sunshine Coast Council, and SunCentral Maroochydore, the project reflects a shared vision for economic growth, sustainability, and liveability. Judges commended the initiative for positioning local government as a catalyst for innovation and progress, introducing cutting-edge infrastructure, and redefining what a modern city centre can achieve.
Here’s how Maroochydore City Centre is shaping City Living on the Sunshine Coast:
1. Sustainability at its core
Maroochydore City Centre features Australia’s first underground automated waste collection system which is reducing carbon emissions. Additionally, the city centre’s energy-efficient buildings and pedestrian-friendly urban design encourages green living, aligning with the Sunshine Coast’s commitment to a sustainable future.
2. Smart city infrastructure
Maroochydore is a true example of what a smart city can be. The masterplan brings together advanced technology to make everyday services like traffic management, lighting, and public amenities more efficient and user-friendly. At its core is a high-speed broadband network, with the fastest internet connection to Asia on the east coast of Australia. This connectivity enables businesses in Maroochydore City Centre to innovate, grow, and compete on a global scale.
3. Economic growth and opportunity
As a new hub of innovation and opportunity, Maroochydore City Centre is poised to drive economic growth on the Sunshine Coast. By attracting investment, creating jobs, and supporting local businesses, the precinct plays an important role in shaping the region’s future prosperity.
A win for the Sunshine Coast
Maroochydore City Centre is proof that regional Australia can achieve world-class urban design and development. It’s a call to embrace thoughtful, sustainable planning and to trust that collaboration can deliver results that benefit everyone.
Looking ahead
As the Maroochydore City Centre masterplan comes to life, this Planning Institute Australia award highlights the importance of long-term thinking when planning for a new city centre within an existing urban context.
The new masterplan is laying the foundation for sustainable growth, economic resilience and a connected, vibrant community. With every business that is established, every event that brings people together, and every individual who calls the city home, the masterplan evolves from a visionary design into reality.
This award celebrates an exceptional masterplan, but its true value lies in its impact on people, now and into the future.