Stockland has secured Sunshine Coast Council approval for a refreshed masterplan covering the 28 hectare Birtinya Central town centre, the next stage of the developer’s broader Birtinya precinct between Lake Kawana and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
The refreshed plan covers up to 2,600 dwellings together with retail, commercial, entertainment and community floor space, and is supported by more than $350 million in transport and community infrastructure investment across the wider precinct. The Temporary Local Planning Instrument that enables the refreshed plan came into effect on 13 April 2026.
The Birtinya Central site sits adjacent to the Stockland Birtinya Shopping Centre and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Health Precinct. It will be served by the proposed Wave heavy rail extension, which Stockland says will eventually connect Birtinya directly to Brisbane. Civil construction is anticipated from late 2027, subject to further approvals, with the first residents and commercial tenants expected from 2029.
The refreshed scheme increases public open space by more than 60 per cent compared with the earlier approved plan. A central “green spine” will connect the future train station through to a cable-stay bridge and beyond to Bokarina Beach and the Kawana Sports Precinct, forming a continuous pedestrian and cycling route through the precinct. Stockland describes the layout as a series of neighbourhoods linked by landscape and water.
“The approval of the refreshed Birtinya Central masterplan is a major milestone that sets the foundation for a new urban heart for Birtinya and one of the Sunshine Coast’s most significant employment and lifestyle destinations.”
Matt Patullo, Stockland Development Director
The 28 hectare site forms part of a broader 140 hectare Birtinya and Lake Kawana precinct that Stockland has been progressively delivering over the past decade. The non-residential component of the refreshed Birtinya Central plan is substantial, extending the existing Birtinya Shopping Centre and positioning the town centre as the primary employment hub for the locality. Stockland points to the adjoining hospital and university precincts as the basis for that employment focus.
The masterplan’s timing aligns with the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. Stockland’s release notes the plan is “aligned with long-term regional planning, including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games”, with the Wave train extension expected to be among the regional transport investments delivered before the event.
“The plan has been carefully refined to prioritise people and place, with a generous blue-green network anchored by the lake, a new green spine and connected parklands, aligned with long-term regional planning, including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Matt Patullo, Stockland Development Director
| Development Parameter | Proposed Development |
|---|---|
| Address | Birtinya Central, Birtinya QLD 4575 |
| Development Type | Mixed-use town centre (residential + retail + commercial + entertainment + community) |
| Precinct Area | 28 hectares (within the broader 140 hectare Birtinya and Lake Kawana precinct) |
| Dwellings | Up to 2,600 proposed |
| Public Open Space | More than 60 per cent increase vs the previous approved masterplan |
| Infrastructure Investment | More than $350 million in transport and community infrastructure (across the broader Birtinya precinct) |
| Approval Mechanism | Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) in effect from 13 April 2026 |
| Developer | Stockland |
| Civil Construction Start | Anticipated late 2027 (subject to further approvals) |
| First Residents / Tenants | Expected from 2029 |
| Future Transport | The Wave heavy rail extension connecting Birtinya to Brisbane (proposed) |
| Adjacent Anchors | Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Stockland Birtinya Shopping Centre, Lake Kawana, Kawana Sports Precinct |
Further information on the broader Birtinya precinct is available on Stockland’s project page at stockland.com.au.
