‘Tough decisions – clear plan’: Budget 2026-27

Vital infrastructure projects, safer and smoother roads from the hinterland to the coast, major sporting and recreation facilities, and a focus on delivering everyday services while managing soaring costs are key elements of Sunshine Coast Council’s 2026-27 Budget.  

Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the Budget contained tough decisions with a clear plan, focussed on community priorities and demonstrated a strong commitment to financial responsibility.  

Mayor Natoli said following clear feedback from residents, community groups and the region’s first-ever Citizens’ Panel, there was a determined resolve to make every dollar count and to grow our region with care – protecting our lifestyle.  

“Getting the finances right, showing strong financial stewardship, is not easy, but it is the right thing to do,” Mayor Natoli said. 

Council adopted Budget 2026-27 at a Special Meeting on June 1, outlining significant investments in beautiful spaces for all to enjoy, improving the way we move around, safeguarding our precious environment, strengthening community partnerships and revitalising business centres.  

There will be an overall rates increase of $4.26 a week for most owner-occupier ratepayers, which is up $221.68 (9.7%) on 2025-26.  

The State Government’s recent land revaluation saw an average increase of 24 per cent across the Sunshine Coast region and Council has worked hard to mitigate the impacts. 

Helping our region thrive in challenging times  

Mayor Natoli said that Council was operating in one of the most difficult financial environments any tier of government had faced in a generation. 

“The cost of building anything, running services, maintaining infrastructure, paying people fairly – it has all increased in ways that were difficult to predict and impossible to avoid,’’ Mayor Natoli said. 

“This is not unique to the Sunshine Coast. It is not unique to local government. Every council in Australia, every state government, the federal government, every business – large and small – every single household – has confronted the same reality. 

“Delivering the services our community relies on now costs almost 30 per cent more than it did four years ago. 

“Construction projects have also been impacted with costings rising more than 60 per cent over that period.’’ 

Mayor Natoli said Council had taken a closer look at all operations to see how it could improve efficiency and deliver what our community actually needs.  

“Through this process, it also became clear Council’s financial performance needed to lift. Significant operating deficits were identified over the past five years. Put simply, Council had been spending beyond its means," Mayor Natoli said. 

“We are not here to relitigate the past. We are here to fix it. 

“Our goal is a balanced budget – so we can keep delivering the services our community needs and sustainably for the long term. 

“This Budget contains tough decisions. We need to manage our resources responsibly even in challenging times. Rates will rise and Council will tighten its belt. 

“We are committed to delivering for our community now while also preparing for our future – a future that looks so bright. 

“We are doing that with a focus on what residents have told us matters most and these are our collective priorities.”  

Budget 2026-27 at a glance 

• $296 million  total Capital Works program 
• $4.26  a week overall increase for the majority of owner-occupier ratepayers ($221.68 for the year, up 9.7 per cent) 
• Levy programs  - no increase for 2026-27 for the Environment Levy $82 and Arts and Heritage Levy $20, a small 8c increase to the Transport Levy to $44  
• 5 per cent increase  in Pensioner Concession (taking it to $343 a year for a single person on a full pension and $268 for a couple) 
• $27 million  (including $6.9 million from the Australian Government) for the Road Reseal and Pavement Rehabilitation Program, improving roads across the region 
• $22.4 million  for protecting and maintaining our waterways, wetlands and coastline 
• $18.7 million  for our popular libraries  
• $7 million  for lifeguarding services with 124 lifeguards employed to keep locals and visitors safe at 21 patrolled locations from North Coolum to Bulcock Beach 
• $7.3 million  to support major events and tourism that boosts our economy and creates jobs 
• $6 million  investment in 218 park renewal projects 
• $5 million  for the Vulnerable Pedestrian Program, investing in paths and crossings to make walking safer, more accessible and inclusive for children, the elderly, vision and mobility impaired 
• $4.7 million  for community partnerships and grants 
• $3.4 million  investment in conservation and environmental partnerships with the community 
• $1.7 million  for Disaster Management and Resilience, helping our region prepare for and recover from storms, flooding, cyclones and bushfires 
• $900,000  for education programs aimed at reducing waste and promoting recycling. 

Key projects funded:  

• $71 million Caloundra Transport Corridor Upgrade  (including $34 million in Queensland Government funding). This important project will make it easier to access and enjoy Caloundra and its shopping, cafes and beaches. It will divert traffic from the busy Caloundra Road and Nicklin Way intersection, taking the pressure off “rat-run’’ roads through Moffat Beach, Dicky Beach and Currimundi, enhancing safety and making it easier for people to get where they need to go.  Learn more.  
• $21 million Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation project  (including $11.7 million Queensland and Australian Government funding). This project is creating a stunning, world-class destination for locals and visitors. It includes new viewing decks, a broad, accessible coastal pathway, terraced seawall, expansive landscaping and public amenities.  Learn more.   
• $20 million First Avenue Maroochydore Upgrade  (including $5.4 million from the Australian Government). This attractive streetscape will transform First Avenue with wider footpaths, raised pedestrian crossings, extended kerbing and extensive landscaping, including 70 trees and 1,800 plants. It will provide businesses, residents and visitors with a wonderful space to live, work and play.  Learn more.   
• $35 million Honey Farm Road Sports Precinct at Meridan Plains  (with $13.6 million in co-funding from the Australian Government). This will provide a home for grassroots sports through to the elite, as well as community activities with two clubhouses, fields and ovals for football (soccer) and cricket, hardcourt activities, skateboarding and cycling, plus playgrounds, nature trails, wetland experiences, and dog-friendly areas. Football fields and clubhouse will open in 2027.  Learn more.  

Note: These figures reflect the project’s budget allocations for construction over multiple years. 

Keeping us moving forward  

Mayor Natoli said Council must ensure the lifestyle of our growing community was protected and enhanced as the population grew from 375,000 people to more than 509,000 by 2041.  

“The Sunshine Coast is not simply a growing region. It is a region on the cusp of something genuinely significant. In just over six years, we will co-host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The eyes of the world will turn toward us, and what they see here will matter," Mayor Natoli said. 

“But the legacy of 2032 is not built in 2032. It is shaped by budgets like this one. In the infrastructure we commit to now. In the financial discipline that ensures we arrive at that moment as a Council and a community with the capacity to seize it.’’ 

Mayor Natoli said this Council had made a firm commitment to be “community-powered’’, listen intently and focus on the basics that mattered most. 

“The message we are hearing loud and clear is that our community wants their Council to prioritise essential services, cut costs and make every dollar count, so this is what we are doing.  

“Our residents – and valued visitors – also recognise that our region is much-loved and moving forward, but they want us to protect what makes the Sunshine Coast unique – our beautiful natural areas and enviable lifestyle.  

“We know that balanced and responsible environmental decisions now will create long-term economic and community benefits, and this Budget has that front of mind.  

“We will look to grow the Sunshine Coast with care, just as our community wants and deserves, keeping us moving forward and guiding and shaping a brighter and prosperous future.’’  

What you are getting in your area  

From much-needed stormwater upgrades to vital sport, recreation and community facilities needed to help keep pace with demand, foreshore preservation, road resealing, new town streetscapes and enhanced paths and parks, Sunshine Coast Council’s Budget 2026-27 includes investments across the region. Here’s where you will find out what’s happening in your suburb.  

Impactful projects and initiatives  

Mayor Natoli said that many benefits would flow across the region with a range of projects and initiatives that would improve our lives, better connect communities and boost health and wellbeing.  

“Council has allocated $27 million in this year’s Budget to reseal and renew roads across our 2,600-kilometre network, making it smoother and safer to travel,” Mayor Natoli said.  

“The program takes a fair, region-wide approach, with the roads in greatest need of improvement – and most used – to be given priority.  

“This year’s budget delivers strong investment in the places our community loves most, with 218 park asset renewal projects funded at more than $6 million.   

“From playgrounds and pathways to seating and shade, barbecues, picnic tables and drinking fountains, these upgrades will renew park assets right across the Sunshine Coast.   

“These green spaces are so important and are all about bringing people together, supporting active lifestyles and helping people enjoy their neighbourhoods.’’  

Improving safety and active transport  

Mayor Natoli said it was vital the Sunshine Coast improved accessibility and everyone had the opportunity to enjoy its beautiful places and spaces.  

“An example of this, Council has allocated $5 million to an initiative called the Vulnerable Pedestrian Program,” Mayor Natoli said. 

“This invests in paths and crossings to make walking safer, more accessible and inclusive for the region’s children, elderly and vision and mobility impaired.  

“We are also improving safety, reducing vehicle speeds and increasing driver awareness of speed limits in local communities through our Speed Awareness Monitoring (SAM) signs program.  

“This is a proactive, habit-changing approach to speed management, rather than an enforcement tool. Thanks to your Council, you will see more of these electronic signs thanking you for driving at a safe speed on our local roads.’’  

Mayor Natoli said more than $8.7 million had been allocated to the Mooloolaba to University (M2U) Active Transport Corridor, which would provide paths for walking, riding and running between the communities of Mooloolaba, Mountain Creek, Sippy Downs and Buderim.  

Backing a greener future  

Mayor Natoli said Council’s commitment to the environment remained unwavering.  

“We will dedicate $22.4 million to protecting and maintaining our waterways, wetlands and coastline,” Mayor Natoli said.  

“We will also invest $3.4 million in funding for conservation and the environmental partnerships with our community, partnerships that we know are so important.  

“Your Council is also committed to managing and reducing waste across the region, preparing for our growing population.  

"We are also backing a trial that is exploring the benefits of recycling organic waste and funding programs that encourage and empower residents, visitors and businesses to reduce waste, reuse and recycle.  

“Almost $900,000 will help deliver programs in Sunshine Coast schools, looking to build an economy where today’s trash is turned into tomorrow’s treasure.  

“A waste precinct expansion at Nambour will receive $13 million, with landfill expansion works and improvements scheduled to take place this year.’’  

Region-wide investments  

• $6.3 million:   Diamond Head Seawall – Stage 1 Reconstruction, Golden Beach (with support from Queensland Government) 
• $5.7 million:  new Caloundra town square that will create an open, leafy, people-focussed city heart, linking the Events Centre, new Library+   and Caloundra Regional Gallery through to Bulcock Street and the beach (with support from the Queensland Government) 
• $5 million : construction of Coolum District Sports Ground, Coolum Beach  
• $4 million:  Petrie Creek Road Shoulder Widening - Paynters Creek Road to Celestine Place, Rosemount  
• $3.6 million:  Nambour (Namba) Place Revitalisation (with Queensland Government support)  
• $3.5 million:  Camp Flat Road Upgrade Stage 4, Bli Bli (with Queensland Government support) 
• $3.4 million:  Mooloolaba to University Active Transport Corridor   Stage 3 (walking, cycling, e-transport pathway) Molakai Drive to Golf Links Drive, Mountain Creek (with support from Queensland Government)  
• $3.4 million : Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Centre project in Maroochy River. This is set to begin in 2027, and while the centre is proposed to host Olympic Mountain Biking in 2032, it will be a thriving nature-based recreation precinct for our community to enjoy before, during, and long after 2032 Olympic Games              
• $2.7 million:  Mooloolaba to University Active Transport Corridor Stage 2 Amarina Avenue to Karawatha Drive, Mooloolaba (with support from Queensland Government)  
• $2.6 million:  Mooloolaba to University Active Transport Corridor Stage 1 Mooloolaba Esplanade to Palm Drive (with support from Queensland Government)    
• $2.9 million:  North Arm Road gravel road update 
• $2.2 million:  Sugar Road and Maud Street Upgrade design and Stage 3A, Maroochydore (with Queensland Government support)  
• $1.9 million : Kawana Aquatic Centre improvements, including resurfacing of 25m pool  
• $1.8 million : Christensens Road Gravel Road Upgrade, Hunchy  
• $1.6 million:  Maple Street Streetscape, Maleny  
• $1.3   million : Maleny Community Precinct District Recreation Park Pathways, North Maleny 
• $1 million:  Felix Parry Park Playground upgrade, Marcoola  
• $1 million : Queensland Government funding for Coolum AFL Fields lighting and car park  
• $725,000:  Renewed lighting at the Nambour Showgrounds  
• $450,000:  Kenilworth Streetscape upgrade construction 
• $440,000:  Roof renewals for Maleny Library ($250,000) and the netball facility in West Woombye ($190,000) 
• $400,000:   Maroochydore Rugby Union Club – Inground electrical Infrastructure Renewal           

Support for those doing it tough  

Mayor Natoli said Budget 2026-27 acknowledged the cost-of-living pressures many in our community were feeling.  

“This has been an extremely difficult Budget to craft. It had to face the harsh realities of the day, including the rising costs we are all experiencing, maintain the services we need to deliver, while also shaping our future,’’ Mayor Natoli said.  

“I am acutely aware this Budget asks more of families who are already stretched. 

“Pensioner concessions have been boosted and a single pensioner on a full pension will now receive a concession of $343 per year (an increase of $16.40), while a pensioner couple on a full pension will receive $268 per year (an increase of $12.40).  

“Single and couple part-pensioners will now receive a concession of $171.50 (an increase of $8.20) and $98 (an increase of $4.60) per year, respectively.  

“For anyone finding it difficult, support is available. Council is offering six-month, interest-free payment plans. Once you receive your July rates notice, please reach out before the due date. We’re here to help.’’ 

Want to know more about Sunshine Coast Council’s Budget 2026-27?