2024–25 Budget

Community is at the heart of every decision made in this Budget. We have put our community first by enhancing public spaces, parks, pathways and infrastructure for all – shaping a healthier, happier and more connected region.

Our residents will be supported thanks to increased pensioner concessions, initiatives for housing and family violence prevention and programs that will boost our health and wellbeing.

Our capital works program is creating local jobs and bolstering local industries. We’re encouraging people to shop local, study here and unite for exciting events that will help businesses thrive.

There is also a greater investment in improving our roads by identifying and fixing potholes more swiftly and by significantly increasing our investment in sealing gravel roads in our hinterland – this year allocating $8 million, up from $5 million.

Our environment is also front and centre. We are dedicated to protecting our natural habitats, rejuvenating ecosystems and restoring coastal areas.

We are delivering the high service standards our residents and visitors deserve while ensuring financial responsibility.

This Budget is designed to benefit all residents – from the north to the south, east to west and everywhere in between.

Sunshine Coast Council’s Budget includes:

$391 million to develop a strong community
$289 million to maintain and enhance our environment and liveability
$37 million to build our resilient economy
$140 million to deliver service excellence.

Services and program highlights:

$29.2 million for road maintenance of sealed and unsealed roads
$7.6 million for dredging and beach renourishment works
$13.2 million for libraries
$19.7 million for park, turf and landscape maintenance
$2.4 million for our sponsorship of major events
$4 million for grants and partnerships.

Key local projects in Council’s $283 million Capital Works Program include:

Road/cycleway network

$25 million to reseal and rehabilitate Council’s sealed road network
$1.5 million for Commissioners Flat Road, Peachester for road safety
$17.5 million to construct the Caloundra Transport Corridor Upgrade
$5.8 million to continue construction of Stringybark Road pedestrian and cyclist bridge, Sippy Downs*
$1.9 million to upgrade North Arm Road Gravel Road to sealed road standard
$1.7 million to upgrade Lakewood Drive and Monak Road Gravel Road to sealed road standard
$5.8 million to upgrade the Power Road and Dixon Road, Buderim intersection

Stormwater

$1.6 million to upgrade the drainage system at Buderim Street to Coondibah Creek, Battery Hill
Streetscaping
$3.4 million to finalise placemaking and streetscape works in Eumundi Town Centre
$2.9 million to continue work on Maleny Business Centre Streetscape works, Maple Street+
$3.7 million to begin delivery of the Mooloolaba Foreshore Stage 2 Central Meeting Place Streetscape works+

Sport and Recreation

$18.1 million to continue construction of the Honey Farm Sports and Recreation Precinct
$7.4 million to complete upgrade of Kawana Waters Regional Aquatic Centre+
$1.5 million for rebuild of Caloundra City Churches Soccer Clubhouse and Fields

Community Facilities

$27.2 million to finalise construction of the new district library and community meeting space at Caloundra
$7 million to construct the Sunshine Coast Stadium Expansion
$1.8 million to progress design of Nambour Administration Precinct

Coast, Canals and Waterways

$3.9 million for Moffat Beach Seawall Stabilisation Works*
$3.5 million for Golden Beach Foreshore Upgrade TS Onslow to Nelson Street*

Environmental Tracks Trails and Infrastructure

$1.2 million to develop the Sunshine Coast Nature Base Recreation Precinct at Maroochy River**

*Proudly funded by the Queensland Government in association with Sunshine Coast Council

**Proudly funded by the Queensland Government and Australian Government in association with Sunshine Coast Council

+Proudly funded by the Australian Government in association with Sunshine Coast Council

Find out what's happening in your area:

Your rates at a glance

The majority of owner-occupiers will remain on the minimum general rate of $1,477 per annum – an increase of $70.50 per annum (5 per cent) or $1.36 per week.
More than 60 per cent of residential ratepayers will pay the minimum general rate.
The Environment Levy will remain at $82; the Transport Levy will remain at $47; and the Arts and Heritage Levy will increase by $2 to $20.
Waste management charges for a 240-litre wheelie bin will increase by $28.30 to $388.00.
Overall, rates and charges, including waste and levies, for the majority of owner occupiers on the minimum general rate will increase by less than $2 a week to $2053 per annum.
All eligible pensioners will benefit from a 5 per cent increase in their pensioner concession. Additionally, pensioners who have just purchased a home on the Sunshine Coast will now be immediately eligible for the pensioner rate concession as we have waived the three-year waiting period.

Preparing for growth and supporting our community now

The Transport, Arts and Heritage and Environment levies, paid by all ratepayers, enable us to preserve and celebrate our cultural heritage and arts, deliver our region's transport needs and build on our investment in our natural assets.

Transport Levy raises $7.3 million

The Transport Levy remains the same as last year, at $47 per property.

Council will reallocate an additional $3.3 million of the $7.3 million raised to schedule the highest priority safety-related projects for those most at risk. Priority will be given to projects that enhance pedestrian safety around schools, retirement villages and medical facilities, aiding the young, elderly and those with mobility issues. This reallocation is helping the more vulnerable people in our community, more quickly.

The Transport Levy will also support Council’s contribution to future public transport needs, with $1.5 million (20 per cent) being invested into the Futures Fund this year.

In 2024–25, $1 million of the $24.7 million Futures Fund will be allocated to advance the State Government’s business case preparation for the Sunshine Coast Public Transport project and advance preparations to deliver the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail project.

The levy will also continue supporting trial transport services from Conondale to Maleny and Peachester to Beerwah (FlexiLink); the door-to-door service for eligible persons to their nearest centre once a week (Council Link); the Kenilworth Community Transport Services, and the Yandina bus service realignment.

It will also improve accessibility at bus stops and we will continue to implement the ThinkChange program encouraging reduced vehicle use in favour of public or active transport.

Council will provide $300,000 to investigate, in partnership with TransLink, a high-frequency, hop-on, hop-off bus service linking key coastal destinations.

Arts and Heritage Levy raises $3.1 million

The Arts and Heritage Levy will increase by $2 to $20.

The $2 increase will be allocated to the Arts Program, increasing it to $6 per rateable property.

This will raise $312,858 to fund Sunshine Coast Creative Arts Plan 2023–2038 initiatives that develop and deliver projects that provide both career pathways for local artists and programs to build local participants and audiences.

The increase to the levy will also support the growth and development of Council’s multi-arts Horizon Festival, showcasing the region before, during and after the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It will also create a Cultural Olympiad futures fund to support the costs to deliver an appropriate cultural program, anticipated to reach $1.25 million by 2032.

The Heritage Levy component underpins the Sunshine Coast Heritage Plan 2021–2031, which backs new research into regional stories, conserves our region’s heritage assets - including State Heritage-listed Bankfoot House and its nationally significant collection - and supports our region’s community museums and heritage organisations through grants, practical workshops, professional development, community programs, collaborative marketing and events.

Environment Levy raises $12.8 million

The Environment Levy of $82 will remain the same as last year.

The levy will be used to protect and enhance our valued natural environment, including our native plants and animals, waterways and wetlands and coastal areas.

It will continue to support the expansion and management of Council’s conservation estate for a range of habitat preservation, catchment management and coastal rehabilitation projects.

The Healthy Coast program will invest more than $1.7 million in coastal dune rehabilitation, shoreline erosion management and coastal health monitoring.

Another $1.1 million will go towards managing invasive plants and animals.

The budget was developed in conjunction with:

council's Operational Plan 2024–25 (PDF, 3.8MB)
and in accordance with council's Financial Sustainability Plan 2015–2025 (PDF, 1.95MB).

2024–25 Budget schedules

The 2024–25 budget schedules were presented as attachments and appendices to the budget adoption report. The schedules include:

Levy programs

Environment Levy Program (PDF, 31KB)
Transport Levy Program (PDF, 28KB)
Arts and Heritage Levy Program (PDF, 29KB)

Policies

The following policies have been adopted as part of the 2024–25 Budget:

2024–25 Debt Policy (PDF, 1034KB)
2024–25 Revenue Policy (PDF, 921KB)
2024–25 Investment Policy (PDF, 964KB)
2024–25 Environment Levy Policy (PDF, 518KB)
2024–25 Transport Levy Policy (PDF, 404KB)
2024–25 Arts and Heritage Levy Policy (PDF, 216KB)

Along with the 2024–2025 Revenue Statement (HTML / PDF, 6MB)