Tugun Bypass - History

History

For more than 20 years the Gold Coast has grown by 17,000 permanent residents a year, placing enormous pressure on the city's infrastructure requirements, in particular the Gold Coast Highway between Currumbin and Tweed Heads. Speculation about a bypass began in the 1960s when the South Coast railway line was closed.

It was not until the Beattie Government was in office at the end of the 20th century that a firm commitment was made to the bypass. In 2003 Acting Prime Minister John Anderson and Queensland Transport Minister Steve Bredhauer announced a 50 per cent joint agreement for the project allowing the project to proceed. In May 2004 the Queensland and New South Wales Governments finally agreed to build the Tugun bypass along the western side of the Gold Coast Airport, after New South Wales reneged on an agreement signed in 2000. The New South Wales government had previously been reluctant to go ahead with the project, citing environmental and planning reasons.

While New South Wales finally agreed to the plan, it refused to contribute financially to the road. In February 2006, former Premier Peter Beattie announced the Commonwealth Government had given final approval for the road, with construction to start the following month. Beattie said the New South Wales Government imposed additional approval conditions that bumped up the price tag. The tax-payer bill was now expected to exceed $540 million, and sixteen homes in New South Wales would be demolished to make way for the road.