Sunshine Coast Morning Briefing: A Legacy of Kindness and the Future of 12,000 Homes

The City Mood: Community Pride and Future Focus

The Sunshine Coast enters the final day of January with a reflective and ambitious mood. Following the recent 2026 Australia Day Community Awards, the region is celebrating the 'quiet achievers' who define our local spirit. From the hinterland to the coast, there is a palpable sense of pride in our community's resilience and its commitment to social service. Simultaneously, the city is focused on a year of significant transformation, with major infrastructure projects and housing strategies dominating the local conversation.

Key Talking Point: The Aura South Proposal

The biggest topic on the coast this weekend is the future of our southern corridor. The draft Public Environment Report for the proposed Aura South community at Coochin Creek is currently open for public comment. This massive project by Stockland aims to deliver up to 12,000 new dwellings, which could provide much-needed relief to the region’s housing supply pressures. However, it remains a point of intense debate as the community weighs the benefit of 22,000 potential new jobs against the environmental protection of the Pumicestone Passage. Citizens have until February 11 to voice their opinions on the 1,231-hectare masterplan, which includes a proposed 3km permanent buffer to protect the local Ramsar wetlands.

A Feel-Good Story: 45 Years of Fostering in Flaxton

The story warming hearts across the Coast this morning is that of Phil and Di Wilson. The Flaxton couple was recently honored as Senior Citizens of the Year for their extraordinary 45-year legacy of care. Since opening their home four decades ago, the Wilsons have fostered more than 200 children and adopted 10, often welcoming those with the most complex physical and intellectual disabilities. Their home has become a legendary sanctuary of dignity and stability on the Coast, proving that the region’s greatest strength lies in its compassion for its most vulnerable residents.

What Else to Watch Today

• Affordable Housing: Plans have just been submitted for a new 40-unit affordable complex in Banya, signaling a push for more diverse housing near the future rail corridor.
• Council Progress: Following the January Ordinary Meeting, the Council has confirmed that the 2025/26 capital works program is over 36% complete, with major focus remains on the Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation and the Sunshine Coast Ecological Park.
• Dam Safety: Seqwater continues essential strengthening works at North Pine Dam, a critical project ensuring long-term water security for the wider region.