Coomera Connector construction powers on

The Coomera Connector project is full steam ahead with the arrival of a unique piece of construction equipment onsite on the Coomera River – a 48-metre-long piling barge named the Maeve Anne.

The Maeve Anne has made the journey from the docks at Murarrie in Brisbane to her new home on the Coomera River, where she will assist with building the nearly one-kilometre-long Coomera River bridge as part of Stage 1 North.

The Maeve Anne will be used to build a temporary jetty on the northern banks of the Coomera River, which will be used to store material and equipment, and to move supplies and people out onto the river.

Once the jetty is installed, works will start on building 20 bridge marine piles, which will take about six months to complete. 

The Maeve Anne will later be joined by her sister barge, the Suzanne, which will be used in the construction of the Coomera River bridge substructure, and to install bridge girders.

The Maeve Anne is equipped with a 250-tonne crane and piling rigs that include vibratory (vibro) hammers and a fly drill and will utilise a crew of around eight specialist marine construction workers on board and the barge.

The Suzanne will also have its own specialist crew and is equipped with a 500-tonne crawler crane.

Local mariners will notice some changed conditions on the Coomera River around the marine construction area, including a temporary navigation channel and reduced speed limits.

The area will be clearly marked with buoys to ensure the safety of the project team and river users.

The Australian and Queensland governments have committed $2.16 billion to plan and build Coomera Connector Stage 1 between Coomera and Nerang, with each investing $1.07 billion.

Major construction on the Coomera Connector started in March.

The new motorway is expected to open progressively to traffic from late 2025, with planning continuing for future stages.

More information can be found at Coomera Connector | Department of Transport and Main Roads (tmr.qld.gov.au).

Quotes attributable to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk:

“Every milestone in the Coomera Connector’s construction puts us a step forward in getting tourists and Gold Coast locals home sooner and safer.

“The Coomera Connector ties in with the M1, the new Hope Island train station and the broader active transport network – catering for the rapid growth this region is seeing.

“Queensland’s Big Transport Build is underpinned by transformational infrastructure like the Coomera Connector, which will change the way people travel to and from the Gold Coast.”   

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“The Coomera Connector is a game-changer for South-East Queenslanders – it means less time stuck in traffic and more time spent with loved ones enjoying Queensland’s great lifestyle.  

“We know congestion is a significant issue for the region and frustrating for motorists, which is why we're getting on with delivering this critical piece of infrastructure.

“Works have ramped up over the past couple of months since construction started and it is wonderful to see the new motorway construction well underway.

“The delivery of this vital piece of infrastructure is estimated to support an average of 1,000 direct jobs over the life of the project.”

Quotes attributable to the Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey:

“Getting the Coomera Connector corridor secured, the project designed, fully funded and work underway has been top priority of the Palaszczuk State Government.”

"The $2.16 billion dollar Coomera Connector is the single largest road project in our State's history and it is fantastic to see works coming along.

"We know that the population across the city has exploded, in fact the Northern suburbs is one of the fastest growing region in the country.

"This is our plan to manage the population growth with bigger and better roads, to protect the coastal lifestyle that we all love".

Quotes attributable to Palaszczuk Government Minister and Gold Coast MP Meaghan Scanlon:

“It’s this government that committed to a second M1, and it’s this government that’s delivering.

“Anyone travelling to or from the Gold Coast knows how desperately the Second M1 is needed and why the piling barge will be a welcome sight.

“From major investments in light rail and M1 upgrades to on-demand transport trials and delivery of the Coomera Connector, it’s the Palaszczuk Government building the infrastructure our city needs.

“With our city’s population expected to reach close to 800,000 in the next 10 years, we’re investing more than $5 billion in road and rail projects across our city.”