The Gold Coast tram extension from Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta via the airport has been scrapped.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie confirmed the project is off the table, announcing the government will not proceed with light rail Stage 4.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 plans
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He said the infrastructure review, community feedback and cost forecasts all made clear the project was no longer viable.
“This is a line in the sand for the community that we promised we would review it independently,” he said.
“The overwhelming opposition from residents on the southern Gold Coast was clear.”
Independent analysis warned the cost could balloon to nearly $10 billion, despite the Labor government’s original pricing under $3 billion.
The decision followed an independent review and more than 5,600 community submissions, along with a town hall attended by over 700 residents.
Bleijie said two‑thirds of southern Gold Coast residents objected to the scheme, and about 60 percent said they had not been properly consulted.
Currumbin MP Laura Gerber accused the previous administration of steamrolling the community with misleading claims around resumptions and car park losses.
Burleigh MP Hermann Vorster described the projected cost as unconscionable and said residents preferred a faster bus solution that protected their lifestyle and local environment.
Bleijie said the government would instead fast‑track more rapid buses and develop a multi‑modal transport corridor — combining buses, heavy rail and spur lines — to be in place well before the 2032 Olympics.
He insisted this strategy would be faster, less disruptive, and would avoid impacting homes, removing car parks or infringing on the environment.
The plan also ensures protection for Burleigh National Park and the Burleigh Bowls Club, both at risk under the tram route.
Bleijie emphasised that no budget had been allocated for Stage 4, nor was there ever a completed business case supporting it.
Experts previously recommending light rail as the best mass‑transit option.
The Gold Coast’s population is set to jump from 650,000 to 1 million by 2041.
Stage four was planned to reach the NSW border at Coolangatta, connecting the Gold Coast Airport and easing cross-border travel for commuters and tourists.
The light rail would have linked more than six million yearly Gold Coast Airport travellers and given growing southern suburbs an alternative to cars.
Transport experts said the light rail was key to easing congestion.
The Transport Minister will visit the Gold Coast this week to set out the next steps, including finalizing plans for a new bus depot and broader public transport arrangements.
Bleijie was confident the new approach would deliver effective solutions for the region.
“This isn’t the end of transport on the Gold Coast — it’s just a smarter route,” he said.
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