The History of Coolum Eco Industrial Park — From Humble Beginnings to Sunshine Coast Powerhouse
Nestled between the Sunshine Motorway and the coastal township of Coolum Beach, Coolum Industrial Park has grown from a modest collection of trade businesses into one of Queensland’s most significant regional industrial hubs. Today, with over 700 businesses operating across its network of streets and precincts, the park stands as a testament to decades of economic planning, community investment, and the entrepreneurial spirit that defines the Sunshine Coast.
The Early Days — Servicing a Growing Coast
The story of Coolum Industrial Park begins in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a period of rapid residential expansion across the Sunshine Coast. As suburban developments pushed north from Maroochydore and south from Noosa, local government planners recognised a critical need — the growing residential population needed local industry, trades, and services to support it.
The initial precinct took shape along Access Crescent and Lysaught Drive, attracting early tenants from the construction, automotive, and light manufacturing sectors. These were the tradies, fabricators, and mechanics who formed the backbone of the local economy — businesses that needed affordable, functional space close to their customer base.
In those early years, the park was a no-frills industrial estate. Shed-style buildings, gravel driveways, and the smell of welding smoke defined the character of the place. But it worked. Businesses thrived, word spread, and demand for space grew steadily.
Planning for Growth — Council’s Long-Term Vision
Sunshine Coast Council has long recognised the strategic importance of industrial land in the region. The Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme identifies industrial precincts as critical to the region’s economic health, noting that “industrial parks of significant size are major drivers of economic growth that have the potential to expand and provide for industry and business activity clusters of regional and state significance.”
For the Coolum area specifically, council’s planning documents identify the precinct as serving a localised function, with industrial uses primarily comprising light industrial activities as well as commercial activities which serve the immediate surrounding population. This vision — of an industrial park deeply connected to and serving its local community — has shaped the character of Coolum Industrial Park in ways that distinguish it from larger, more anonymous industrial estates elsewhere on the Coast.
The proposed new Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme, currently under community consultation, continues to identify the Coolum industrial area as a key precinct, with future stages along Quanda Road flagged as significant remaining development sites for the region.
The 2000s — Diversification and Growth
Through the 2000s, Coolum Industrial Park entered a period of significant diversification. While construction, automotive and manufacturing businesses remained the backbone of the precinct, new industries began to arrive. Food and beverage producers, professional services firms, technology companies, and health and wellness businesses discovered that the park offered something increasingly rare — affordable commercial space within easy reach of both the motorway and the beachside suburbs of the northern Sunshine Coast.
This period also saw the physical expansion of the precinct, with new streets and subdivisions opening up additional lots. The diversity of building types grew too — from traditional industrial sheds to purpose-built showrooms, offices, and mixed-use facilities.
By the end of the decade, Coolum Industrial Park had transformed from a purely industrial estate into something more complex and more valuable — a genuine mixed-use commercial precinct serving the full spectrum of business needs in the area.
The Eco Industrial Revolution
One of the most significant developments in the broader Coolum industrial story came with the establishment of the Coolum Eco Industrial Park on Quanda Road. Developed by the Property Services Group with planning and design by Cardno and construction by BMD Constructions, this neighbouring precinct became the first industrial estate on the Sunshine Coast to receive a maximum six-leaf EnviroDevelopment certification from the Urban Development Institute of Australia — covering ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water and community.
Described by Carruthers Contracting as one of Queensland’s largest sustainable industrial precincts, the Quanda Road development was designed to attract larger industry on bigger lots, complementing rather than competing with the established small and medium lot offerings of the original Coolum Industrial Park.
Economic Development Queensland has continued to invest in the precinct, with Stage 2A currently under development offering lots ranging from 7,866 square metres to 2.4 hectares. Independent economic analysis commissioned by EDQ estimated the annual economic benefit of Stage 2A alone at $65.1 million in value added to the gross regional product, with potential employment of 440 full-time equivalent jobs.
A Region in Demand
The broader demand for industrial land on the Sunshine Coast has been remarkable. EDQ figures show that in the twelve months to December 2022, approximately one third of all queries to the Queensland Government’s land use planning and development agency were for land in the Caloundra, Coolum and Yandina areas — making the Sunshine Coast the most queried region in the state for industrial land.
This demand reflects the Sunshine Coast’s evolution from a lifestyle destination into a genuine regional economy. Population growth, infrastructure investment including the Bruce Highway upgrade, and the rise of advanced manufacturing and technology industries have all contributed to a precinct that punches well above its weight.
Coolum Industrial Park Today
The Coolum Industrial Park that exists today is a far cry from those early sheds on Access Crescent. The precinct now hosts more than 700 businesses spanning every major industry category — from precision metal fabricators and marine service centres to artisan food producers, digital agencies, allied health clinics, and logistics companies.
The park’s location remains one of its greatest strengths. Situated just five minutes from the Sunshine Motorway and the Coolum CBD, it offers excellent connectivity for both businesses and their customers. The proximity to established residential communities means that many park businesses serve a loyal local customer base, while the motorway access opens doors to clients and supply chains across the broader Sunshine Coast and beyond.
The community character of the park is something that long-term tenants frequently mention. Unlike larger, more corporate industrial estates, Coolum Industrial Park retains a sense of place — businesses know their neighbours, refer work to each other, and contribute to a collaborative commercial ecosystem that benefits everyone.
Looking Ahead
With the Sunshine Coast’s population projected to continue growing strongly over the coming decades, and with council’s planning framework supporting the ongoing development of the Coolum industrial area, the future of the precinct looks bright.
The establishment of the Coolum Industrial Park business directory is itself a reflection of the park’s maturity and economic significance. With over 700 listed businesses spanning 12 industry categories, the directory represents the most comprehensive mapping of the precinct ever undertaken — and a foundation for the next chapter of growth, connection, and community that defines Coolum Industrial Park.
Whether you are a long-established business that has called the park home for decades, a new tenant just finding your feet, or a customer looking for the right local supplier, Coolum Industrial Park continues to deliver on the promise that inspired its creation — a vibrant, connected, and growing industrial community at the heart of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
