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Natural Advantages
An increasing migration of businesses and professional services to the Sunshine Coast brings passion, experience, innovative ideas, new networks and a dynamic business environment.
With its wonderful sub-tropical climate, major roads, domestic and international airport access, sophisticated telecommunication networks, world standard educational facilities, competitive housing costs and expanding economy, Australia’s Sunshine Coast offers a remarkable location to live, learn, work and play.
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The Sunshine Coast had one of Australia’s highest rates of population and employment growth over the last census period from 2001 to 2006. Its Gross Regional Product has grown at 12.7% per annum over the past five years - more than double that of Queensland, itself a rapidly growing state. Growth is set to continue with major project expenditure (investment) forecast to reach record levels over the next five years, notably higher on a per capita basis than the Brisbane region, South East Queensland, and Queensland as a whole.
The business environment on the Sunshine Coast is extremely favourable compared to other regional locations around Australia. The region has the advantage of relatively low labour costs and payroll tax rates and work cover premiums are the lowest in the nation. Property prices across the Sunshine Coast offer excellent value and are on average below prices on the Gold Coast, in Brisbane and other capitals, and in many region interstate.
The Sunshine Coast’s enviable lifestyle offers a healthy, natural, and safe place for individuals and businesses to prosper. The region offers excellent medical services and facilities. It has more than twice as much coastline as the Gold Coast and a high proportion of its land has been protected for future generations. The Sunshine Coast’s climate is a major drawcard with daytime temperatures ranging from 22-28 degrees celsius throughout the year. This naturally beautiful, green, dynamic and diverse destination, is rapidly realising its vision to become Australia’s most sustainable region.
Bob Cameron, Managing Director, Rockcote Enterprise
Council has a policy of encouraging local businesses to grow along with attracting appropriate new businesses to the region through a wide range of services and suppor t.
ECONOMY - The Sunshine Coast’s $10 billion Gross Regional Product has grown at 12.7% per annum during the fi ve years to 2006/07, more than double the rate of Queensland’s already formidable Gross State Product.
COMPETITIVE BUSINESS CONDITIONS - Queensland and more specifi cally the Sunshine Coast possess a number of the most favourable business operating conditions in Australia including:
• The lowest payroll tax rate in Australia and one of the highest tax thresholds. • Considerably lower employment costs (wages) across most industries compared to the benchmarks of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. • Queensland also enjoys lower work cover premiums than the major states of New South Wales and Victoria.
SUNSHINE COAST COUNCIL BUSINESS SUPPORT - The Sunshine Coast Council, encompassing 3,127km 2 and with an annual budget of approximately $750 million, embraces the vision to be “Australia’s most sustainable region – green, vibrant, diverse”. Council has a policy of encouraging local businesses to grow along with attracting value-adding new businesses to the region through a wide range of support services, which include:
• Detailed information requests and customised information briefings. • Dedicated client manager to facilitate new investments. • Council’s economic development services support the day to day operations of local businesses and work with industry to ensure the Sunshine Coast is a commercial location of choice.
INVESTMENT - A record $18 billion in public and private sector investment has been forecast for 2009/10, higher per capita than Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. This includes expenditure in the following sectors:
• Health = $1.6 billion • Water = $0.5 billion • Tourism, Property Development and Major Retail = $3.2 billion • Transport = $12.8 billion
HEALTH - Already home to four public hospitals and fi ve private hospitals with plans in place for the $1.6 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital at Kawana.
EDUCATION - The Sunshine Coast has excellent primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary education facilities, which ensure that the workforce development needs of businesses are met. Tertiary education is offered through one of the Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE’s fi ve local campuses. The University of the Sunshine Coast delivers more than 150 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
HOUSING - The Sunshine Coast has a competitive advantage in property costs with lower land values and rents than regions such as the Gold Coast, Brisbane, and many parts of New South Wales and Victoria.
MAJOR EVENTS - The attractive lifestyle and geographical attributes of the region has made the Sunshine Coast an appealing location for national and international events including:
• The Australian PGA Championship at the Hyatt Regency Coolum • The Noosa, Mooloolaba and Caloundra Triathlons • Rally Queensland/Asia Pacifi c Rally Championships • The Etchells Australian Winter Sailing Championships • The Noosa Longweekend • The Noosa Jazz Festival • The Queensland Home Garden Expo • Coolum Kite Festival • Caloundra Music Festival • Caloundra Cup Carnival
Access to world-class services and facilities, allows businesses to compete for and maintain a substantial local, national and international client base.
TRANSPORTATION - The Sunshine Coast is serviced by modern, well-developed transportation infrastructure and offers great access to Australia and the world.
ROAD - The Bruce Highway is the major motorway from Brisbane to Cairns and runs north-south along Queensland’s coast. The Bruce Highway offers excellent access to Brisbane in approximately 60 minutes. The Sunshine Motorway links Caloundra with Noosa, the Sunshine Coast Airport and the Bruce Highway and facilitates quick access within the region.
AIR - The Sunshine Coast Airport, centrally located at Marcoola, is serviced by Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Tiger Airways with 24 hour capability with more than 60 direct weekly services to and from Sydney and Melbourne. The Caloundra Aerodrome is a general aviation airport and host to a wide range of activities including private aviation, cargo, fixed wing light training, rotary wing light training, business and chartered services and sports aviation. Brisbane Domestic and International Airports can be accessed in approximately 60 minutes.
PORT - The Sunshine Coast utilises the Port of Brisbane, approximately 60 minutes away by road, as its major import and export terminal. The Port of Brisbane is Queensland’s largest general cargo port, and Australia’s fastestgrowing container port.
RAIL - Regular rail services, including Citytrain and Traveltrain electric train commuter services, operate between Nambour and Brisbane. Rail freight facilities are available from Nambour.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND E-COMMERCE - The Sunshine Coast region’s telecommunications infrastructure delivers access to fibre optic, microwave, satellite and wireless communications. Providers and managers of telecommunications infrastructure and services identified in the Sunshine Coast region include:
• Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Allegro Networks • Local and national TV and Radio • Numerous Internet service providers
“Connecting the Coast” on the Sunshine Coast (www.connectingthecoast.com.au), part of the Federal Government’s Clever Networks program, delivers world class high-speed performance enhancing wireless and fibre optic broadband at competitive metropolitan rates. The Data Centre at Cooroy houses high performance servers and core network devices with connectivity of up to 10Gbps (Gigabits per second). Technology capability that is usually available only to large businesses with significant budgets will now be affordable and delivered to small-medium sized businesses on the Sunshine Coast.
