The Sunshine Coast Wanderers’ new home is finally here.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli officially welcomed the Sunshine Coast Wanderers to their new home at Honey Farm Road Sport and Recreation Precinct on Tuesday, 3 November, marking the occasion with a sod-turning and turf-laying ceremony.
Accompanied by Hon Anthony Chisholm and Councillor Tim Burns, Mayor Natoli spoke with excitement about the multi-million-dollar precinct and the positive impact it will have on the community.
“It really is a simple milestone in many ways today. But for our community, of course, it is so much more we are building.
“And so today we might be looking at turf, and we might be turning a sod, but it really is the beginning of a wonderful, active community around sporting infrastructure that creates connection.”
The Honey Farm Road Sports Precinct spans 75 hectares, featuring eight football fields (with one of them being synthetic), and other mixed-use ovals. The facility allows Sunshine Coast’s only regional team an opportunity to grow and expand, and perhaps one day represent the coast on the national stage .
The project is estimated to cost $100 million, with $13.6 million being contributed by the Australian Government through the Growing Sports Program. Sunshine Coast Council Stadium and Precincts Activation Manager, Simon Ball said each club will have more than enough room to be able to train, play, and grow sustainably.
“Sustainability is a massive thing in sport these days. And having a facility where you can service your sponsors is a massive outcome for both codes.
“Clubs rely on sponsorship, which is why the more clubs can maximise that, the more they can grow. Whether it’s through funding, volunteer programs, better coaching programs, and more education, we as a Council want to support our clubs to make sure that they can be sustainable.”
Sunshine Coast Wanderers will enter the premises for the beginning of the 2028 season, with work on the club’s clubhouse already underway. Wanderers Football Club President Glenn Duncan said the project reflects the growth of football and its huge potential on the Sunshine Coast.
“Firstly, I want to congratulate the council on this facility. They’ve invested a lot, and we have been working with Sunshine Coast Council, particularly their sport and rec division, for a long time to make sure that we have a facility that would grow regional sport.
“The Council and the Australian Government have recognised how much our sport needs investment, particularly with the Olympics on the horizon and how much football is growing here on the Sunshine Coast.
“This is the fastest-growing sport in Australia, and it’s time that legacy money started to get behind the sport. It’s important that governments and people start to invest in football, but it’s more important to begin looking over our shoulder to see how big the sport is becoming.”
The Sunshine Coast Wanderers’ move to Honey Farm Road strengthens our position as one of Queensland’s fastest-growing clubs. The region has long played second-best to Brisbane in terms of footballing facilities and infrastructure, resulting in the loss of homegrown talent.
However, with the move to Honey Farm Road now confirmed, Sunshine Coast Wanderers will not only be able to retain such talent, but also help develop it for many generations to come.
There are still clubhouses to be built and fields that need to be marked, and although it takes time for the grass to grow, it won’t be long until we are all cheering Sunshine Coast Wanderers on at Honey Farm Road.
