Moreton Bay Central Archives - North Lakes Today

Inside the Plans for Petrie’s New $60-Million TAFE

Architect's perspective. Subject to change. Photo Credit: Dept of Housing and Public Works

Trade workshops, an industrial simulation tower and virtual-reality training spaces are among the features planned for Petrie’s new $60-million TAFE, with the development application providing the clearest look yet at what is proposed for the Moreton Bay Central site.

The four-storey building would accommodate up to 450 students in about 5,700sqm of floor space, with training focused heavily on construction and allied trades. Plans show practical training areas on the lower levels and classrooms and specialist facilities above, including spaces for carpentry, electrical and plumbing training.

The proposed campus would be built at Moreton Bay Central, near UniSC Moreton Bay and Petrie railway station.

Funding has been committed and procurement is under way, but the project remains at the planning and tender stage. The lodgement of a development application does not mean development approval has been granted, and construction has not been confirmed as having started.

Trade Workshops Anchor the Ground Floor

Much of the hands-on training would take place at ground level, where the plans provide workshops, training areas and storage as well as a food and drink outlet.

Construction, engineering and electrotechnology have been identified as key training areas for the Petrie campus, while the funded project also includes an Advanced Manufacturing Hub. Among the more distinctive features shown in the plans is an industrial simulation tower extending through the building.

Upper levels would contain classrooms, seminar rooms, staff and student services, amenities and a student kitchen, along with specialist teaching spaces. A VR/XR hub is also included, bringing virtual and extended-reality technology into the training mix.

It is a different layout from the sprawling workshops often associated with trade training. At Petrie, practical areas, classrooms and specialist facilities would be stacked across four levels.

Room for 450 Students

The proposed TAFE has been designed for up to 450 students, with planning material indicating normal weekday operating hours of 7am to 5pm and occasional evening classes potentially continuing until 9pm.

Plans show 67 standard car bays, two accessible spaces and four motorcycle spaces, as well as parking for 29 bicycles. Provision has also been identified for another 38 car spaces if required.

The campus would sit close to Petrie railway station, giving students travelling from North Lakes and other communities along the Redcliffe Peninsula line a direct rail connection to the precinct. Wider planning for Moreton Bay Central also provides for pedestrian links between the station, education area and surrounding development.

$60 Million Across Several Years

The $60 million attached to the project is government funding to construct the Moreton Bay TAFE Centre of Excellence, rather than the value of an awarded building contract.

The original funding program provided $60 million over three years, with $6.6 million allocated to commence delivery in 2025–26. Procurement has since progressed, with four preferred contractors invited in June to tender for the first stage of the Petrie and Caloundra TAFE projects.

A builder had not been announced by 19 August, when the Department of Housing and Public Works was still listing the head contractor for the Petrie project as “yet to be appointed”.

The Government has previously forecast construction starting in 2026 and completion in 2028, subject to construction market conditions and material supply. Those dates remain the project timetable; the planning material does not establish that building work has begun.

TAFE Joins Petrie’s Education Precinct

The new campus is planned within the former Petrie paper mill precinct, where UniSC opened its Moreton Bay campus in 2020.

Moreton Bay Central has continued to develop around the university, with education, employment, recreation and other uses planned across the site. The TAFE would add a substantial vocational-training presence, particularly in construction, engineering, electrotechnology and advanced manufacturing.

For Petrie, the development application puts considerably more detail around what the new campus could look like on the ground. Subject to the remaining planning and procurement steps, workshops, classrooms, simulation facilities and digital training spaces would all be brought together in a four-storey building within walking distance of the railway station.

Published 1-September-2026

Dog Ban at New Petrie Lakes Walk Draws Criticisms

Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay

Pet owners have criticised the ban on dogs at the new Moreton Bay Central Lakes Walk in public comments posted after the City of Moreton Bay announced the project.

The 3km lakefront circuit opened on 20 June at the former Petrie Paper Mill site. The project cost about $6 million. It includes lake-edge paths, picnic shelters, landscaped areas and other public facilities near the North Pine River. However, pet dogs are not permitted in the lakes walk area.

City of Moreton Bay links the restriction to the precinct’s sensitive environmental setting and its wildlife, including koalas, possums and birds.

Dog Owners Question Full Ban

Several people criticised the restriction in public comments posted on social media. Some said they would not use the circuit because they could not bring their dogs. Others said they normally kept their pets on leads and were disappointed that leashed dogs were also excluded.

One commenter described the decision as unfriendly to dog owners. Another said her family would miss out on the new lakes walk despite always keeping their dog on a lead.

The comments suggest the restriction may reduce the circuit’s appeal for households that combine daily exercise with walking their pets.

Council announced the dog-free rule before the circuit opened.

Council Points to Sensitive Wildlife Area

City of Moreton Bay describes the lakes precinct as an environmentally sensitive area that supports koalas, possums, birds and other wildlife. However, the council release did not cite or summarise a specific environmental study supporting the restriction. It also did not explain whether leashed access, designated walking times or dog-friendly sections had been considered.

The discussion raises a broader question about how councils balance wildlife protection with demand for pet-friendly recreation.

City of Moreton Bay provides designated dog parks, beaches and exercise areas across the region. Council rules state that dogs are prohibited from conservation parks, reserves and foreshores unless an area has been designated for dog exercise.

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Circuit Forms Part of Larger Petrie Precinct

The lakes walk forms part of Moreton Bay Central, within the wider 460-hectare The Mill at Moreton Bay Priority Development Area.

The precinct includes the University of the Sunshine Coast Moreton Bay campus and the nearby Mill Water Park and Play Space. It will also include the planned Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre.

The venue is expected to host events during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is also planned to support local sport and community use after the Games.

Mayor Peter Flannery said in June that the walking circuit gave residents an early benefit from development around the future sports centre. He also linked the project to population growth and the need for more public spaces across Moreton Bay.

The online criticism raises the question of whether Council may consider leashed access or review the restriction in future. Clearer information about enforcement and nearby dog-friendly alternatives could also help visitors plan their trips to the precinct.

Published 20-July-2026

New $6m Walking Circuit Opens at Petrie Lakes Precinct

Photo Credit: Greg Elkenhans/City of Moreton Bay/Facebook

A new $6 million walking circuit has opened at Moreton Bay Central in Petrie, adding lakefront paths, picnic shelters and landscaped green space to the former paper mill site.

The Moreton Bay Central Lakes Walk is a 3km circuit around the lakes precinct, providing waterside access and public recreation space beside the area planned for the Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre.

The project opened on 20 June and forms part of the ongoing activation of the former Petrie Paper Mill site, which has been reshaped into a major precinct anchored by the University of the Sunshine Coast Moreton Bay campus.

The upgraded lakefront area includes walking trails along the edge of the lakes, picnic shelters and green spaces designed for families, visitors and community groups.

Moreton Bay Central Lakes Walk Opens in Petrie

The Moreton Bay Central Lakes Walk adds another public space to a precinct already used by families and visitors, including those visiting the nearby Mill Water Park and Play Space.

The new circuit has also been developed beside the planned Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre, a venue connected to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

While the Games remain six years away, the walking circuit has opened ahead of that major event, giving residents access to the upgraded lakeside area well before the Olympic and Paralympic period.

The project is intended to provide green space for visitors to the sports centre during the Games, while also serving as long-term public infrastructure for City of Moreton Bay residents.

Moreton Bay Central lakes walking circuit — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Instagram*

Former Paper Mill Site Continues to Change

Moreton Bay Central, formerly known as The Mill, is a 460-hectare Priority Development Area in Petrie.

The site is located at the old Petrie Paper Mill and is now anchored by the UniSC Moreton Bay campus. The lakes precinct forms part of the broader Moreton Bay Central area, where public open space, recreation areas and major facilities are being developed.

The new walking circuit continues the transition of the former industrial site into a public precinct used for education, sport, recreation and community activity.

The lakefront works have been designed to make the edge of the lakes more accessible, with paths and landscaped areas giving visitors more ways to move through and use the precinct.

Petrie lakefront walking trail — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Instagram*

Wildlife Area Will Remain Dog-Free

Dogs will not be allowed in the Moreton Bay Central Lakes Walk area because of the sensitive environmental setting.

The precinct is home to wildlife including koalas, possums and birds. The restriction has been put in place to protect the area’s natural setting and the animals that live there.

The environmental setting is a key part of the lakes precinct, with the walking circuit running through an area that combines public access with wildlife considerations.

Funding For The Petrie Project

The Moreton Bay Central Lakes Walk was funded through a mix of government and council contributions.

The project received $3,106,291 from the Australian and Queensland governments through the SEQ City Deal Liveability Fund. City of Moreton Bay contributed $2,944,569.

The SEQ City Deal is a partnership involving the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors South East Queensland. It supports projects intended to provide long-term benefits across South East Queensland, including City of Moreton Bay.

Published 29-June-2026

PsiQuantum Breaks Ground on Utility-Scale Quantum Computer at Petrie

City of Moreton Bay/LinkedIn

PsiQuantum has broken ground at Moreton Bay Central in Petrie, officially beginning construction of what the company describes as the world’s first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer on a site that once housed one of Queensland’s largest paper mills.

Construction began on 17 June, with the project backed by approximately $940 million in combined investment. It positions Moreton Bay Central as PsiQuantum’s Asia-Pacific headquarters and places the region at the centre of one of the most ambitious technology construction projects in the country’s history.

The potential impact of quantum computing

Fault-tolerant quantum computers operate on fundamentally different principles from conventional computers. Where today’s machines process information as binary bits, quantum systems use quantum bits, or qubits, that can exist in multiple states simultaneously, enabling certain classes of problems to be solved at a scale and speed no classical computer could approach.

The applications researchers expect to unlock include breakthroughs in drug discovery, materials science, energy systems, logistics optimisation, financial modelling and agricultural science. The qualifier “utility-scale” matters: it describes a machine powerful and reliable enough to tackle real-world commercial and scientific problems rather than laboratory demonstrations. No such machine exists yet anywhere in the world.

“For decades, quantum computing has held the promise of transforming what humanity can achieve through computation,” said PsiQuantum Interim CEO Victor Peng at the groundbreaking. “Today in Australia we are beginning to turn that promise into reality.”

How PsiQuantum is building it

PsiQuantum’s approach is photonic, using particles of light rather than superconducting circuits or trapped ions to carry quantum information. The practical advantage of photonics is that it operates closer to room temperature in some components and can leverage existing semiconductor manufacturing techniques used to produce optical chips.

The facility’s central piece of infrastructure is a cryoplant ordered from Linde Engineering in late 2024, which will cool critical quantum components to near absolute zero. It will be one of the largest cryoplants ever constructed for quantum computing. Delivery is scheduled for the second half of 2027, after which PsiQuantum will commission the system before accepting cryogenic cabinets filled with photonic quantum chips networked via standard optical fibre.

The system at Moreton Bay is expected to be operational in 2029, pushed back from the original 2027 target that was announced when the project was first revealed in April 2024.

The site that made this possible

PsiQuantum originally planned to build the facility at Brisbane Airport, but relocated to Moreton Bay Central after identifying the Petrie site as better suited to the project’s power, utility and infrastructure requirements.

The former Petrie Paper Mill had operated at industrial scale for decades, giving the site the heavy-duty services infrastructure that quantum computing at this level demands. New energy infrastructure commissioned ahead of the 2032 Olympic precinct development at the site has added further capacity.

Robert Lindwall, PsiQuantum’s head of Australian operations, described Brisbane Airport Corporation as a constructive early partner and thanked the airport precinct for its support before the project found its permanent home.

Building the ecosystem around it

A month before the Petrie groundbreaking, PsiQuantum opened its Test and Validation Lab at Griffith University‘s Nathan campus, including a high-powered cryogenic system to test photonic quantum chips and sub-systems. That facility is where the components for the Moreton Bay machine are being developed and refined before going into the main system.

The co-location of the Test and Validation Lab at Griffith, the TAFE Centre of Excellence at Moreton Bay Central and the USC Moreton Bay campus reflects a deliberate plan to build not just a machine but a regional quantum ecosystem, with research, training and manufacturing capacity growing alongside the hardware itself.

Jobs across engineering, technical operations, advanced manufacturing, research and professional services are expected to be created at the Petrie site as construction progresses.

For more information on PsiQuantum and the Moreton Bay Central project, click here.

Published 22-June-2026

Petrie Set To Host One of the World’s Most Advanced Computing Projects

A suburb better known for its university campus and train station is now being linked to one of the biggest technology projects on the planet, with Petrie selected as the future home of PsiQuantum’s planned utility-scale quantum computer and Asia-Pacific headquarters.

The project, backed through partnerships involving PsiQuantum, the City of Moreton Bay and the Queensland and Federal governments, is expected to be built at Moreton Bay Central in Petrie. The proposed site sits beside the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Moreton Bay campus, an area that has steadily grown into a centre for education, research and new industry.

A Global Technology Race Lands In Moreton Bay

Quantum computing has been described by researchers as the next major leap in computing power, with the potential to solve problems that current supercomputers would struggle to process. PsiQuantum is among a small group of companies worldwide working to build a machine capable of operating at a large commercial scale.

The Australian project forms part of a broader push to strengthen the country’s role in advanced technology and manufacturing. The company’s earlier plans centred on Brisbane Airport before attention shifted north to Petrie and the Moreton Bay region.

In statements released by the City of Moreton Bay and PsiQuantum, both organisations pointed to Petrie’s growing infrastructure, transport access and links to education and research institutions as major reasons behind the move.

The project still needs to pass Council approval and land processes before construction can move ahead. If approved, the project would place Moreton Bay alongside a short list of international locations connected to the global race to build practical quantum computers.

Petrie’s University Precinct Draws International Attention

The choice of Petrie reflects how quickly the area around Moreton Bay Central has changed over the past decade. Once dominated by former paper mill land, the precinct now includes university facilities, commercial developments and expanding transport links connected to Brisbane’s northern corridor.

The University of the Sunshine Coast’s Moreton Bay campus has become one of the region’s fastest-growing education sites, with local leaders hoping the quantum computing project could help create stronger pathways between universities, research groups and private industry.

The development could help attract advanced manufacturing businesses and specialist suppliers into the region over time.

PsiQuantum has also signalled plans to work alongside Australian universities and researchers as the project develops. The company previously partnered with government agencies and academic institutions during earlier phases of its Australian expansion.

Jobs, Construction And Long-Term Growth For Locals

Local leaders believe the development could reshape employment opportunities across Moreton Bay over the coming years, particularly in engineering, construction, advanced manufacturing and technology.

Statements from Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery described the proposal as one of the largest technology projects ever connected to the region, with expectations it could support thousands of skilled jobs both during and after construction.

While many of the long-term technical roles would require specialised training, large infrastructure projects of this scale also tend to create demand across local businesses, hospitality, transport and support services.

Australia’s Quantum Industry Continues To Expand

Quantum computing has become an increasingly competitive global industry, with governments and private companies investing heavily in research centres, chip manufacturing and specialist talent.

A Queensland Government statement confirmed significant state and federal support connected to PsiQuantum’s Australian operations, reflecting growing interest in keeping high-level technology development within Australia.

Industry experts believe quantum systems could eventually assist with medical research, logistics, climate modelling, cybersecurity and energy systems, although large-scale commercial use is still years away.

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Old Petrie Town Revival Mirrors Petrie’s Changing Identity

Photo Credit: Peter Akers/Google Maps

For years, Old Petrie Town stood as a reminder of the suburb Petrie used to be — practical, familiar and shaped by its industrial past. Now, as restoration works move ahead across the historic village, the site is becoming part of a much bigger story unfolding north of Brisbane, where Petrie has steadily shifted from a commuter suburb into one of Moreton Bay’s fastest-changing education and lifestyle precincts.

A Suburb Once Defined by the Paper Mill

Long before the arrival of university students and new commercial developments, Petrie was closely tied to the Australian Paper Mill, which operated beside the North Pine River for decades. The mill shaped the local economy and identity until its closure in 2011 left behind a massive industrial site near Petrie railway station.

What followed was one of the largest redevelopment projects in the region.

The Queensland Government later declared the area a Priority Development Area, paving the way for what is now known as Moreton Bay Central. The project spans hundreds of hectares and includes public spaces, commercial land, future housing and the growing UniSC Moreton Bay campus.

This period marked the first major shift in how Petrie was being viewed.

Moreton Bay Central
Photo Credit: EDQ QLD

UniSC Changed More Than the Skyline

When the University of the Sunshine Coast opened its Moreton Bay campus in 2020, the suburb began attracting a different mix of people. Students, researchers, hospitality businesses and new residents started moving through an area once known mainly for train commuters and passing traffic.

The campus has continued expanding, with three major buildings added in 2024, including health, engineering and research facilities.

That growth has flowed into surrounding suburbs including Kallangur, Lawnton and North Lakes, where increased demand for housing and local businesses has followed the area’s population growth.

New student accommodation proposals and upgrades around the lake precinct have added to the sense that Petrie is no longer developing around a single project, but through several layers of change happening at once.

Old Petrie Town Finds a New Place in the Story

Against that backdrop, Old Petrie Town has taken on fresh importance.

City of Moreton Bay has committed millions of dollars towards restoration and maintenance works across the heritage village, including upgrades to ageing buildings, infrastructure repairs and improvements to public areas. The council has also flagged plans to refurbish the Heritage Hotel and Function Centre following the retirement of its long-term leaseholder.

The village has remained a regular stop for markets, weddings, school excursions and community events over the years, even as the surrounding suburb changed around it.

Rather than removing the area’s older identity, the current works aim to keep one of Petrie’s best-known landmarks active while newer developments continue reshaping the district.

Council statements linked the project to preserving the site’s historical value while improving the visitor experience and supporting future tourism activity.

Growth Around Petrie Starts Reaching Further North

The changes taking place in Petrie are also being felt across the northern corridor, particularly in North Lakes, where population growth and transport links have increasingly tied the suburbs together.

Petrie railway station remains a key connection point for workers and students travelling between Brisbane and Moreton Bay, while nearby road upgrades and commercial investment have continued drawing attention to the area.

The transformation has not arrived in the same way as masterplanned suburbs like North Lakes, which expanded rapidly over a shorter period. Petrie’s shift has happened gradually through redevelopment, education investment, public infrastructure and community projects spread over several years.

That slower pace has made the changes less dramatic day-to-day, but more noticeable over time.

A Different Future Taking Shape

Old Petrie Town still looks much the same in many places, with heritage buildings, market stalls and timber shopfronts remaining central to the site’s character. But around it, the suburb has entered a very different chapter from the one many long-term residents remember.

Between the university expansion, redevelopment of the former mill land and continued investment in community spaces, Petrie has become one of the region’s most closely watched growth areas.

The work now happening at Old Petrie Town reflects that broader shift — not replacing the suburb’s past, but finding a place for it inside a rapidly changing part of Moreton Bay.

Published 20-May-2026

Pultron Composites to Base New HQ Next to UniSC Moreton Bay Campus

A New Zealand advanced manufacturer is set to build its Australian base beside the UniSC Moreton Bay campus in Petrie after winning the City of Moreton Bay’s $1 million Ultimate HQ competition, a prize package aimed at bringing more skilled jobs and investment into the local community.

Headquarters Set for Moreton Bay Central Near UniSC

On 4 March 2026, the City of Moreton Bay announced Pultron Composites as the winner of the Ultimate HQ headquarters package, with the new base to be established at Moreton Bay Central next to the UniSC Moreton Bay campus. The precinct has been described as a place built to connect businesses with researchers, students and facilities in a growing education-and-industry hub.

The prize includes five years of rent-free headquarters space, a $250,000 contribution towards a fit-out and professional support from partners including BDO, Constant Contact, K&L Gates, Telstra, Westpac and Innovate Moreton Bay.

Pultron Composites is an advanced manufacturer specialising in corrosion-resistant composite technologies. The company’s Mateenbar glass fibre reinforced polymer rebar is used in major infrastructure projects internationally and is promoted as supporting lower-carbon, longer-life construction solutions in the council material.

Global Contest, Local Pitch Week

Organisers said the competition attracted entries from six countries, reached more than six million people, and represented a group of applicants worth more than $500 million in potential capital investment, along with 1,000 prospective jobs.

Finalists spent five days in the City of Moreton Bay as part of an “Investor Safari” program, which included meetings with business and industry stakeholders, UniSC researchers and civic leaders, along with site visits and a live pitch. Council said the program included experiences such as the “Beach Boardroom” on Bribie Island, designed to give finalists a sense of the region and its business networks.

UniSC leadership said the headquarters location at Moreton Bay Central would place the company close to UniSC researchers, facilities and students across engineering, technology and business, creating scope for research partnerships and talent pathways.

Pultron’s spokesperson said the company valued the chance to build locally, work with UniSC and tap into the region’s strengths, based on statements included in the media release.

A Precinct Built on a Former Mill Site

Moreton Bay Central forms part of a major redevelopment of the former paper mill site in Petrie. The Economic Development Queensland project page for Moreton Bay Central describes plans for a mixed-use precinct that includes the UniSC Moreton Bay campus along with commercial and community infrastructure.

Published 5-March-2026