• Construction of the long-awaited Turbine Collaborative Food & Beverage Manufacturing Precinct in the Sunshine Coast Industrial Park is scheduled to commence in early 2026, after almost a decade of planning.
Source: Turbine
    Construction of the long-awaited Turbine Collaborative Food & Beverage Manufacturing Precinct in the Sunshine Coast Industrial Park is scheduled to commence in early 2026, after almost a decade of planning. Source: Turbine
Close×

Construction of the long-awaited Turbine Collaborative Food & Beverage Manufacturing Precinct in the Sunshine Coast Industrial Park is scheduled to commence in early 2026, after almost a decade of planning. There are limited tenancy opportunities remaining, and a builder is expected to be formally announced shortly.

The multi-million-dollar facility is a collaborative project, jointly funded by the Australian Government and Queensland Government, designed to address the barriers faced by small to medium-sized food and beverage businesses when scaling.

Turbine CEO and project manager, Andrew Eves-Brown.
Source: Turbine
Turbine CEO and project manager, Andrew Eves-Brown.
Source: Turbine

Turbine was first announced in November 2021, receiving $8.7 million in the Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) funding round at the time. At the time, the organisation stated the project had been a work-in-progress for five years to position the Sunshine Coast as a centre to support food and beverage businesses to scale.

In March 2022, Turbine received a further $33.4 million from the federal government, and announced the facility was due to commence operations in late 2023. After appointing a new CEO in mid-2023, the organisation began seeking expressions of interest from potential tenants in April 2024, expected to be available for occupancy from mid-2025.

Responding to an enquiry from Food & Drink Business regarding the delays in the project, Turbine CEO and project manager, Andrew Eves-Brown, said the facility was a landmark project and naturally required careful coordination across multiple parties for progress.

“While the journey has taken time, what matters most is that we are now in a strong position to move into construction and deliver a transformative precinct for Australia’s food and beverage sector,” said Eves-Brown.

Now, the organisation says the project has reached a pivotal stage, with limited tenancy opportunities remaining.

“Momentum is building quickly. With planning well advanced and a clear pathway to operation, we are entering the final phase of tenant recruitment for what will be Australia’s first purpose-built collaborative food and beverage manufacturing precinct,” said Eves-Brown.

“This is more than just a building – it’s a transformational ecosystem that will enable food and beverage manufacturers to scale, innovate and access export opportunities with confidence.”

The organisation stated flexible leasing opportunities remain, with spaces ranging from 300m² to 4000m².

Tenants will have access to shared infrastructure, advanced equipment, research collaboration, and an industry-led ecosystem that supports innovation and growth, and benefit from support – including non-repayable funding for approved applicants to assist with tenancy fit-outs and equipment.

For leasing enquiries, head to www.turbine.org.au/leasing-opportunities/.

Packaging News

Phil Biggs has been elected chair of the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association, succeeding Rob Marguccio, with Rosanne Jessop and Mark Emmett continuing in their roles.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has completed a $39.7 million manufacturing upgrade at its Kewdale facility in Western Australia, installing a high-speed can production line that increases capacity by more than 40 per cent and lifts production speeds to 1500 cans per minute.

APPMA members have re-elected Phil Biggs and Nathan Wardell to the association’s Board, while Select Equip founder James White joins as a director for the first time.