Moreton Bay Central explained!

Two questions are being consistently raised in comments on Moreton Daily stories - where and what is Moreton Bay Central?

In one sentence …. Moreton Bay Central is arguably the most significant development site in Queensland.

The huge precinct covers 460 hectares flanked by Petrie train station, Redcliffe rail line, Anzac Ave, Gympie Rd and Dohles Rocks Rd,

Over 78 years it has been transformed from dairy farms to a huge paper mill and now a Priority Development Area for “global innovation, education, sport and recreation”.

Many still call it the Petrie Paper Mill or Amcor Paper Mill site. After the mill closed in 2013, it had two new names - The Mill and then The Mill at Moreton Bay.

As the latter, it saw the opening of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Moreton Bay Campus in 2020 followed by the free public water park

But in July 2025, the name changed again to Moreton Bay Central - a branding move to “supercharge economic growth, job creation and education opportunities”.

And that is happening … fast.

PsiQuantum - Last month the US-based company broke ground on a development - reportedly costing more than $1 billion - to house the world’s first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer. It will create 2200 jobs during construction, 400 permanent jobs

University of the Sunshine Coast - UniSC was the first tenant when opening its Moreton Bay campus in March 2020. It now has three buildings with reports up to seven more may be built. The campus is set to create 6000 jobs for 10,000 students bringing in $950m a year.

Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Stadium - This $200 million, 10,000 seat centre will host Olympic and Paralympic sports in 2032. It is tipped to get boxing for the Olympics and then host basketball, netball, volleyball, badminton, futsal, wheelchair rugby and pickleball.

TAFE Centre of Excellence - The $60 million centre will include an Advanced Manufacturing Hub, state-of-the-art trade workshops and modern learning spaces to support Moreton Bay’s billion-dollar manufacturing industry.

Walking trail - A 3km walking trail, costing $6 million, opened at the weekend as part of Moreton Bay Central’s Olympic legacy plans. It has lake views, picnic shelters, green areas and is near the Mill Water Park and Play Space.

Koala conservation - Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) started an extensive koala monitoring program at Moreton Bay Central in 2017 and by 2022 had monitoring devices for regular health checks on 113 koalas.

In the pipeline:

Flatwater rowing precinct - Plans have been released for a new rowing and paddle precinct on the lakes at Moreton Bay Central. The plan, which would ultimately cost $250 million, would serve thousands of water sport enthusiasts - and be an Olympic venue if needed.

Moreton Bay City Council - Council is considering moving from its Strathpine headquarters to Moreton Bay Central. The offices on Gympie Rd are reporters to be nearing end-of-life by 2030.

Health Precinct - There have been reports a tertiary hospital may be earmarked for Moreton Bay Central. Though not confirmed, it would meet one of the site’s key drivers - education.

The site was bought in 1948 by Australian paper manufacturers for the company’s seventh paper mill in Queensland.

When it eventually opened 1957 Prime Minister Robert Menzies said the mill was the “largest industrial undertaking in southern Queensland”.

It shaped the area, created jobs (500 at its peak), attracted residents and small post-war Petrie flourished. However, the Mill closed in 2013, taking with it 220 jobs.

Moreton Bay Regional Council (as it was in 2015) bought the site for $50.5 million and announced it would be home for a new university.

Plans expanded in 2016 when the State Government declared The Mill at Moreton Bay a Priority Development Area (PDA).

Mayor Allan Sutherland said at the time: “PDA status will unlock the full potential of the university’s surrounding land. The Mill will help us diversify and future-proof our economy.”

When Moreton Bay Central is complete it is forecast to provide 8600 jobs and inject $813 million per year into this economy.

Almost 70 years later, it seems history is repeating itself in Petrie.