Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3: Where the Line Stands Now
**The full track is in the ground. Testing is underway on the northern section. Passengers are still not boarding. Here is what the data actually shows — and what it means for property along the corridor.**
Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3: Where the Line Stands Now
The full track is in the ground. Testing is underway on the northern section. Passengers are still not boarding. Here is what the data actually shows — and what it means for property along the corridor.
The Basics
Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 extends the existing tram network 6.7 kilometres south from Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads. The project adds eight new stations and connects two of the southern Gold Coast's most active property markets to the existing light rail spine.
Construction began in October 2022.1 As of March 2026, the line has not opened to passengers.
Current Status
Track-laying across the full 6.7-kilometre alignment is complete. The final rail segment connecting Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads was installed in late 2025, delivered across 17 intersections and 9 rail turnouts.2 The physical spine of the line now exists end to end.
On the northern section — Broadbeach South to Miami North — active testing has been underway since November 2025. The first tram ran on Stage 3 tracks on the night of 12 November 2025.3 Controlled night-time testing followed from 26 November to 18 December 2025. Overhead line energisation on this section was completed in mid-October 2025, with systems and signalling testing advancing through the final months of the year.2
On the southern section — Miami to Burleigh Heads — construction remains active as of March 2026. GoldLinQ has confirmed that full-alignment testing and commissioning across the complete corridor is scheduled for the first half of 2026, ahead of passenger services in mid-2026.2
No passenger opening date has been confirmed beyond the current target of mid-2026.
Timeline: What Changed and When
The opening date has moved from its original target.
| Target | Set When |
|---|---|
| Mid-2025 | Stated at contract signing, March 2022, and groundbreaking, October 2022 |
| Mid-2026 | Revised target, confirmed September 2024 by TMR Queensland and GoldLinQ |
The revision to mid-2026 came alongside a significant budget increase in September 2024. The target has not moved since — but it has not been tightened to a specific month.
Cost: What the Budget Shows
The project budget was revised upward in September 2024 by approximately $330,000,000, bringing the total to $1,549,000,000. The original funding breakdown below reflects the figures at project approval; the revised total is the current official position.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Queensland Government | $713,300,000 |
| Australian Government | $395,600,000 |
| City of Gold Coast | $91,500,000 |
| Ancillary works | $18,600,000 |
| Original total | $1,219,000,000 |
| Revised total (September 2024) | $1,549,000,000 |
No further cost revision has been announced as of March 2026.
Stage 4 Is Gone
On 1 September 2025, the Queensland Crisafulli Government formally cancelled Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 — the planned extension from Burleigh Heads south to Coolangatta via Gold Coast Airport — citing community opposition and a projected cost blowout to as much as $9,800,000,000.4
For buyers weighing light rail access as a long-term infrastructure premium, this matters. Stage 3 to Burleigh Heads is now the end of the line. There is no approved or funded pathway to Coolangatta. Properties south of Burleigh Heads will not gain tram access under any current plan.
Any agent marketing a southern suburbs property on the basis of future tram access to Coolangatta is working from a plan that no longer exists.
Where Things Stand: Most Recent Official Statement
"The first tram successfully travelled on the new Stage 3 tracks on the night of 12 November 2025, between Broadbeach South and Miami North stations."
>
— Acting Minister for Transport and Main Roads Sam O'Connor, 13 November 20253
statements.qld.gov.au/statements/103927
Since that statement: controlled night-time testing across the northern section concluded on 18 December 2025; the final rail segment completing the full Broadbeach–Burleigh Heads alignment was installed in late 2025; and southern-section construction has continued into 2026. Full-alignment testing and commissioning across the complete corridor must follow before passenger services can begin.2
No further ministerial statement has been published as of 2 March 2026. Readers seeking the latest official position should check gclr3.com.au directly.
What This Means for Property
Light rail's effect on residential values along a corridor is well-documented in Queensland and nationally. The effect is not uniform, and it does not arrive before opening day.
Carrara sits on the existing Stage 1 and 2 network and has already absorbed a light rail premium into its land values. That repricing happened progressively as the line moved from construction to operation — not at announcement, and not at groundbreaking. The same pattern is the relevant reference for what may follow along the Stage 3 corridor.
Miami and Burleigh Waters carry the most direct exposure to the new stations. Miami in particular has drawn consistent buyer interest from owner-occupiers priced out of Burleigh Heads proper. Light rail access to Broadbeach and beyond — for work, dining, and the planned casino precinct — shifts Miami's commuter proposition meaningfully. A buyer who secured in Miami ahead of the testing phase now underway is sitting on a different calculus than one entering today.
Burleigh Heads already commands the strongest price premium on the southern Gold Coast. The addition of a tram terminus is unlikely to drive dramatic repricing in a suburb already operating at a high base. The practical benefit is connectivity — not a step-change in perceived desirability.
What buyers should not assume: that mid-2026 is a firm delivery date. This project has already moved once — from a mid-2025 original target — alongside a $330,000,000 budget increase. Completed track-laying and active northern testing are genuine indicators of progress. Southern-section construction is still running, full-alignment commissioning follows, and infrastructure projects at this scale carry real delivery risk. Buyers pricing in light rail access as a near-term certainty should factor that in.
The cancellation of Stage 4 also removes a pricing catalyst that some in the market applied speculatively to southern suburbs stock. That anchor is gone.
Stations: The 6.7-Kilometre Alignment
Eight stations connect Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads. From north to south:
1. Broadbeach South (existing — interchange point) 2. Fern Street 3. Bald Hill 4. Miami North 5. Miami 6. Pearlinda Avenue 7. Burleigh Heads North 8. Burleigh Heads (terminus)
Sources
1. Queensland Government (2022) Light rail extension from Broadbeach to Burleigh breaks ground, supporting over 700 good jobs, Ministerial Media Statements. statements.qld.gov.au 2. GoldLinQ (2025) Stage 3 Overview, GoldLinQ. goldlinq.com.au 3. Queensland Government (2025) First tram on tracks marks major milestone for Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3, Ministerial Media Statements. statements.qld.gov.au 4. Queensland Government (2025) Crisafulli Government prioritises community following Gold Coast Light Rail review, Ministerial Media Statements. statements.qld.gov.au
Article first published by Fields. Last reviewed: March 2026. Research conducted 2 March 2026.
Fields sells and leases residential property on the southern Gold Coast. Know your ground.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or valuation advice. Fields Real Estate (Licence No. 4832971) makes no warranty as to the accuracy or currency of data published. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and seek independent professional advice before making any property or investment decision. Read our full disclaimer →
