REMEMBER WHEN

THE last Anzac Day of the ’80s arrived with news that the monorail was on its way.

Debate over rail-based public transport had raged for years when wannabe politicians, including future councillor Kerry Smith, campaigned against the idea.

However the Bulletin revealed that the Gold Coast monorail consortium had been picked by the Ahern State Government to build the city’s long-awaited system.

It was meant to run from Southport to Sea World and down to Pacific Fair.

It was expected to come online in early 1992.

The consortium included TNT, Thiess Watkins and Von Roll and was expected to cost about $180 million.

The announcement was made by Transport Minister Peter Mckechnie after Cabinet held its country meeting in Toowoomba.

The Ahern Government was just months away from losing government after 32 years of National Party rule but pushed ahead with the project.

Officials said it would be similar to Sydney’s monorail and the system that operated at Brisbane’s Expo ‘88.

The Southport terminal was expected to be at the Broadwater end of Nerang St near the mall and the rail would then cross the Nerang River next to Sundale Bridge.

The line would then meet the Sea World spur link at Paradise Waters and run along the Gold Coast Hwy.

The 17-minute trip would cost $2.50 and was set to be used by 10 million people a year. The project would never proceed and a monorail was ultimately ruled out.