​Big news for Burleigh locals last night as the first tram made its inaugural journey. The long-awaited test trip from Broadbeach South marked a massive achievement for the $1.549 billion Stage 3 expansion project.
Don’t grab your Go-Card just yet, though. The tram will be entirely empty of passengers since it’s strictly a test run. Construction crews still have a few months of finishing touches to wrap up before anyone can actually hop aboard. Project organizers have emphasized that these initial runs are all about putting the tracks through their paces to ensure the new system is completely safe, reliable, and ready for everyday use.
It has been a long time coming spanning more than four years of construction to finally reach this testing and commissioning phase.
However, with the start of testing comes a safety warning for locals. The overhead wires are now fully energized with 750 volts of electricity, which is incredibly dangerous and can be fatal if touched.
Because of this, everyone—whether you’re walking, driving, or biking—needs to be aware that the traffic area has fundamentally changed.
Residents are advised to stay off the tracks, keep out of any restricted zones, and pay close attention to all the new warning signs. It’s strictly a “look but don’t touch” situation for now, and the new stations will stay completely locked up and off-limits until the testing period concludes and the route officially opens to the public.
