The Sunshine Coast Turf Club has begun an Australia-wide search for a replacement for long serving chief executive Mick Sullivan who will retire later this year.

Sullivan, who has been in charge at the SCTC for 17 years, will finish at the end of August.

He has overseen the growth of the SCTC from a provincial club to a metropolitan standard venue and the state's Queensland's major Sunday racetrack.

SCTC chairman Peter Boyce said Sullivan was instrumental in turning the club around financially.

"Mick has embraced change and has also jealously guarded our operation and where necessary gone into battle and put the Club's position clearly to all concerned," Boyce said..

"He is very much a hands on CEO and our whole operation has been managed and operated under his guidance and direction."