Birtinya is a vast undeveloped suburb on the Sunshine Coast, between Caloundra and Mooloolaba. It is the leftover part of the Kawana Waters project that began in the early 1960s.

In 1960 the Melbourne developer, Alfred Grant, gained an agreement from State and Local governments for the Kawana Waters project, involving a proposed long north-south canal inland from the coastal suburbs of Warana, Bokarina and Wurtulla. All the suburbs had 'Aboriginal' names of doubtful veracity. Birtinya was no exception, it being supposed that it denoted 'neighbouring'. The Place Names Board went along with the name in 1967.

By mid-2000s Birtinya was nicely positioned for a proposed railway line from Beerwah to Maroochydore, sharing a transport corridor with a new road and a bus service. Between the railway and Lake Kawana the Home Central Shopping Centre (mainly bulky goods outlets) has been opened. The western shoreline of Lake Kawana has several house and apartment estates, new and emerging (2009), including Birtinya Island with lake and canal shorelines. Proximity to public transport, the emerging Kawana Town Centre and a proposed Sunshine Coast hospital are strong selling points. It is possible that 'Kawana' will come into its own as a place name, perhaps prevailing over 'Birtinya'.