Noosa councillors have voted to seek additional community consultation next year over the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan.
Central to the consultation will be the investigation of a conservation park and whether the concept should be included in the plan.
Councillors supported a procedural motion to defer adopting the detailed plan at Thursday’s Ordinary Meeting of council, citing the need for more community input.
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Mayor Clare Stewart, who used her casting vote to support the motion, said the decision was aimed at producing better outcome for the community.
“Given the strong community response and uncertainty in recent weeks about aspects of the plan, this decision shows we are listening to, and we value, the community’s views on such a critical plan for our future,” she said.
“This is the reasonable and right thing to do.
“We all have a strong connection to the river and all councillors and the community support a healthy, uncluttered river.”
Boaties and the wider community demanded transparency on what a conservation park would mean for the waterway and water users.
Noosa Boating Fishing Alliance representative Andrew McCarthy expressed concern it could include no-fishing zones, provision for electric-only motors and speed limit reductions.
In a media release council said there had been significant consultation in various forms since 2016, including two rounds of consultation as part of the updated 2019 Noosa River Plan.
Council also established a Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee to provide input and guidance between 2021 and 2023. There has been ongoing discussion with key stakeholders in the community.
“But recent suggestions in the draft plan about a conservation park have created unnecessary angst within the community, which necessitates further consultation on the plan,” Cr Stewart said.
Council received more than 160 emails and two petitions with more than 2400 signatures after it deferred the draft plan’s adoption last month, to seek further consultation with key stakeholders amid the conservation park confusion.
“We are all guardians of the Noosa River so we need to have a plan that has widespread community support,” Cr Stewart said.
She said the state government has jurisdiction over river management and it was council’s role to advocate on matters relating to the river.
“Liveaboards, moorings and issues of effluent being dumped in the river from these vessels could be addressed immediately by Maritime Safety Queensland,” she said.
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“Recommendations to tackle these issues were provided by the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee.
“In conversations with the minister, we’ve reiterated the importance of the river to our community, and we will continue to advocate on behalf of the community in the hope of seeing some action on liveaboards, moorings and issues with effluent.”
Consideration of the plan is deferred until at least the July round of council meetings in 2024.
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