A group of government, tourism and environment representatives has called for widespread changes to improve management of a booming camping destination.
The Teewah and Cooloola Working Group (TCWG) has proposed a series of recommendations for the Cooloola Recreation Area, relating to fees and ticketing, amenities, fires and more.
It’s hoped the suggestions will help protect Teewah Beach from overcrowding.
It follows a state government plan to save the area, announced in May, after a study revealed there were more than 182,000 camper nights and almost 100,000 vehicle access permits issued for the region last year.
In its submission, provided as part of the state’s Cooloola Recreation Area Management Plan consultation, the group has called for:
- an increase to camping and access/permit fees, which would be indexed annually;
- a review and upgrade of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service ticketing system, and monitoring via an increase in the number of cameras to provide better data for future planning;
- fees that are received should be used to fund infrastructure in the area;
- infrastructure upgrades should be in the form of amenities and toilets in select areas;
- portaloos should be encouraged for day trippers, at least until new infrastructure is in place;
- online education should be a compulsory condition for purchasing permits and could be in the form of a questionnaire or survey; and
- a review of the fire ban for campers needs to be investigated in line with controlled burns to reduce risks.
Convened by Noosa Council, the TCWG includes representatives from Gympie Regional Council plus key environmental, state government, business and tourism representatives.
The group was formed in 2018 in direct response to concerns raised about the impacts of visitors accessing Teewah Beach within the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park for recreational beach driving and camping.
Noosa mayor Frank Wilkie said the submission was an impressive achievement by the members of the group.
“This joint submission is a testament to the working group’s respect for different perspectives and willingness to work collaboratively to benefit different communities across the region,” he said.
Cr Wilkie said individual members of the group were also free to provide their own submissions, expanding on their specific concerns.
Gympie mayor Glen Hartwig said the joint submission aimed to deliver improvements for residents and visitors to the Noosa and Gympie shires.
“The Teewah group has achieved a lot over the years,” he said.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
“The need for the group to continue is clear.
“Changes to camping access at Rainbow Beach has probably exacerbated the problem at Teewah.
“The work of the group has just begun.
“There is a need for future planning to ensure the changes to access and use of the Teewah area does not simply shift the problem and there is a need to look at other options that can accommodate people who may not be able to access Teewah at some times during the year.
“This group has an important role in protecting the Teewah area and influencing the government to invest in areas like Rainbow Beach to cater for those displaced by the changes.
“Simple investment in returning camping numbers at Rainbow Beach to historical levels could have assisted in dealing with the issues Teewah faces.
“This group’s collaboration is essential to protect Teewah, but not simply by shifting the problem.”
Cr Wilkie outlined the group’s next step.
“We look forward to working with the state government to provide further input into how the recommendations put forward by the TCWG could be implemented,” he said.
Scroll down to SUBSCRIBE for our FREE news feed, direct to your inbox daily.
