Community groups from Noosa and Peregian have voiced their concerns over a consultation period to determine the future management of some of the region’s natural landscapes.
The Noosa Council recently invited the community to help shape the way Noosa’s Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves are managed.
Residents have been given the opportunity to have their say on the draft Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan from February 20 to March 20.
The draft plan covers a range of management issues affecting the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves (EBFRs), which are a series of eight naturally vegetated council-managed reserves that stretch from Sunshine to Peregian beaches.
However, the Eastern Beaches Protection Association (EBPA), Noosa Boardriders Club and Peregian Family and Friends say one month was an inadequate amount of time for the community to have their say.
The three groups want Noosa Council to provide additional information and allow the community more time to consider all the detail to be able to make a meaningful contribution.
EBPA spokesperson Minna Knight said that due to a lack of public awareness for the plan, the short time period could result in rushed and uniform responses.
“We are highly supportive of the creation and implementation of an Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan as a means to protect the natural environment, as well as the way of life of the communities that live alongside the foreshore for years to come,” she said.
“However, council has provided an inadequate timeframe for feedback, there’s low public awareness of the consultation, and there is an absence of published background materials to substantiate claims made within the document.”
In a statement to Sunshine Coast News, Noosa Council’s director of environment and sustainable development Kim Rawlings said a month was standard practice for a public consultation period.
“Many residents, community organisations and other stakeholders have already taken the time to provide input,” Ms Rawlings said.
“To capture a broad range of feedback during the public consultation period we’ve provided a variety of opportunities for the community to have a say.
“These include a survey, roundtable events, community pop-up events, via written submissions, and an interactive webinar planned for March 13.
“A recording of the webinar will also be available online afterwards for viewing and feedback.”
The objectives of the draft plan include managing the bushland reserves for ecological health and bushfire mitigation, and managing encroachments and works in the dunes.
It also outlined designing and placement of the 41 public beach accesses, long-term coastal monitoring for erosion risk and managing creeks that flow into the ocean.
Ms Rawlings said the council began engaging with a wide range of stakeholders on the management of the Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves as far back as 2021.
“Council and the community identified dune management and revegetation as a critical and immediate priority for helping to build beach and dune health and coastal resilience for coastal erosion risks,” Ms Rawlings said.
“That dialogue has been ongoing and along with feedback from the Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan and Environment Strategy consultations, has helped inform the development of the Draft Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan.”
However, speaking on behalf of the three groups, Ms Knight said the plan needed to be amended to ensure it better represented the balance between social and environmental values.
“The council’s budget and prescribed works need to be reallocated to fix the coastal creeks and stormwater systems, along with implementing fire prevention management strategies, revegetation and weed management, as well as public access track maintenance,” she said.
“A thorough and meaningful consultation process will contribute to a more robust plan that benefits the whole community.”
Residents can read the draft Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserve Management Plan and submit feedback at Your Say Noosa Council.
Council has already hosted some public information sessions and workshops and there are more on the schedule.
Beach pop-ups:
- Thursday, March 9, 7am to 11am, Beach Access 40, David Low Way, Castaways Beach.
- Saturday, March 11, 7am to 11am, Beach Access 27, Seaview Terrace, Sunshine Beach.
- Wednesday, March 15, 7am to 11am, Beach Access 50, Peregian Esplanade.
- Thursday, March 16, 7am to 11am, Beach Access 47, Tristania Drive, Marcus Beach.
Community events:
- Saturday, March 4, 6.30am to noon, Pomona Markets.
- Sunday, March 5, 8am to noon, Kin Kin Markets.
- Sunday, March 12, 8am to 2pm, Noosa Marina Markets (TBC).
- Sunday, March 19, 7.30am to 12.30pm, Peregian Beach Markets.
Community roundtable:
- Tuesday, March 7, noon to 2pm, face-to-face, register here.
- Monday, March 13, 5pm to 7pm, online webinar, register here.
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.
