A new name, extended connections from the coast to the hinterland and ties with local facilities aims to transform the Noosa Trail Network, now the Noosa Biosphere Trail, into a world class destination.
A report on the progress of the trail’s masterplan implementation was raised at Noosa Council’s General Meeting on Monday, with councillor Brian Stockwell saying a recent visit he’d made summed up its value.
People are coming to us, looking for these experiences, he said.
You see all sorts – horse riders, walkers or mountain bike enthusiasts going past at a rate of knots, enjoying nature as you can for an extended period of time.
The Noosa Trail Masterplan was developed by Tourism Noosa with funding from the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation to improve the network of 103km of trails and provide greater opportunities for users.
The change of name to Noosa Biosphere Trail was determined by a stakeholder reference group that was formed last November with representatives from Noosa Council, Tourism Noosa, Landcare, business organisations, outdoor tourism and adventure groups, horse riders, bushwalkers, mountain bike riders and canoeists.
The new name gives the trails international recognition and also ties in with with a recent Tourism Noosa campaign, Enter the Biosphere, an officer told the meeting.
He said concerns raised by horse riders that horses had been excluded from the trails had been allayed and signage would be improved and updated to meet current standards.
The stakeholder group has raised a number of possibilities for the trail network. They have held discussions with the Kabi Kabi traditional owners on the possible use of Indigenous names for sections of the network.
Tourism Noosa has developed a Village Map to guide residents and visitors to local businesses such as accommodation, dining, events and other village offerings which form part of the trail experience.
There are also a number of other events that utilise all or part of the trail network such as the Noosa Enduro, the Noosa Strade Bianche bike event, King of the Mountain MTB event and the Kin Kin Horse Ride. In addition a number of commercial operators offer tours and adventure activities.
Another recommendation of the Noosa Trail Masterplan is to investigate funding models to manage the trail network that crosses mostly Council land, but also National Park and private land with the current annual council budget of $120,000 considered insufficient to manage the current trail or an expanded one.
New trail facilities planned for town centres include information signs, bike racks and additional parking where required and it is anticipated that work will begin at Pomona and Cooran.
