Trail walk marks a decade
Friendships, camaraderie and the beautiful landscape of the hinterland combined to provide the Great Noosa Trail Walk 2022 a success- ful 10th anniversary walk over the Queen’s Birthday three-day weekend.
About 180 three-day walkers and 20 guides travelled the 56km hike between Cooroy, Cooran, Kin Kin and Pomona.
Trail walk founder Shaun Walsh said there was no other guided trail in Australia that compared to Noosa’s which enabled walkers to wander across country farms and national parks and at the end of the day finish at a hinterland town to enjoy a refreshing ale and bite to eat.
Noosa’s art studios open
A steady stream of visitors descended on Noosa’s art Hub at Wallace House and to artist studios and galleries across the shire since Noosa Open Studios Art Trail got its nine day event.
From painting and glass work to ceramics and sculpture, the works and methods of more than 110 artists were on display, mapped on five geographical trails from the eastern beaches to Noosaville, Eumundi, Cooroy, Pomona, Cooroibah and Boreen Point.
World surf title comes home
It’s been a long time coming – 16 years in fact – but that only made the moment sweeter when Noosa’s Harrison Roach held the World Surf League Longboard trophy aloft at Malibu in California last week.
In one of the most exciting days of longboard competition ever seen, in near-perfect small waves at Malibu’s First Point, Harrison surfed four long heats against the world’s best, including old rival and three- times world champion Taylor Jensen and new Hawaiian sensation Kaniela Stewart, to hit the beach victorious but exhausted, where he was chaired to the podium by longtime friend and his surfboard shaper Thomas Bexon, of Noosaville’s Thomas Surfboards.
Community house opens
It’s taken eight years, three councils and “a lot of challenges“ but on Monday the Peregian Beach Community House was officially opened with a fabulous Welcome to Country by Lyndon Davis and the cutting of the ribbon by Mayor Clare Stewart and community house president Mary Crawford.
Bali bombing remembered
The 2002 Bali bombings occurred on 12 October 2002 at 11pm (1am here) in the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali.
The attack killed 202 people (including 88 Australians, 38 Indonesians, 23 Britons, and people of more than 20 other nationalities). A further 209 people were injured.
Photographer Rob Maccoll got the call to pack my bags and was in Bali that afternoon. “I still have vivid memories of the destruction and the hurt and a lot of my shots are too graphic to publish. However, it was an incredible time working with a team of journalists and photographers from across the globe,“ he said.
Punching above his weight
For every coach in the world of amateur boxing, reaching their pinnacle would have to be their selection as coach of the national team, and Mark Evans, owner/coach of the Impact Boxing and Fitness Centre, has reached his pinnacle.
He was named coach of the Australian team to contest the world championships in Spain 2023.
‘’Man right at this moment I am on top of the world,” Evans’ said.
For those who are familiar with Evans’ achievements, the announcement of his appointment does not come as a surprise.
Ferry tender cost
The new Noosa North Shore ferry operator promises larger vehicle ferries, less queues, contemporary payment systems and a stream- lined service provided by an experienced operator, Noosa Council staff told a council meeting of their recommended tender choice.
Council officers recommend council choose DDI and its tender to supply two newly constructed diesel-fuelled vessels – a 27-vehicle ferry and 12-vehicle ferry along with an emissions offset agreement using Greenfleet offsets through the Yurol forest project, and councillors agreed.
November
Gentle’s Tri domination continues
Ashleigh Gentle continued her dominance of the women’s race at the Garmin Noosa Triathlon, winning an incredible ninth title in 10 years, while Charlie Quinn claimed his first win in the men’s race, set- ting a new course record on the way to victory.
Cable connection
With surprisingly little fanfare, the world’s first communications submarine cable and landing station to be funded by local government opened for business in Maroochydore in September, providing Queensland’s first direct international data and telecommunications connection to global markets.
Noosa top destination
Noosa has been recognised as one of Australia’s top regional towns, coming in at number three on Australian Traveller Magazine’s list of the top 50 regional holiday towns in Australia.
Plan builds hope
Council will consider development and rates concessions and partner with community housing providers for the creation of social and affordable housing under its new Housing Strategy.
Under the strategy councillors say they have taken a significant step toward meeting the shire’s social and affordable housing needs.
Plan targets land intrusion
Satellite mapping revealed 90 per cent of residents’ properties neighbouring nature reserves along the eastern beaches foreshore had yard extensions encroaching into the reserve, with some extending 40-50m into the foreshore.
The significance of the identified encroachment was raised in council with a deputation from community groups and a petition calling for zero tolerance of encroachment and immediate action be taken to rectify it.
Seagrass in major decline
Seagrass distribution in the Noosa River has declined a staggering 80 per cent in the past 20 years, according to reports prepared by Ecological Service Professionals for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Noosa Council.
The reports titled Current and Historical Distribution of Seagrass in the Noosa Estuary and Seagrass Distribution Study attributed the decline to a range of elements including a large amount of sediment caused from land erosion, particularly a large- scale flood in 1992, river bank erosion from boat wash, direct damage to seagrass by boat mooring and anchoring, shifting sand banks smothering seagrass and algae growth on sea- grass.
Oysters on rocks
After three years and $3.6million the Noosa River oyster restoration project took a significant step last Friday when scientists from Bri- bie Island Research Centre joined The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and local volunteers to seed recently created reefs at its restored Tewantin site with oyster spat.
Millionnaire’s row delivers
A 10 month and $8 million upgrade of 1.2km of one of the shire’s busiest roads, Noosa Parade was officially opened with Noosa councillors, Noosa MP and interested parties test driving the widened bike and pedestrian path of the active transport corridor.
December
Their market of success
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Noosa Farmers Market on another packed Sunday morning at Rococo Oval last weekend, Shane Stanley and wife Ish could feel quietly proud that their baby has done both, evolving from a tiny operation in the corner of the Noosa Tigers’ AFL grounds in 2002 to a sprawling market of nearly 100 stalls, still on the same site, a successful family business employing eight people, a major tourist attraction and, most importantly, providing the financial lifeblood to around 3000 people in the local agricultural sector.
Fire spotter trial
Artificial intelligence (AI) and ultra-high definition cameras are being trialed in Noosa Council as part of the Firetech Connect Program to demonstrate and test novel approaches to bushfire detection.
Noosa Council is the first council in Queensland to partner with US tech company Pano AI to trial 360-degree, ultra-high definition cameras and advanced AI technology to detect fires early, verify their location and provide real-time intelligence.
