CARA President’s Report 2025
In April, CARA committee members attended the ENERVEST Battery Energy Storage information session at the Cooroy Memorial Hall. Their Battery Energy Storage system will store excess energy from the grid and release it during peak demand, which will improve grid stability, support renewable integration. Various concerns have been raised by residents, but a development application has not been lodged with council as far as we are aware.
Council called for public submissions on the Woolworths proposal. The development application is for a Residential Care Facility and Shopping Centre, opposite the Cooroy Golf Club in Myall Street, which the committee voted unanimously to oppose. Given the short notification period, and the fact the applicant decided to restrict its public discussion to its website, CARA agreed to help the local supermarket owner hold an information session, explaining reasons why the proposal would adversely affect the Cooroy CBD. The DA is now undergoing Impact Assessment by Council, and councillors will vote on the staff recommendations sometime early in 2026.
This year, CARA has been represented on the working group for the Noosa Botanic Gardens Masterplan. The plan was released for community feedback in October and feedback was given by CARA members, including several committee members.
Update on Coast2Bay’s 64 Lake Macdonald Drive affordable housing proposal
Site establishment works are complete, including installation of erosion and sediment controls, and construction of the Bio-retention Basin within the site’s northern corner. Vegetation clearing works, that included the felling and chipping of the approximately 2,000 pine trees and root ball removal, has been completed. Remediation of the site is ongoing. The Public Notification period ended on November 21, and the development application is now being Impact Assessed. CARA supports the council’s affordable housing measures, in principle, however several members submitted their concerns about the proposal’s high density, poor proximity to essential services, and parking and stormwater problems.
CARA acknowledges the challenges posed by overtourism in coastal areas, however we are concerned about the council’s redirection of tourists to hinterland communities. This approach risks undermining the very qualities that make our towns liveable and economically resilient places. The new Destination Management Plan for Noosa Shire must endeavour to restrict hinterland visitor numbers.
It has been proposed that CARA members be given advance notice of committee meeting dates so they can present agenda items and attend committee meetings. Agenda items would need to be submitted 14 days in advance of the metings. It was also requested that members be polled on their opinions of important proposals, before the committee decides whether or not to support a particular proposal. The committee decided to advertise the dates of meetings and invite members to attend meetings and propose agenda items. The proposal that members be polled on new projects (so that committee decisions would be based on a majority of members opinions) was rejected because committee decisions are based on how a proposal aligns with CARA objects, not its popularity with members.
Marie Sulda has been welcomed as a new committee member of the Management Committee.
The CARA Facebook page, Cooroy Community Noticeboard has grown from around 27,000 members this time last year to nearly 31,000 this year.
Rod Ritchie
CARA President
December 2025
