Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart
War on waste
Noosa Council is taking proactive and aggressive steps in our war on waste as we know our landfill accounts for 63 per cent of our council emissions.
Council has recently purchased a machine which will ensure around 50 tonnes of polystyrene will be spared from landfill annually. The upcoming arrival of our new Expanded Polystyrene Thermal Compaction Unit at our Eumundi Road waste facility follows a successful six-month trial of the recycling technology using a smaller machine.
Processing polystyrene in-house will save council more than $380,000 annually in costs associated with landfilling of this material. It makes good business sense as the machine will more than pay for itself in less than six months, and we’re conserving space in our new landfill cell while helping reduce the environmental impact of polystyrene waste.
We are hoping to have the new machine up and running in August.
Speaking of reducing landfill, well done to the Noosa and Sunshine Coast communities for their support of the Give a Sheet for the Planet event recently. The two local government areas dropped off a combined 1.5 tonnes of linen for recycling by BlockTexx and 2.8 tonnes of clothes to be given new life through Vinnies. This important re-use and recycling initiative is helping keep tonnes of linen and clothing from needlessly being sent to landfill.
Reducing emissions
With the support of Yarra Energy Foundation and Zero Emissions Noosa, council has secured a $500,000.00 federal government Batteries for Household Solar grant towards setting up one of the state’s first community batteries here in Noosa Shire. Attached to the power grid it will soak up the excess energy fed into the grid by residents’ solar panels during the day and then export it back to the grid at night to reduce local homes’ reliance on coal power at night. Ultimately by flooding the local network with renewable power at night, it will work toward reducing the shire’s emissions.
Transport initiatives
A reminder to make the most of our free weekend buses- part of our Go Noosa Transport Program. Enjoy getting around our shire without the hassle of parking. Free weekend buses include Translink services- 626, 627, 628, 629 and 632 covering Tewantin, Sunshine Beach, Sunrise Beach, Noosa Heads, Parklands, Noosa Junction, Noosaville, Cooran, Cooroy, and Pomona. Please download the My Translink app or call 13 12 30 for timetable information.
Community support
Over the past few years, Noosa Council has supported our wonderful community groups with record funding through our grants program. In our latest grants round, 15 different community projects, events, infrastructure, and programs will share in $140,000 during this round of funding which is a wonderful boost for so many of our community groups who do so much work for our community. Added to this, six local creative industries projects have also received a cash boost, sharing in over $36,000.00 as part of our latest Regional Arts Development Fund.
Finally, last weekend’s horrific attack on one of our much-loved community members has shocked and saddened us all. On behalf of all councillors and Noosa Council, I extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Mr Kerr. There is no doubt this senseless loss of one of our residents has had a profound impact on many in our community as was evident by the hundreds and hundreds of people who gathered together this past Sunday to walk in memory of Mr Kerr. David Knechtli, thank you for bringing our community together. It was a morning which reminded us of the strength we have when we unite as one.
