Stakeholders and community members sent mixed feedback on the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan (NRCMP) to Noosa Council after the matter was deferred a month to its October meetings.
Staff sent the draft NRCMP for further feedback to an expanded group of 24 key stakeholders, including State Government agencies, Natural Resource Management and environmental organisations, community and industry associations, the Kabi Kabi Peoples Aboriginal Corporation, research institutes, and former members of the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee (NRSAC).
They reported the majority of respondents generally supported the plan, a few just provided general feedback and a couple objected to it.
Former NRSAC feedback was mixed, with objections due mainly to strong opposition to the establishment of a conservation park.
The deferral motion led to the plan also being opened to input from the broader community through emails, submissions and inquiries, with the result being widespread confusion and distrust within the community, staff said.
The Ordinary Meeting last Thursday received petitions, questions and a strong community attendance.
Two petitions were received at Council’s Ordinary Meeting and referred to the CEO for appropriate action. One petition objecting to the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan had more than 200 signatories. A second petition calling for a stop to Noosa River turning into a conservation park received more than 2400 signatories.
Questions on notice relating to the NRCMP were taken from three residents at the meeting with responses provided by acting CEO Larry Sengstock.
Q: Nick Cooke – Will Noosa Council categorically confirm that they will not ban, suspend or restrict powered vessel access to any part of Noosa River now or into the future?
R: Larry Sengstock
Council does not have the authority to ban powered vessel access to the river and does not seek to gain this authority. There is no proposal to prevent powered vessels from accessing the river, in fact Council is working with Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) to identify suitable upgrades to boating facilities.
For two years Council and the former Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee, comprised of 14 members representing the commercial and recreational fishing and boating sectors, conservation and Natural Resource Management, commercial operators on the river and the tourism sector, worked with MSQ to introduce a 28-day anchoring limit in any financial year to reduce congestion and improve the river’s amenity, which is anticipated to be considered by the Minister for Transport and Main Roads next year. This was a major achievement and outcome of the Committee.
Q: Julie Watson – What is the procedure if you go ahead with the conservation park over the river if a future council want to change the parameters that you set?
R: Larry Sengstock
Any council can consider the decisions of a previous council and revisit those decisions, policies and strategies adopted by that council.
In relation to the issue of the conservation park consideration, it is important firstly to understand this Council is not going ahead with a Conservation Park, this Council is considering a Noosa River Catchment Plan that includes an action to consider a Conservation Park. Consideration of a Conservation Park would be a lengthy and comprehensive process and requires a number of steps including public consultation and a detailed feasibility assessment of natural, cultural and socio economic values of the river. If this were to proceed this process would take some time before any future Council considered going ahead with a Conservation Park over parts of the river.
Q: Hayley Hass – What specific role and/or involvement does the SEQ Council of Mayors Resilient Rivers Initiative have in the formulation and/or execution of the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan?
R: Larry Sengstock
Council of Mayors South East Queensland (COMSEQ) has indicated its South East Queensland Waterways and Wetlands Investment Strategy, which Council provided input to, is likely to be endorsed by the Resilient Rivers Taskforce in December.
Council has formulated the Noosa River Catchment Management Plan taking into account the framework for Catchment Action Plans already endorsed by other Councils. Catchment action plans can be developed by Councils, or the Resilient Rivers Initiative in partnership with Council and key stakeholders.
If Council has an existing plan for its catchment it will expedite funding decisions, but the absence of one will not preclude funding for projects, simply delay it until a plan is developed.
COMSEQ’s strategy includes a multi criteria analysis for potential projects and sets a vision for funding for the future of the region’s waterways and wetlands.
COMSEQ has invited Council to put forward high priority projects. Funding for projects is not guaranteed however co-contributions for projects which utilise good science and engineering will be well-received.
Council’s Noosa River planning history:
Planning and management for the Noosa River by Council has an extended and on-going history from the early 2000s when the Noosa River Plan was first being developed.
The first council plan was developed in 2004 as a whole of government endorsed plan for the river extending from the top of Lake Cootharaba down to the Noosa estuary.
Various community consultation has occurred over the past 20 years including consultation as part of the 2004 river plan, 2008 Anchoring and Mooring Strategy, Noosa River Community Jury in 2016, two rounds of community consultation as part of the updated 2019 Noosa River Plan, and the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee between 2021 and 2023.
The Noosa River Community Jury was established to deliberate on council’s role in managing anchoring and mooring, community uses and jetty leases. The Jury recommended that Noosa Council take on the responsibility of managing these on river and foreshore activities for the Noosa River.
In 2017 Council commenced a review and update of the 2004 Noosa River Plan as a whole-of-catchment management approach to protecting and enhancing the environmental, economic and social assets of the river and broader catchment.
Extensive consultation with internal
and targeted external stakeholders was carried out throughout 2018, and a draft plan endorsed for further public consultation in November 2019. Community consultation occurred from December to January 2020/21. Public and stakeholder feedback indicated mixed support.
In January 2021 council determined that there was no longer a need for council to take on extra management responsibilities for anchoring, mooring, commercial uses and commercial jetties due to Maritime Safety Queensland’s (MSQ) commitment to river management and marine safety in Noosa. Council considered that mutually beneficial outcomes can be achieved by working with and supporting MSQ which has a locally based office and dedicated officer.
The Noosa River Stakeholder Committee was formed in April 2021 in partnership with MSQ and key community stakeholders and focused largely on anchoring and mooring reforms which are now being progressed by MSQ through state government approval processes.
An updated Noosa River Catchment Management Plan was drafted, drawing on feedback received from consultation, scientific research, and the many partnerships, programs and projects underway.
