Margie Maccoll
Noosa Heads car parking was back on the agenda at Noosa Council’s Monday meeting with the People’s Park at Main Beach set to return this Christmas, holiday car parking to continue at Noosa Heads Lions Park, a parking management plan underway and a Movement and Place study proposed for 2025-26.
A report on Noosa Transport Strategy’s Go Noosa programs was presented to councillors which provided an update of its various initiatives, recommended
a review of the of the Boreen Point Flexilink and Council Cabs service and the approval of the People’s Park for the peak Christmas/New Year two week period.
Trialled for the first time last year the People’s Park converted 42 car parks beside Noosa Surf Life Saving Club into bays for disability parking, Surf Life Saving car parks, Council operations, drop-off/pick-up bays, scooter bays, added temporary trees, marquees, additional camera surveillance and lighting and served as an emergency response hub on New Year’s Eve. A survey showed a mixed response from the community to the People’s Park but was overall considered a success. It will be reopen from 23 December to 5 January.
Mayor Frank Wilkie said the temporary park would allow vehicles to drop off and collect passengers and their gear directly at Main Beach.
“This will also again free up the Hastings Street roundabout, which traditionally becomes blocked with cars seeking parks, backing up and down the entrance ramp and onto the road,” he said.
Acting Infrastructure Services Director Shaun Walsh said the aim was to make best possible use of the space.
“The feedback from last year’s trial is that many users appreciated the functional aspects of the drop-off zone so close to the beach during an incredibly busy period,” he said.
“And we are really wanting to make it safer for everyone and keep traffic moving through the Hastings Street/Noosa Drive roundabout.
“The impact of everyone trying to park as close as possible to the beach, results in so many vehicles queuing, circling and waiting, which has a huge congestive impact on the traffic functionality of Hastings Street.”
The Go Noosa report did not recommend the continued use of the Noosa Heads Lions Park for paid holiday car parking.
But a motion put forward by Cr Amelia Lorentson, that gained a majority vote in council, called for its continued use during Christmas and 2025 Easter holidays and for community consultation to determine future use.
She said removing 239 parking spaces in the park may only worsen traffic congestion and the money from parking raised by the Lions Club benefitted the community.
Council promised to consult the community on paid parking but it hasn’t happened yet, Cr Lorentson said.
“The community’s recent feedback on other local initiatives, such as the Noosaville Foreshore Infrastructure Management Plan, the River Plan, and the People’s Park petition, has made it clear that they highly value parking spaces. Therefore, any decision about the future of Lions Park must be made with their input, balancing the broader community’s need for access to public parkland with the request for paid parking on this reserve,” she said.
Cr Lorentson’s motion included the staff note that a Parking Management Plan, including a Local Parking Plan for Noosa Heads was under preparation and a Movement and Place study was proposed for the 2025-26 that would consider car parking and circulation in the Main Beach locality including future use of the Noosa Heads Lions Park, the Noosa Heads Bus Station, the Maze Carpark (Cnr Noosa Drive and Hastings Street) and the Main Beach Local Government Reserve (People’s Park) and would be subject to community engagement.
Also added to Cr Lorentson’s motion was a note that the concept of a one-way “Local Loop” with Bus Priority Lane, from Noosa Drive to Noosa Parade, which was raised as a Council resolution on 13 September 2021, be referred to a Councillor workshop.
The Go Noosa Program is largely funded by Councils Transport Levy and prioritises sustainable transport and congestion reduction initiatives including free holiday buses, a school program to encourage walking, riding and carpooling to school, and car park tech trial alerting drivers to real time parking information on electronic message boards.
