Free weekend buses extended to Peregian Beach, an empty shop described as an eyesore in Peregian Village and beach pollution were among issues raised by Peregian Beach residents with Noosa Council chief executive officer Scott Waters when he dropped into the surf club just over 100 days into his new role.
Mr Waters visited the club this month to update residents on Council progress as a guest of resident’s association Peregian Family and Friends, Inc.
He was joined by Sunshine Coast Airport representatives who called on residents for feedback on the airport terminal’s proposed expansion.
While working on reviewing and establishing Noosa Council’s five-year corporate plan, Mr Waters said the pandemic had taught councils they needed to be agile, fiscally responsible and economically sustainable, and to have a buffer to enabled them to operate services when disasters arose and provide assistance where they could.
With a $110 million annual budget, about 500 staff and five departments, Noosa Council punched above its weight in delivering additional services as well as core council operations, Mr Waters said.
He said the council was in good financial shape with no concerns about its current debts and he praised the elected councillors for their dedication.
“You’ve got great councillors. All work extremely hard, all are engaged in the community,“ he said.
Mr Waters said it was not his intention as the new CEO to bring in change for the sake of change but to focus on what could be done better.
He said he would take on notice the issue of Peregian Beach’s exclusion from the free weekend bus trial and beach pollution was an issue under discussion, but while he understood the impact on other businesses of an unkept, empty shop, there was nothing council could do to force a property owner to address the situation.
Sunshine Coast Airport representatives Kylie Ezzie and Kate McCreery-Carr talked to residents about the airport’s plans to double the size of the airport terminal from 7500sqm to 15,000sqm, grow international travel and turn it by the 2032 Olympics into the Sunshine Coast gateway to the Olympics.
After losing 95 per cent of revenue during Covid, the airport was looking to the future and was excited to have an airline, Bonza, based at the airport.
Kylie said the airport had plans to invest $500 million in next decade to build the infrastructure and aimed to create a terminal where travellers could have a lounge, get a meal, have a shower and enjoy some retail experience.
Residents said it was important to them that the airport retained its services enabling fast movement through check-in and security and parking that was reasonably priced.
