By Phil Jarratt
It was a long time coming – over three years in fact – but the permanent versions of Noosa World Surfing Reserve’s surf safety signs have been installed just in time for the holiday season.
The four new signs, produced in conjunction with Noosa Council, are placed adjacent to the beach showers at Access 12 in The Woods, Access 14 at the bottom of Hastings Street and outside the National Park gates, and at First Point. The final, simple design follows years of debate and revision by the NWSR stewardship council and Noosa Council staff, and according to those closest to the process, ticks all the boxes for making residents and visitors alike more aware of the importance of understanding and following the basic principles of safe surfing.
Founding NWSR stewardship council members Libby Winter and Di Cuddihy, who vacated their positions on the council this year (along with this writer) after almost a decade of service, told Noosa Today they were delighted to see the sturdy and attractive fin-shaped signs finally installed, after the long wait since approval was granted for a trial period of temporary signage in 2020. Said Libby, who worked closely with Council throughout the process: “Thank you, Council, for finally getting them in! I’ve been involved all the way through and it’s been an unusual one in that the design went from a rather flamboyant approach at one point, to really low key but effective in the end. Originally they were going to give just basic safety information, but then we went down the track of trying to make an iconic design that would appeal to tourists. Some of the ideas were great, but they went way beyond the range of what the original concept was.”
At this stage the new and permanent signs will be complemented by the existing temporary signs at other beach access points, but Libby said she was confident that budget would be found so that the affordable final design signs could be installed at every surfing access point within the World Surfing Reserve.
