Exploring the use of pet-friendly shuttle buses to Noosa National Park and Noosa Waters, AI cameras to measure pedestrian stress in Hastings Street and the ongoing use of Noosa Heads Lions Park for car parking were initiatives discussed in Noosa Council meetings this month when staff presented a report on the 2024-25 Go Noosa Program.
Funded by a $30 sustainable transport levy the Go Noosa Program delivers a suite of transport initiatives that support the Noosa Transport Strategy 2017–2027, encouraging a shift away from private vehicle use toward more active and sustainable transport options. It aims to manage peak period congestion improve safety, and enhance the overall transport experience for residents and visitors, while protecting Noosa’s unique character and environment.
The main focus for the program last year was on managing congestion, improving safety and encouraging sustainable transport which is in alignment with the policy, staff said.
“Key highlights for last year was the (Main Beach) drop off zone which was one of the operational goals which has improved traffic flow, pedestrian access and emergency vehicle access.
“Another highlight was the Go Noosa bus route 065 which has been very successful with high patronage (accounting for 40 per cent of all bus travel during the holiday period and thousands of passengers, peaking at over 2500 a day during Christmas and 1500 at Easter).
“One of the other highlights is that we have ended free weekend bus service after the State introduced 50 cent fares. This has helped us bring the program back within sustainable transport levy. In the past year the cost exceeded the levy revenue. Now the program matches the revenue.“
Challenges of the program have included the underuse of Park & Ride, questions raised over the ongoing use of car parking at Noosa Heads Lions Park and the use of council-funded Flexi link cabs, and the availability of consistent and comparable data to drive decision making, staff said.
Taxi transport costing $2 and $1 for residents from across the shire aged over 60 or living at Boreen Point remain part of this year’s Go Noosa transport program and the free Go Noosa Holiday Bus Route 065 will return this Christmas.
For this year what we are proposing is to continue the program within the budget, maintain and improve the 065 shuttle bus route and explore new routes and priority bus links, staff said.
“We want to refresh the school program. We’re trying to understand challenges for children to walk and ride to school. We want to reinstate the Main Beach drop off zone. We want to target and reassess traffic control in high impact areas, promote park and ride and look at future design options for loading zones. We want to keep the Lions car park for Christmas only and we’re looking at investigating what can be our new KPIs for this next year.“
At the ordinary meeting last Thursday councillors voted to investigate costs, resourcing and feasibility in the 2026-27 budget of the expansion of the Go Noosa program to include other high-demand areas such as Peregian Beach and Cooroy and investigate a broader range of sustainable transport initiatives, including enhancements to Noosa’s river transport network, boating facilities and associated land-based infrastructure.
Mayor Frank Wilkie said free informed personal choice remained at the heart of the Go Noosaprogram.
“Peak times motorists remain free to drive to popular precincts like Main Beach. The benefit of the buses is while motorists will be travelling no faster than the buses they may still be circulating looking for a park while thousands of passengers who choose the bus have finished their swim, coffee and are heading home,“ he said.
“The Go Noosa program is a bespoke program designed to adapt to and cater for Noosa’s specific challenges.“
Find out more at noosa.qld.gov.au/Community/Transport-and-roads/Go-Noosa-Transport
