Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart
What a year it has been for Noosa Council.
Recently, we reviewed the year 2021-2022 and how much we have achieved as a council in the past 12 months.
To say we have worked hard is an understatement. Despite the challenges – and there have been many – we have achieved great things for the Noosa Shire.
From environment to community, economy, long-term planning and excellence as a council, we have overcome unforeseen risks to achieve significant results.
The biggest achievement is the delivery of capital projects. Noosa Council has delivered $35 million worth of capital projects to our Shire, the most ever in a 12-month cycle.
This includes the construction of The Hinterland Playground, Peregian Community House, Noosa Parade Corridor Upgrade and bridge replacements for the hinterland including Tablelands Bridge Road B Cooran, and Wahpunga Lane Bridge, Kin Kin.
Other bridges and roads in construction and yet to be completed include the Tewantin bypass and Cooroy Belli Creek Bridge, Garth Prowd Bridge, Noosa Heads and Lake Doonella Bridge, which are next to be remediated under the Bridges Renewal Program.
One of the most notable focus projects and a strong passion of mine is the Noosa District Sports Complex. Council has committed $2.1 million in future budgets as a co-contribution to a pending Building Better Regions Fund application for $2.1m from the Federal Government for the internal road upgrades and cycle and pedestrian pathway networks.
Council is also currently undertaking a feasibility study for the proposed ReGen facility in the Noosa District Sports Complex and is looking at how better to utilise this complex for physical activities and well-being opportunities for the broader community. It has the potential to be a major investment and when completed will be used across nine sporting organisations with a combined membership of around 3000. We are also undertaking a non-powered water sports feasibility study
Council has also committed funding and sourced external funding to the McKinnon Drive Community Sports Facility rebuild, which is currently out for tender. The facility will include four new change rooms, supporting amenities and a large multi-purpose undercover area. The facility will provide for cricket, wet weather netball training and Noosa’s two first-ever undercover pickleball courts.
Concept plans for the Cooroy Sports complex have been completed with a soccer and cricket clubhouse redevelopment and expansion of the gymnastic facility.
The SEQ City Deal through the Council of Mayors (SEQ), which I strongly advocated for Council to re-join, will also deliver a $3.58 million investment to enhance our region’s liveability by investing in community infrastructure.
Creating a resilient economy is a priority for Council and our Economic Development Strategy, adopted in November 2021, is well underway. It focuses on a more diverse and resilient economy that delivers higher value, higher skills and employment opportunities.
The Economic Development team also secured $50k in matched funding from State Governments to develop an Industry and Employment Action Plan for Noosa. This plan will focus on economic diversification., resilience and employment for the Noosa Shire.
But a resilient economy is nothing without affordable housing. The Noosa Shire is gripped by the national housing crisis, which is having a significant social and economic impact on the community.
We provided charity, Youturn Youth Support the use of Council land at Tewantin for two tiny homes to provide short-term, transitional housing and adopted Short Term Local Letting Laws and Planning Scheme Amendments.
But our largest body of work in the past 12 months was our Draft Housing Strategy. This Draft Housing Strategy sets a clear plan for housing in Noosa Shire through to 2041 and was open to community consultation.
Putting out community first was another significant achievement. We stood with the hinterland community to launch legal action against Kin Kin Quarry operators, we continued business round tables, chap roundtables and more recently, a roundtable with environmental groups regarding the polystyrene disaster on our eastern beaches and for the second year, we engaged and sought community feedback on our budget.
One of our most significant works is Council’s waste strategy. With 60 per cent of our emissions coming from our waste, it is incredibly important that we turn the tables on waste and not see it just as a must-do, but also as an opportunity to reduce emissions and divert materials to landfill through strategies and changes in behaviours.
Council’s Waste Strategy is currently in development.
We also made a commitment to climate change by installing more solar panels on council facilities, purchasing two fully electric vehicles and completing the Climate Change Response Plan, establishing a community reference group to help guide the implementation of the plan.
We implemented the Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Management Plan and Fire Management Plan, increased staff training and skilling for fire management, appointed a dedicated fire management officer within Council and are completing some high-priority burns over cooler months.
Council, in partnership, established the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Group to better manage Noosa River including anchoring, mooring and live-on-boards and were instrumental in the Noosa Biosphere Tracks and Trails, specifically Trail 5 upgrade and Yurol Ringtail Conservation Project.
On top of all of this, Council responded to significant disasters from the COVID 19 pandemic to major flooding.
There were also many challenges such as property valuation fluctuations and growth, the increasing cost of materials, service and labour, staff attraction and retention as well as the changing nature of the workplace, climate change action, mitigation and resilience (natural disasters) and disruption, and economic and geo-political headwinds.
Internally at Noosa Council, an independent review of Council governance was undertaken, Council’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework and Policy and Community Engagement Framework and Policy were reviewed, and a new Workplace Health and Safety System Plan ‘Safe Plan’ Policy was been developed and approved by our CEO and an internal review was conducted of Council’s Workplace Health and Safety system.
We also conducted an employee survey and community satisfaction survey.
But the most important work done internally at Council was the Noosa 2.0, a roadmap developed by our new CEO and Executive Team and implemented for the future of our organisation. It will provide a clear focus on delivering a sustainable, customer-centric agile organisation to serve the community.
We have done much over the past 12 months, but there is still so much more to do and all at Council remain committed to working with, and for you, our community.
