Nod for quad bike tours

NOOSA Council is expected to give the final approval to a quad bike tour group to operate from a private address in Cooran after a probation period ended in March.
The Cooran business owner made an application to the Noosa Council to remove the sunset clause, one that allows the council to cancel the tour group if the company did not comply with council’s requirements.
The application was made with the Planning and Organisation Committee last week, but the matter was moved to the General Committee Meeting for further discussion on Monday.
According to a report presented to the council, since starting operations in 2013 the tour operator has operated in accordance with the council’s conditions.
In the report, the business owner said neither the council nor the business itself had received a single complaint regarding the tour operations.
“If anything, we now have full support of several previous incorrectly made submitters opposing our original application,” the business owner said.
“Further, we now have the full consent of all direct neighbours to our property and along the route of the tour, inclusive of National Park neighbours.”
The original business application was approved by Sunshine Coast Council in October 2012 and since then the quad bike tour group, which travels along Tablelands Road, Cooran, to the Woondum National Park, has accommodated 900 guests and is the second most popular sightseeing trip in Noosa on Trip Advisor.
The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection previously approved a permit for the quad tours to operate in the Woondum National Park and along Tablelands Road in Cooran, and the council’s approval refers to the use of a Tablelands Road property for training.
The council is expected to approve the removal of the sunset clause at tonight’s ordinary meeting at the council chambers.
– JOLENE OGLE