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2017-04-11 P&E Agenda Attachment 1 to Item 1 Housing Needs Assessment
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Attachment 1 to Item 1
Planning & Environment Committee Agenda
11 April 2017
Website: www.briggsandmortar.com.au
Noosa Council
Housing Needs Assessment
Prepared for:
Noosa Shire Council
By:
Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd
Job No.
16210
March 17
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Full text of sections 2 to 110 (of 229)
Section 2
Contents
Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 7
1.1 Purpose of this Report ..................................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 Context of the Report ....................................................................................................................................... 7
1.3 Council’s Sustainability Principles ................................................................................................................ 8
1.4 Role of Local Government in Housing ....................................................................................................... 9
1.5 Project Aims.......................................................................................................................................................... 9
1.6 Project Outcomes ............................................................................................................................................ 10
2. Information Review and Analysis .......................................................................................... 11
2.1 Overview of the Noosa Shire Population .............................................................................................. 11
2.1.1 Socio-Economic Characteristics..................................................................................................................... 11
2.1.2 Economic Characteristics ................................................................................................................................. 12
2.1.3 Housing and Household Characteristics .................................................................................................... 13
2.2 Demographic Characteristics of Localities ............................................................................................ 13
2.2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................................ 13
2.2.2 Characteristics by Locality................................................................................................................................ 20
2.3 Policy and Strategy Framework ................................................................................................................. 23
2.3.1 ShapingSEQ, Draft SEQ Regional Plan ........................................................................................................ 23
2.3.2 State Planning Policy – State Interest Guideline, Housing Supply and Diversity, April, 2016 . 25
2.3.3 Queensland Housing Strategy, Discussion Paper (2016) ..................................................................... 26
2.3.4 Noosa Social Strategy 2015 ............................................................................................................................ 27
2.3.5 Noosa Shire Council Local Economic Plan................................................................................................. 28
2.3.6 Sunshine Coast Regional Council Housing Needs Assessment, Background Study, 2009 ...... 29
2.3.7 Residential Development Strategy for Noosa Shire, 2007................................................................... 31
2.3.8 Sunshine Coast Affordable Living Strategy, 2010-2020 ....................................................................... 33
2.3.9 Implications for Housing Provision .............................................................................................................. 34
3. Existing Housing Supply and Dwelling Characteristics ...................................................... 36
3.1 Private Housing Market Characteristics ................................................................................................. 36
3.1.1 Total Dwellings .................................................................................................................................................... 36
3.1.2 Dwelling Type ....................................................................................................................................................... 36
3.1.3 Household Type by Dwelling Type ............................................................................................................... 38
3.1.4 Household Size and Dwelling Size ............................................................................................................... 39
3.1.5 Housing Tenure ................................................................................................................................................... 41
3.1.6 Rental Stock - Bonds held by RTA 2011-2016 ......................................................................................... 42
3.1.7 Median Rents by Housing Type .................................................................................................................... 43
3.1.8 Rental Vacancy Rates......................................................................................................................................... 47
3.1.9 Dwellings Sales Data.......................................................................................................................................... 47
3.1.10 Vacant Land Sales Data .................................................................................................................................... 50
3.1.11 Housing Characteristics by Localities .......................................................................................................... 53
3.2 Social Housing Characteristics ................................................................................................................... 57
3.2.1 Public Housing ..................................................................................................................................................... 57
3.2.2 Community Housing, Transitional Housing, and Emergency Housing ........................................... 63
3.2.3 Private Market Assistance ................................................................................................................................ 66
3.3 Other Housing .................................................................................................................................................. 67
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Section 3
4. Assessment of Housing Needs .............................................................................................. 69
4.1 Housing Needs for Specific Groups ......................................................................................................... 69
4.1.1 Aged Persons’ Accommodation .................................................................................................................... 69
4.1.2 People with a Disability .................................................................................................................................... 82
4.1.3 Low Income Groups/Young People ............................................................................................................. 92
4.1.4 Key Workers .......................................................................................................................................................... 99
4.1.5 People Escaping Domestic Violence ............................................................................................................ 99
4.1.6 People at Risk of Homelessness ................................................................................................................. 100
4.1.7 People with Mental Health Issues .............................................................................................................. 101
4.1.8 Tourists/Visitors ................................................................................................................................................ 102
4.2 Benchmarking Housing Suitability and Affordability ...................................................................... 109
4.2.1 Housing Choice ................................................................................................................................................ 111
4.2.2 Housing Stress .................................................................................................................................................. 113
4.2.3 Housing Affordability ..................................................................................................................................... 113
4.2.4 Implications for Housing Provision ........................................................................................................... 115
5. Consultation ........................................................................................................................... 117
5.1 Consultation Undertaken ........................................................................................................................... 117
5.2 Summary of Findings of the Consultation .......................................................................................... 117
5.2.1 Housing for Specific Needs Groups .......................................................................................................... 117
5.2.2 Visitor Accommodation ................................................................................................................................. 119
5.2.3 Student Accommodation .............................................................................................................................. 121
5.2.4 Real Estate Market ........................................................................................................................................... 122
5.2.5 Property Development Market ................................................................................................................... 124
5.2.6 Aged or Disability Accommodation .......................................................................................................... 126
6. Population and Demographic Trends and Forecasts ........................................................ 127
6.1 Analysis of Development Trends ............................................................................................................ 127
6.1.1 Development Activity – Dwellings ............................................................................................................. 127
6.1.2 Development Activity – Lots ........................................................................................................................ 132
6.2 Analysis of Trends in Community Profile ............................................................................................. 134
6.3 Population, Household and Dwelling Projections............................................................................ 140
6.3.1 Population Projections ................................................................................................................................... 140
6.3.2 Household Projections ................................................................................................................................... 141
6.3.3 Dwelling Projections ....................................................................................................................................... 141
6.3.4 Unitywater Demand Modeller and Tracking Tool (DMaTT) Dwelling Projections ................... 142
6.3.5 Tourism Trends and Visitor Projections ................................................................................................... 147
6.4 Estimating Future Housing Needs .......................................................................................................... 150
6.4.1 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................................... 150
6.4.2 Future Dwelling Diversity Needs for Residents..................................................................................... 151
6.4.3 Future Dwelling Needs for Tourists/Visitors .......................................................................................... 162
6.5 Opportunities for Meeting Future Housing Needs ......................................................................... 168
6.5.1 Meeting Resident Needs ............................................................................................................................... 168
6.5.2 Meeting Tourist/Visitor Needs .................................................................................................................... 174
6.5.3 New Housing Models/Initiatives for Consideration ............................................................................ 177
7. Recommended Actions for Council to Consider................................................................ 179
7.1 Key Recommended Actions ...................................................................................................................... 179
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Section 4
7.1.1 Recommended Actions in Relation to Meeting Housing Needs.................................................... 179
7.1.2 Recommended Actions in Relation to Providing Incentives ............................................................ 180
7.1.3 Recommended Actions in Relation to Housing for Recipients of the National Disability
Insurance Scheme .......................................................................................................................................................... 181
7.2 Recommended Actions for the Planning Scheme ........................................................................... 184
7.2.1 Recommended Actions in Relation to Small Dwellings ..................................................................... 184
7.2.2 Recommended Actions in Relation to Dwelling Diversity ................................................................ 186
7.2.3 Recommended Actions in Relation to Residential Development in Business Centres........... 187
7.2.4 Recommended Actions in Relation to Secondary Dwellings ........................................................... 188
7.2.5 Recommended Actions in Relation to Housing Affordability.......................................................... 190
7.2.6 Recommended Actions in Relation to Short Term Rental Accommodation .............................. 194
7.2.7 Recommended Actions in Relation to Tourist Accommodation .................................................... 197
7.2.8 Recommended Actions in Relation to Aged Accommodation ....................................................... 197
8. References .............................................................................................................................. 200
Appendices ................................................................................................................................... 204
Appendix A. Comparative Analysis ................................................................................................................... 204
Appendix B. Projected dwelling need for residents according to no change, low change and
high change scenarios – Additional tables .................................................................................................... 207
Appendix C. New Housing Models/Initiatives for Consideration ......................................................... 214
List of Tables
Table 1. Population growth, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2006-2015p ...................................... 11
Table 2. Estimated resident population by locality, 2011-2015 ................................................................... 15
Table 3. Dwellings, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011....................................................................... 36
Table 4. Dwellings by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, 2011 ............................................................................... 37
Table 5. Dwelling Type, Occupied Residents, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 ................... 38
Table 6. Household Type by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, 2011 .................................................................. 39
Table 7. Household Size by Dwelling Size, Noosa Shire, 2011 ..................................................................... 40
Table 8. Dwelling tenure, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 .......................................................... 42
Table 9. Public Housing by Program, By Postcode and Suburb, Noosa Shire, 2015 ........................... 58
Table 10. Public Housing by Number of Bedrooms and Number of Occupants, Noosa Shire, 2015
........................................................................................................................................................................................ 58
Table 11. Characteristics of Households in Public Housing, Noosa Shire, 2015 .................................... 59
Table 12. Homelessness Category for Households in Public Housing (at time of allocation), By
Locality, Noosa Shire, 2015 ................................................................................................................................. 60
Table 13. Tenancy Start Date, Public Housing, Noosa Shire, 2015.............................................................. 60
Table 14. Bedroom Entitlement for Households on Social Housing Register, By Preferred
Location, Noosa Shire, 2015 ............................................................................................................................... 61
Table 15. Characteristics of Households on Social Housing Register, Noosa Shire, 2015 ................. 62
Table 16. Homelessness Category for Households on Social Housing Register, By Location, Noosa
Shire, 2015 ................................................................................................................................................................. 63
Table 17. Year of Application for Households on Social Housing Register, By Location, Noosa
Shire, 2015 ................................................................................................................................................................. 63
Table 18. Housing and Service Providers, Noosa Shire, 2016 ....................................................................... 64
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Section 5
Table 19. Private market housing assistance by category of assistance, Noosa Shire, 12 months to
30 June 2016 ............................................................................................................................................................. 67
Table 20. Caravan, Camping and Temporary Accommodation, Noosa Shire ......................................... 68
Table 21. National benchmarks for aged care, 2016-2036 ............................................................................ 73
Table 22. Provision of Aged Care Services, Sunshine Coast Aged Care Planning Region, 2015-
2016 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 74
Table 23. Benchmarking of Aged Care Services against Australian Government Targets, Sunshine
Coast Aged Care Planning Region, 2015-16 - 2036.................................................................................. 75
Table 24. Residential Aged Care Facilities, Noosa Shire, 2015-2016 .......................................................... 76
Table 25: Benchmarking of Aged Care Services against Australian Government Targets, Noosa
Shire, 2015-16 - 2036 ............................................................................................................................................ 77
Table 26: Benchmarking of Aged Care Services against Australian Government Targets, Noosa
Shire, 2015-16 - 2036 ............................................................................................................................................ 78
Table 27. Retirement villages, independent living units, Noosa Shire, 2016........................................... 80
Table 28. Benchmarking of Independent Living Units against Notional Benchmarks, Noosa Shire,
2016 - 2036................................................................................................................................................................ 81
Table 29. Accommodation for People with Disability, Noosa Shire ........................................................... 82
Table 30. Housing Stress, Households in Noosa Shire, Greater Brisbane and Queensland, 2011 . 93
Table 31. Rental Stress, Noosa Shire and Queensland, 2014 and 2015 .................................................... 94
Table 32. Homeless people, Noosa Shire, 2011 ................................................................................................ 100
Table 33. People accessing specialist homelessness services, Noosa Shire and Queensland, Year
to 30 June 2015...................................................................................................................................................... 100
Table 34. Accommodation for People with Mental Health Issues close to Noosa Shire ................. 102
Table 35. Accommodation establishments and rooms, ABS data, Noosa Shire, 2014-15 ............... 104
Table 36. Tourist accommodation (hotels, motels, and serviced apartments), Noosa Shire, 1 July
2014 – 30 June 2015 ............................................................................................................................................ 105
Table 37. Accommodation establishments, Members of Tourism Noosa, Noosa Shire, August
2016 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 106
Table 38. Property Listings on AirBnB and Stayz, Noosa Shire, 2016 ...................................................... 108
Table 39. Dwelling Approvals (including Demolitions) by Dwelling Type, By Locality, Noosa Shire,
1 July 2011 to 30 June 2016.............................................................................................................................. 128
Table 40. Dwelling Approvals by Year, Noosa Shire, 2011-12 to 2015-16............................................. 129
Table 41. Approved Value per Dwelling by Locality, Noosa Shire, 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2016 .. 130
Table 42. Approved Floor Area per Dwelling by Locality, Noosa Shire, 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2016
...................................................................................................................................................................................... 131
Table 43. Age group projections (medium series) (2015 edition), Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 .......... 137
Table 44. Household type, Noosa Shire, 2001, 2006, 2011 .......................................................................... 139
Table 45. Population Projections, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 ......................................................................... 141
Table 46. Household Type Projections, Medium Series, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 ............................. 141
Table 47. Dwelling Projections, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036.............................................................................. 142
Table 48. Existing and Projected Resident Dwellings, DMaTT Model, Projection Areas and Noosa
Shire, 2014-2036.................................................................................................................................................... 144
Table 49. Existing and Projected Non-Resident/Visitor Dwellings, DMaTT Model, Projection Areas
and Noosa Shire, 2014-2036 ............................................................................................................................ 145
Table 50. Estimated and forecast total visitor nights, Brisbane and Gold Coast, and Rest of State,
2005-06 to 2024-25 ............................................................................................................................................. 148
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Section 6
Table 51. Forecast annual growth rates for total visitor nights, Brisbane and Gold Coast, and Rest of State, 2016-2025 .............................................................................................................................................. 149 Table 52. Projection strategy for each component of dwelling stock ..................................................... 150 Table 53. Assumed percentage point change (a) in dwelling preference away from large separate houses, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036..................................................................................................................... 153 Table 54. Resulting proportion of households choosing large separate houses by household type, Noosa Shire, 2036 ................................................................................................................................................. 153 Table 55. Assumed change in dwelling preferences towards other dwelling types (a), Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 ................................................................................................................................................................ 154 Table 56. Assumed change in dwelling preferences over time, Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 ............... 154 Table 57. Projected dwelling mix to meet assumed resident household needs, No, low and high change scenarios, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 ................................................................................................ 155 Table 58. Projected additional dwelling need to meet assumed resident household needs, No, low and high change scenario, Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 ...................................................................... 160 Table 59. Assumed need for tourist accommodation (rooms in resorts, motels, hotels, etc.), Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 ..................................................................................................................................... 164 Table 60. Assumed need for tourist accommodation (rooms in resorts, motels, hotels, etc.) (with increased occupancy to 80%), Noosa Shire, 2016-2036........................................................................ 164 Table 61. Assumptions about movement out of resorts ............................................................................... 165 Table 62. Additional capacity in existing resorts, additional need in residential market, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036.................................................................................................................................................... 165 Table 63. Assumed need for visitor dwellings, Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 ................................................ 166 Table 64. Assumed need for visitor dwellings (with increased occupancy from 50% to 70%), Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 ..................................................................................................................................... 167 Table 65. Assumed overall need for tourist accommodation and visitor dwellings, Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 ................................................................................................................................................................ 168 Table 66. Assumed additional secondary dwellings, High take-up scenario, Noosa Shire, 2016- 2036 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 169 Table 67. Assumed additional secondary dwellings, Low take-up scenario, Noosa Shire, 2016- 2036 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 170 Table 68. Additional new dwelling stock required to meet assumed resident household needs, Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 ..................................................................................................................................... 171 Table 69. Comparison of modelled need to meet resident household growth and capacity for resident dwellings, Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 .............................................................................................. 174 Table 70. Total estimated tourist accommodation and visitor dwelling needs (including new supply due to secondary dwellings and growth in renting out spare capacity), Noosa Shire, 2016-2036 ................................................................................................................................................................ 176 List of Figures Figure 1. Map of localities (and other statistical boundaries), Noosa Shire ............................................ 14 Figure 2. Resident population by locality, 2011 and 2015 ............................................................................. 16 Figure 3. Median age by locality, 2011................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 4. Age structure by locality, 2011 ............................................................................................................... 17 Figure 5. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by locality, 2011 .................................................. 17 Figure 6. Household types by locality, 2011 ........................................................................................................ 18 Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page vi
Section 7
Figure 7. Average household size by locality, 2016 .......................................................................................... 18
Figure 8. Residents in need of assistance, 2011.................................................................................................. 19
Figure 9. Median household and personal income by locality, 2011......................................................... 19
Figure 10. Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 ......................................................... 37
Figure 11. Household Size by Dwelling Size, Noosa Shire, 2011 ................................................................. 41
Figure 12. Tenure Type, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 ............................................................. 41
Figure 13. Total Bonds held by RTA, Noosa Localities, 2011-2016 ............................................................. 43
Figure 14. Bonds Lodged with RTA by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016 .................................. 43
Figure 15. Median Rents for Flats/Units (two bedrooms), Noosa Shire and Queensland, 2001-
2014 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 44
Figure 16. Median Rents for Houses (three bedrooms), Noosa Shire and Queensland, 2001-2014
........................................................................................................................................................................................ 45
Figure 17. Median Rents by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, 2014-2016 ....................................................... 45
Figure 18. Median Rents by Locality, Two Bedroom Flat, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016 ............................. 46
Figure 19. Median Rents by Locality, Three Bedroom House, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016 .................... 46
Figure 20. Median Rents by Locality, Four Bedroom House, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016....................... 47
Figure 21. Rental vacancy rate by quarter, Noosa Shire, September 2010 - March 2016 ................. 47
Figure 22. Median Dwelling Sale Price, Noosa Shire and Queensland, 1998-2015.............................. 48
Figure 23. Median Dwelling Sale Price, Detached Dwellings (Houses), Noosa Shire and
Comparisons, 1998-2015 ..................................................................................................................................... 49
Figure 24. Number of Sales, Detached Dwellings (Houses), Noosa Shire, 1998-2015 ........................ 49
Figure 25. Median Dwelling Sale Price, Attached Dwellings, Noosa Shire and Comparisons, 1998-
2015 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 50
Figure 26. Number of Sales, Attached Dwellings, Noosa Shire, 1998-2015 ............................................ 50
Figure 27. Median Vacant Land Sale Price, Noosa Shire and Comparisons, 1998-2015 .................... 51
Figure 28. Median Vacant Land Sale Price per Square Metre, Noosa Shire and Comparisons,
1998-2015 .................................................................................................................................................................. 52
Figure 29. Number of Sales of Vacant Land, Noosa Shire, 1998-2015 ...................................................... 53
Figure 30. Dwelling type by locality, 2011 ............................................................................................................ 56
Figure 31. Dwelling type by locality (resident households), 2011 ............................................................... 56
Figure 32. Dwelling tenure by locality, 2011 ........................................................................................................ 57
Figure 33. Definitions of Aged Care Terms ........................................................................................................... 72
Figure 34. Median Mortgage Repayments and Rents, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 . 95
Figure 35. Median Household and Personal Income, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 ... 95
Figure 36. Accommodation Affordability Analysis, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016.......................................... 97
Figure 37. Accommodation Affordability Analysis, Sunshine Coast LGA, 2011-2016 ......................... 97
Figure 38. Accommodation Affordability Analysis, Brisbane City LGA, 2011-2016 .............................. 98
Figure 39. Tourism statistics, Tourism Noosa, Noosa Shire, 2016 ............................................................. 103
Figure 40. Separate houses, Comparison areas, 2011 .................................................................................... 110
Figure 41. Tenure type, Comparison areas, 2011 ............................................................................................. 111
Figure 42. Small households in small/large dwellings, Comparison areas, 2011 ................................ 112
Figure 43. Large households in large dwellings, Comparison areas, 2011 ............................................ 112
Figure 44. Rental and mortgage stress for low income households, Comparison areas, 2011 ..... 113
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Section 8
Figure 45. Proportion of income on housing costs, Comparison areas, 12 months to Jun 2016
(rent), Dec 2015 (purchase) ............................................................................................................................... 115
Figure 46. Dwelling Approvals by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, By Quarter, 2011-2016.................. 129
Figure 47. Building Approvals, Value and Number, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2013-14
...................................................................................................................................................................................... 132
Figure 48. Number of Lot Registrations and Sales of Vacant Land, Noosa Shire, 1998-2015 ....... 133
Figure 49. Stock of Urban Residential Lot Approvals, Noosa Shire, 1998-2015 .................................. 133
Figure 50. Estimated resident population, Noosa Shire, 1976-2011 ........................................................ 134
Figure 51. Residents by Age Bracket, Noosa Shire, 1991-2036 .................................................................. 136
Figure 52. Employment by Industry, Noosa Shire, 2006 and 2011 ........................................................... 138
Figure 53. Existing Dwellings, DMaTT Model, Projection Areas, 2014 ..................................................... 146
Figure 54. Existing Dwellings (Proportions), DMaTT Model, Projection Areas and Noosa Shire,
2014 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 146
Figure 55. Existing and Projected Resident Dwellings, DMaTT Model, Projection Areas, 2014-
2036/Ultimate ......................................................................................................................................................... 147
Figure 56. Existing and Projected Non-Resident/Visitor Dwellings, DMaTT Model, Projection
Areas and Noosa Shire, 2014-2036/Ultimate ............................................................................................ 147
Figure 57. Yearly change in total visitor nights, Queensland, 2005/06 to 2024/25 ............................ 149
Figure 58. Projected change in dwelling type mix to meet assumed resident household needs,
Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 ..................................................................................................................................... 157
Figure 59. Projected change in dwelling size mix to meet assumed resident household needs,
Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 ..................................................................................................................................... 157
Figure 60. Projected dwelling mix to meet assumed resident household needs, No change
scenario, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 .................................................................................................................. 158
Figure 61. Projected dwelling mix to meet assumed resident household needs, Low change
scenario, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 .................................................................................................................. 158
Figure 62. Projected dwelling mix to meet assumed resident household needs, High change
scenario, Noosa Shire, 2011-2036 .................................................................................................................. 159
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Section 9
LIST OF ACRONYMS ACAR Aged Care Approvals Round ATSI Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people BCC Brisbane City Council DILGP Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning DPWH Department of Public Works and Housing DMaTT Demand Modeller and Tracking Tool ERP Estimated Resident Population GFA Gross Floor Area GFC Global Financial Crisis HRIA Holiday Rental Industry Association LGA Local Government Area LGBTI+ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex and other gender and sexuality diverse groups MCC Melbourne City Council NDIA National Disability Insurance Agency NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme NDS National Disability Services NRAS National Rental Affordability Scheme NSC Noosa Shire Council QT Queensland Treasury QPP Queensland Planning Provisions REIQ Real Estate Institute of Australia RTA Residential Tenancies Authority SEIFA Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas SEQ South East Queensland SDA Specialist Disability Accommodation Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page ix
Section 10
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
A Housing Needs Assessment was prepared to inform the preparation of a new Noosa Planning
Scheme (the ‘New Noosa Plan’), in accordance with the requirements of the Queensland State
Planning Policy – State Interest Guideline, Housing Supply and Diversity, 2016.
The project aims as outlined by Council were to:
Provide a clear understanding of Noosa Shire’s current housing situation and trends and
project housing needs into the future including those for specific groups (e.g. older
people);
Review competing interests between permanent residents and short term visitors for
housing stock;
Inform policy aimed at addressing housing needs shortages and improving housing
choice within the Shire.
What are the key issues?
As a highly sought after and affluent coastal location, market conditions have favoured the
development of often ‘large’ and at times extraordinary dwellings in many parts of Noosa Shire.
As a consequence, Noosa Shire has seen various housing issues emerge which have been outside
the ability of past planning schemes to resolve alone. Key issues include:
Housing affordability, especially for low income households and key workers;
A lack of accessible or adaptable housing for older people and people with special
needs;
A mismatch of housing size and household size (albeit some may be by choice or
circumstance);
A shortage of affordable and appropriate aged accommodation;
A lack of housing diversity, and particularly smaller dwellings;
Low levels of social and emergency housing;
Conflict between resident and visitor accommodation.
This study informs the forthcoming planning scheme with the aim of addressing these issues to
the extent possible through land use planning.
How does Noosa Shire compare?
Noosa Shire’s housing appears not well suited to its demographic profile. Its housing profile is
not dissimilar to Queensland, but its population is very different:
Average household size in Noosa Shire is low and decreasing;
The population is older than South East Queensland and the State, and is ageing rapidly;
Median household income is lower than South East Queensland and the State.
Given this population profile, compared to other areas:
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Section 11
There is a high proportion of detached houses, relative to other comparative tourism-
oriented LGAs1;
Some 24% of all occupied dwellings in Noosa Shire are usually occupied by one person
living alone, and 58.4% by a person living alone or a couple;
The highest proportion of two person households live in 3-bedroom dwellings, with the
second highest proportion in 4-bedroom dwellings;
A significant proportion of small households are living in large dwellings. It is however
noted that particularly in an affluent community, a proportion of households may choose
to live in larger dwellings than seemingly required, or this may occur by circumstance;
Housing stress is high in Noosa Shire relative to Brisbane or Queensland, but similar to
comparative LGAs:
o At 34.5%, the proportion of low income households that are renting and
experiencing rental stress is higher than other comparative LGAs (except for Fraser
Coast), and higher than Brisbane and Queensland;
o 15.8% of low income households that are paying a mortgage were experiencing
mortgage stress, similar to the other comparative LGAs, but significantly higher than
Brisbane or Queensland;
o Low income households experiencing either rental stress or mortgage stress made
up around 16% of all households in other comparative LGAs in 2011, but this was a
significantly higher proportion than for Brisbane with 11.3% or Queensland with
12%.
Noosa Shire appears less affordable than all comparative LGAs, Brisbane City and
Queensland:
o Accommodation affordability is impacted by both low median incomes and high
median accommodation costs;
o Median rents for flats/ units in the Shire are fairly similar to the State but rents for
houses are higher than the State;
o There has been a declining trend in rental vacancy rates over the last five years from
around 4-5% to around 1-2%;
o The median dwelling sale price in Noosa Shire has remained higher than the State
at all times between 1998 and 2015;
o In 2011 median household income was almost $200 below the SEQ Region and
almost $300 below the State per week.
o Between 5-10 additional percentage points of income are needed in Noosa Shire to
afford a dwelling compared to the next most unaffordable comparative LGA
considered (which for most indicators was the Gold Coast).
1
Fraser Coast, Douglas Shire and the Gold Coast
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Section 12
What are the needs of specific groups?
There are many groups in the community who have specific housing needs:
Older People: There is currently a shortfall in Residential Aged Care provision. Even with
the additional currently proposed facilities, further Residential Aged Care will be required
in Noosa Shire in the future to meet the needs of the ageing population. There is
currently a theoretical shortfall in the ratio of independent living units, and all currently
approved/proposed Retirement Villages would need to proceed to meet demand in the
future;
People with a Disability: Supported accommodation for people with a disability is
extremely limited in Noosa Shire. Noosa Shire currently has a relatively high proportion of
people who need assistance and this will only increase over time as the population
further ages. Both group housing and adaptable dwellings for people with a disability will
be required;
Low Income Families and Young People: The shortage of affordable housing choices
particularly affects low income families and young people. There is a very limited supply
of social housing (either community housing or public housing) available in Noosa Shire.
The cost of land, in particular, has limited the ability to provide community housing, and
the waiting list for public housing is long. New or infill more affordable housing is
required. With the cost of land, this means making more efficient use of the limited
remaining developable land through smaller lot sizes or particular density requirements
for attached dwellings;
Key Workers: Noosa Shire’s economic structure is dependent on population driven
industry sectors and tourism, which are among the poorest paid of any industries and
have lower full-time employment rates. The lack of accommodation for key workers has
long been an issue across the Sunshine Coast but key workers are crucial to the economy.
Affordable key worker accommodation with good access to key tourist and hospitality
areas, such as Hastings Street, is required;
People at Risk of Homelessness: There is an urgent need for more emergency housing,
including for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. There are nearly
three times the proportion of households who are in the second highest category of risk
of homelessness than for the State. There is consequently a strong need for more
affordable housing to be built before homelessness increases;
People Escaping Domestic Violence: Domestic violence is a major contributor to
homelessness; however there are only 3 x two bedroom community built dwellings
provided in Noosa Shire for people escaping domestic violence. More is urgently
required;
Key Workers: Noosa Shire’s economic structure is dependent on population driven
industry sectors and tourism, which are among the poorest paid of any industries and
have lower full-time employment rates. The lack of accommodation for key workers has
long been an issue across the Sunshine Coast but key workers are crucial to the economy.
Affordable key worker accommodation with good access to key tourist and hospitality
areas, such as Hastings Street, is required;
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Tourists or visitors: Tourism is one of the Shire’s key economic sectors. From the
perspectives of housing needs and the local economy, it is important that the
accommodation demands of tourists or visitors are taken into account, and are planned
for as far as possible given the land constraints in Noosa Shire, in alignment with future
needs. In the event of continued ongoing current average growth rates in tourism
visitation averaging 2.5% per annum over the last decade, significant need would be
created for more tourist/visitor dwellings. However such growth is neither necessarily
realistic nor sustainable.
What are Noosa Shire’s future housing needs?
Resident Needs
The modelling suggests that to meet assumed future resident household needs to 2036:
Only a small increase in detached houses may be required, other than by replacement of
existing older dwellings;
This small increase in detached housing should desirably be mostly by small, not large
dwellings (this includes those in retirement villages and manufactured home parks, and
innovative dwelling design and materials) and the remaining subdivision lot size should
reflect the need for small dwellings;
There is a further need for semi-detached dwellings, mainly small, but also three or more
bedroom to provide additional housing choice; and
There is a significant need for small attached dwellings (one to two bedroom) to offer
additional housing options for a growing number of small households.
Tourist/Visitor Needs
In the event of continued ongoing demand in total visitor nights in line with that over the last
decade, there would be significant additional demand for tourist/visitor dwellings to 2036.
Demand will be offset in a number of ways:
Development of the remaining identified ‘tourist only’ site (at Settler’s Cove);
Development of a proportion of new tourist accommodation (in line with Unitywater’s
Demand Modeller and Tracking Tool (DMaTT) projections) in existing visitor areas such as
Noosaville, Noosa Heads, Sunshine Beach and Peregian Beach;
An increase in occupancy rates of existing tourist accommodation as accommodation
becomes more in demand;
The movement of a proportion of permanent residents out of resorts as revenue from
holiday lettings improves (due to greater demand) and the supply of alternative small
permanent accommodation increases (as above);
The take-up of secondary dwelling provisions for visitor accommodation;
A continuing increase in dwellings used for Short Term Rental Accommodation (such as
AirBnB); and
Increased usage of vacant dwellings.
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However in the event of continued ongoing growth in total visitor nights in line with that over the last decade, there was found still likely to be a further projected need for additional tourist accommodation and visitor dwellings by 2036 which is unlikely to be able to be met by dedicated tourism development. Tourism demand may therefore ‘spill over’ into resident accommodation. What are the Challenges and Opportunities? Meeting the housing needs of residents in the light of competing demand for tourist accommodation The overall conclusion of the assessment is that tourism demand, if it were to continue at its current level over the last decade, could have a substantial impact on the availability and affordability of resident housing. Considering tourism needs is a critical component of ensuring adequate and appropriate housing for residents – and vice versa. However it will be important that the limits of tourist accommodation sustainability in Noosa Shire are recognised, while encouraging the future growth of the tourism industry in more sustainable ways. This is in line with the policies of the Local Economic Plan, which looks beyond tourism-driven economic growth and employment, towards a more resilient and diversified economy. Achieving an appropriate balance of tourist and resident housing needs will be a challenge for the new Planning Scheme. Making optimal use of remaining land through smaller lot sizes and minimum density requirements for attached dwellings in some locations The availability of land within the Noosa Shire urban footprint/ town boundaries and its implications for the affordability of housing emphasises the importance of making the best use of remaining land to meet housing needs, particularly in terms of reducing the imbalance between small and large dwellings relative to the high number of small households in Noosa Shire, and also providing housing choice for the many different groups in the community. The New Noosa Plan will need to consider bold options for an increase in housing choice within the existing urban areas by providing smaller lots and minimum dwelling densities in appropriate locations. Considering new built form controls and any appropriate incentives to achieve objectives, while preserving the integrity of the Noosa Plan Built form controls can have unintentional consequences resulting in housing outcomes that may not be those most required to meet needs. This occurred in the past in relation to favouring large duplexes over smaller dwelling types. These controls need to be reviewed to ensure they are not unduly restricting housing choice. Incentives can be an important tool for Councils to attempt to achieve their housing priorities. However those relating to density can be seen as eroding amenity or the principles of the Noosa Plan; and those that relate to reductions in infrastructure charges can result in a shortfall in planned infrastructure revenue. Reduction in development application fees can similarly affect Council’s budgeting while contributing little significant incentive; and it is noted that development assessment times are already being further reduced under the new Planning Act so that reduction in assessment times for priority applications would be difficult. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 5
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Further consideration of built form controls and investigation of possible appropriate incentives, including parking requirements, density and infrastructure charges, is required. The challenge will be ensuring the success of any ‘carrots or sticks’ adopted in terms of meeting Council’s objectives for the provision of priority housing, while preserving the integrity of the Noosa Plan. Exploring new and innovative solutions, some of which may be challenging to accept There will be a need to think outside the square in the future if housing needs are to be met. Some of these initiatives may be challenging in terms of accepting new or innovative housing models or styles. A further challenge will be flexibility in planning provisions to facilitate such applications as far as possible. It may be necessary to allow some licence for innovation provided it meets key principles of design, function and the inherent benefits of the model. Considering other ways to pursue housing objectives It must be recognised that not all housing priorities can be addressed through land use planning. A particular issue is the difficulty of providing social housing in Noosa Shire due largely to the cost of land. Council may choose to investigate other ways to assist the community housing sector to meet social and housing affordability needs. It is understood that other ways of promoting the supply of affordable housing will be investigated as part of the implementation of the Social Strategy 2015. Council should continue to advocate, however, for the provision of additional crisis and emergency housing in the Shire. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 6
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1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of this Report The purpose of this project is to advance the development of a Housing Needs Assessment for Noosa Shire, in accordance with the requirements of the Queensland State Planning Policy – State Interest Guideline, Housing Supply and Diversity (April, 2016) (“the guideline”). While housing provision is not the responsibility of Local Government, the Queensland Government has an expectation that Local Government planning schemes will support an adequate supply and diversity of housing through the identification of suitable land for housing development and inclusion of planning provisions that support the supply of a diverse range of housing that is high-quality, well-serviced and appropriately located. As noted in the guidelines, a Housing Needs Assessment can provide Local Government with the detailed information required to support proposed planning scheme measures on planning and regulating housing and land development over the life of the planning scheme to achieve desired housing outcomes. Accordingly, a key purpose of this project is to inform the development of a new planning scheme for Noosa Shire. 1.2 Context of the Report Noosa Shire is a very desirable place to live with a low level of population growth, and as such, housing availability is limited and some members of the community struggle to find housing suitable to their needs and circumstances. Housing stock is noticeably dominated by detached houses and semi-attached or attached housing of at least three bedrooms which appears somewhat incongruous given a majority of households are made up of just one or two people. However the free market system has meant that historically, subdivided lots and dwellings have been built to meet a market that the developer believes will offer the most dollar return. Dwellings are also built with resale in mind and four bedrooms and two garages has been the preferred norm for houses. While in earlier years two-bedroom units were quite common, three bedrooms have undoubtedly become the standard. Noosa Shire has a desirable environmental setting and the built form and business offerings have been of a high standard compared to many other coastal settlements. It should come as no surprise then that land and property commands a higher price than many other places and thereby attracts many well-resourced residents. Investors who purchase dwellings also impact on purchase price through added competition with potential resident-owners. The investor then seeks the highest and best rental return whether by resident or visitor. It is important to view these factors within the historic development and planning of Noosa Shire. This was based on a population concept which identified a development carrying capacity and a clear plan for future growth was adopted in accordance with that. It has not been the case of development at all costs. However maintaining good planning standards with a defined population/development capacity was always ultimately going to lead to higher priced real estate. Quality of development was preferred to quantity and at times it was a case of ‘less is more’. Market conditions have favoured the affluent in coastal and prime locations at Noosa Heads and Noosaville. The consequence has been ‘large’ and at times extraordinary dwellings. Development was expected to comply. Bonus provisions or incentives have never featured. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 7
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Development that fitted with the planning scheme was approved promptly. It has often been the
case that applications have sought to exceed entitlements or to ignore entirely the planning
scheme intentions. These types of applications have not been dealt with expeditiously. Council
has not been able to prohibit development which was consistent with the planning scheme.
Lifestyle of residents has been placed ahead of the needs of tourists, based on the principle that if
things were done well for the residents the visitors will come.
Council genuinely saw Noosa Shire as a community of communities – the hinterland is different
to Tewantin which is different to the coastal parts, plus Noosa North Shore and Boreen Point, etc.
This led to different planning and different outcomes expected.
Over the years Council has assumed an increasing social role. A relationship with the Kabi Kabi
people evolved, libraries were better resourced, community staff were appointed and the Shire
moved forward. The SHINE houses were built on land donated by Council (see Section 3.2.2).
Sector boards were established as an integral part of guiding Council direction, and community
engagement grew substantially.
Intervention in the housing market will require consideration of the desirability of increased focus
on outcomes of social equity and inclusiveness, including stimulating housing diversity. Various
options are available for Council consideration in this regard, and they are discussed within this
report.
1.3 Council’s Sustainability Principles
Noosa Shire has a long history of protecting the natural environment, enhancing biodiversity and
doing things in a balanced and sustainable way, not just for the current community and economy,
but for future generations.
To further these efforts, on the 19 November 2015, Council adopted a set of Sustainability
Principles2 for the purpose of providing a common basis for increasing sustainability in Noosa
Shire.
The principles have been identified to guide the development of Council’s strategy documents
and to prompt consideration of sustainability across all areas of Council business so that the
environment, economic and social elements of sustainability are considered inter-dependently.
Noosa Shire's Six Sustainability Principles are:
Resources are sustainably managed so that the lifestyle of the community is preserved,
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
(consistent with the Brundtland Commission definition of sustainability).
Noosa’s economy is prosperous, diverse and protective of its unique environment.
Noosa residents belong to a community that values its diversity, accessibility and
affordability.
Noosa’s community is inclusive, connected and resilient and encourages participation and
information sharing.
Noosa’s community benefits from quality places and programs that enhance wellbeing
and support creative, active and healthy lifestyles.
2
http://www.noosa.qld.gov.au/sustainability-principles
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Good governance is achieved through effective and efficient decision making, made in the
interests of the community.
Regard has been given to these principles in preparing this report.
1.4 Role of Local Government in Housing
It is increasingly recognised that a diversity of stakeholders have a role to play in addressing the
housing needs of Australian communities. All levels of government contribute to shaping local
housing markets and have a role to play in promoting better housing outcomes. This can occur
through influencing markets, developing policy and legislation, regulating the supply of and
developing land as well as delivering programs and funding arrangements.
Australian, State and Local Governments share the responsibilities for regulating the housing
market through building and planning regulations. The Australian and State Governments
provide the policy and legislative framework within which local government operates, and also
influence the economic context in which housing is supplied (e.g. through tax regimes, interest
rates and funding).
The private sector, and to a lesser extent the community and public sectors (primarily the State
Government) are responsible for the supply of housing. Importantly, the State Government is
responsible for social housing, including the provision of public housing and, in partnership with
nongovernment organisations, community housing for eligible low-income households and those
with special needs. Australian and State Governments have also traditionally been responsible for
providing housing assistance to people on very low incomes. Increasingly however, resource
limitations have meant that many of these households have had to rely on the private housing
market.
Whilst the primary responsibility for housing policy and housing funding lies with the Australian
and State/Territory Governments, Local Governments may play a role in facilitating housing
delivery and promoting the provision/retention of affordable housing. Local Government’s role
includes strategic planning, the regulation of housing supply and form, infrastructure planning
and pricing policies, rate setting and community service delivery. The exercise of these functions
can create opportunities for additional housing, guide the form of housing in response to needs,
and influence the cost of production and the availability of services.
Local Government planning schemes are one tool through which these responsibilities can be
exercised; however there are limitations to the role of land use planning to deliver housing
outcomes, and it is up to each Council to determine how it wishes to pursue housing objectives
and strategies. While Local Government is not equipped to take over the roles traditionally played
by State/Territory and Australian Governments, there is nevertheless some scope for Councils to
direct the activities that are within their domain to promote better housing outcomes for their
communities should they so desire.
1.5 Project Aims
The project aims as outlined by Council were to:
a. Provide a clear understanding of Noosa Shire’s current housing situation and trends
including dwelling type, dwelling tenure, dwelling supply and dwelling affordability
having consideration of demographic forecasts provided, project housing needs into the
future including for instance, projected need for small dwellings, aged persons housing,
affordable housing, housing for people with a disability or with other special
circumstances;
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b. Review competing interests between permanent residents and short term visitors for
housing stock;
c. Inform policy aimed at addressing housing needs shortages and improving housing
choice within the Shire.
1.6 Project Outcomes
The outcomes required to be delivered by this project included to:
a. Provide an understanding of housing choice, housing stress and housing affordability as
they relate to Noosa Shire;
b. Provide an understanding of housing needs for specific groups such as those on low
income, those who are aged, those with a disability or mental illness and those escaping
dangerous situations;
c. Provide recommendations on how local housing, especially a proportion of new housing,
can be made suitable for recipients of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS);
d. Review the housing trends in Noosa Shire, compared to other areas;
e. Compare existing and trending housing stock to future population including any forecast
housing mismatch;
f. Discuss what incentives may advance housing choice without detracting from the
liveability of our neighbourhoods;
g. Provide policy recommendations.
The Housing Needs Assessment has collated and analysed information from a range of sources
including statistical data on demographics, population growth, and development activity, as well
as reviewing the existing policy and strategy context of Noosa Shire, and undertaking
consultation with key stakeholder groups that have contact with households with particular
housing issues or needs.
This report consolidates and synthesises this information and provides policy recommendations
to help inform the direction of housing outcomes in Noosa Shire.
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2. INFORMATION REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
2.1 Overview of the Noosa Shire Population
Noosa Shire Council’s Community Profile (AEC Group 2015) notes that Noosa Shire is very similar
to South East Queensland (SEQ) and Queensland across many socio-economic indicators;
however, it differs significantly in two areas. Firstly, Noosa Shire’s population is older and aging
faster than the rest of the region. Secondly, Noosa Shire has a greater reliance on tourism for its
economy than SEQ or Queensland. These two factors shape Noosa Shire’s social and economic
structure and will continue to shape its social and economic future.
2.1.1 Socio-Economic Characteristics
The Community Profile outlined the following socio-economic characteristics of the Noosa Shire
population:
Noosa Shire’s population is relatively small compared to SEQ and Queensland
(making up only 1.6% and 1.1% of total populations, respectively), however, with an
estimated resident population of some 53,770 people (estimate at 30 June 2015)
(Queensland Government 2016a), Noosa has sufficient critical mass to support a range of
residential and business services locally.
Since 2001, Noosa Shire’s population has grown at a slower rate than SEQ and
Queensland (Table 1). While slower, this level of growth is still sufficient to provide an
ongoing stimulus for economic growth.
Table 1. Population growth, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2006-2015p
Area 2006 2011f 2015p
Population (Average annual growth rate
for preceding period)
Noosa Shire (Qld Government NA 51,267 (NA) 53,769 (1.2%)
2016a) (ABS Consultancy)
Noosa Shire (Qld Government 48,082 (2.0%) 51,038 (1.2%) 53,515 (1.2%)
2016b)
South East Queensland 3,746,120 (2.4%) 4,187,690 (2.3%) 4,471,303 (1.7%)
(including all of Toowoomba
Regional Council area)
Queensland 4,007,992 (2.3%) 4,476,778 (2.2%) 4,778,854 (1.6%)
Source: Queensland Government 2016a (ABS Consultancy); Queensland Government 2016b;
Notes: f = final estimate, r = revised, p = preliminary.
The discrepancy between the ABS and the Queensland Government population estimates relates to one
split SA1 area (3143356) in building up localities (ABS estimate includes the whole SA1).
Noosa Shire’s population is older than SEQ and Queensland. The median age of
Noosa’s residents was 45.9 years in 2011. This is 7.8 years higher than the median age of
SEQ residents (38.1 years) and 9.9 years higher than the median age of residents of the
State (36.0 years).
Noosa Shire’s population is aging quickly. Since 1991, Noosa Shire has seen a
significant increase in the proportion of residents aged 45 years and over. Residents aged
45 years and over accounted for 39.3% of the population in 1991, 45.3% in 2001 and
50.9% in 2011. Residents aged 65 years and over have grown from 16.5% of the
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population in 1991 to 19.3% in 2011. Looking forward to 2036, a projected 57.2% of all
residents in the Shire will be aged 45 years and older, with almost a third of all residents
forecast to be aged 65 years and over. At the same time, the proportions of children,
teenagers and young adults were all lower than for Queensland, with 27.4% of the Noosa
Shire population being under 25 years of age, compared to 33.8% for Queensland. To
2036, the proportion of young people under 25 years of age in Noosa Shire is projected to
fall to 24.8%.
Noosa Shire’s population is relatively ethnically uniform, with high levels of Australian
born, English only speaking households. 77% of Noosa Shire’s population was born in
Australia, compared to 75% and 78% (SEQ and Queensland, respectively). 95% of
households in Noosa Shire speak only English, compared to 88% and 90% (SEQ and
Queensland, respectively).
Noosa Shire has lower household incomes than SEQ and Queensland. In 2011, the
Shire reported a median household income almost $200 below the SEQ Region and
almost $300 below the State ($953.5, $1,150.7 and $1,235.0 per week respectively).
Between 2006 and 2011, Noosa Shire’s household income grew at an average annual rate
of 2.8%, which is below the rate of annual inflation (3.2%) during this time. Conversely,
Noosa Shire’s individual income levels grew by an average annual rate of 3.8% during this
time.
In terms of socio-economic advantage and disadvantage, Noosa Shire is overall
average despite pockets of both. The Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) is a
product developed by the ABS that ranks areas in Australia according to relative socio-
economic advantage and disadvantage by using various Census-based statistics (i.e.
income, skills, unemployment, educational attainment, etc.). Noosa Shire’s SEIFA score is
1,000.9 (compared to the Australian average of 1,000). SEQ scored 1,015.2. Despite this,
some locational variance exists with pockets of disadvantage being reported in some
areas.
2.1.2 Economic Characteristics
Economic characteristics include the following:
Noosa Shire’s economic structure is dependent on population driven industry
sectors and tourism. The top five employment sectors in Noosa Shire (which provide
over half of all jobs) are:
o Retail trade (13.6% of total) – 26% higher than the Australian average;
o Accommodation and food services (12.8% of total) – almost double the Australian
average;
o Health care and social assistance (12.8% of total);
o Construction (10.8% of total);
o Education and training (7.6% of total).
The high prevalence of retail trade and accommodation and food services in Noosa
Shire demonstrates the strong local tourism sector. In the year ending June 2015,
tourism contributed an estimated $700 million into the local economy.
Tourism is identified as a key strength for the region’s economy and an opportunity
for the future, as well as a weakness in that there is a reliance on tourism in the local
economy. The Local Economic Plan (Noosa Council, 2015a) looks beyond tourism-driven
economic growth and employment, towards a more resilient and diversified economy, by
achieving growth in ‘smart’ industry sectors that have high economic value and low
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environmental impact, while recognising and supporting sustainable tourism as an
ongoing key economic driver.
2.1.3 Housing and Household Characteristics
Housing and household characteristics can be summarised as follows:
Noosa Shire’s household type is relatively consistent with SEQ and Queensland.
Roughly 70% of households are one family households across Noosa Shire, SEQ and
Queensland. Noosa Shire reported a slightly higher proportion of lone person households
(24.4%) than the SEQ Region (22.4%) and the State (22.8%).
Noosa Shire’s household size is relatively low compared with SEQ and Queensland. In
2011, Noosa reported a lower average number of persons per household (2.4) than the
SEQ Region (2.6) and the State (2.6).
Noosa Shire loses a significant number of young adults who are likely leave to pursue
university study or employment opportunities outside of the Shire. Noosa Shire reported
lower levels of residents aged 20-34 than SEQ and Queensland. Noosa Shire reported
considerably less residents studying at a university or other tertiary institution in 2011
(only 11.5%) compared to SEQ (20.4%) and the State 17.9%. The Tewantin TAFE campus
has closed since the 2011 Census.
2.2 Demographic Characteristics of Localities
2.2.1 Overview
Nine localities were identified in Noosa Shire Council’s Community Profile (AEC Group 2015):
Cooroibah;
Tewantin;
Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach;
Federal to Ringtail Creek, including Pomona and Cooran;
Noosaville and Doonan;
Noosa North Shore;
Noosa Heads;
Ridgewood to Tinbeerwah, including Cooroy and Lake Macdonald;
Boreen Point, Kin Kin and Cootharaba.
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Figure 1. Map of localities (and other statistical boundaries), Noosa Shire The majority of the data in this section has been derived from Noosa Shire Council’s Community Profile (AEC Group 2015), however some of the data has been updated with more recent data from other sources as noted. According to ABS estimates, the Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach locality was the largest locality in terms of estimated resident population in 2015 with a population of 11,431 people, followed by Tewantin at 10,457 people and Noosaville and Doonan at 9,466 people (Table 2 and Figure 2). The Noosa North Shore locality had the smallest estimated resident population with just 350 people in 2015. The figures for 2012-2015 are revised and preliminary estimates and may be revised further when the 2016 census population data are released. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 14
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Table 2. Estimated resident population by locality, 2011-2015
Localities 2011f 2012r 2013r 2014r 2015p Growth
Rate
(2011-
2015)
Cooroibah 1,815 1,856 1,864 1,922 1,956 1.9%
Tewantin 10,358 10,375 10,386 10,498 10,457 0.2%
Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach 10,626 10,820 10,984 11,209 11,431 1.8%
Federal to Ringtail Creek, including 6,051 6,100 6,219 6,265 6,257 0.8%
Pomona, Cooran
Noosaville and Doonan 8,714 8,957 9,127 9,268 9,466 2.1%
Noosa North Shore 342 344 344 344 350 0.6%
Noosa Heads 4,221 4,258 4,312 4,333 4,421 1.2%
Ridgewood to Tinbeerwah, including 7,307 7,354 7,457 7,535 7,551 0.8%
Cooroy, Lake Macdonald*
Boreen Point, Kin Kin, Cootharaba 1,833 1,841 1,858 1,902 1,880 0.6%
Total Noosa Shire (Qld 51,267 51,905 52,551 53,276 53,769 1.2%
Government 2016a) (ABS
Consultancy)*
Total Noosa Shire (Qld 51,038 51,671 52,310 53,033 53,515 1.2%
Government 2016b)*
Source: Queensland Government 2016a (ABS Consultancy); Queensland Government 2016b;
Notes: f = final estimate, r = revised, p = preliminary.
*The discrepancy between the ABS and the Queensland Government population estimates relates to one split
SA1 area (3143356) in building up localities (ABS estimate includes the whole SA1).
Fastest growing localities were Noosaville and Doonan, Cooroibah, and Sunshine Beach to
Peregian Beach. Tewantin was particularly slow growing, as was Boreen Point/ Kin Kin/
Cootharaba and Noosa North Shore.
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Figure 2. Resident population by locality, 2011 and 2015 Source: Queensland Government 2016a (ABS Consultancy); Noosa North Shore had the highest median age of any of the localities at 54.0 years, followed by Noosa Heads at 50.0 years and Noosaville and Doonan at 48.9 years (Figure 3). These were all higher than the median age for the Noosa Shire at 45.9 years. The lowest median ages were reported in Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach (42.3 years), Cooroibah (43.2 years) and Federal to Ringtail Creek (43.6 years). Figure 3. Median age by locality, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; The age groups of 45-54 year olds and 55-64 year olds are very well represented in each locality (Figure 4). Cooroibah, Federal to Ringtail Creek and Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach have relatively higher proportions of residents aged between 5 and 14 years. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 16
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Figure 4. Age structure by locality, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was very low in all localities (under 2.5% of the population) (Figure 5). Just over 2.0% (or seven residents) of the Noosa North Shore’s population identified as being an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person, 1.7% (or 24 residents) in Cooroibah, 1.5% (or 141 residents) in Tewantin and 1.5% (or 74 residents) in Federal to Ringtail Creek. Figure 5. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by locality, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; Localities with high proportions of lone person households were Tewantin (29.0%), Noosaville and Doonan (28.1%) and Noosa Heads (25.6%) (Figure 6). Cooroibah had the highest proportion of single and multiple family households than any other locality, with 84.1% of households being families (including 32.9% couples, 39.1% couples with children, and 11.0% one parent families), Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 17
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well above the Federal to Ringtail Creek locality at 76.7% and the Ridgewood to Tinbeerwah locality at 75.1%. Figure 6. Household types by locality, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; The average household size in Cooroibah was 2.8 people which was much higher than in other localities. Noosa Heads and Noosaville had the lowest average household size of any of the localities at 2.2 people. Figure 7. Average household size by locality, 2016 Residents needing assistance are defined as those that need assistance with one or more core activities including self-care, mobility and communication because of a long-term health condition, disability or old age. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 18
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Tewantin reported the highest proportion of residents in need of assistance with a core activity (8.1% or 862 residents) followed by Noosa North Shore (7.4% or 24 residents) (Figure 8). Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach (2.5% or 255 residents) and Cooroibah (2.6% or 46 residents) had the lowest proportions. Figure 8. Residents in need of assistance, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; Median household and personal incomes were the highest in Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach ($1,071 and $585 per week respectively), and Noosa Heads ($1,039 and $580 per week respectively). Median household income was high in Cooroibah compared to the other localities at $1,056 per week, but median personal income was lower at $456 per week. Figure 9. Median household and personal income by locality, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 19
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2.2.2 Characteristics by Locality
A summary of the key demographic characteristics of each of these localities is provided below.
Cooroibah
Cooroibah had a population of 1,740 on census night in 2011 (based on place of usual
residence), and an estimated resident population of 1,815 people at 30 June 20113.
Between 2011 and 2015, the population was estimated to have grown at a strong average
rate of around 1.9% each year, however due to the low population of this locality this
equated to around just 35 people per year.
The median age of the population was 43.2 years in 2011 which was below the median
age for Noosa Shire at 45.9 years.
Cooroibah had the highest average persons per household of any locality at 2.8 persons,
compared to 2.4 persons for Noosa Shire, and 2.6 for Queensland. It also had the highest
proportion of couple families with children, significantly higher than the other localities at
39.1% (around 10% points higher than any other locality). It also had the lowest
proportion of lone person households of any of the localities, with 14.2% of households
being lone person households.
This locality had a high unemployment rate of 9.2% in 2011.
The median household income in 2011 was $1,056 per week which was the second
highest household income for any of the localities, however the median individual income,
at $456 per week, was well below many of the other localities (including Sunshine Beach
to Peregian Beach at $585, Noosa Heads at $580, Noosaville and Doonan at $521 and
Ridgewood to Tinbeerwah at $488).
Tewantin
Tewantin had a population of 10,648 people on census night in 2011 (based on place of
usual residence), and an estimated resident population of 10,358 people at 30 June 2011.
It was one of the most populous localities. The highly populated locality of Tewantin
reflects its rich history as the first town in the Shire and the role it plays today as the
administrative centre for Noosa Shire.
However, between 2011 and 2015, the population was estimated to have grown at a low
average rate of around 0.2% per year. This was the lowest average annual growth rate of
any of the localities.
The median age of the population was 46.7 years in 2011, which was similar to the median
age for Noosa Shire at 45.9 years. By June 2015 it is estimated to be 47.8 years, compared to
47.2 for the Shire.
Tewantin had the highest proportion of lone person households of any of the localities
with 28.1% of all households being lone person households. There was also a high
proportion of one parent families in Tewantin with an estimated 13.1% of households
being one parent households.
Households in Tewantin on average have access to 1.5 vehicles which was slightly less
than Noosa Shire and Queensland, both at 1.7 vehicles per household.
3
ERP figures at 30 June are calculated by adjusting census counts of usual residents to include those missed
in the Census and those who were overseas on Census Night and also take account of births and deaths
occurring between 30 June and Census Night (usually early August).
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This locality was considered the third most disadvantaged locality in Noosa Shire at 2011
with a SEIFA (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas) relative disadvantage score of 965.8.
Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach
The population of Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach was 10,178 people on census night
in 2011 (based on place of usual residence), and an estimated resident population of
10,626 people at 30 June 2011, making it one of the most populous localities. The
relatively highly populated Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach locality reflects the strong
attraction of the surf beach and associated beach lifestyle.
Between 2011 and 2015, the population was estimated to have grown at a strong average
rate of around 1.8% each year. However, some of this population growth may have been
inappropriately assigned to the area (instead of to the faster growing Peregian Springs
area which is actually outside the LGA), and updated census population figures in 2016
may inform a revision to these population estimates.
The median age of residents was 42.3 years in 2011. This was the youngest median age of
any of the localities, and was lower than the median age for Noosa Shire at 45.9 years, but
still higher than the median age for Queensland at 36.0 years.
There was a high proportion of one parent families in this locality with an estimated 12.6%
of households being one parent households.
In other respects the locality was demographically similar to the Noosa Shire average.
Federal to Ringtail Creek, including Pomona and Cooran
This locality had a population of 5,796 people on census night in 2011 (based on place of
usual residence), and an estimated resident population of 6,051 people at 30 June 2011.
The median age of the population was 43.6 years in 2011 which was below the median
age for Noosa Shire at 45.9 years.
There was a high proportion of one parent families in Federal to Ringtail Creek with an
estimated 13.4% of households being one parent households. This was the highest
proportion of any of the localities in the Shire.
In other respects the locality was demographically similar to the Noosa Shire average.
Noosaville and Doonan
This locality had a population of 7,800 people on census night in 2011 (based on place of
usual residence), and an estimated resident population of 8,714 people at 30 June 2011.
Between 2011 and 2015, the population was estimated to have grown at a strong average
rate of around 2.1% each year which was the highest average annual growth rate of any of
the localities.
The median age of the population was 48.9 years in 2011 which was above the median
age for Noosa Shire at 45.9 years, and much older than the median age for Queensland at
36.0 years.
A high proportion of the population was born overseas at 27.8% compared to other
localities, Noosa Shire and Queensland. Over 80% of people born overseas were born in
English speaking countries, and about 60% were born in either New Zealand or the United
Kingdom.
A high proportion of households in this locality were couple families without children and
lone person households. Of all households, 38.6% were couple families without children
and 27.0% were lone person households.
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Noosaville and Doonan – along with the Noosa Heads locality – reported the lowest
average persons per household out of all localities (both 2.2 persons), compared to 2.4
persons for Noosa Shire, and 2.6 for Queensland.
Noosa North Shore
The Noosa North Shore locality had a population of just 327 people on census night in
2011 (based on place of usual residence), and an estimated resident population of 342
people at 30 June 2011. Due to the relatively low absolute number, caution must be taken
in interpreting demographic characteristics for this locality.
Between 2011 and 2015, the population was estimated to have grown at a fairly low
average annual rate of around 0.6% (or just 2 people per year).
This locality had the oldest median age of any of the localities at 54.0 years in 2011. The
median age of residents in Noosa North Shore was almost 10 years older than the median
age of residents in Noosa Shire at 45.9 years, and much older than the median age for
Queensland at 36.0 years.
Noosa North Shore had a high unemployment rate of 12.2% in 2011, and this was the
highest unemployment rate of any of the localities. This locality had a small population,
and therefore just 18 unemployed people contributed to this unemployment rate.
Median incomes were also low for individuals ($409 per week), families ($890 per week),
and households ($839 per week).
This locality had the highest proportion of households being couple families without
children of any of the localities with 42.8% of all households being of this type.
The Noosa North Shore locality was considered the most disadvantaged locality in Noosa
Shire at 2011 with a SEIFA (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas) relative disadvantage score
of 955.9.
Noosa Heads
Noosa Heads had a population of 3,999 people on census night in 2011 (based on place
of usual residence), and an estimated resident population of 4,221 people at 30 June
2011..
The median age of the population was 50.0 years in 2011 which was above the median
age for Noosa Shire at 45.9 years, and much older than the median age for Queensland at
36.0 years.
A high proportion of the population was born overseas at 26.4% compared to other
localities, Noosa Shire and Queensland. Almost 80% of people born overseas were born in
English speaking countries such as New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
This locality had a high proportion of couple families with children with 41.3% of all
households being of this type. Also, a high proportion of households in this locality were
lone person households with 25.0% of all households being lone person households.
Noosa Heads – along with the Noosaville and Doonan locality – reported the lowest
average persons per household out of all localities (both 2.2 persons), compared to 2.4
persons for Noosa Shire, and 2.6 for Queensland.
Households in Tewantin on average have access to 1.5 vehicles which was slightly less
than Noosa Shire and Queensland, both at 1.7 vehicles per household.
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Section 32
Ridgewood to Tinbeerwah, including Cooroy and Lake Macdonald
This locality had a population of 6,720 people on census night in 2011 (based on place of
usual residence), and an estimated resident population of 7,307 people at 30 June 2011.
The median age of the population was 47.1 years in 2011, which was slightly higher than
the median age for Noosa Shire at 45.9 years.
In other respects the locality was demographically similar to the Noosa Shire average.
Boreen Point, Kin Kin and Cootharaba
This locality had a population of 1,755 people on census night in 2011 (based on place of
usual residence), and an estimated resident population of 1,833 people at 30 June 2011.
Between 2011 and 2015, the population was estimated to have grown at a fairly low
average annual rate of around 0.6%.
The median age of the population was 47.6 years in 2011, which was slightly higher than
the median age for Noosa Shire at 45.9 years.
This locality had a high unemployment rate of 9.2% in 2011 and was considered the
second most disadvantaged locality in Noosa Shire at 2011 with a SEIFA (Socio-Economic
Indexes for Areas) relative disadvantage score of 959.3.
2.3 Policy and Strategy Framework
2.3.1 ShapingSEQ, Draft SEQ Regional Plan
The first statutory regional plan for SEQ came into effect in 2005, and the current regional plan
(the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031) refined and modified the strategic
directions, principles and policies of the first statutory plan, in response to changing
circumstances and revised population forecasts.
The SEQ Regional Plan 2009–2031 is currently being reviewed, with a draft South East Queensland
Regional Plan, ‘ShapingSEQ’, released for community consultation in October 2016. ShapingSEQ
provides a framework for managing the region's growth over the next 25 years and sets a vision
for the next 50 years. Its development has included significant consultation with state and local
governments and the community in response to the region's expected changing population, both
in size (5.3 million people by 2041) and demographics.
ShapingSEQ proposes policy directions and benchmarks to address this expected growth,
including creating a region which is well-designed with communities that provide a diverse range
of affordable living. It also seeks to boost jobs growth across the region, in the industries of the
future. It also seeks an outward looking economy, given that SEQ lags behind Sydney and
Melbourne where a greater proportion of the economy provides goods and services to recipients
outside the region. ShapingSEQ will drive for a region that is smart, sustainable, compact,
connected, safe and healthy for now and into the future.
ShapingSEQ adopts a new approach to identifying and calculating the urban land requirements
for population and employment growth in SEQ. Previous regional plans for SEQ have defined the
Urban Footprint on the basis of the theoretical capacity for accommodating growth. ShapingSEQ
uses a more refined method in sizing the Urban Footprint, by identifying urban land on a realistic
land supply basis. Benchmarks for infill and greenfields land in Noosa Shire to ensure at least 15
years of supply of land is maintained, together with expected population growth and dwelling
supply, are shown below.
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Table 2: Dwelling supply benchmarks 2011-41
2011 2011-16 2011-41 2011-31*
zz $s: eee a SY $s
Rite eat 22% E 3 es b22 35
ih 3s re S23 a
z= eae <= 2%
= ee = 3
§ é 5 :
Brisbane 423,800 37,900 223,400 210,600 94% 12,800 145,500 Peetu) 6100
Gold Coast 27,100 = 20,300) 176,500 MEV auds) 79% 37,500 108,200 Mim 27,100
Ipswich 62,500 8800 121,300 BI Rau! ya 89,700 67,200 we 648,900
Lockyer Valley 13,300 1900 10,600 tt it 10,600 7000 tt 7000
Logan 99,900 9500 98,700 25,000 25% 73,700 53,600 16,700 37,000
Moreton Bay 146,900 17,200 105,600 met] 52% 50,700 72,400 eI Rutt 36,400
Noosa 24,200 2000 8100 erst) Tp 3500 5900 3,200 2700
Redland 55,100 3500 21,100 pet) to 6700 16,200 10,800 5400
Sub-regional growth
Tables 16 and 17 show the expected population growth, and dwelling supply and employment
planning benchmarks for the sub-region, to 2041. These will guide state agencies and local
governments in preparing more detailed planning.
Table 16: Northern sub-region current estimates and future supply benchmarks
, , meiaraies ; PU lee Pleyel
Rete Population | Population | population § Dwellings aT ee Jobs iobs
Petal 2011 PTL Pia rls a he PIT oon -
2015-41 5 5
267,241 287,500 207,500 113,600 99,300 112,500 80,500
T5432 535009500 24,200 8100S 24,700,800
eG eels
* Estimated resident population
Northern sub-region current and expected Infill vs greenfield ratio
600000 M2011 2015 «M2041 y >»,
500000 y \
400000 | Greenfield \
| 36%
200808 \ a
200000 \ ae
100000 . /
0 : : ——_—
Population Dwellings Jobs
Table 17: Northern sub-region infill and greenfield dwelling supply benchmarks
PUG Tete Cla ea hel
Rete |
c4200 3510099900
| oose
Bea
Pee)
* Aigures based on ShapingSEQ policy
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2.3.2 State Planning Policy – State Interest Guideline, Housing Supply and Diversity,
April, 2016
The State Planning Policy (SPP) State Interest Guideline for Housing Supply and Diversity
(Queensland Government 2016c) outlines the State Government’s expectations for Local
Governments to contribute to diverse, accessible and well-serviced housing (and land for
housing) including core concepts such as:
Housing in well-serviced locations including locations close to facilities and services,
transport, education and health services, employment opportunities, community services
and leisure/lifestyle opportunities;
Diverse housing options providing a wide range of housing types, sizes and tenures
required to meet the needs of the particular communities – including variations in lot size,
house size, dwelling type, built form, density, cost, adaptability, location and tenure;
Well-designed housing;
Adaptable housing providing for the accommodation needs of users of all ages and
abilities;
Non-resident workforce accommodation.
There are four policies in the guideline for integrating the principles of housing supply and
diversity into planning schemes, being:
Locating land for housing development and redevelopment in areas that are accessible
and well connected to services, employment and infrastructure;
Facilitating a diverse and comprehensive range of housing options that cater for the
current and projected demographic, economic and social profile of the Local Government
Area;
Providing for best-practice, innovative and adaptable housing design;
Providing sufficient land to support the projected workforce population where housing is
required for non-resident workforce accommodation associated with large-scale approved
mining, agriculture, industry or infrastructure projects.
Amendments have been made to the policy through an updated State Planning Policy Draft for
Consultation, which was open for public comment from 21 November 2016 to 10 February
2017, to commence alongside the new planning legislation on 3 July 2017. The draft State
Planning Policy (SPP) strengthens the requirement for Local Governments to support affordable
and social housing outcomes through the planning system. This includes ensuring there is
sufficient and appropriately zoned land for housing, specifying the lowest level of assessment
for residential land uses to avoid or minimise regulatory barriers or inefficiencies, and
considering the use of incentives for the delivery of affordable and social housing, particularly in
areas in close proximity to services and amenities.
All the following policies must be considered and appropriately integrated in policy and
development assessment outcomes in a local planning instrument.
1) Land for housing development and redevelopment in areas that are accessible and well-
connected to services, employment and infrastructure is identified.
2) Develop residential land to address and cater for all groups in the current and projected
demographic, economic and social profile of the Local Government Area, including
households on low to moderate incomes.
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Section 35
3) Deliver a diverse, affordable and comprehensive range of housing options in accessible and
well serviced locations through:
o appropriate, responsive and proactive zoning
o supporting an appropriate mix of lot sizes and dwelling types, including housing for
seniors and people requiring assisted living
o considering incentives for the delivery of affordable and social housing, particularly in
areas in close proximity to services and amenities.
(4) Best practice, innovative, and adaptable housing design and siting is provided for and
encouraged.
(5) Sufficient zoned land for housing is provided in appropriate locations to support the
projected non-resident workforce population associated with approved large-scale mining,
agriculture, industry or infrastructure projects.
2.3.3 Queensland Housing Strategy, Discussion Paper (2016)
The Queensland Government is presently working on a 10-year Housing Strategy to help build
better housing futures for all Queenslanders.
The new Housing Strategy will support the Government’s aims to provide safe, secure and
affordable housing options for all Queenslanders. The strategy will also guide the Government in
providing quality housing and homelessness services into the future.
In March this year, a Discussion Paper, Working Together for Better Housing and Sustainable
Communities was released for public consultation (Queensland Government 2016d). The
document proposes an integrated homelessness and housing assistance service system under
one inclusive Strategy. It recognises that there is a growing shortage of affordable housing for
rent and purchase in many markets across the State, and the housing system overall is struggling
to respond to people’s changing needs. It also acknowledges that the housing affordability
challenges facing people vary significantly from region to region and that each community in
Queensland has its own unique social, cultural, and local climatic factors that impact people’s
housing needs. A ‘balanced housing market’ - a mix of rental, ownership and other housing
options - may be different from place to place.
The private rental market is noted to be not working well for many people who rely on it. Recent
research found that more than half of Australia’s low income tenants are being driven into
poverty by unaffordable rents. On average, the Australian house price is now approximately 4-5
times the average annual household earnings. High deposit requirements and increased costs of
living mean that home ownership, especially for young people, is becoming out of reach. For
example, home ownership in the prime 25 – 34 year age group has slumped from 56% in 1982 to
only 34% in 2011. This has resulted in more people staying in the private rental market for longer
periods and an increase in the demand for social housing and homelessness assistance.
The lack of affordable housing for rent and purchase was found to have impacts across the
community, in particular for:
Women, who tend to be vulnerable to housing stress and homelessness;
Single parent families;
Young people, who face particular challenges meeting their basic needs and experience
difficulties in accessing and sustaining tenancies due to discrimination and poverty;
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People with a disability and their carers who are 36% more likely to experience housing
stress compared to the general population. This is because of a lack of appropriate
housing, high costs of relocation and lower earning capacity;
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are over-represented amongst those
experiencing homelessness, struggling to access housing and residing in overcrowded
dwellings;
People from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds who experience
difficulty in obtaining and sustaining suitable housing;
Older people, who are increasingly vulnerable to housing stress and homelessness due to
their fixed incomes.
The Housing Strategy is expected to be delivered in early 2017.
2.3.4 Noosa Social Strategy 2015
Noosa Social Strategy was adopted by Council in 2015 as a framework to continue to improve the
wellbeing and cohesiveness of the community, and address the social opportunities and
challenges faced in the future. As well as the strategy, an implementation plan includes new
initiatives, ongoing commitments and actions and performance indicators to be reported on
every 12 months, and reviewed every 3-5 years.
Key issues with potential implications for housing identified in the strategy include:
Overall, there is a need for improved coordination and collection of local data to better
inform decision making;
The older and ageing population is creating additional demand for services for seniors;
Emerging vulnerable groups in the community include some lone person households,
LGBTI+ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex), and disengaged young people;
Homelessness is an increasing issue especially for young people – the strategy suggests
that a multi-faceted, coordinated approach with strong partnerships between
government, not-for-profit groups, and the community is needed to address
homelessness;
Availability of affordable housing (and limited housing diversity), rental housing and short-
term crisis housing were raised as issues – the shortage of affordable housing contributing
to homelessness;
Access to government services including health and other services is limited for residents
without access to reliable transport;
Availability of support, respite and affordable independent living options is limited for
young people and adults with an intellectual or physical disability (and their carers);
NDIS and aged care reform, and the pace of these policy changes, is impacting the
community, Council, individual residents, and organisations providing services;
Gaps in public and community transport are restricting access to support services,
employment and social options especially for hinterland residents and young people.
The strategy groups social aspirations into four themes: cohesive and resilient community, active
and healthy community, accessible, diverse and affordable community, and creative and informed
community.
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Within the ‘accessible, diverse and affordable communities’ theme, the strategy suggests that
Council aim to encourage accessible and affordable spaces and places for people to live, meet
and play, and influence housing affordability by encouraging a diversity of housing opportunities.
Key initiatives under this theme of relevance to the Housing Needs Assessment include that
Council will:
Plan for an increase in the number of elderly people living independently;
Advocate for flexible respite opportunities for older frail people and people with a
disability;
Undertake a Housing Needs Assessment (the current study) to inform planning and future
advocacy;
Work with government agencies, not-for-profit organisations and the business sector to
explore innovative ways of tackling housing affordability;
Continue to facilitate public transport, walking and cycling facilities to lessen reliance on
private vehicles.
2.3.5 Noosa Shire Council Local Economic Plan
The Local Economic Plan for the Noosa Shire was released in 2015 with the aim of broadening the
economic structure of the local economy by “achieving growth in smart industry sectors that offer
high economic value and low environmental impact”.
The economic plan noted that the economic structure of the Noosa Shire is heavily reliant on
tourism, retail and construction. Tourism is identified as a key strength for the region’s economy
and an opportunity for the future, as well as a weakness in that there is a reliance on tourism in
the local economy. While acknowledging that tourism, retail and construction will continue to be
important components of the economy, it emphasises the need for diversification.
With regard to tourism, the plan notes that in the year ending June 2015, tourism contributed an
estimated $700 million into the local economy supported by growth in international and
interstate visitors (but declines in day trip visitors).
Key themes to achieve a strong economy include:
Industry diversification;
Effective land use planning;
Enterprise support;
Essential infrastructure;
Skilled and connected businesses and implementation;
Monitoring and reporting.
Priority industry sectors of competitive advantage identified to support economic growth and
provide employment opportunities are:
Health and wellness;
Digital economy;
Environmental industries;
Rural enterprise;
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Education and Training;
Tourism;
Creative industries;
Professional services.
Strategies to achieve diversification into these industries included:
Collaboration and clustering opportunities;
Education and training opportunities;
Access to high speed broadband infrastructure;
Use of technology in business.
2.3.6 Sunshine Coast Regional Council Housing Needs Assessment, Background Study,
2009
The Background Study to the Sunshine Coast Housing Needs Assessment (2009) considered a
range of indicators of population and housing for the former Sunshine Coast Regional Council
Local Government Area (before Noosa Shire Council de-amalgamated), and identified a number
of key issues and housing needs.
Much of the data included in the report is no longer relevant as it has been superseded by
updated data or has been provided for the whole of the former Local Government Area (LGA),
which is dominated by areas that are now not part of Noosa Shire. However some information
continues to be relevant and has been summarised here.
Key findings included:
The housing mix does not match the demographic profile – including the ageing
population;
Declining home ownership is occurring among younger households, particularly among
low to moderate income aspiring first home buyer households;
Housing (purchase and rental) is expensive relative to other areas;
A trend for tourist and visitor accommodation to be rented by permanent residents;
Levels of housing stress are high;
Levels of social housing are extremely low;
Housing inadequately matches the needs of people with special needs;
Housing preferences need to diversify;
Housing will need to change.
The background study identified the following key issues for the region:
A mismatch between income and housing costs (housing affordability);
A mismatch between the housing form and the household profile;
A mismatch between the current urban form and aspirations of sustainability;
A mismatch between current and required aged care accommodation provision;
A low provision of social housing and universally designed housing.
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The region was identified as one of the least affordable regions in Australia, and notes that the
local community identified housing affordability and appropriate housing as key issues. The trend
towards smaller housing forms was not evident with large detached houses on large blocks being
the dominant dwelling type and the dwelling size has continued to increase.
Policy directions recommended to address the mismatch in housing and household types
included:
Increasing the diversity of housing stock;
Encouraging the provision of smaller and more modest housing forms;
Increasing the provision of affordable housing, social housing and housing for special
needs groups;
Encouraging housing types to improve sustainability on the Sunshine Coast and
encouraging areas of higher density where it is considered appropriate;
Improving understanding of housing preferences.
The following indicative targets were suggested to be achieved by 2031:
A reduction in detached housing from 76% to 53% of the housing stock;
An increase in semi-detached dwellings from 10% to 26%;
An increase in attached dwellings from 12% to 20%;
A target of 33% affordable housing to reduce high levels of housing stress;
A target to achieve the State provision level of social housing (3.9%) by 2011 and the
National provision level (4.9%) by 2016;
A target of 18% universal design and adaptable housing by 2031;
An ongoing target of 40 high care beds, 40 low care beds, and 25 home care packages per
1,000 population 70+ years of age.
The dwelling targets are reflected in the figures below:
Population/Households 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031
Projections
Projected Population 295,084 339,663 381,458 421,343 460,862 501,179
Projected Households 122,811 145,690 172,166 196,779 220,146 238,657
Dwelling Targets
Detached Dwellings - 101,983 111,908 118,067 121,080 126,488
(70%) (65%) (60%) (55%) (53%)
Semi-Detached - 18,940 30,990 41,324 55,037 62,051
Dwellings (13%) (18%) (21%) (25%) (26%)
Attached Dwellings - 20,397 27,547 35,420 41,828 47,731
(14%) (16%) (18%) (19%) (20%)
Other Dwellings - 2,549 2,582 2,460 2,201 2,387
(2%) (1.5%) (1.5%) (1%) (1%)
Total Dwellings - 145,690 172,166 196,779 220,146 238,657
(100%) (100%) (100%) (100%) (100%)
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The methodology for estimating dwelling targets included making assumptions about indicative
dwelling preferences of various household types and these are outlined below:
Household Type Detached Semi-Detached Attached
2006 Target 2006 Target 2006 Target
Couple families with 93.2% 80% 3.0% 10% 3.2% 10%
children
Couple families 78.0% 30% 10.6% 35% 9.8% 35%
without children
One parent families 78.3% 50% 9.8% 25% 10.7% 25%
Lone person 53.0% 20% 19.0% 40% 23.1% 40%
households
Group households 66.0% 50% 12.1% 25% 20.5% 25%
Other households - 40% - 30% - 30%
2.3.7 Residential Development Strategy for Noosa Shire, 2007
The 2007 Residential Development Strategy for Noosa Shire Council area examines population
and household characteristics, and investigates options for the future.
The Strategy notes that the SEQ Regional Plan 2005 sought an additional 4,200 dwellings (2,500
infill dwellings and 1,700 greenfield dwellings) in Noosa Shire by 2026. Population projections for
Noosa Shire Council area at the time suggested a 2026 population of approximately 58,230
residents.
Desired residential outcomes included that residential development:
Occurs on land which is suited for the intended form of subdivision, the development of
residential buildings and the occupation and use of the building and site by the residents;
Occurs on land which is not located in the vicinity of land uses which would adversely
impact the occupation and use of buildings and the site by the residents; or which would
result in the residential development preventing or inhibiting the conduct of existing land
uses;
Is designed within the planned capacities of roads, community services and infrastructure;
Is consistent with the developed character of its particular neighbourhood;
Is conveniently located in relation to urban services;
Is energy efficient, with siting and design consistent with climatic conditions;
Is water efficient, with rainwater captured and reused on site;
Adopts water sensitive urban design measures in new subdivisions and large
developments;
Is accessible and comfortable for residents of all ages and with various physical needs;
Has appropriate levels of safety and security for the occupants;
Is adequately serviced in a timely, cost effective, coordinated and efficient manner;
Incorporates a design and density which integrates with the urban and landscape fabric of
its particular locality;
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Provides residents with a high degree of privacy and protection from noise, lighting and
other environmental nuisances;
Provides residents with a choice in housing types to meet their varying needs;
Does not adversely impact on the natural character and environmental values of the Shire
including environmentally sensitive landscapes.
The Residential Strategy notes that the Shire is a popular visitor destination and that the mix of
residents and short-term accommodation has the potential to create conflicts. It notes that where
there is conflict, the protection of residential amenity should prevail.
Holiday resorts should be reserved for short-term visitor accommodation rather than permanent
residents. Noosa Heads, Noosaville and Sunshine Beach were identified as the dominant urban
visitor accommodation areas.
The strategy draws on the concept of ‘smart housing’, which is housing that is designed to
consider social, environmental and economic efficiency, including universal design and design
that reduces the risk of household injuries. The smart housing principles were incorporated into
the Noosa Plan4 wherever possible. The strategy notes that Council has previously indicated a
desire to further advance this work on smart housing and universal design, including perhaps
advocating for changes to building codes which might be outside the scope of the planning
scheme.
As well as noting broad nationwide causes of housing affordability issues, the strategy suggests
that affordability is a particular issue in Noosa Shire due to employment being frequently in low
skilled, casual or part-time positions. Hospitality workers, sales assistants, transitory and young
workers are considered particularly vulnerable to housing affordability issues. The strategy
suggests that affordable housing strategies should be developed at a regional level (that is,
including Gympie Regional Council and Sunshine Coast Council areas) particularly as Noosa Shire
has forecast low population growth. It also suggests that any surplus Council-owned land should
be used to support low cost housing outcomes rather than being sold off to a potentially
unknown future.
The Residential Development Strategy made a number of recommendations including:
A new administrative definition for a small dwelling unit (which includes no more than one
bathroom and two bedrooms with no study or media room or other room suitable for use
as a bedroom) could be included and positive discrimination used to encourage provision;
A new definition for group house be included which could accommodate a group of 6-10
unrelated adults where each resident has a private bedroom but the kitchen, dining and
laundry facilities are shared. Each room could have an ensuite bathroom, or shared
bathroom facilities. This could be an affordable model for older people to reduce social
isolation, students, single people on low-incomes and people with certain disabilities;
Remove the need for the occupant of an annexed flat to be a relative or employee, and
make these self-assessable in the detached housing and rural settlement zones;
Reduce the need to provide one visitor car park accessible at all times for duplex
development, and revisit car parking requirements for multiple housing;
4
The Noosa Plan is the current planning scheme for the Noosa Shire and sets down the planning framework
to guide its future. The plan first commenced in February 2006 and has been amended several times since.
The current version of The Noosa Plan is dated 28 October 2016, after recent amendments.
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Promote one to two bedroom units through bonus development rights;
Continue to lobby State regulations on universal housing standards;
Encourage construction of smaller houses and units, rather than large dwellings;
Work with and support local and regional housing providers to provide low cost, medium
to long term housing;
Review large parcels of Council-owned land to determine if suitable for redevelopment as
low cost housing;
Investigate the extent to which houses in the detached housing zone are let for short-term
holiday rental and the resultant impact on neighbouring residential amenity.
2.3.8 Sunshine Coast Affordable Living Strategy, 2010-2020
The Sunshine Coast Affordable Living Strategy 2010-2020 was developed by the combined
Sunshine Coast Regional Council and released in 2010.
The concept of affordable living includes more than just the financial cost of accommodation but
incorporates the way in which we live, the size and type of dwelling we live in, the resources we
use and how we move around.
The strategy includes a framework to achieve affordable living with seven principles:
Housing diversity: diverse housing choices for a diverse community;
Housing affordability: housing to suit all income levels;
Self-contained neighbourhoods: local opportunities;
Transport options: A range of transport choices;
Supportive environments: great places and spaces;
Resource efficiency: A minimal environmental footprint;
Economic development: Shared prosperity;
Planning and policy actions identified in the 2010 strategy that could be relevant have been
included below:
Principle Action
Housing Diversity Continue to support and participate in various projects such as the Housing
Affordability Fund, Electronic Development Assessment project, Target 5 Days
project and Model Code for Smart Growth and Next Generation Planning projects as
well as the Liveable Compact Cities projects and incorporate recommendations in
planning and policy.
Encourage innovative housing solutions such as co-housing, sustainable and flexible
housing in appropriate locations.
Prepare and adopt guidelines similar to the ULDA’s design guidelines that stimulate
the delivery of a more diverse housing product including row housing, shop top
housing, co-housing and terrace housing.
Adopt housing targets set out in the Sunshine Coast Housing Needs Assessment
background study.
Support property industry initiatives that deliver innovative and creative housing
solutions through good leadership, recognition and responsive, innovative and
efficient development assessment services.
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Principle Action
Housing Develop a range of policy incentives that provide a sliding scale of support for social
Affordability and identified affordable housing projects.
Develop a planning and assessment framework and fast-track assessment system for
affordable housing projects.
Extend current policy which permits a reduction in car parking from planning
scheme requirements and incentives for social housing to include identified
affordable housing to support ongoing investment
Discourage residential development in areas with high impacts upon affordability
such as filling in flood plains, areas with limited provision of services and
developments dependent upon extensive private vehicle use.
Consider provisions in the planning scheme that require a prescribed mix of dwelling
unit sizes in housing projects comprising of more than six dwellings.
Consider provisions in the planning scheme that permit compliance assessment of
secondary dwellings on residential allotments
Investigate mechanisms for the protection of existing caravan parks and
manufactured home villages.
Plan for the provision of suitable land and investigate mechanisms within the
planning scheme that enable caravan parks and manufactured home villages to be
established in master planned emerging communities.
Self-Contained Continue to plan for urban centres in an integrated approach using place making
Neighbourhoods and TOD planning principles to strengthen activity centres.
Ensure planning scheme provisions encourage self-containment by considering
opportunities for increased housing choice with adequate access to services and
facilities
Utilise policy and tools such as the planning scheme, economic initiatives and
modelling to ensure residential areas contain business and employment
opportunities to encourage locally based jobs such as mixed development and
home-based businesses.
Transport Ensure network planning of public transport infrastructure, walk and cycle links are
delivered in conjunction with development of new communities.
Include provisions in the planning scheme and other guidelines/standards which
improve safety outcomes for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as pedestrian access
around public transport stops.
Prepare subdivision guidelines within the new planning scheme and master planned
communities that support permeable subdivision layouts that encourage pedestrian
and cycle use.
The strategy has since been updated to de-amalgamated boundaries.
2.3.9 Implications for Housing Provision
The review of the policy context indicates that Noosa Shire has several long-standing housing
issues which have been outside the ability of past planning schemes to resolve alone. Key issues
appear to include:
Housing affordability, especially for low income households and key workers;
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A lack of accessible or adaptable housing for older people and people with special needs;
A mismatch of housing size and household size (albeit some may be by choice or
circumstance);
A shortage of affordable and appropriate aged accommodation;
A lack of housing diversity, and particularly smaller dwellings;
Low levels of social and emergency housing;
Conflict between resident and visitor accommodation.
The study will focus on investigation of these issues, and inform the forthcoming planning
scheme with the aim of addressing these issues to the extent possible through land use planning.
Other mechanisms and policy recommendations may also be required to overcome entrenched
issues which are outside the scope of the planning scheme.
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3. EXISTING HOUSING SUPPLY AND DWELLING CHARACTERISTICS
3.1 Private Housing Market Characteristics
3.1.1 Total Dwellings
There were a total of 25,419 dwellings counted in Noosa Shire at the 2011 Census. Of these,
20,713 dwellings were occupied on Census night (75.2%), 4,559 were unoccupied (17.9%)5, and
147 were non-private dwellings (0.6%) (for example, residential aged care homes and hospitals)
(Table 3). The proportion of unoccupied dwellings in Noosa Shire was much higher than for
Queensland as a whole (17.9% for Noosa Shire, compared to 9.7% for Queensland).
Approximately 1,602 dwellings were occupied by visitors/tourists on Census night, and these
dwellings made up around 6.3% of all of the dwellings in Noosa Shire, or 7.7% of all occupied
private dwellings.
Table 3. Dwellings, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011
Dwelling Type Noosa Shire SEQ Queensland
Occupied private dwellings 20,713 (81.5%) 1,150,971 (91.2%) 1,648,541 (90.0%)
Occupied private dwellings – Residents 19,111 (75.2%) 1,096,686 (86.9%) 1,547,304 (84.5%)
Occupied private dwellings – Visitors 1,602 (6.3%) 54,285 (4.3%) 101,237 (5.5%)
only
Unoccupied private dwellings 4,559 (17.9%) 108,085 (8.6%) 177,914 (9.7%)
Total 25,272 (99.4%) 1,259,056 (99.8%) 1,826,455 (99.7%)
Non-private dwellings 147 (0.6%) 2,419 (0.2%) 5,412 (0.3%)
Total (including non-private 25,419 1,261,475 1,831,867
dwellings) (100.0%) (100.0%) (100.0%)
Notes: Excludes migratory, off-shore and shipping dwellings.
Source: ABS 2013a;
3.1.2 Dwelling Type
Of the 25,272 private dwellings in Noosa Shire in 2011, 18,828 were detached or separate houses
(74.5%), 2,489 were semi-detached (9.8%), 3,328 were attached (13.2%) and 618 were other
dwelling types (2.4%). Table 4 and Figure 10 below summarise the numbers and proportions of
the different dwelling types for both unoccupied and occupied dwellings as well as dwellings
occupied by residents and visitors/tourists.
Larger proportions of unoccupied dwellings and dwellings occupied only by visitors are attached
dwellings, compared to dwellings occupied by residents. Around 24% of unoccupied dwellings
and 28% of dwellings occupied only by visitors were attached dwellings, compared with just 9.4%
of dwellings occupied by residents being attached.
5
19.3% if excluding dwellings occupied by visitor only households
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Table 4. Dwellings by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, 2011
Dwelling Type Separate Semi- Attached Other Not Total
House Detached Dwelling Available/
Type Not
Applicable
Occupied private 15,890 1,991 2,244 579 9 20,713
dwellings (62.9%) (7.9%) (8.9%) (2.3%) (0.0%) (82.0%)
Occupied private 15,190 1,858 1,790 267 6 19,111
dwellings – Residents (60.1%) (7.4%) (7.1%) (1.1%) (0.0%) (75.6%)
Occupied private 700 133 454 312 3 1,602
dwellings - Visitors (2.8%) (0.5%) (1.8%) (1.2%) (0.0%) (6.3%)
only
Unoccupied private 2,938 498 1,084 39 0 4,559
dwellings (11.6%) (2.0%) (4.3%) (0.2%) (0.0%) (18.0%)
Total 18,828 2,489 3,328 618 156 25,272
(74.5%) (9.8%) (13.2%) (2.4%) (0.6%) (100%)
Source: ABS 2013a;
Although Noosa Shire had a similar proportion of separate houses to the SEQ Region and
Queensland, a larger proportion of these dwellings were unoccupied on Census night.
Figure 10. Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011
Source: ABS 2013a;
Most common Census indicators consider only dwellings occupied by residents on Census night.
If only dwellings occupied by residents on Census night are included, Noosa Shire reported a
similar dwelling structure to the SEQ Region and Queensland, with 79.5% of private occupied
dwellings being separate houses, compared to 76.1% for the SEQ Region and 78.5% for
Queensland (Table 5).
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Table 5. Dwelling Type, Occupied Residents, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011
Dwelling Type Noosa Shire South East Queensland
Queensland
Separate House 15,190 (79.5%) 76.1% 78.5%
Semi-Detached 1,858 (9.7%) 10.1% 8.4%
Attached 1,790 (9.4%) 12.8% 11.7%
Other Dwelling Type 267 (1.4%) 0.9% 1.3%
Total Dwellings 19,111 (100%) 100% 100%
Notes: Excluding visitor only households. Excluding dwellings unoccupied on Census night.
Source: ABS 2013a;
3.1.3 Household Type by Dwelling Type
Of the 19,111 dwellings occupied by residents in Noosa Shire, 6,492 dwellings were occupied by
couples without children (34.0%), 4,847 dwellings were occupied by couples with children (25.4%),
4,665 were occupied by lone person households (24.4%), and 2,192 were occupied by one parent
families (11.5%) (Table 6). A small number and proportion of dwellings were occupied by group
households (793, 4.1%) and other family types (120, 0.6%).
Noosa Shire had a higher proportion of lone person households (24.4%) than the SEQ Region
(22.4%) and Queensland (22.8%). The other three household composition categories were slightly
lower for Noosa Shire when compared to the SEQ Region and the State. At least 58.4% of all
occupied dwellings in Noosa Shire were usually occupied by one person living alone, or a couple.
A high proportion of couples with children lived in separate houses (93.9%), followed by couples
without children (83.3%), one parent families (82.3%), group households (73.5%), other family
types (70.0%) and lone person households (59.2%).
Of all of the attached dwellings in Noosa Shire, 50.00% were occupied by lone person
households, and 23.6% by couples without children. Of the semi-detached dwellings, 46.4% were
occupied by lone person households, and 31.9% by couples without children. Of the separate
houses, 35.6% were occupied by couples without children, and 30.0% by couples with children.
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Table 6. Household Type by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, 2011
Household Type Separate Semi- Attached Other Total
House Detached Dwellings Households
Couple with no children 5,405 593 423 71 6,492 (34.0%)
Couple with children 4,550 120 156 21 4,847 (25.4%)
One parent family 1,805 186 178 23 2,192 (11.5%)
Other family 84 9 24 3 120 (0.6%)
Total Families 11,844 908 781 118 13,651 (71.4%)
Lone person household 2,763 862 897 143 4,665 (24.4%)
Group household 583 87 115 8 793 (4.1%)
Total Households 15,190 1,857 1,793 269 19,109
(79.5%) (9.7%) (9.4%) (1.4%) (100%)
Notes: Only primary family type counted for multi-family households. Excluding visitor only households.
Excluding dwellings unoccupied on Census night.
Source: ABS 2013a;
3.1.4 Household Size and Dwelling Size
The Shire reported a lower average persons per household (2.4) compared to the SEQ Region
(2.6) and the State (2.6).
Around 25% of all occupied dwellings in Noosa Shire had only one person living in them, and
around 42% had two people living in them (Table 7). Around 45% of all occupied dwellings had
three bedrooms, a further 27% had four bedrooms, and 18% have two bedrooms.
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Table 7. Household Size by Dwelling Size, Noosa Shire, 2011
Household Bedrooms Not Total
Size stated
None 1 2 3 4 5+
One person 73 548 1,443 1,873 501 61 168 4,667
(24.4%)
Two persons 22 183 1,506 3,973 2,030 215 78 8,007
(41.9%)
Three persons 7 8 286 1,363 894 137 19 2,714
(14.1%)
Four persons 0 11 107 1,015 1,168 183 13 2,497
(13.1%)
Five persons 3 0 19 244 458 149 6 879
(4.6%)
Six persons 0 0 3 56 115 86 0 260
(1.4%)
Seven persons 0 0 0 7 30 25 0 62
(0.3%)
Eight or more 0 0 0 6 12 10 0 28
persons (0.1%)
Total 105 750 3,364 8,537 5,208 866 284 19,114
(0.5%) (3.9%) (17.6%) (44.7%) (27.2%) (4.5%) (1.5%) (100%)
Notes: Excluding visitor only households. Excluding dwellings unoccupied on Census night.
Source: ABS 2013a;
This data is shown graphically on Figure 11 and demonstrates the high proportion of two person
households in Noosa Shire, and that these households are primarily living in 3-bedroom
dwellings. The second most frequent dwelling type for two person households was 4-bedroom
dwellings.
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Figure 11. Household Size by Dwelling Size, Noosa Shire, 2011 Notes: Excluding visitor only households. Excluding dwellings unoccupied on Census night. Source: ABS 2013a; 3.1.5 Housing Tenure The Shire reported a considerably higher proportion of dwellings owned outright (37.0%) when compared to the SEQ Region (29.0%) and the State (29.7%) (Figure 12 and Table 8). Fewer people were paying off a mortgage in the Shire (32.0%) compared to the SEQ Region (36.6%) and the State (35.4%). Dwellings in the Shire are less likely to be rented (29.5%) compared to the SEQ Region (33.5%) and the State (34.0%). Figure 12. Tenure Type, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 Notes: Excluding visitor only households. Excluding dwellings unoccupied on Census night. Excluding tenure not stated. Source: AEC Group 2015; Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 41
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Table 8. Dwelling tenure, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011
Dwelling Type Noosa Shire South East Queensland
Queensland
Owned Outright 6,935 (37.0%) 29.0% 29.7%
Owned with Mortgage 5,994 (32.0%) 36.6% 35.4%
Rented 5,534 (29.5%) 33.5% 34.0%
Other Tenure Type 264 (1.5%) 0.9% 0.9%
Total 18,727 (100%) 100% 100%
Notes: Excluding visitor only households. Excluding dwellings unoccupied on Census night. Excluding tenure not
stated.
Source: AEC Group 2015;
3.1.6 Rental Stock - Bonds held by RTA 2011-2016
In the June Quarter 2016, the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) held a total of 4,378 rental
bonds in Noosa Shire (Figure 13). Around 1,450 of these dwellings were located in Noosa Heads
and Southern Coast (33%), 1,190 were located in Tewantin and Northern Coast (27%) and 1,010
were located in Munna Pt and Noosaville (23%). There were small proportions in the Hinterland,
with the highest of these in Cooroy and Surrounds. These areas are based on postcodes and
therefore do not align with other data in this report based on statistical boundaries defined by
the ABS. The areas are:
Tewantin and Northern Coast (postcode 4565) includes Boreen Point, Cootharaba, Noosa
North Shore Teewah and Tewantin;
Munna Point and Noosaville (postcode 4566);
Noosa Heads and Southern Coast (postcode 4567) includes Noosa Heads, Sunshine Beach,
Sunrise Beach and Castaways Beach;
Cooroy and Surrounds (postcode 4563) includes Black Mountain, Carters Ridge, Cooroy
and Tinbeerwah.
Peregian Beach and Marcus Beach have been omitted from this data as they share the 4573
postcode with Coolum Beach and have therefore been added to the Sunshine Coast Council data
rather than Noosa Shire’s.
The number of total bonds held by the RTA had slowly increased to a peak of around 4,800
bonds in March 2013 (from 4,460 in March 2011), but have generally decreased slowly since that
time.
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Figure 13. Total Bonds held by RTA, Noosa Localities, 2011-2016 Source: Residential Tenancies Authority 2016; Showing a similar trend, the numbers of new bonds lodged per quarter have been slowly declining since 2011 for the main dwelling types (Figure 14). The number of new bonds lodged per quarter for two bedroom flats, three bedroom houses, and four bedroom houses have slowly declined. The highest number of rental bonds held in June 2016 were for three bedroom houses, followed by four bedroom houses. Two bedroom flats were the next most frequent type of rental property. Figure 14. Bonds Lodged with RTA by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016 Source: Residential Tenancies Authority 2016; 3.1.7 Median Rents by Housing Type Median rents for flats/ units in Noosa Shire rose by an estimated annual average of 5.7% between 2001 and 2014 (Figure 15). This is slightly lower than the State where the median rents for flats/ units was estimated to have grown by 6.3% annually on average over the same period. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 43
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Median rents for flats/ units in the Shire generally remained higher than the State between 2001 and 2006. Although from 2007 onwards, the median rent in Noosa Shire has been equal to, or slightly below, that of the State (with the exception of 2014 where median rents were $340 and $330 per week respectively). Figure 15. Median Rents for Flats/Units (two bedrooms), Noosa Shire and Queensland, 2001-2014 Source: AEC Group 2015; Median rents for houses in Noosa Shire rose by an estimated annual average of 6.1% between 2001 and 2014 (Figure 16). This is slightly higher than the State where the median rents for houses was estimated to have grown by 5.7% annually on average over the same period. Median rents for houses in the Shire remained higher than the State between 2001 and 2014. In 2014 the median rent for houses in the Shire was $400 per week compared to $350 per week for the State. The difference in the median rents for houses between the Shire and the State in 2014 ($50 per week) was at its highest over the forecast period. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 44
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Figure 16. Median Rents for Houses (three bedrooms), Noosa Shire and Queensland, 2001- 2014 Source: AEC Group 2015; More recent data from the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) (2016) shows that median rents for most dwelling types have continued to trend upwards in the last two and a half years (Figure 17). Figure 17. Median Rents by Dwelling Type, Noosa Shire, 2014-2016 Source: Residential Tenancies Authority 2016; The most commonly rented dwellings are two bedroom flats, three bedroom houses and four bedroom houses. Median rents by localities for these three dwellings types are presented in the figures below (Figure 18 to Figure 20). Noosaville (including Munna Point) and Noosa Heads and Southern Coast had the highest median rents for all of the dwelling types. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 45
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Figure 18. Median Rents by Locality, Two Bedroom Flat, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016 Source: Residential Tenancies Authority 2016; Figure 19. Median Rents by Locality, Three Bedroom House, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016 Source: Residential Tenancies Authority 2016; Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 46
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Figure 20. Median Rents by Locality, Four Bedroom House, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016 Source: Residential Tenancies Authority 2016; 3.1.8 Rental Vacancy Rates The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) published data on rental vacancy rates. The amalgamation of Noosa Shire to form the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and subsequent de- amalgamation, have impacted the availability of data for rental vacancies. The chart below (Figure 21) shows rental vacancy rates for ‘Noosa coast’ and ‘Sunshine Coast hinterland’ during the time of amalgamation, and ‘Noosa LGA’ for the period after de-amalgamation. This data shows a declining trend in vacancy rates over the last five years from around 4-5% in 2010 to around 1-2% since 30 March 2014. Figure 21. Rental vacancy rate by quarter, Noosa Shire, September 2010 - March 2016 Source: REIQ 2016; 3.1.9 Dwellings Sales Data The median dwelling sale price in Noosa Shire rose by an estimated annual average rate of 1.8% between 2005 and 2015. This is slightly lower than the State where the median dwelling price was estimated to have grown by 3.9% annually on average over the same period. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 47
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The median dwelling sale price in Noosa Shire has remained higher than the State at all times between 1998 and 2015 (Figure 22). In 2015, the median dwelling sale price in Noosa Shire was $516,500 while in the State it was $430,500. Figure 22. Median Dwelling Sale Price, Noosa Shire and Queensland, 1998-2015 Source: Queensland Government 2016e; For detached dwellings (houses), median sale prices in Noosa Shire increased sharply between around 2002 and 2008, however since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008-2009, the median sale price for detached dwellings has been variable and only for a period in 2010-11 and in 2015 have prices reached a similar level as the peak before the GFC (Figure 23). Brisbane prices seem not to have been impacted in the same way with prices now considerably higher than they were just before the GFC. The median sale price of detached dwellings in Noosa Shire has been higher than the median price in the Sunshine Coast LGA since 1998. The number of sales per quarter of detached dwellings has been fairly consistent between 1998 and 2015, with a period of higher sales between 2001 and 03, and a period of lower sales around 2008-2011 (Figure 24). Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 48
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Figure 23. Median Dwelling Sale Price, Detached Dwellings (Houses), Noosa Shire and Comparisons, 1998-2015 Source: Queensland Government 2016e; Figure 24. Number of Sales, Detached Dwellings (Houses), Noosa Shire, 1998-2015 Source: Queensland Government 2016e; For attached dwellings (including flats, unit, apartments and townhouses and terraces), median sale prices in Noosa Shire increased between 2002 and 2004 from around $250,000 to around $450,000 (Figure 25). However since 2004, median sale prices have remained around this level with some variability between $400,000-500,000. The median sale price of attached dwellings in Noosa Shire has been higher than the median price in the Sunshine Coast LGA since 1998. The number of sales of attached dwellings is much lower than for detached dwellings. The number of sales of attached dwellings per quarter was higher than average, between around 2002 and 2003 Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 49
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at over 300 dwellings per quarter, but has since reduced to be around 150 dwellings per quarter in recent years (Figure 26). Figure 25. Median Dwelling Sale Price, Attached Dwellings, Noosa Shire and Comparisons, 1998-2015 Source: Queensland Government 2016e; Figure 26. Number of Sales, Attached Dwellings, Noosa Shire, 1998-2015 Source: Queensland Government 2016e; 3.1.10 Vacant Land Sales Data For vacant land, median sale prices have followed a similar pattern to detached and attached dwellings with strong growth between 2002 and 2004, and variable but flat median sale prices since that time (Figure 27). The median sale price of vacant land in Noosa Shire has generally Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 50
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been higher than the price in the Sunshine Coast LGA, and has only been consistently lower than Brisbane since the end of 2011. There was a significant spike in the price of vacant land in Noosa Shire around 2003-2004 in response to a contraction of supply. Figure 27. Median Vacant Land Sale Price, Noosa Shire and Comparisons, 1998-2015 Notes: Median price of vacant urban residential lots, sized 140m² to 2,500m², that were sold in the reporting period based on date of contract. Source: Queensland Government 2016e; When the size of the vacant block is considered, the median price per square metre has fallen lower than median prices in the Sunshine Coast LGA since about 2011, and is much lower than for Brisbane LGA (Figure 28). This suggests that at least some of the higher median sale prices of vacant land in Noosa Shire are due to larger lot sizes. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 51
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Figure 28. Median Vacant Land Sale Price per Square Metre, Noosa Shire and Comparisons, 1998-2015 Notes: Median price per square metre of vacant urban residential lots, sized 140m² to 2,500m², that were sold in the reporting period based on date of contract. Source: Queensland Government 2016e; The number of sales of vacant land per quarter in Noosa Shire were low between 2004 and 2012 (around 30 per quarter on average) compared to the preceding period (around 70 per quarter). Since 2012, the numbers have been higher at around 40 sales per quarter (Figure 29). Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 52
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Figure 29. Number of Sales of Vacant Land, Noosa Shire, 1998-2015
Notes: Number of vacant urban residential lots, sized 140m² to 2,500m², that were sold in the reporting period
based on date of contract.
Source: Queensland Government 2016e;
3.1.11 Housing Characteristics by Localities
Key housing characteristics of each locality were identified to be as follows:
Cooroibah
Cooroibah had a very high proportion of occupied private dwellings being separate
houses (over 99% of all occupied dwellings).
Of all occupied private dwellings, almost half (48.2%) were being purchased, 34.2% were
fully owned and 15.4% were being rented. This was the highest rate of dwellings owned
with a mortgage of any of the localities, and the lowest rate of dwellings being rented.
The median weekly rent in the Cooroibah locality was $353 and the median monthly
mortgage repayment was $1,850. These medians were amongst the highest in Noosa
Shire.
Tewantin
Tewantin had relatively high proportions of semi-detached and attached dwelling types
compared to other localities (17.3%). Of all occupied private dwellings, 79.3% were
separate houses, 11.4% were semi-detached and 5.9% were attached.
Of all occupied private dwellings, 36.5% were fully owned, 27.5% were being purchased
with a mortgage and 31.0% were being rented.
Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach
The Eastern Beaches locality had higher proportions of semi-detached and attached
dwellings types compared to other localities (28.4%). Of all occupied private dwellings,
71.5% were separate houses, 13.3% were semi-detached and 15.0% were attached.
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Of all occupied private dwellings in this locality, 36.3% were being rented, 31.2% were fully
owned and 30.5% were being purchased. This was the highest rate of dwellings being
rented of any of the localities.
The median weekly rent in the Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach locality was $350 and
the median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,915. These medians were also amongst
the highest in Noosa Shire.
Federal to Ringtail Creek, including Pomona and Cooran
This locality had a high proportion of occupied private dwellings being separate houses
(over 95% of dwellings).
Of all occupied private dwellings, almost half (45.6%) were being purchased, 32.7% were
fully owned and 19.5% were being rented. This was one of the highest rates of dwellings
owned with a mortgage of any of the localities.
Noosaville and Doonan
The Noosaville and Doonan locality had high proportions of semi-detached and attached
dwellings types compared to other localities (37.5%). This locality had the highest dwelling
type diversity of any of the localities. Of all occupied private dwellings, 62.2% were
separate houses, 21.8% were semi-detached and 15.6% were attached.
Of all occupied private dwellings, 37.1% were fully owned, 24.8% were being purchased
with a mortgage and 32.4% were being rented.
The median weekly rent in the Noosaville and Doonan locality was $358 and the median
monthly mortgage repayment was $2,031. These medians were the highest of any of the
localities in Noosa Shire.
Noosa North Shore
Unoccupied private dwellings represented around 61% of all dwellings in this locality on
Census night 2011.
Noosa North Shore had a high proportion of dwellings classified as ‘other dwelling types’
at 15.6%. The majority of these dwellings were categorised as improvised home, tents and
sleep outs. As noted above, this locality has a small population and total number of
dwellings. There were approximately 122 total occupied private dwellings counted on
Census night and just 16 dwellings were classified as improvised home, tents and sleep
outs. All other occupied dwellings were separate houses.
Around 46.0% of dwellings in this locality were fully owned, which was the highest rate of
home ownership without a mortgage of any of the localities. Around 26.6% of dwellings
were being purchased and 18.5% were being rented.
Noosa Heads
Unoccupied private dwellings represented over 30% of all dwellings in this locality on
Census night 2011.
Noosa Heads had a high proportion of semi-detached and attached dwelling types
compared to other localities (26.8%). Of all occupied private dwellings, 72.8% were
separate houses, 6.2% were semi-detached and 20.7% were attached. The latter was the
highest proportion of units, flats and apartments of any locality.
Of all occupied private dwellings, 38.2% were fully owned, 24.5% were being purchased
with a mortgage and 34.6% were being rented.
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The median weekly rent in the Noosa Heads locality was $350 and the median monthly
mortgage repayment was $1,820. These medians were amongst the highest in Noosa
Shire.
Ridgewood to Tinbeerwah, including Cooroy and Lake Macdonald
This locality had a high proportion of occupied private dwellings being separate houses
(over 90% of dwellings).
Of all occupied private dwellings, 43.4% were fully owned, 34.6% were being purchased
with a mortgage and 19.7% were being rented.
Boreen Point, Kin Kin and Cootharaba
This locality had a high proportion of occupied private dwellings being separate houses
(over 95% of dwellings).
Of all occupied private dwellings, 41.1% were fully owned, 36.1% were being purchased
with a mortgage and 21.7% were being rented.
Summary
The above demonstrates that there is considerable variation in the key characteristics of housing
across localities of Noosa Shire.
Some 60% of dwellings counted in the Noosa North Shire locality were unoccupied on census
night in 2011. This was the highest proportion of any of the localities, and was followed by Noosa
Heads at 33.6%, Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach at 26.7%, Boreen Point, Kin Kin and
Cootharaba at 23.7%, and Noosaville at 19.9% (Figure 30).
When unoccupied dwellings and dwellings only occupied by visitors on census night are
excluded, the variations between localities in regard to types of dwellings used by residents can
be analysed (Figure 31). This shows that the hinterland localities (Cooroibah, Boreen Point, Kin
Kin and Cootharaba, Federal to Ringtail Creek, Ridgewood to Tinbeerwah, and Noosa North
Shore) had the highest proportions of separate houses, and conversely, the lowest proportions of
other dwelling types. Noosaville and Doonan had the highest proportion of other dwelling types,
followed by Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach, Noosa Heads and Tewantin.
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Figure 30. Dwelling type by locality, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; Figure 31. Dwelling type by locality (resident households), 2011 Notes: Excluding unoccupied, and ‘visitor only’ households Source: ABS 2011; The most common tenure type throughout the Noosa Shire was dwellings that were owned outright (that is without a mortgage). Localities where ‘owned outright’ was the most prominent tenure type were Noosa North Shore (47.9% of all dwellings), Ridgewood to Tinbeerwah (44.2%) and Boreen Point, Kin Kin and Cootharaba (41.6%). Dwellings being purchased through a mortgage was the most common tenure type in Cooroibah, where ‘owned with a mortgage’ accounted for 49.3% of all dwellings, and Federal to Ringtail Creek, where ‘owned with a mortgage’ accounted for 46.3% of all dwellings. There were high proportions of households renting in the Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach locality (36.8%), Noosa Heads (35.4%), Noosaville and Doonan locality (33.2%) and Tewantin (31.0%). Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 56
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Figure 32. Dwelling tenure by locality, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; 3.2 Social Housing Characteristics The provision of social housing is the responsibility of the Queensland Government. Social housing comprises public housing and community housing. Public housing is funded and managed by the State Government; and community housing is funded by either the Australian or the State Government and managed by the not-for-profit sector. In recent years there have been a small number of larger, commercially sophisticated not-for- profit providers operating alongside the existing State and Territory-run housing authorities to provide ‘affordable housing developments’. Organisations such as ‘housing companies’ utilise financial measures such as working with banks, developers and other commercial partners to leverage finance and construct more dwellings than they would have been able to do through government grants alone. Some developments include retail or commercial spaces, which increase the diversity and viability of the development, enhance street activation and provide positive opportunities to partner with business and community organizations. 3.2.1 Public Housing Provision Data provided by the Department of Housing and Public Works (Queensland Government 2016f) shows that there were 383 available public housing dwellings for rental in Noosa Shire in 2015 (Table 9). The majority of these were located in the Tewantin and Northern Coast area with 194 dwellings located in those areas. A further 92 dwellings were located in Noosa Heads and Southern Coast, 54 in Cooroy and Surrounds, and 33 in Munna Point and Noosaville. Public housing provided in Noosa Shire was primarily general stock with 307 dwellings being general stock, compared with 75 dwellings for senior accommodation and just 1 dwelling part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing rental program. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 57
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Table 9. Public Housing by Program, By Postcode and Suburb, Noosa Shire, 2015
Postcode and Suburb Public rental housing program ATSI housing Total
rental program -
General stock Senior
General stock
accommodation
4563 Cooroy and 48 6 0 54
Surrounds
4565 Tewantin and 144 49 1 194
Northern Coast
4566 Munna Pt/ 25 8 0 33
Noosaville
4567 Noosa Heads and 80 12 0 92
Southern Coast
4569 Cooran 5 0 0 5
4573 Marcus 5 0 0 5
Beach/Peregian Beach
Total 307 75 1 383
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data);
Of the 383 public housing rental dwellings, 131 dwellings had 1 bedroom (34%), 71 dwellings had
two bedrooms (19%), 143 dwellings had three bedrooms (37%), 33 dwellings had four bedrooms
(9%), and 5 dwellings had five bedrooms (1%) (Table 10). In comparison, 196 households in
public housing dwellings were lone person households (51%), 100 households had 2 occupants
(26%), and 42 households had 3 occupants (11%). In the table below, cells have been highlighted
to show where there is some mismatch in dwelling size and household size (with blue suggesting
some potential mismatch and grey suggesting a higher potential mismatch).
Table 10. Public Housing by Number of Bedrooms and Number of Occupants, Noosa Shire,
2015
Number of Number of Bedrooms Total
Occupants
1 2 3 4 5
1 Occupant 126 33 36 1 196 (51%)
2 Occupants 5 33 56 6 100 (26%)
3 Occupants 5 30 7 42 (11%)
4 Occupants 9 6 15 (4%)
5 Occupants 5 4 9 (2%)
6 Occupants 3 1 4 (1%)
7 Occupants 2 2 (1%)
9 Occupants 1 1 (0%)
Not Available 4 5 5 14 (4%)
Total 131 (34%) 71 (19%) 143 (37%) 33 (9%) 5 (1%) 383 (100%)
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data);
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Around 50% of households living in public housing in Noosa Shire in 2015 were lone person
households, and around 25% are single parent households (Table 11). Around 54% of all
households had a member of the household with a disability.
Table 11. Characteristics of Households in Public Housing, Noosa Shire, 2015
Household Type Total ATSI Households Main language
Households Households with any of household
member not English
having a
disability
Single Person <55 years 58 4 46 1
Single Person Over 55 138 0 72 4
Sub-Total - Single 196 (51%) 4 118 5
Couple Only <55 years 2 0 1 0
Couple Only Over 55 25 0 15 0
Sub-Total – Couple Only 27 (7%) 0 16 0
Couple, 1 Child 11 1 4 0
Couple, 2 Children 4 0 3 0
Couple, >2 Children 9 1 4 0
Sub-Total – Couple with 24 (6%) 2 11 0
Children
Single Parent, 1 Child 57 1 29 1
Single Parent, 2 Children 25 2 10 1
Single Parent, >2 Children 14 2 4 0
Sub-Total – Single Parent 96 (25%) 5 43 2
Not Available 14 0 0 0
Other 26 2 19 0
Total 383 (100%) 13 (3%) 207 (54%) 7 (2%)
Note: The rows in this table do not sum. Percentages are of total households (n=383)
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data);
Only 13 of the households living in public housing were identified as being within a homelessness
category at the time public housing was allocated (3%) (Table 12). However, for a high number of
households, data on homelessness at the time of allocation was unspecified or unavailable. It is
unclear whether data that is unavailable for privacy reasons is likely to include people who were
homeless or at tenuous tenure arrangements.
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Table 12. Homelessness Category for Households in Public Housing (at time of allocation),
By Locality, Noosa Shire, 2015
Postcode and Homeless Category Unavailable Unspecified Total
Suburbs
A B C
4563 Cooroy and 1 1 52 54
Surrounds
4565 Tewantin and 3 3 1 3 184 194
Northern Coast
4566 Munna Pt/ 2 2 29 33
Noosaville
4567 Noosa Heads 1 3 88 92
and Southern Coast
4569 Cooran 5 5
4573 Marcus 2 3 5
Beach/Peregian
Beach
Total 8 3 2 14 356 383
Notes: A = Homeless Category A; B = Homeless Category B; C = Homeless Category C; Unavailable = data
unavailable for reasons of confidentiality.
Category A is PRIMARY HOMELESSNESS
People without conventional accommodation such as people living on the streets, sleeping in derelict buildings,
or using cars for temporary shelter.
Category B is SECONDARY HOMELESSNESS
People who move frequently from one form of temporary shelter to another. This category covers people
accommodated in homeless services, people residing temporarily with family and friends and those using
rooming/boarding houses on an occasional basis.
Category C is TERTIARY HOMELESSNESS
People who live in boarding/rooming houses on a medium to long term basis. This type of accommodation
typically does not have self-contained rooms and residents share bathroom and kitchen facilities. Rooming
house residents do not have the security of tenure provided by a lease.
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data)
Almost 50% of households residing in public housing had started their tenancy in the preceding
10 year period of 2006-2015, and a further 37% of households had started their tenancy in the
period of 1996-2005 (Table 13).
Table 13. Tenancy Start Date, Public Housing, Noosa Shire, 2015
Tenancy Start Total Households with
Date Households any member
having a disability
1976-1985 2 1
1986-1995 49 18
1996-2005 144 59
2006-2015 188 129
Total 383 207
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data);
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Social Housing Register
There were 138 households on the waiting list. Just over 60% of these households would be
entitled to a one bedroom dwelling, 22% to a two bedroom dwelling, 12% to a three bedroom
dwelling and 5% to a four bedroom dwelling (Table 14).
Table 14. Bedroom Entitlement for Households on Social Housing Register, By Preferred
Location, Noosa Shire, 2015
Location Bedroom Entitlement Total
1 2 3 4
CRYA Cooran, Cooroy 20 14 3 5 42
NHSA Noosa Heads, 36 7 6 1 50
Noosaville
SHBA Sunrise Beach, 3 4 2 0 9
Sunshine Beach
TEWA Tewantin 25 5 6 1 37
Total 84 30 17 7 138
Notes: Location refers to the preferred location of public housing.
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data);
Almost 60% of households were lone person households, and 28% were one parent families
(Table 15). Of all the households on the waiting list, 80% were households where a member of
the family has a disability.
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Table 15. Characteristics of Households on Social Housing Register, Noosa Shire, 2015
Household Type Total ATSI Households Main language
Households Households with any of household
member not English
having a
disability
Single Person <55 years 35 2 28 0
Single Person Over 55 47 0 42 1
Sub-Total - Single 82 (59%) 2 70 1
Couple Only <55 years 4 0 4 0
Couple Only Over 55 6 0 6 0
Sub-Total – Couple Only 10 (7%) 0 10 0
Couple, 1 Child 2 1 2 0
Couple, 2 Children 1 0 2 0
Couple, >2 Children 3 0 1 0
Sub-Total – Couple with 6 (4%) 1 5 0
Children
Single Parent, 1 Child 20 2 15 1
Single Parent, 2 Children 10 1 5 0
Single Parent, >2 Children 9 3 3 0
Sub-Total – Single Parent 39 (28%) 6 23 1
Not Available 0 0 0 0
Other 1 0 1 0
Total 138 9 (7%) 110 (80%) 2 (1%)
Note: The rows in this table do not sum. Percentages are of total households (n=138)
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data);
Around 50 households on the register were categorised as within homelessness category A, B or
C, making up 38% of total households on the waiting list.
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Table 16. Homelessness Category for Households on Social Housing Register, By Location,
Noosa Shire, 2015
Location Homeless Category Unspecified Total
A B C
CRYA Cooran, Cooroy 5 3 7 27 42
NHSA Noosa Heads, 5 2 15 28 50
Noosaville
SHBA Sunrise Beach, 2 0 0 7 9
Sunshine Beach
TEWA Tewantin 3 1 9 24 37
Total 15 6 31 86 138
Notes: Location refers to the preferred location of public housing. A = Homeless Category A; B = Homeless
Category B; C = Homeless Category C; As defined in notes to Table 12.
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data)
Of the 138 households waiting for public housing, 1 household had been waiting since 1999 (1%),
7 households since between 2000-2004 (5%), 19 households since between 2005-2009 (14%), 86
households since between 2010-2014 (62%), and 25 households had joined the waiting list in
2015 (up to September 2015) (18%) (Table 14). The table shows that there can be long waits for
public housing.
Table 17. Year of Application for Households on Social Housing Register, By Location,
Noosa Shire, 2015
Location Year of Application Total
1995- 2000- 2005- 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
1999 2004 2009
CRYA Cooran, 1 0 4 1 2 0 5 16 13 42
Cooroy
NHSA Noosa 0 3 9 0 6 6 10 11 5 50
Heads, Noosaville
SHBA Sunrise 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 2 2 9
Beach, Sunshine
Beach
TEWA Tewantin 0 3 5 1 5 4 6 8 5 37
Total 1 7 19 2 13 13 21 37 25 138
Notes: Location refers to the preferred location of public housing.
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Department of Communities Data);
3.2.2 Community Housing, Transitional Housing, and Emergency Housing
At 30 June 2016, the Queensland Department of Housing and Public Works identified 21
community housing tenancies in Noosa Shire (Queensland Government 2016f). Consultation with
various service providers identified a limited stock of transitional and emergency housing.
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Table 18. Housing and Service Providers, Noosa Shire, 2016
Name Description Housing/Services
Coast2Bay Housing Coast2Bay provides a professional and In Noosa Shire Coast2Bay provides:
Group, Offices in integrated community housing service
Community housing – Coast2Bay
Nambour and that is responsive to the community and
manage 8 dwellings owned by
Caboolture. to tenants’ needs. Coast2Bay manages
them (including one 6 bedroom
approximately 450 dwellings within the
housing for disabled clients
north coast region, including Sunshine
requiring full time care). These are
Coast, Noosa, Moreton Bay and Gympie
located in Tewantin and
Local Government Areas. It is a registered
Noosaville.
provider under the National Regulatory
System for Community Housing, which Transitional housing – 14 (these
came into effect in Queensland on 1 properties are head-leased from
January 2014. the private rental market under the
Queensland Government
Coast2Bay Housing Group is a Community Rent Scheme
professional and socially responsible Program). Properties are located
community housing company working in in Cooroy, Noosaville, Noosa
partnership with communities, Heads, Sunrise Beach and
governments and the private sector. It Tewantin.
delivers appropriate social and affordable
housing programs that support and
empower people to improve their lives,
progress to independence and contribute
to sustainable communities.
In delivering its mission, Coast2Bay seeks
to contribute to economic development
and social inclusion through:
The management of an available
housing portfolio in a cost efficient
way;
Effective tenancy management that
sustains clients in their housing for
the duration of need;
The matching of tenant needs,
where necessary, to appropriate
support services;
The development of additional
community and affordable housing.
It provides guaranteed rent to a property
owner for 52 weeks per year, paid
monthly in advance, to rent their
property, and also undertakes some
projects under the National Rental
Affordability Scheme (NRAS) to invest in
rental housing. The motivation behind
new development projects is simply to
obtain housing for disadvantaged people
within the community. Coast2Bay is keen
to seek new development opportunities
to assist with the provision of community,
affordable and specialist housing within
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Name Description Housing/Services
the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay
regions.
C2B have a number of Housing
Assistance Programs, including:
Long Term Housing
Transitional Programs
Community Rent Scheme
Community Managed Studio Units
National Rental Affordability
Scheme
Salvation Army Provides safe, affordable and supported The target group is families experiencing
Crisis Noosa accommodation for 12 weeks to single homelessness (e.g. sleeping in cars or a
Accommodation females and families who are homeless or lounge) – can include a male and
Service, Tewantin at imminent risk of being homeless and children or female and children alone
Office. provides, information, support and (not singles).
referral to enable clients to obtain
independent housing. The SHINE program provides 3 x two
bedroom dwellings for crisis
Can accommodate single females in accommodation and support and
situations of domestic & family violence, referral services for women and children
the only people they cannot house are affected by violence in the home.
single males. They also provide
emergency relief for vulnerable groups. Total available properties under
The target group is families , and the aim Specialist Homelessness Services are:
is to assist those facing rent or mortgage
stress to maintain their housing. The 10 dwellings (some outside Noosa
Salvation Army also offers financial Shire):
counselling. o 5 headleased on the private
rental market.
o 5 Department of Housing and
Public Works (DHPW)
properties.
United Synergies, Offer supported accommodation for The Specialist Homelessness Service
Tewantin Office. homeless and disadvantaged young supports young people at risk of
people aged 16-25 years; an alternative homelessness across the Sunshine Coast
education program; youth support region, providing short term
programs; assistance to younger parents accommodation for up to 3 months.
to attain positive parenting and Other accommodation services offered
relationship skills; suicide prevention and by United Synergies are for referrals by
bereavement support; mentoring Child Safety.
programs; work experience programs;
counselling and referral and consulting
and training to the human services sector.
St Vincent de Paul, St Vincent de Paul sees its service as part Locally St Vincent de Paul respond to the
Tewantin Office. of an integrated support approach within needs of people on the margins or who
the Noosa District and works with other fall through the cracks of social support
agencies such as Salvation Army, Red mechanisms provided by the
Cross and Council, and participates in the government. They provide for a mixture
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Name Description Housing/Services
various community initiatives to raise of sometimes complex needs, including
awareness for homelessness and child providing swags to sourcing supported
safety issues. accommodation.
Source: Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Survey Results); Consultation undertaken by Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd.
3.2.3 Private Market Assistance
The Federal and Queensland governments also provide assistance to households to maintain
their accommodation in the private rental market, rather than require public housing. This
assistance includes the following programs:
The National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) is a partnership between the Australian
Government and the States and Territories of Australia to invest in affordable rental
housing for low and moderate income individuals and families. Through the NRAS scheme
a tax free incentive for a period of 10 years is provided to investors buying a NRAS
property. This incentive is made available to investors each year in return for entering into
a NRAS agreement that offers discounted rents to eligible tenants. In order to receive the
yearly incentive, the discounted rent offered must be at least 20% less than the market
rent for the area and the tenants must meet income eligibility criteria. In many cases
Affordable Housing is developed by a not for profit organisation such as a housing
company. There were just 16 NRAS dwellings in Noosa Shire at 30 June 2016 (see Table
19).
RentConnect services help households to find and apply for rental housing. Households
may be having trouble finding appropriate housing, have no identification documents or
no rental history, or are trying to prove that they will be a good tenant. RentConnect is a
service provided by the Queensland Department of Housing and Public Works. 57
households received assistance to help find and apply for a place to rent in the 12 months
to 30 June 2016 in Noosa Shire.
The Department of Housing and Public Works also provides bond loans to eligible
households to assist them move into private rental accommodation. The bond loan is an
interest free loan and can be provided to households that have less than $2,500 in cash,
and choose a property where the rent is less than 60% of their total gross household
weekly income. In the 12 months to 30 June 2016, 84 bond loans were made to
households in Noosa Shire.
The Rental Grant program helps clients who are exiting a hospital or health facility,
correctional facility, other approved centre, Child Protection Service, Community Rent
Scheme property or who are fleeing domestic/family violence or who are homeless or at
risk of homelessness to move into private rental accommodation. A total of 17 rental
grants were made to households in Noosa Shire in the 12 months to 30 June 2016.
The Home Assist Secure service aims to remove some of the practical housing-related
difficulties experienced by people 60 years and over and people of any age with a
disability, who wish to remain living in their home (includes homeowners). 541 households
were assisted through the Home Assist Secure program in the 12 months to 30 June 2016,
however the location of these services are recorded based on the location of the service
office, rather than the location where the assistance was provided. It could be assumed
that the majority of these services were provided to households within the LGA.
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Table 19. Private market housing assistance by category of assistance, Noosa Shire, 12
months to 30 June 2016
Area NRAS Rent Bond Loans Rental Home
Connect Grants Assist
Secure (a)
Noosa Shire 16 57 84 17 541
Notes: NRAS dwellings are as at 30 June 2016; RentConnect, Bond Loan and Rental Grant services are for the
12 months to end of the latest quarter; Home Assist Secure is for the financial year to the current quarter.
a = Home assist secure services are recorded at the location of the service office, not the location where the
assistance was provided.
Source: Queensland Government 2016f;
3.3 Other Housing
Accommodation in caravans, camping grounds and other temporary housing provides
accommodation of insecure tenure.
Caravan parks are not permitted permanent residents, however some may provide options on a
short term basis. Those in Noosa Shire are shown below. There are also camping and caravanning
options in the hinterland of Noosa Shire and the Sunshine Coast which may be used. Noosa Shire
additionally has three Backpacker Lodges, although these are understood to be heavily used by
backpackers.
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Table 20. Caravan, Camping and Temporary Accommodation, Noosa Shire
Name Address Housing/Services
Boreen Point 1 The Esplanade BOREEN Unable to provide long-term accommodation.
Caravan & POINT QLD 4565
Camping Grounds
Cooroy Motel, 30/34 Elm Street COOROY Longer stays may be negotiated with management.
Caravan Park QLD 4563 A waiting list is kept.
Noosa North Shore 240 Wilderness Track, Unable to provide long-term accommodation.
Beach Campground Maximillian Road, NORTH
SHORE QLD 4565
Noosa River 4 Russell Street, NOOSAVILLE Unable to provide long-term accommodation and
Holiday Park QLD 4566 heavily booked by tourists.
BIG4 Noosa 141 Cooroy Noosa Road, Unable to provide long-term accommodation.
Bougainvillea TEWANTIN QLD, 4565
Holiday Park
Pomona 15 Pavilion St, POMONA QLD Permanent accommodation allowed.
Showground 4568
Camping Area
Johns Landing Johns Rd, LAKE COOROIBAH, Permanent accommodation allowed. Currently 30
Camping Ground - QLD 4565 permanent residents and 20 casuals living on site.
Lake Cooroibah, There are approximately 10-15 children and 20
seniors.
The Royal Mail 120 Poinciana Ave, TEWANTIN Unable to provide long-term accommodation but
Hotel, Tewantin QLD 4565 may provide emergency accommodation
depending on case. Utilised by tourists.
Source: Coast2Bay Housing Group 2015; Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Survey Results); Local knowledge of
Council Officers, Consultation undertaken by Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd.
There is also a caravan park at Woombye owned by Sundale which provides long term
accommodation, an example of a response being made in the sector elsewhere on the Sunshine
Coast which may be used by Noosa Shire residents.
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4. ASSESSMENT OF HOUSING NEEDS
4.1 Housing Needs for Specific Groups
4.1.1 Aged Persons’ Accommodation
Residential Aged Care and Home Care
Provision
The Australian Government provides accreditation and funding to aged care providers in
Australia. Government funding is made available only to approved providers for allocated places
and the allocation of new places is undertaken every 18 months or so (at least since 2008) after a
needs based analysis of aged care provision throughout the country. The analysis has three main
branches:
Ensuring that the number of aged care places matches growth in the aged population
using a national provision ratio of:
o 125 residential and home care places for every 1,000 people aged 70 years of age
and over by 2021-22 (consisting of 80 places in a residential setting and 45 places in
a home care setting);
Balancing provision in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas;
Considering people with special needs including:
o People from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;
o People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;
o People who live in rural or remote areas;
o People who are financially or socially disadvantaged;
o Veterans;
o People who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless;
o Care-leavers6;
o Parents separated from their children by forced adoption or removal;
o Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people;
o People of a kind (if any) specified in the Allocation Principles. (Australian
Government 2016a).
The aged care sector in Australia has adjusted to reforms which have been taking place over the
last 10 years or so. Broadly, the reforms were designed to respond to the changing preferences of
older people and to help the system respond to Australia’s ageing population. Some of these
preferences, expectations and trends were noted in a Productivity Commission report into
Australia’s aged care system released in 2011, including:
There is an increasing preference for independent living and choice in aged care services.
Older people told the Commission they wanted to be independent for as long as possible
and able to choose where they live, which providers they use, how services are delivered
and able to purchase additional services or live in higher standards of accommodation.
6
Care-leavers are adults who spent time in care as children – including foster care, residential care or other
arrangement – and are also referred to as ‘forgotten Australians’, ‘former child migrants’ and ‘stolen
generations’. This group can have particular anxiety around aged care given previous experience with
institutional care.
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Section 79
The Commission noted that there is evidence that choice also improves wellbeing (life
satisfaction, life expectancy, independence and continuity of care), and choice encourages
competition, efficiency, innovation and higher quality.
There are greater levels of affluence in older people than has previously been the case,
and therefore people requiring care have a wider range of assets and incomes.
Older people have increasing expectations of care, including expectations of culturally
relevant care (for culturally and linguistically diverse, sexually diverse and Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander communities).
Although family members, friends and neighbours continue to provide most of the care
for older people, as the population ages and due to other social and economic
circumstances, there will be a relative decline in availability of informal carers.
Changing patterns of disease (increasing dementia, severe arthritis and serious visual and
hearing impairments), diverse geographic spread of population and increasing need for
psycho-geriatric care and palliative care are issues for provision of aged care services.
Reforms to the aged care system are ongoing, and the following reforms were announced in the
2015 Federal Budget (Australian Government 2015a):
From February 2017, funding for Home Care Packages will follow the consumer so they
are free to select any provider to deliver their care. This will give older Australians greater
choice and increase competition which will encourage higher quality and innovation in
service delivery. With this change, home care providers will not have to apply for home
care packages in future Aged Care Approvals Rounds after 2015.
From July 2018, the Government intends to combine Home Care Packages and the
Commonwealth Home Support Program into a single integrated care at home program.
The Commonwealth Home Support Program provides services to people with low care
needs, but would benefit from assistance at home (including, domestic assistance with
cleaning or washing clothes, personal care with showering, dressing, hair care and going
to the toilet, home maintenance, minor home modifications, and some nursing care) as
well as community-based services such as social activities and transport to get out and
about for shopping or appointments.
Previous reforms have included:
Expanding the availability of home care services and expanding the number of types of
packages from two to four:
o Level 1 supports people with basic care needs;
o Level 2 supports people with low-level care needs (equivalent to the former
Community Aged Care (CACP) Packages);
o Level 3 supports people with intermediate care needs;
o Level 4 supports people with high-level care needs (equivalent to the former
Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) and Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia
(EACHD) packages). (Australian Government 2015b)
The definition of high care includes home care levels 3-4 and low care includes levels 1-2.
Changes to residential aged care including:
o Removing the distinction between low care and high care for permanent residential
aged care (still exists in respite care). Residents continue to receive care to meet their
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needs (and funding continues to be provided under the Aged Care Funding
Instrument (ACFI) classification of residents);
o All care provided on an ageing in place basis;
o Encouraging aged care providers to build new or significantly refurbish facilities to
create additional capacity and enhance quality and amenity of accommodation to
residents. (Australian Government 2016d)
Benchmarking at the Regional Scale
A total of 73 aged care planning regions have been identified around Australia (Australian
Government 2016a). The allocation and funding of residential aged care and home care places
are based on a needs assessment for each of these aged care planning regions. These areas can
be amended or benchmarking can be undertaken at the broader State level.
The Sunshine Coast aged care planning region encompasses the Sunshine Coast Council, Noosa
Shire Council and much of the Gympie Regional Council area (including the city of Gympie itself
but excluding Kilkivan SA2).
An analysis of the current and planned provision of residential aged care places in the Sunshine
Coast aged care planning region has been undertaken compared to Australian Government
targets. Home care places were also considered as these are relevant to assessing need for
residential care, for example, if there was an over-provision of residential aged care this might be
partially due to a lack of home care services forcing people into centre-based care.
The existing provision of aged care services in the Sunshine Coast aged care planning region is
shown in Table 1 below. At 30 June 2015, there were 3,878 residential aged care places in the
region that were operational and an additional 102 places were offline (see Figure 33 for
definitions of aged care terms) (Australian Government 2016c). There were also a total of 1,586
operational home care places, made up of 1,102 low care places (level 1 and 2), and 484 high care
places (level 3 and 4).
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Figure 33. Definitions of Aged Care Terms Definitions Allocated Places include all places allocated at the time of the stocktake. It is the sum of all operational places, offline places and provisionally allocated places, but excluding the results of the ACAR for that year (since the results of the ACAR is based on the stocktake of that year). Operational Places include all places operational at the time of the stocktake. Provisionally Allocated Places have been allocated but are not yet operational and are not offline. Offline Places are places which have been operational in the past, but as at 30 June 2015 are not providing care due to reasons like renovations or rebuilding of residential aged care facilities and the provider is receiving no Australian Government subsidy for these places. Diagram showing relationship between defined terms: Residential care includes flexible residential care places in the: Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) Programme, Aged Care Innovative Pool Programme and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Programme which are notionally allocated as high care and low care residential care places. Home care (High care) includes Home care Level 3 and Level 4 places only. Home care (Low care) includes Home care Level 1 and Level 2 places and the flexible Home care places in the: Multi- Purpose Service (MPS) Programme, Aged Care Innovative Pool Programme and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Programme. In addition, at 30 June 2015, there were 1,641 residential aged care places in the region which were provisionally allocated. Early in 2016, the results of the latest Aged Care Allocation Round were announced. In the Sunshine Coast aged care region, an additional 207 residential aged care places were allocated, as well as 110 low care and 110 high care home care places (Australian Government 2016b). The national benchmark for aged care places is 125 places by 2021-22, comprising 80 places in a residential setting and 45 places in a home care setting (Australian Government 2016a). In 2013 and before recent reforms, the benchmark ratio was 113 places in total, comprising 44 low care and 42 high care places in a residential setting and 27 places in a home care setting (Australian Government 2013). Therefore, rather than benchmark the current 2016 provision against future targets, a target has been developed which sits between the 2013 target, and the 2021-22 target to allow a transition to the higher rates of provision. The benchmarks used in this analysis are shown in Table 21 below. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 72
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Table 21. National benchmarks for aged care, 2016-2036
Service 2016 2021 2026 2031 2036
Residential care 80 80 80 80 80
Home care 34 (b) 45 45 45 45
Total 114 (a) 125 125 125 125
Notes: (a) Based on the average of the 2011 and 2021 targets. (b) Based on the calculated total target ratio and
residential care ratio.
Sources: Australian Government 2013; 2016a;
To enable development and financial investment in residential aged care facilities, places are
allocated to providers before they finalise their development plans and begin construction.
Provisionally allocated places remain current for two years and they can be extended, revoked or
surrendered (Australian Government 2016). The Australian Government has announced plans to
increase the time period that a provisionally allocated place remains current to four years, with
the option for two additional 12 month extensions (Australian Government 2015c).
A comparison between allocated and operational places was undertaken for the past few years to
understand the timeframes involved in converting allocated places to operational places and it
was found that it can take more than 5 years for the number of allocated places to become
operational. Therefore, it has been assumed that:
The number of operational places and temporarily offline places at 30 June 2015 will be
assumed to be the current level of provision and will be benchmarked against the
population of the region 70 years of age and older at 30 June 2016.
The number of provisionally allocated places and places which have recently been
allocated under the 2015 Aged Care Allocation Round (ACAR) will be assumed to be the
level of future provision at 30 June 2021 and will be benchmarked against the population
at that time. It is therefore assumed in the benchmarking that all of the provisionally
allocated places and recent allocations will be provided within this 5 year period.
The results of the benchmarking analysis are shown in Table 23 below. The number of allocated
residential aged care places at 30 June 2016 was around 198 places lower than the federal target,
while the number of home care places was around 146 places lower. With population growth and
an increase in the target ratio, and accounting for additional home care packages recently
allocated, the shortfall in provision of home care packages increases to 993 places, however, if all
of the residential aged care places that have been provisionally allocated are delivered (which is
unlikely), there could be a 751 surplus of residential aged care places in the region in 2021. By
2026 however, both residential and home care places are projected to be in deficit.
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Table 22. Provision of Aged Care Services, Sunshine Coast Aged Care Planning Region, 2015-2016
Measure Residential Home Care Total
Aged Care
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Flexible Total
A. Operational Places 3,776 1,102 484 0 1,586 5,362
B. Offline Places 102 0 0 0 0 0 0 102
C. Total Operational and 3,878 1,102 484 0 1,586 5,464
Offline – Assumed 2016
Provision
D. Provisionally Allocated 1,641 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,641
Places at 30 June 2016
E. Results of 2015 ACAR1 207 7 103 0 110 0 220 427
F. Total Allocated Places 5,726 1,212 594 0 1,806 7,532
(including 2015 ACAR)
(A+B+D+E) – Assumed
2021 Provision
G. Difference between 1,848 110 110 0 220 2,068
Operational and Total
Allocated Places (F-C)
Notes: ACAR = Aged Care Allocation Round
Source: Australian Government 2016b; 2016c;
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Table 23. Benchmarking of Aged Care Services against Australian Government Targets, Sunshine Coast Aged Care Planning Region, 2015-16 -
2036
Year Population 70+ Estimate of Operational Places Federal Target Shortfall or Surplus
years
Residential Home Care Residential Home Care Residential Home Total
Aged Care Places Aged Care Places Aged Care Care
Places Places Places Places
2016 50,946 (a) 3,878 1,586 4,076 1,732 -198 -146 -344
2021 62,191 (a) 5,726 1,806 4,975 2,799 751 -993 -242
2026 73,765 (a) 5,726 1,806 5,901 3,319 -175 -1,513 -1,689
2031 89,937 (b) 5,726 1,806 7,195 4,047 -1,469 -2,241 -3,710
2036 106,316 (b) 5,726 1,806 8,505 4,784 -2,779 -2,978 -5,758
Notes: (a) Population projections used for aged care benchmarking are different to Queensland Treasury projections. Australian Government projections were used as these are
used to allocate places. However, these projections were only available for 2016-2027. (b) For 2031 and 2036, growth in the 70+ age group from Queensland Treasury
projections were used to build on Australian Government projections.
Source: Australian Government 2016b; 2016c; 2016d; 2013; Queensland Government 2016g; Analysis undertaken by Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd.
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Benchmarking at Noosa Shire Scale Benchmarking aged care provision at a local government or locality scale is no longer undertaken by the Australian Government, and the analysis below should be considered indicative only. Data provided by the Australian Government is structured around aged care planning regions, and it is difficult to determine the status of past place allocations for individual aged care facilities with certainty. There were just four residential aged care facilities in Noosa Shire with operational places at 30 June 2015 (Table 24). It is also understood that additional places have been allocated to the facility in Cooroy (Kabara), and that these places are now operational. After investigating the results of prior aged care approval rounds, an additional two facilities were identified – Arcare Noosaville and McKenzie Noosa Ridge Aged Care. A recent application has been made for the Arcare Noosaville facility to Noosa Council for a 90 bed aged care facility at the Shire Business Centre but it does not yet have development approval. It is unable to be determined with certainty that the allocation of aged care places for the Noosa Ridge Aged Care facility in 2011 is still current, or if these provisionally allocated places have now lapsed. However it has been assumed that the facility is not proceeding and places allocated to McKenzie Aged Care have lapsed or been used elsewhere, given that approvals at that time (other than in exceptional circumstances) were valid for two years with a possible two year extension. For the purpose of benchmarking residential aged care places, the total number of places for 2016 has been assumed to be 587 places. For 2021, assuming that the additional places at NoosaCare Cooroy have been delivered, and that the Arcare Noosaville places are delivered by 2021, the projected total would be 677 places. Table 24. Residential Aged Care Facilities, Noosa Shire, 2015-2016 Aged Care Facility Address Places Operational places at 30 June 2015 Kabara Hostel 20 Topaz Street, Cooroy 73 Ozcare Noosa Heads 80 Cooyar Street, Noosa Heads 130 Carramar Hostel 186 Cooroy-Noosa Road, Tewantin 142 Noosa Nursing Centre 119-123 Moorindil Street, Tewantin 230 Newly Allocated Places – 2015 ACAR NoosaCare Inc – Kabara Hostel 20 Topaz Street, Cooroy 12 Provisionally Allocated Places in Past Rounds (a) Arcare Noosaville (Allocated in Walter Hay Drive, Noosaville 90 2014) Note: (a) Excludes McKenzie Aged Care, Noosa Ridge Facility at 11 Lenehans Lane, Noosaville, which was allocated 140 places in 2011. Source: Australian Government 2016e. Given the same methodology as used for the aged care planning region outlined above, Noosa Shire has a current shortfall of 87 residential aged care places, which could be expected to increase to 124 places in 2021, if currently planned facilities are delivered, and 261 places in 2026 (Table 25). Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 76
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Table 25: Benchmarking of Aged Care Services against Australian Government Targets,
Noosa Shire, 2015-16 - 2036
Year Population 70+ Current Federal Target Shortfall or
years Allocated Places Surplus
2016 8,424 (a) 587 674 -87
2021 10,014 (a) 677 (c) 801 -124
2026 11,720 (a) 677 (c) 938 -261
2031 13,269 (b) 677 (c) 1,062 -385
2036 14,671 (b) 677 (c) 1,174 -497
Notes: (a) Population projections used for aged care benchmarking are different to Queensland Treasury
projections. Australian Government projections were used as these are used to allocate places. However, these
projections were only available for 2016-2027. (b) For 2031 and 2036, growth in the 70+ age group from
Queensland Treasury projections were used to build on Australian Government Projections. (c) Includes places
allocated to Arcare Noosaville which are not yet delivered.
Source: Australian Government 2016b; 2016c; 2016d; 2013; Queensland Government 2016g; Analysis
undertaken by Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd.
While there appears to be a surplus of residential aged care places for the Sunshine Coast aged
care region at 2021 (if all allocated places are delivered), there appears to be a shortfall of
allocated places in Noosa Shire currently, and by 2026, and therefore additional places in the local
area would be beneficial to the local population so they do not need to move away to other parts
of the Sunshine Coast aged care region (e.g. Gympie) to access residential services. In addition,
the number of home care places at the Sunshine Coast aged care planning region level is below
the targets established by the Australian Government, and this may force some local residents to
move into residential aged care before they would otherwise need to7.
A number of additional aged care facilities are proposed or approved in the Noosa Shire,
however aged care places have not been allocated to these facilities by the government as far as
can be determined:
Palm Lake Care has a current development approval for a 120 bed aged care facility with
its Retirement Resort at Cooroy, however no aged care places have been allocated.
Sundale Tewantin has a current development approval for a 60 bed aged care facility
within its proposed Retirement Village at Tewantin, however places have not been
allocated to this facility.
Blue Care has development approval for a 118 bed aged care facility at Grasstree Court,
Sunrise Beach, but again no places have been allocated.
These facilities could redress the overall need for aged care for Noosa Shire if delivered by 2026
(Table 26). However, even if all of these facilities are provided, a shortfall of 87 places would
again emerge by 2031, and grow to a shortfall of 199 places by 2036.
Home care is provided to people across the community, and therefore home care places are allocated at
7
the aged care planning region level. Addresses provided in the data relate to the location of the service
provider, not where services are delivered. Therefore home care is not able to be benchmarked at a smaller
geographic scale.
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Table 26: Benchmarking of Aged Care Services against Australian Government Targets,
Noosa Shire, 2015-16 - 2036
Year Population 70+ Assumed Federal Target Shortfall or
years Provision of Surplus
Places
2016 8,424 (a) 587 674 -87
2021 10,014 (a) 677 (c) 801 -124
2026 11,720 (a) 975 (d) 938 37
2031 13,269 (b) 975 (d) 1,062 -87
2036 14,671 (b) 975 (d) 1,174 -199
Notes: (a) Population projections used for aged care benchmarking are different to Queensland Treasury
projections. Australian Government projections were used as these are used to allocate places. However, these
projections were only available for 2016-2027. (b) For 2031 and 2036, growth in the 70+ age group from
Queensland Treasury projections were used to build on Australian Government Projections. (c) Includes places
allocated which are not yet delivered (Arcare Noosaville). (d) Includes proposed places which are not yet
allocated (Palm Lake Care, Sundale Tewantin, and Blue Care Sunrise Beach).
Source: Australian Government 2016b; 2016c; 2016d; 2013; Queensland Government 2016g; Analysis
undertaken by Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd.
Retirement Villages / Independent Living Units
Retirement villages or independent living units are a cluster of dwellings (separate houses, semi-
detached dwellings or apartments) provided exclusively for older people, administered by a
central body (e.g. body corporate, trustee or management company), and managed by employed
staff (most commonly an on-site manager). Some services may be provided on-site, home care
may be provided to occupants from external providers, and some villages provide on-site
residential aged care. It is seen as highly desirable that retirement villages be established with all
three levels of care (on-site services, home care provided from off-site providers, and on-site or
nearby residential aged care).
There were five retirement villages identified in the Noosa Shire in October 2016. In addition, one
additional retirement village was under construction and two were approved but construction
had not begun.
A significant majority of dwellings are provided as detached or semi-detached dwellings. Around
746 detached/semi-detached dwellings had been constructed, and an additional 509
detached/semi-detached dwellings were under construction or approved at October 2016 (
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Table 27). One retirement village (Noosa Domain Village) has proposed 60 apartments, however construction has not started on these. No standalone apartment blocks or resort style accommodation for retirement living or over 50s/55s under the Manufactured and Mobile Homes Act were identified in the Shire, although Palm Lake Cooroy will operate in this manner. Retirement accommodation was provided throughout the Shire - in Noosaville, Tewantin and, with the construction of new facilities, at Cooroy and Sunrise Beach. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 79
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Table 27. Retirement villages, independent living units, Noosa Shire, 2016
Name Location Dwellings and Notes
Available
Laguna Estate Retirement 21 Lake Weyba Dr, Around 186 units, approximately 68 with 3
Village Noosaville bedrooms, and 118 with 2 bedrooms. These are
mostly arranged as semi-detached dwellings. A
small two storey block of serviced apartments is
also located on site.
Noosa Waters Retirement 39 Lake Weyba Drive, Around 76 units with 2 bedrooms or 2 bedrooms
Estate Noosaville plus study. Owned and operated by Southern
Cross Care.
Noosa Domain Village 35 Walter Hay Drive, Ultimately 110 units and 60 apartments. In
Noosaville October 2016, around 13 units and the apartments
were yet to be constructed. Units are small
separate houses with 2 and 3 bedrooms, and
some with 3 bedrooms and a study.
Hibiscus Noosa Outlook 71 St Andrews Dr, Around 234 units.
Tewantin
Riverlands Mature Aged 139 Moorindil St, Around 140 units.
Village Tewantin
Under Construction
Palm Lake Resort 19 Trading Post Road, Under construction. Started selling off the plan in
Cooroy January 2016. 220 detached dwellings are
proposed. A 120 bed aged care facility is also
proposed.
Approved
Sundale Tewantin 82 McKinnon Drive, To commence construction 2017. 180 units and a
Tewantin 60 bed aged care facility are proposed.
Blue Care Grasstree Court Grasstree Ct, Sunrise Approval in 2011 for 109 x 2-bedroom units. A 118
Beach bed residential aged care facility is also contained
within the approval, which remains current.
Source: Internet searches; NearMap 2016; Noosa Shire Council’s Application Tracking tool.
There is no regulation regarding the number of retirement village or independent living units that
can be provided, and no known advisory level of independent living units relative to residential
aged care accommodation. Additional retirement village or independent living units will generally
be provided based on market assessment by developers. An analysis of potential need for
independent living units was undertaken below and is shown in Table 28.
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Table 28. Benchmarking of Independent Living Units against Notional Benchmarks, Noosa
Shire, 2016 - 2036
Year Populatio Current Proposed At At At Excess or Excess or
n 65+ Provision or Under Notional Notional Notional shortfall shortfall
years ILUs Construct Bench- Bench- Bench- of at 10%
-ion(a) mark of mark of mark of existing including
4% 8% 10% supply at all
10% proposed
units
2016 12,140 746 569 324 647 809 -63 506
2036 18,920 746 569 505 1009 1261 -515 54
Notes: Includes assumption of an occupancy rate per dwelling of 1.5 persons. (a) Includes 60 apartments
proposed at Noosa Domain Village
A notional benchmark of 4% of people aged 65 years and over has in the past been used to
calculate need. This notional rate was applied in the Residential Aged Care and Retirement
Housing Study undertaken for Noosa Shire in 2006 (by Humphreys Reynolds Perkins). To
determine the number of dwellings required, an occupancy rate also needs to be applied.
Assuming an average occupancy of 1.5 persons per dwelling, the required provision of retirement
units in Noosa Shire would be around 325 units in 2016. The actual current provision is well
above this requirement (at 746 units, excluding yet to be constructed units). Given that
occupancies are very high (usually full with waiting lists), this suggests that 4% is not an
applicable rate in Noosa Shire.
However, the Residential Aged Care and Retirement Housing Study also suggested that a more
realistic and sustainable future indicator was between 4 and 8%[3] given that Noosa Shire is an
attractive retirement destination. The notional benchmark of 8% is again exceeded by the current
provision.
It was recognised in the Productivity Commission Report, Caring for Older Australians, in 2011, that
retirement villages are playing an increasingly important role in accommodating older
Australians. It quoted the Retirement Village Association’s estimate of a national penetration rate
in 2010 of 5.3%, and a national penetration rate by 2025 of around 8%.
In other developed countries, like the US, over 10% of the over 65 population live in seniors’
villages. Many industry leaders believe that there is an opportunity for exponential growth in the
sector in Australia beyond natural demographic shifts and some Australian commentators have
made predictions on the basis of up to 10%[4].
It is notable that the above are nation-wide averages, and a higher penetration rate could be
assumed to occur in a retirement destination. Research suggests that up to 12% of the
population in certain regions of other developed nations with similar demographics (including
the United States) live in senior living accommodation.
Adopting the 10% notional rate, the current provision is a theoretical shortfall of 63 units (in 2016,
746 units, compared to the required benchmark of 809 units). By 2036, an additional 515 units
[3]
Note that this suggestion is now 10 years old, in a rapidly changing field.
[4]
Prime Trust (undated), The Demographics. Accessed 7.10.10 at www.primetrust.com.au/the-
demographics/w1/i1001182
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would be required to reach the benchmark. If all approved/proposed units are constructed, the
supply would be adequate to 2036. However if any of the approved developments are not
constructed, a deficiency would occur.
Should the popularity of retirement villages continue to increase over time as has occurred in
Australia and to an even greater extent overseas, it is also possible that a higher shortfall would
arise in the future.
Implications for Housing Provision
The implications of the above are that both additional Residential Aged Care and Retirement
Villages will be required in Noosa Shire to meet the needs of the ageing population. Demand
also continues for these to be in the coastal area, in communities where empty nesters have lived.
While some of these needs may be met by increasing smaller, affordable dwellings in the
community, and allowing secondary dwellings for unrelated parties, it is anticipated that there will
be an ongoing and possibly increasing demand for these types of accommodation. This is
considered likely to occur despite increasing availability of home care and people being able to
stay in their own homes longer, if only because of the economic imperative for many to downsize.
While new models of aged housing such as vertical villages could be provided, they will still be
limited by height constraints of the Planning Scheme and the general desire of the community for
development to remain ‘low scale’.
At the very least, sites earmarked for aged housing, or with current approvals, will need to be
protected against other types of development, and redevelopment of existing sites into a variety
of aged housing forms, facilitated.
4.1.2 People with a Disability
Available Housing for People with a Disability
Supported accommodation for people with disability appears extremely limited in Noosa Shire.
The only group housing identified is as shown in Table 29. Otherwise private housing may have
been modified to varying extents to meet individual needs.
Table 29. Accommodation for People with Disability, Noosa Shire
Name Address Housing/Services
Group Home Tewantin Coast2Bay in collaboration with the Department of
Communities – Disability Services, has completed a residence
to house 6 people with disabilities who are confined to
wheelchairs. The plan shows the residence is designed for
specific needs. Living space inside and out is open plan and
spacious to allow ease of movement for the occupants.
The property is close to the Tewantin Village and Noosa River
so the residents have the opportunity to enjoy the relaxed
lifestyle that is on offer in this beautiful riverside location.
Wesley Mission Brisbane provides the support services for
tenants at this property.
Flat Building Tewantin It is understood that a flat building in Tewantin with 10 units
and a caretaker is operated by a local church. The funding
arrangements are unknown.
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Source: Coast2Bay Housing Group 2015; Noosa Shire Council 2016a (Survey Results); Local knowledge of
Council Officers and service providers.
The Queenslanders with Disability Network, National Shelter and Griffith University (2016)
recently released a housing issues paper relating to people with a disability. The report
highlighted a number of housing issues for people with a disability:
There is a clear disparity between the vision of group homes and congregate care
settings8 by providers and people with disability themselves as a model of
accommodation provision, and the aspirations of people with a disability to live in a
broader range of settings, including living alone and with people without a disability.
There is little interest in considering how people with a disability could work towards
owning their own dwelling despite this contributing to more secure tenure.
Rental accommodation is unaffordable for people with a disability.
People with a disability suggested that they felt they had insecure tenure in social
housing, and were forced into co-tenancy arrangements in social housing.
There continues to be disinterest from private builders and designers in providing
accessible housing. The report notes that the housing industry has not changed its
practices and will likely reach less than 5% of the 2020 target for universal housing
provision (see below).
There is an inability by people with disability to afford home modifications and assistive
technology.
Some are forced to leave regional and remote areas due to lack of accessible housing,
disability services and transport.
The commencement of the NDIS in June 2016 is anticipated to increase demand for wider
housing options as people seek housing that is more in keeping with their preferences than
current group home arrangements. Some of the options for providing housing for people with
disability are discussed below.
Universal housing
The term ‘universal housing’ is a broad term covering the range of dwelling design characteristics
which improve the accessibility, versatility and comfort of dwellings for a range of people at
different stages of life. These dwellings might also be called adaptable or accessible dwellings9. It
should be noted that fully accessible dwellings are more costly for the developer, and investors
who have bought off the plans find themselves with a niche market dwelling to sell, or a home
that is totally unsuitable for their lifestyle. The additional cost of incorporating adaptable features
is usually less than five percent of the overall construction cost, and in many cases, the cost is
virtually nil (Bringolf, 2004).
8
a placement setting that consists of 24-hour supervision in highly structured settings
9
Accessible housing is generally a purpose built dwelling for a person or persons with a disability. This may
be a new dwelling or one that is modified to suit the user. Adaptations made during home modifications are
not to be confused with "adaptable housing".
Adaptable housing refers to dwellings with design features that are easily adapted at a later date to flex with
the changing needs of the occupants.
(Definitions from Bringolf, 2004.)
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Universally designed dwellings are generally more suitable for people with a disability and for
older people where steps and level changes can create trip hazards and significant injuries. Far
from being a niche issue, research in the United States estimates that around 60% of new homes
will be occupied by at least one person with a disability during its lifetime (40 years), and this
increases to around 90% of homes considering visitors to the dwelling such as friends or relatives
(Australian Government 2010).
In late 2009, a national dialogue on universal housing design was convened bringing together
participants from all levels of government and key stakeholder groups to develop a strategic plan
for universal housing design. The strategic plan was released in July 2010 (Australian Government
2010). The purpose of the national dialogue was to develop the Livable Housing Design
guidelines, universal housing targets, and other strategies to increase the provision of universal
housing in Australia.
In July 2010, the Livable Housing Design Guidelines were launched, and Dialogue members
committed to the Strategic Plan. The Australian Government pledged $1 million over four years
to support the implementation of the initiatives set out in the Strategic Plan. In June 2011,
National Dialogue members agreed to establish a new not-for profit organisation, Livable
Housing Australia, to drive the strategic directions set-down by the National Dialogue and to
champion the Livable Housing Design Guidelines.
The agreed interim targets for voluntary uptake of the guidelines for all new residential housing
were:
25% to Silver level by 2013;
50% to Silver level by 2015;
75% to Silver level by 2018;
100% to Silver level by 2020.
National dialogue members believed that the Commonwealth and all state and territory
government providers of social housing should commit to delivering all new public housing to an
agreed universal housing design standard. The targets proposed for the uptake of the guidelines
by the Commonwealth and States were:
100% to Silver level by 2011;
50% to Gold level by 2014;
75% to Gold level by 2017;
100% to Gold level by 2019.
The Livable Housing Design guidelines outline the design elements required to meet the silver
and gold performance levels, as well as the higher platinum level. The third edition of the Livable
Housing Design guideline was released in 2015 (Livable Housing Australia), and provides sixteen
livable design elements that can be integrated into a new home or existing home renovation. The
three performance levels relate to the achievement of these housing design elements as below:
Silver level – meets the eight core livable housing design elements which focus on key
structural and spatial elements for flexible and adaptable use.
Gold level – meets a higher standard for most of the eight core livable housing design
elements and achieves some of the additional design elements.
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Platinum level – meets enhanced standards for all of the core liable housing design
elements and achieves all of the additional design elements.
Despite the national guideline and strategic plan being endorsed by the Council of Australian
Governments (COAG) and included in the National Disability Strategy 2010-2020, and a
commitment to meet the guidelines by the national dialogue members, in December 2014 it was
noted that no interim targets had been met and it is unlikely that even 5% of the 2020 target for
the provision of new universally designed dwellings will be reached with the current voluntary
approach (Australian Network for Universal Housing Design 2016). This minimal response was
considered to indicate market failure and bring the voluntary approach into question.
As a result, the Australian Network for Universal Housing Design have argued that it is time for
responsible government to intervene in the form of regulation within the National Construction
Code. In a proposal10 submitted to Standards Australia to review AS4299-1995 Adaptable
housing to align with the 2010-2020 National Disability Strategy (Livable Housing Design), the
network suggested that all new housing in Classes 1a and 1b, 2, 3 and 4 should provide a
minimum set of universal housing design elements being:
1. A safe continuous and step free path of travel from the street entrance and parking area to a
dwelling entrance that is level;
2. At least one level (step-free) entrance into the dwelling;
3. Internal doors and corridors that facilitate comfortable and unimpeded movement between
spaces;
4. A toilet on the ground (or entry) level that provides easy access;
5. A bathroom that contains a hobless (step-free) shower recess;
6. Reinforced walls around the toilet, shower and bath to support the safe installation of
grabrails at a later date.
Among other benefits, the authors of the proposal suggest that this initiative could increase the
cost-effectiveness of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and aged care reforms by
decreasing the demand for home modification assistance and specialised residential care.
Economic Development Queensland has also created a guideline for accessible housing (2015)
which outlines a small number of key design elements to achieve accessibility for dwellings
constructed in Priority Development Areas (PDAs). The guideline suggests that for development
within PDA areas in Queensland, unless otherwise mandated, accessible dwellings will make up:
10% of dwellings for all multiple residential dwelling projects;
20% of dwellings for all multiple residential dwelling projects that are seeking superior
design outcomes in Bowen Hills and Northshore Hamilton.
While not currently supported by legislation in Queensland, a trend in other States (especially
NSW) is for a minimum of 10% of dwellings of various types to be adaptable (as currently defined
by Australian Standard AS 4299-1995), and this has been widely used elsewhere as a standard.
Some Councils in NSW have requirements ranging from 30 to 50 percent of multi-unit
10
Australian Network for Universal Housing Design, 2016, See Appendix 1 for Proposed Deemed-to-Satisfy
provisions (draft)
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developments depending on the number of storeys of the building (over three storeys), and
100% in aged persons’ housing. A small percentage may also be required in tourist
developments.
In Queensland the lack of State backing means that only incentives could be introduced to
encourage developers to provide adaptable housing. A target can be used to guide developer
decisions and influence negotiations with developers. The experience of Councils elsewhere has
been that adaptable dwellings have found a ready market and indeed have become a selling
point of developments where they have been used. However it is recognised that local factors
such as minimum floor height in flood affected areas like Noosaville requiring the habitable floor
to be raised; and in Noosa Heads the beach dune system meaning some buildings need to step
down a rise, can lead to difficulties in achieving a single storey living level let alone a continuous
path of travel from footpath to dwelling. This may limit the ability for developers to take up such
opportunities.
Housing for people with a disability under the NDIS
The Queenslanders with Disability Network, National Shelter and Griffith University (2016) report
suggests that while the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has brought attention to the
needs of people with a disability, housing has not been central to its priorities. Only around
28,000 or 6% of NDIS participants, most likely those with profound rather than moderate
disability, will be eligible for specialist disability accommodation funding (NDIS 2016). For singles,
this is 25 per cent of the basic rate of the Disability Support Pension (DSP) plus any
Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA).
From 1 July 2016, the responsibility for funding specialist disability accommodation (SDA) will
transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme from the state and territory governments
(NDIS 2016). Specialist disability accommodation refers to accommodation that assists with the
delivery of support services for people with significant functional impairment and/or very high
support needs. It is classified using the Livable Housing Australia guidelines, plus additional
requirements as specified below:
SDA Definition Minimum Requirements for New Builds
design
category
Basic Housing without specialised design Available for Existing Stock only.
features but with other important
SDA characteristics (e.g. location,
privacy, shared supports).
Improved Housing that has been designed to Livable Housing Australia ‘Silver’ level
Livability improve ‘Livability’ by incorporating
One or more ‘improved livability’ design
a reasonable level of physical access
features such as luminance contrasts, improved
and enhanced provision for people
wayfinding or lines of sight
with sensory, intellectual or cognitive
impairment.
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SDA Definition Minimum Requirements for New Builds
design
category
Fully Housing that has been designed to Livable Housing Australia ‘Platinum’ level
Accessible incorporate a high level of physical
External doors and external outdoor private
access provision for people with
areas to be accessible by wheelchair
significant physical impairment.
Bathroom vanity/hand basin to be accessible in
seated or standing position
Power supply to doors and windows (blinds), for
retrofit of automation as necessary
Consideration must be given to whether it is
appropriate for the kitchen sink, cooktop, meal
preparation bench area and key appliances
(dishwasher, oven, microwave oven, laundry
appliances) to be accessible in seated or
standing position
Robust Housing that has been designed to Livable Housing Australia ‘Silver’ level
incorporate a high level of physical
Resilient but inconspicuous materials that can
access provision and be very
withstand heavy use and minimises the risk of
resilient, reducing the likelihood of
injury and neighbourhood disturbance
reactive maintenance and reducing
including:
the risk to the participant and the
community. o High impact wall lining, fittings and
fixtures (e.g. blinds, door handles)
o Secure windows, doors and external
area.
Appropriate sound proofing if residents are
likely to cause significant noise disturbances (if
required must retrofit in new builds if not
previously installed at building stage)
Laminated glass
Layout with areas of egress and retreat for staff
and other residents to avoid harm if required
Consideration must be given to providing
adequate space and safeguards throughout the
property to accommodate the needs of
residents with complex behaviours
High Housing that has been designed to All requirements listed in the ‘Fully Accessible’ design
Physical incorporate a high level of physical category, plus:
Support access provision for people with Structural provision for ceiling hoists
significant physical impairment and
Assistive technology ready
requiring very high levels of support.
Heating/cooling and household communication
technology (e.g. video or intercom systems)
appropriate for the needs of residents
Emergency power solutions to cater for a
minimum two hour outage where the welfare of
participants is at risk
950mm minimum clear opening width doors to
all habitable rooms
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SDA Definition Minimum Requirements for New Builds
design
category
All Applicable to all categories. In all cases, SDA should:
Ensure the property is designed and maintained
in a manner that is consistent with other
properties in the neighbourhood
Recognise the importance of outdoor areas and
allow for adequate land area commensurate
11
with the number of residents in the household
Source: NDIS 2016;
Even to achieve this level of provision of suitable dwellings (28,000 dwellings), the NDIS is
developing special financial incentives for governments, organisations, and developers to
encourage investment. A decision paper published by the NDIS on pricing and payments for
specialist disability accommodation (NDIS 2016) suggests that in order to encourage the
provision of specialist disability accommodation, property owners will receive higher than regular
market yields.
Given the decision paper on pricing and payments was released on 1 June 2016, it is difficult to
predict the impact that this new policy will have on the delivery of accommodation for people
with severe disabilities.
A website article authored by a private consulting firm (Disability Services Consulting 2016)
responding to the draft position paper on pricing and payments for specialist disability
accommodation suggested that the risk of vacancy may dissuade investors from constructing
new dwellings.
It suggests that:
Investors and providers will be thinking carefully about whether they want to develop housing
with no guarantee that any NDIS participant will live in it. The NDIA has said that providers bear
the risk of vacancies – and they estimate this ranges from 3-10% of a provider’s yearly income.
This position will be a big concern to some providers. There is limited information available on
the current state of how specialist disability housing works. Plus, the NDIS represents a
transformational change in how disability housing works with new housing models and a new
funding model from the NDIA. This market uncertainty may stop some developers and lenders
from choosing to be part of such an uncertain venture – especially for specialized housing that
can’t be easily re-sold in the private market. If that is the case, this would be an enormous loss,
given that the people with disability who most need new housing options need specialised
dwellings.
Housing for people with a disability not likely to be covered by the NDIS
National Disability Services (NDS) (Australia’s peak body for non-government disability service
organizations) is concerned that the housing barriers and undersupply faced by a much broader
11
It is noted that this may be difficult due to the above local factors. Council does not support benching a
whole site to create a level outdoor living area.
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group of people with disability who are ineligible for SDA remains a challenge for policy makers.
Housing stress is exacerbated for people with disability by several factors: income disparity,
higher dependency on government transfers, higher expenditure of income on housing, the
widening gap between income levels and house prices, and a lack of suitable housing. NDS
considers that more efforts are needed to solve this problem, given the imminent roll out of the
NDIS and the long lead time of housing development (NDS, 2016).
At the present time, the NDS estimates that nationally:
There are over 6,000 young people in aged care facilities;
In 2012, 78,000 ageing parents were concerned about what will happen to their children
once they pass away or can no longer support their child;
People with disability experience long waiting lists for accessible and affordable housing;
If no action is taken, there will be up to 122,000 NDIS participants without appropriate
disability housing by 2020 (NDIA, 2016).
The following excerpt from the Summer Foundation identifies some of the problems in relation to
determining and providing for wider disability housing needs.
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SUMMER FOUNDATION
The Summer Foundation plans and builds housing demonstration projects to provide examples of housing
suitable for people with severe disabilities to enable more independent living rather than being forced into
nursing homes. Three demonstration projects have been built with project partners. Their vision is that housing
for people with a disability is routinely located in all new medium and high density residential development in
Australia.
In 2016, the Summer Foundation with the Victorian Transport Accident Commission published a discussion
paper on the need for a more contemporary design framework for accessible housing for people with
significant disabilities. In relation to the current design guidelines and Australian Standards, the report notes:
There is very little in the way of required legislative compliance in access provisions for residential housing.
Specifically, in relation to the Building Code Australia (BCA):
Class 1 dwellings (residential houses) have no legislative compliance for access.
Class 2 dwellings (apartment buildings) have some compliance provision in accordance with the Access
to Premises Standards, however this is limited to accessible paths of travel from street boundaries to
individual floor levels and apartment doors, and the provision of access to common areas such as
swimming pools, gyms, laundries etc. within developments.
Class 3 dwellings (a group home or joined cluster of units) require significant legislative compliance. A
particularly apt example is the requirement to comply with the requirements of AS 1428.1 for an
accessible bathroom. This legislative compliance for a Class 3 building results in an institutional space
(requiring grab rails, shower seat, disabled toilet and back rest, which will often not suit the functional
needs of the occupant with a severe disability) rather than a space that is home-like and easily
adapted to meet the specific needs of the current occupant. It is therefore important to understand the
design impact that a BCA Class 3 building will deliver versus a residential type housing option that is
classified as a BCA Class 1 or 2 dwelling.
The Livable Housing Design Guidelines (LHDG) have not been legislated in Australia (under the National
Construction Code), and are therefore optional to adopt during a design process. Even if they did become
legislatively adopted in future, these requirements in isolation will not ensure an adequate level of access
provision to accommodate the needs of people with severe disability. This applies to even the highest ‘Platinum’
level of LHDG. This is because there are many design features that are not addressed in the LHDG, such as
access to external entertainment areas and only very limited access provision within the kitchen.
The government and the housing and disability sectors often choose to use parts of AS 1428.1 or AS 1428.2,
however it must be noted that these standards largely relate to access provision to public buildings, and these
standards only accommodate approximately 80% of disability users. The majority of references relate to
wheelchair access provision only.
Finally, AS 4299 (Adaptable Housing) is effectively aimed at supporting future adaption of an existing dwelling
to accommodate ageing occupants or occupants who acquire a disability at some stage in life whilst living in
that particular adaptable house. One of the findings of this evaluation is that the term ‘adaptable’ is quite
different in the context of designing for people with significant disability in the early stage of a new building
project.
The Summer Foundation suggest that some elements of the current legislation, guidelines and standards may
need to be exceeded to meet the needs of some people with a significant disability, but on the other hand,
meeting some of the requirements of the Australian Standards adds unnecessary cost and an institutional (or
hospital) feel to home environments.
The analysis of current legislation, guidelines and standards, and learnings from the demonstration projects
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have so far enabled the identification by the Foundation of the following insights and issues for housing:
Guidelines and standards need to be relevant, and support specific outcome objectives:
- AS 1428.1 has very little or no relevance to residential housing.
- A BCA Class 3 type development triggers AS 1428.1 for bathrooms and creates an institutional type
bathroom.
- The LHDG Platinum Level does not provide all the necessary design requirements for someone with
significant disability.
Housing needs to be affordable in terms of construction and tenancy:
- Compliance with AS 1428 has a significant overall cost impact.
Housing should be large enough to accommodate reasonable circulation but not so large that the cost
becomes prohibitive.
Housing should be universally designed to suit a range of people, and be adaptable in a cost-effective
manner to suit individuals.
Housing should be home-like, not institutional or commercial in appearance, layout and feel.
Housing should be durable.
Housing needs to be integrated in mainstream residential housing.
Housing needs to be adaptable in a cost effective way, and not in the traditional method of compliance
to AS 4299.
The Summer Foundation’s design approach for people with a significant disability includes the following values
or objectives:
Appropriate for a diverse range of people – driven by the Universal Design Principles and Livable
Housing Design Guidelines Platinum Level.
Supports people to live with the greatest level of independence.
Creates home environments rather than institutional environments.
Supports family and friends to visit and the privacy to do this.
Functional, durable, flexible and cost effective design.
Possible to sell the property on the open market if required.
Implications for Housing
Noosa Shire currently has a relatively high proportion of people who need assistance with one or
more core activities including self-care, mobility and communication because of a long-term
health condition, disability or old age. Noosa Shire had 5.1% of its population in this category at
the 2011 census, compared with 4.4% on average in Queensland. This figure tends to be
correlated with age, although not exclusively so. However, this proportion could be expected to
continue to increase as the population further ages.
Tewantin reported the highest proportion of residents in need of assistance with a core activity
(8.1% or 862 residents) followed by Noosa North Shore (7.4% or 24 residents) (Figure 8).
Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach (2.5% or 255 residents) and Cooroibah (2.6% or 46 residents)
had the lowest proportions.
Special accommodation in Noosa Shire for people with disabilities was found to be extremely
limited. These people can also be in low income groups. Of all the households on the Social
Housing Register, 80% were households where a member of the family has a disability.
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There is clearly a need to ensure that affordable dwellings for people with disabilities are
available, either through special group accommodation or through increasing the number of
dwellings that are adaptable or universally designed at least to a moderate level. The difficulties
in achieving this in Noosa Shire due to the local physical constraints discussed above, and also
given the lack of higher density development, are however likely to remain a barrier to this being
widely achieved in the development market.
4.1.3 Low Income Groups/Young People
The Noosa Social Strategy 2015 identified several key issues with potential implications for
housing:
Emerging vulnerable groups in the community include some lone person households,
LGBTI+ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex), and disengaged young people;
Homelessness is an increasing issue especially for young people;
Availability of affordable housing (and limited housing diversity), rental housing and short-
term crisis housing are issues;
Availability of support, respite and affordable independent living options is limited for
young people and adults with an intellectual or physical disability (and their carers).
The strategy suggests that Council aim to encourage accessible and affordable spaces and places
for people to live, meet and play, and influence housing affordability by encouraging a diversity
of housing opportunities. Key initiatives included that Council will:
Plan for an increase in the number of elderly people living independently;
Work with government agencies, not-for-profit organisations and the business sector to
explore innovative ways of tackling housing affordability;
Adopt a multi-faceted, coordinated approach with strong partnerships between
government, not-for-profit groups, and the community to address homelessness.
The shortage of affordable housing was seen as contributing to homelessness. An analysis of
housing stress and housing affordability is undertaken below. Note that specific consideration of
housing for older people, some of whom may be low income households as well, is undertaken in
Section 4.1.1. A proportion of these are unlikely to be included in the data presented, e.g. on
housing stress, as they do not rent or have a mortgage. However appropriate and more
affordable housing may still be an issue.
Housing Stress
Housing stress is an indication of the level of vulnerability of the lowest income groups.
Households are said to be in housing stress when the lowest 40% of income earners are paying
more than 30% of their household income on accommodation. Rent stress is sometimes viewed
as more significant than mortgage stress as mortgage stress is generally offset by the accrual of
equity in the asset over time. However mortgage stress can still create difficulties in meeting the
basic costs of living.
Estimates of housing stress are compiled and published by the Public Health Information
Development Unit (PHIDU) using Census data. The data is published for ABS Statistical Areas
Level 2 (SA2s). Although these areas do not exactly align with Noosa Shire boundaries (for
instance Peregian Springs in included in the Peregian SA2) they are a close approximation.
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In 2011, there were 1,116 low income households spending more than 30% of their household
income on their mortgage in Noosa Shire (Table 30). This was approximately 16% of all
households who were paying a mortgage at the time, and the proportion is significantly higher
than for Greater Brisbane12 (8.5%) and Queensland (9.8%). There were also 2,231 low income
households paying more than 30% of their household income on rent payments. This was
approximately 34.5% of all households who were renting, and this proportion is also higher than
the proportions of Greater Brisbane (24.5%) and Queensland (25.3%).
Overall there were 3,347 households in housing stress (low income households paying more than
30% of their income on mortgage repayments or rent), and this equated to 15.6% of all
households in Noosa Shire.
Table 30. Housing Stress, Households in Noosa Shire, Greater Brisbane and Queensland,
2011
Area Mortgage Stress Rental Stress (b) Housing Stress Total
(a) (c = a+b) Households
Noosa Hinterland (d) 521 (17.1%) 525 (38.3%) 1,046 (14.1%) 7,406
Noosa Heads (d) 62 (15.3%) 190 (28.8%) 252 (15.9%) 1,589
Noosaville (d) 113 (14.8%) 431 (34.3%) 544 (16.6%) 3,277
Peregian (d) 120 (13.3%) 314 (31.1%) 434 (15.5%) 2,791
Sunshine Beach (d) 114 (14.2%) 312 (32.2%) 426 (17.2%) 2,475
Tewantin (d) 186 (16.4%) 459 (38.5%) 645 (16.2%) 3,982
Noosa Shire (e) 1,116 (15.8%) 2,231 (34.5%) 3,347 (15.6%) 21,520
Greater Brisbane (f) 23,025 (8.5%) 60,005 (24.5%) 83,030 (11.3%) 732,495
Queensland 52,583 (9.8%) 133,599 (25.3%) 186,182 (12.0%) 1,547,306
Notes:
a = low income households in mortgage stress, and proportion of low income households in mortgage stress as
a proportion of all households with a mortgage.
b = low income households in rental stress, and proportion of low income households in rental stress as a
proportion of all households renting.
c = low income households in housing stress, and proportion of low income households in housing stress (low
income households in mortgage stress plus rental stress) as a proportion of all households.
d = ABS Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2).
e = sum of SA2s, closest approximation of Noosa Shire.
f = Greater Brisbane is the Greater Capital City Statistical Area as defined by the Australian Bureau of
Statistics. It includes the local government areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Redland, Logan, Somerset, and Moreton
Bay, and parts of Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley.
Source: PHIDU 2014;
More recent rental stress data (not comparable to the above) is available from a dataset compiled
by the Australian Government Department of Social Services and reported on by the Queensland
12
Greater Brisbane is the Greater Capital City Statistical Area as defined by the Australian Bureau of
Statistics. It includes the local government areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Redland, Logan, Somerset, and
Moreton Bay, and parts of Scenic Rim and Lockyer Valley.
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Department of Housing and Public Works (Queensland Government 2016f). Rental stress for this
dataset is based on low income households (households receiving Rent Assistance) that are
spending at least 30% of their income on private rent after any Commonwealth Rent Assistance
that the household receives has been taken into account. At 30 June 2015, there were 1,922 low
income households in Noosa Shire that spent over 30% of their gross household income on
private rental accommodation (Table 31). This was around 52.8% of the total low income
households in private rental accommodation at the time. The proportion of low income
households experiencing rental stress was around 10 percentage points higher than the
proportion for Queensland, and had increased slightly compared to the proportion 12 months
earlier.
Table 31. Rental Stress, Noosa Shire and Queensland, 2014 and 2015
Area 30 June 2014 30 June 2015
Rental Stress Total Low Rental Stress Total Low
Households Income Households Income
Households in Households in
Private Rental Private Rental
Noosa Shire 1,908 (52.1%) 3,665 1,922 (52.8%) 3,642
Queensland 132,027 (41.6%) 317,273 139,087 (42.5%) 327,308
Notes: Low income households are households receiving Rent Assistance.
Source: Queensland Government 2016f;
Affordability
Housing affordability refers to the relationship between expenditure on housing (prices,
mortgage payments or rents) and household incomes. It uses a measure of median rental cost
compared to median income.
Median mortgage repayments at 2011 were lower in the Shire ($1,770 per month) compared to
the SEQ Region ($1,794) and the State ($1,850). Median rents were higher in the Shire ($1,445 per
month) compared to the SEQ Region ($1,283) and the State ($1,300).
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Figure 34. Median Mortgage Repayments and Rents, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; In 2011, the Shire reported a median household income almost $200 below the SEQ Region’s and almost $300 below the State’s in 2011 ($953.5, $1,150.7 and $1,235.0 per week respectively). Figure 35. Median Household and Personal Income, Noosa Shire, SEQ and Queensland, 2011 Source: AEC Group 2015; As these median mortgage repayments, rents and incomes are based on the last Census (over 5 years ago), an analysis of affordability in terms of median accommodation costs and incomes was compiled to help bridge the gap until data from the Census 2016 is released. The figures below use a range of assumptions to compare affordability in Noosa Shire, Sunshine Coast LGA, and Brisbane City LGA. Assumptions include: Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 95
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Median household income – Median household income from the 2011 Census (ABS
2013a) is adjusted each quarter based on the wage price index for Queensland for total
hourly rates of pay (excluding bonuses) for all sectors and all industries (ABS 2016 Table
2B A2600949X). The 30% benchmark is used as this is the indicative proportion of
household income that is considered reasonable for low income households to spend on
accommodation costs without experiencing housing stress.
Median weekly mortgage repayments for attached and detached dwellings – Median
mortgage repayments have been calculated based on the median sale price of attached
and detached dwellings in the areas from Queensland Treasury data (Queensland
Government 2016e) and average variable bank mortgage rates for owner occupiers as
published by the Reserve Bank of Australia (2016) assuming a 20% deposit and 25 year
loan period. Weekly repayments assume a month has four weeks.
Median rents for attached and detached dwellings – Median rents are based on new
bonds lodged with the RTA (2016) each quarter and are for two bedroom attached
dwellings and three bedroom detached dwellings only.
The results of the analysis are shown in Figure 36 to Figure 38, and a number of observations
can be made about the results:
For Noosa Shire, Sunshine Coast LGA and Brisbane City LGA, median mortgage
repayments for attached and detached dwellings generally declined during the start of the
period, before levelling off and starting to trend upward during the latter half of the
period. The decline was partly due to median sale price declines early in the period,
however falling average variable home loan interest rates have also contributed to the fall
in median mortgage repayments. The affordability of mortgage repayments is heavily
impacted by the variable home loan interest rate charged, including any discounting that
is provided (not included in this analysis), and therefore changes in interest rates may
quickly change the affordability of the dwellings in the regions analysed.
For a household earning a median income in Noosa Shire, renting or purchasing a median
priced dwelling was unaffordable throughout the time period. Renting a 2-bedroom
attached dwelling was the most affordable option throughout the time period. With falling
interest rates during the period, mortgage repayments on an attached dwelling became
more affordable, and median mortgage repayments on an attached dwelling were more
affordable than renting a median priced 3-bedroom detached house at the end of 2015.
For a household earning a median income in the Sunshine Coast LGA, renting a 2-
bedroom attached dwelling was affordable throughout the time period analysed, and
purchasing an attached dwelling became affordable in the last 12 months or so.
With higher median household incomes in the Brisbane City LGA, households have more
affordable options when it comes to accommodation – including renting a median priced
2-bedroom attached dwelling, or 3-bedroom detached dwelling, or purchasing a median
priced attached dwelling.
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Figure 36. Accommodation Affordability Analysis, Noosa Shire, 2011-2016 Source: Various sources as described; Analysis undertaken by Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd. Figure 37. Accommodation Affordability Analysis, Sunshine Coast LGA, 2011-2016 Source: Various sources as described; Analysis undertaken by Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 97
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Figure 38. Accommodation Affordability Analysis, Brisbane City LGA, 2011-2016 Source: Various sources as described; Analysis undertaken by Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd. Implications for Housing There was found to be a very limited supply of public, community and transitional housing available in Noosa Shire. The cost of land, in particular, has limited the ability to provide social housing. The waiting lists for public housing is long, and wait times can be 10 years. Otherwise the private sector determines the housing product that is constructed and the prices, through supply and demand, and influences household preferences through marketing and availability. The majority of housing developments and land subdivision is undertaken by a small number of development companies in Noosa. There have however been very few large residential developments over the past two decades. Noosa Shire has been found to be relatively unaffordable for both rental and mortgage repayments relative to median household income. This is compounded not only by high prices, but by the relatively low incomes which characterise many of the key industries in Noosa Shire. This would particularly affect low income households, including single parent and single person households, and young people. Hence 16% of all low income households who were paying a mortgage were in housing stress at the 2011 Census and 34.5% of all low income households who were renting were in housing stress. This equated to 15.6% of all households in Noosa Shire. The implication for future housing needs is that measures ought to be considered that lead to new housing having better potential to be affordable. Options include smaller lot sizes or particular density requirements for attached dwellings that reduce costs through a smaller land component or a smaller dwelling. Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 98
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4.1.4 Key Workers
Characteristics of Key Workers
Section 2.1 identified that Noosa Shire’s economic structure is dependent on population driven
industry sectors and tourism with retail trade 26% higher than the Australian average; and
accommodation and food services almost double the Australian average.
It is well recognised that these industries are among the poorest paid of any industries and have
lower full-time employment rates. Part-time work accounts for around 35%-40% of total
employment within the broader Sunshine Coast Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), compared to
around 25%-30% in other similar regions (see Section 4.2); and Noosa Shire has considerably
lower household incomes than SEQ and Queensland. In 2011, the Shire reported a median
household income almost $200 below the SEQ Region and almost $300 below the State (Noosa
Shire Council, 2015).
Implications for Housing
The lack of accommodation for key workers has long been an issue across the Sunshine Coast.
Again the difficulty of obtaining and sustaining housing in an unaffordable market is exacerbated
among people with low incomes employed in the key industries of the coast. An additional
consideration in Noosa Shire is that these people need to be located in proximity to or with good
access at all hours to key tourist and hospitality areas, which places greater premiums on the
availability and cost of accommodation.
‘Key workers’ (or workers in Noosa Shire’s key industries) are crucial to the economy. In Noosa
Shire they are frequently younger, single people, some of whom are travelling. However some are
simply young people living in the Shire or elsewhere on the Sunshine Coast who need their own
accommodation. Their accommodation needs are usually fairly basic and small, however location
in relation to work and transport is critical. This accommodation is poorly provided at the present
time, and accounts for some workers staying in resort accommodation, some in a share situation.
There is also considerable inflow to Noosa Shire in terms of workers living elsewhere on the
Sunshine Coast.
4.1.5 People Escaping Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a major contributor to homelessness – 24% of homeless Queenslanders cite
domestic violence as the cause (consistent with nationally reported data)13. Violence is a major
driver of homelessness for men and women. Research shows that 61% of victims are women and
39% are men14. Violence in the home is also an issue for young people, with one of the three
main reasons that young people aged 15-24 years report for being homeless15. While data is not
available at LGA level, these state and national trends are also likely to be reflected in the Noosa
Shire.
13
Homelessness Australia, undated
14
Research findings from the 2012 ABS Personal Safety Survey and Australian Institute of Criminology cited
in: Violence Against Women: Key Statistics, produced by Australia’s National Research Organisation for
Women’s Safety. And: Male Victims of Family Violence: key Statistics, produced by the One in Three
Campaign.
15
Mission Australia, 2016
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There are 3 x two bedroom dwellings provided in Noosa Shire for victims of domestic violence. Shire businesses, trades people and others volunteered goods and services, labour and time to support the creation of the three safe houses for victims of domestic violence, over just two weekends in 2005. The Safe Homes In Noosa Everyday (SHINE) construction project in Langura Street, Noosa Heads resulted in the provision of the first safe houses for women and children in Noosa Shire. Men may find it particularly difficult to obtain accommodation when escaping domestic violence. Such services are State funded, and further dwellings would require the provision of land and operational funding. 4.1.6 People at Risk of Homelessness Homelessness in Noosa Shire The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2013b) estimated that there were 152 homeless people in the Statistical Areas (Level 2) (SA2s) that make up Noosa Shire in 2011. A significant number of the homelessness people were located in the Noosa Hinterland SA2 with a total of 94 homeless people (Table 32). Table 32. Homeless people, Noosa Shire, 2011 Area (SA2) Homeless Persons Noosa Hinterland (a) 94 Noosa Heads (a) 10 Noosaville (a) 6 Peregian (a) 3 Sunshine Beach (a) 12 Tewantin (a) 27 Noosa Shire (b) 152 Notes: a = ABS Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2). b = sum of SA2s, closest approximation of Noosa Shire. Source: ABS 2013b; The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) compiles a dataset of specialist homelessness services. Homelessness services in Noosa Shire assisted 275 clients in the 12 months to 30 June 2015 (or 51.4 clients per 10,000 population), and 57 clients on average were accommodated on a typical night during the period (or 10.6 clients per 10,000 population) (Queensland Government 2016f). The rate of clients supported with homelessness services was about half the rate for Queensland (51.4 people for Noosa Shire, compared to 110.8 people per 10,000 population in Queensland), however the rate of clients accommodated on an average night was slightly higher than for Queensland (10.6 people for Noosa Shire, compared to 7.4 people per 10,000 population for Queensland) (Queensland Government 2016f). Table 33. People accessing specialist homelessness services, Noosa Shire and Queensland, Year to 30 June 2015 Projection Area Noosa Shire Queensland Clients support 275 52,962 Clients support per 10,000 51.4 110.8 Briggs & Mortar Pty Ltd | Page 100
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Nightly average clients accommodated 57 3,513
Nightly average clients accommodated 10.6 7.4
per 10,000 population
Source: Queensland Government 2016f;
Notes: Some clients may be supported by multiple providers and may be counted more than once. Statistics
include children.
The National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) created an index to identify
areas at a high risk of homelessness using data from the Census, and other data sources. The
index is derived from the following four indicators:
Participation and Education (people aged 18-24 that are not at school or working, young
people aged 7-17 not attending school, people aged 25-54 who did not complete year 12
or equivalent);
Financial need (people receiving welfare payment, people who are in financial stress and
poverty);
Housing stress (people aged over 55 in bottom income quintile paying over 60% of
income on rent, people who live in overcrowded conditions);
Other (one parent families, people living in public housing, domestic violence incidents
reported to police).
Based on the indicators, statistical local areas (SLAs) are ranked and assigned to quintiles from
highest risk to lowest risk of homelessness for the whole of Australia. Many SLAs within the
Noosa Shire scored poorly on a range of indicators that can be used to indicate risk of
homelessness. For Noosa Shire, 24.3% of the population was in the highest risk quintile, and
55.0% were in the second highest risk quintile, compared to 23.8% and 20.8% for Queensland
(Queensland Government 2016f).
Implications for Housing
The above analysis suggests that in 2013 there were around 150 people in Noosa Shire who are
homeless. This number may have increased with deteriorating economic conditions and the
increasing unaffordability of housing since.
Noosa Shire was found in Section 3.2.2 to have a small network of service providers who attempt
to assist these people. There is however a lack of emergency accommodation in the Shire, which
is only partially offset by rural campgrounds, showgrounds etc.
Of equal concern is the high proportion of households who were found to be in the second
highest risk quintile for homelessness. The latter is nearly three times the proportion for
Queensland as a whole. Many such households will be struggling to make ends meet and are
particularly vulnerable to rent increases, job losses etc.
The implication for housing is that further affordable housing must be provided in the Shire to
prevent increases in homelessness.
4.1.7 People with Mental Health Issues
People with mental health issues may require special accommodation in the community as an
option to inpatient care. The closest options available to people in Noosa Shire are shown below.
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