2021-11-15 GC Agenda - Item 7 - Attachment 2 - Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan with tracked changes

Identifying areas and assets at risk

In order to assess the future erosion and inundation risks throughout the Noosa region, it is
necessary to understand which areas and key assets are presently at risk and which areas may
become threatened in the future. The 2040, 2070 and 2100 planning horizons are used to assess
risk which provides insight into the urgencyprioritisation of adaptation planning. For instance, an
asset which is threatened in 2040 may have more urgency, and thus priority, for an adaptation
response than an asset which is not expected to be at high risk until 2100. Contrastingly, assets
with a long useful life (e.g. buildings and bridges) may require replacement or retrofitting
significantly earlier than would have otherwise occurred (i.e. in the absence of sea level rise) to
ensure their safety and functionality. By prioritising assets, Council is able to commit resources
accordingly based on likely asset life, desired function (including safety), and vulnerability to
coastal hazards.

Assets were identified by comparing the hazard modelling results with existing data on public and
private asset types and locations across the coastal zone. It’s important to acknowledge that not all
assets require a specific response in this plan. For example, a single barbecue in a foreshore park
is considered an asset, but given its low cost of replacement and relatively short life, it is not worth
developing a specific response for this asset. In contrast, the entire park itself is considered
important, both from Council’s perspective (as it owns and manages that asset), as well as from
the community’s viewpoint (as it providescan provide recreational, cultural, natural, public health
and economic benefits).

Using a range of different criteria based on Council’s existing approach to asset management, and
feedback provided by community stakeholders, a database of built assets, infrastructure, and
natural areas that are considered most important to the community and/or Council was created.
Further information on the results of this process can be found in the Locality Risk & Action Plans
in Section 5. More descriptions of each of the criteria used can be found in the Phase 5 – Risk
Assessment Report22.

Identifying the level of risks to areas and assets

A risk management approach has been applied to assessing risks related to all three coastal
hazards risks. The Australian Standard for identifying and managing risks is outlined in AS/NZ ISO
31000:2018 Standard Risk Management Principles and Guidelines and this guideline has been
applied in the performing of the risk assessment used in the CHAP’s development.

This risk assessment approach has been designed to provide a process to incorporate improved
data and risk knowledge over time. It provides an important basis for focusing effort and resources
towards those assets or areas at greatest risk from coastal hazards now and in future (i.e. prioritising
high risk areas and assets) and then determining responses that avoid, mitigate, reduce or accept
these risks where feasible to an acceptable or tolerable level.

It should be noted, that many assets for which a specific risk assessment was not performed can
still benefit from adaptation actions taken for those assets that were assessed, due to their
proximity to these. For example, foreshore works that seek to prevent inundation from impacting a
park will also benefit the barbeque and playground facilities within the park. More descriptions of
each of the criteria used can be found in the Phase 5 – Risk Assessment Report23.

                                          Reference Box #2

                                  Understanding ‘hazard’ and ‘risk’

22 BMT (2020). Noosa Shire Council – Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan Risk Assessment
23 BMT, 2020. Noosa Shire Council – Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan Risk Assessment


Noosa Council – Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan                                                 Page 30