NON-POWERED WATER SPORTS FEASIBILTY STUDY · Attachment 1: Noosa NPWS Feasibility Study

4.3 Current non-powered water sports trends
Local trends                     National Trends
Residents within the Noosa
LGA are extremely active with    Snapshot
98% of survey respondents                                    Participation     Sport or          other             non-
participating in physical                                    numbers           recreation        organised         organised
activity (Council’s Sport                                                      association       participation     participation
and Active Recreation Plan
2018).                            Canoeing/Kayaking                 453 400              7.52%            16.41%            76.07%
With nearly three-quarters of     Dragon boat racing                  20 400            89.71%            10.29%
respondents participating in      Kitesurfing/kiteboarding            26 600            11.65%             8.27%            80.08%
physical activity to enjoy the    Outrigger canoe                      9 200            92.39%             7.61%             0.00%
outdoors, is in not surprising
that swimming at the beach        Paddle sports                       25 000            14.40%            27.60%            58.00%
or waterways and walking          Rowing                            106 700             40.02%            15.18%            44.80%
were the two most common          Sailing                           182 200             49.84%             7.57%            42.59%
activities participated in.
Although the survey did
                                 Canoe and kayaking
not directly ask about all
non-motorised water sports       Canoe and kayaking includes: canoe polo, canoeing, kayaking, outrigger and dragon boating.
discussed in this Report,
                                 In 2021, approximately 1.6% of the Australian adult (aged 15 plus) population participated
canoe/kayaking was the 7th
                                 in canoe and kayaking as a physical activity. One fifth of those participants were from
most popular activity (19.7%
                                 Queensland.
of respondents).
                                 Participation rates were similar among genders, however, peak participation age varied. Canoe
The Sport and Active
                                 and kayaking was more common in women aged bewteen 45 to 54 years of age, while men’s
Recreation Plan 2018
                                 participation peaked between 55 to 64 years of age.
also identified paddle
sports (including kayaking,      Consistent with the “perfect fit” sporting trend, the majority of participants participated in
canoeing/outrigging              canoe and kayaking activities in an non-organised/unstructured environment.
and Stand-Up-Paddle
boarding) as the 7th             Currently 7.52% of participants are actively involved with a canoe/kayaking sport or recreation
most popular organised           association. However, the proportion of non-organised participants joining an organised group
and structured activity in       is increasing from 15.9% of participants in 2001, to 23.0% in 2021. Organised participation
Noosa, by membership and         also attracts an older age cohort, with the majority of members (men and women) aged
participation data.              between 45 to 64 years of age.
                                 Just under half of the people that participated in canoe and kayaking activities said they
                                 did it for fun and enjoyment, and a third participated in it to be outdoors and enjoy nature;
                                 consistent with Noosa LGA residents.

                                 Rowing
                                 Rowing includes still water and coastal rowing activities.
                                 In 2021, approximately 0.5% of the Australian adult (aged 15 plus) population participated in
                                 rowing as a physical activity. One fifth of those participants were from Queensland.
                                 Overall participation rates were similar among genders, however, the peak participation
                                 age varied. With a number of secondary schools offering rowing as a sport, it is no surprise
                                 that participation rates peak during 15 to 17 years of age, than slowly decline. However,
                                 participation rates start to increase again among those aged between 45 to 65+ years.
                                 Over half of those that participated in rowing activities did so in an organised environment,
                                 with the majority being involved in a club or recreation association.
                                 Health and fitness was the main reason adults participated in rowing, while a third participated
                                 in it for fun and enjoyment.




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                                 Noosa Shire Council