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

                                 Executive summary



Noosa is known for its beautiful beaches, national park, and       Research, and results of both site investigations and
scenic coastal walks. The area is a popular tourist destination    consultation with sporting clubs informed development of a
due to its warm climate, vibrant culture, and wide range           draft Precinct Plan. Clubs were provided with an opportunity
of outdoor and ocean-focussed activities. Noosa is also            to provide feedback on the draft Precinct Plan to Council
renowned for its high-end dining and shopping options, as          Officers and the consultants.
well as its creative arts scene and lively atmosphere.
                                                                   Following this engagement process, and after further internal
Noosa’s natural beauty and popularity as a tourist destination     Council deliberations, an alternative version of the draft
has resulted in tensions between development and                   Precinct Plan was developed and presented to sport clubs
environmental protection, with many new developments               by Council. This version has directed Council’s Precinct Plan
being built to accommodate the growing number of visitors.         provided on the following page.
At the same time, the community is increasingly aware of the
need to preserve the environment and maintain the town’s           The Precinct Plan proposes to colocate sailing, rowing and
unique character. There are competing pressures to balance         outrigger canoeing at a multi-use Precinct with purpose-built
economic development with environmental sustainability,            facilities to support these activities, while retaining an area at
and many residents and local organisations are actively            Chaplain Park for storage of six-person ocean canoes (OC6).
advocating for the protection of the area’s natural habitats,      The Plan also proposes to formalise historical use of the
wildlife, and scenic vistas. Efforts to achieve this balance are   public car park immediately to the rear of the Noosa Yacht
ongoing, and the future of Noosa will depend on the outcome        and Rowing Club (NYRC) for boat storage, by including it in the
of these debates and the decisions that are made about             NYRC lease area.
development and conservation in the years to come.                 Redesign of the public car park will be required to optimise
This report provides the outcomes of investigations to ensure      safe traffic movement in a high pedestrian environment,
the continued sustainability of community organisations and        including provision of disability parking bays and drop off
clubs providing non-powered water sports and activities to         zones. Council is undertaking a separate master planning
people living in Noosa and nearby. Established activities, such    process for an extended length of the River Foreshore, that
as sailing and rowing, as well as more recent outdoor pursuits     will further guide development of the Precinct.
such as outrigger canoeing are reliant on safe access to the
Noosa River and ocean and storage of essential equipment in
proximity for ease of transport.
An exhaustive investigation of potential sites along the
Noosa River foreshore examined site criteria that aligned
with the needs of non-powered water sports. A simple ‘traffic
light’ coloured system is used to indicate if each criteria
is a positive (green), neutral (orange) or negative (red)
consideration for each potential site.
The sporting clubs directly impacted by the study were
engaged in the project at several key points. Initially,
clubs were interviewed by the consultants to identify
their membership, activities, storage and water-access
requirements. This information informed the site
investigations referred to above.




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                                                                             Draft Feasibility Report