2015-12-08 I&S Committee - Item 5 - Attach 1 - NOOSA SOCIAL STRATEGY

Noosa’s economy relies significantly on tourism leveraging
the Shire’s great beaches, natural open spaces and
outdoor recreational assets. Noosa is home to high profile
cultural and sporting events which attract national and
international media contributing to Noosa’s reputation
as a premier tourist destination. In an attempt to reduce
this dependence Council is developing strategies such
as the Noosa Shire Local Economic Plan to diversify
the local economy and develop new high value, low
environmental impact businesses across the Shire. There
are approximately 7,400 businesses in Noosa which
are mainly small or micro businesses. It is also home to
a range of very successful entrepreneurs and skilled
business people.

The Noosa community prides itself on its many strengths
including:

•   a strong community spirit fostering a sense of
    belonging among residents

•   an engaged population that plays an active role in
    decision making

•   a reputation for being a caring community that helps
    one another

•   an outdoor lifestyle with its associated health and
    wellbeing benefits

•   a strong and longstanding commitment to the
    protection of environmental values

•   a large pool of active retirees, often available for
    volunteer work                                            Community Snapshot
•   dynamic community groups, sporting clubs and social
    clubs

•   popular sporting, food and cultural festivals and
                                                              In developing this social strategy, Council
    events
                                                              built a community profile of the Shire using
•   low-rise development that is integrated with the          demographic data and education, employment
    landscape                                                 and socio-economic indicators to provide an
                                                              insight into the needs, challenges and issues
•   a lack of big city symbols such as traffic lights, neon
                                                              facing the resident population. The profile
    signs and billboards
                                                              will also be used as background for the new
•   an appreciation of our history and heritage               planning scheme and is available on Council’s
•   a small Council that is responsive to its community       website     at:   http://www.noosa.qld.gov.au/
                                                              community-profile
•   a distinct identity and brand which leverage
    significant economic benefit.                             For the purpose of this document we have
                                                              chosen to highlight a number of statistics from
                                                              that profile and other sources which provide a
                                                              snapshot of the Noosa Community.