2016-06-07 - P&E Agenda - Item 5, Attachment 1 - Agriculture and Agricultural Land Study

3. Agriculture in Noosa Shire
3.1       Historical Production
Historically, Noosa Shire’s economy was founded on an agricultural base, with timber, beef cattle
and dairying comprising major industries in the area, followed by significant fruit and vegetable
production. Appendix A provides detail of the agricultural history of the Shire. More recently
traditional agriculture has decreased but emerging boutique or niche farming has gained some
momentum with particular interest in “regenerative farming”1.


3.2       Current Production
Today local agricultural operations are small scale but diverse. A survey of the Noosa hinterland
reveals that land is being used for the farming of:

Beef cattle                         Poultry                              Pigs
Goats                               Fish & Crayfish                      Horses
Lettuce                             Culinary herbs                       Garlic
Ginger                              Vegetables                           Macadamia nuts
Bananas                             Tomatoes                             Citrus fruits
Avocados                            Olives                               Bush tucker and rainforest foods
Custard apples                      Nashi pears

Provided as Appendix B are maps indicating where land is accommodating agriculture2. There
were 238 properties found to be used for beef cattle, 47 used for horticulture and at least 70
containing horses3.

There are over 200 properties throughout Noosa Shire which are identified within the rates system
as being used for agriculture, a majority of these for cattle grazing (including breeding or
fattening)4. It is unlikely these figures remain an accurate representation of land use.


3.3       Contribution to the Local Economy
According to the 2015 Noosa Economic Profile prepared by AEC Group5, the Agriculture, Forestry
and Fishing Sector makes a minimal contribution to the Shire’s economy in terms of both
employment and finances. As a sector it is comparatively under-represented and with negative
growth. Local employment in this sector reduced by 74 jobs in the 2006-2011 period accounting for
1.2% of Noosa jobs in 2011 (compared to 2.7% for the State). For the former Statistical Local Area
of “Noosa Hinterland” which excludes all the coastal urban communities, the percentage was still
just 3.4%.

Average weekly incomes for this sector are lower than most other sectors represented locally and
the Industry Value Added figure is less than 1%.

1
  Regenerative agriculture is generally a form of organic farming designed to build soil health or to
regenerate unhealthy soils. It involves techniques aimed at restoring landscape function and deliver
outcomes that include sustainable production, an improved natural resource base, healthy nutrient cycling,
increased biodiversity and enhanced resilience.
2
  Survey work done by Country Noosa through second quarter of 2015
3
  It’s recognised that only a fraction of the properties accommodating horses have any form of income
generated through an equine business.
4
  If all or part of a property is used solely for the business of primary production (agriculture, pasturage or
dairy farming), the land owner may seek a primary production exemption for the purpose of land tax and
Council rates.
5
  Noosa Economic Profile dated July 2015 prepared by AEC Group
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