2021-11-15 GC Agenda - Item 7 - Attachment 1 - Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan

          Noosa Shire Council



  Covering an area of 870km2, Noosa Shire is home to more than 55,000 people1. Two thirds of the
  population live within the coastal area that covers Peregian to Sunshine Beach, Noosa Heads, Noosaville
  and Tewantin. The Traditional Owners are the Kabi Kabi people (Gubbi Gubbi people) who have lived in
  and cared for the coastal area for millennia and continue to maintain a deep connection with the natural
  environment, landscape and sea.
  Noosa Shire has over 45 kilometres of coastline extending from Peregian Beach north to Teewah and Great
  Sandy National Park on Noosa North Shore (Figure 2). Famous for its open surf beaches, protected north-
  facing bays, river systems and everglades, Noosa’s coastal zone is at the fragile interface of land and sea.
  Extending landward from the ocean, many kilometres of estuaries and waterways connect the hinterland
  to the coast. This network of rivers, tributaries and lakes plays an important role in supporting marine and
  aquatic life. The Noosa River system also functions as an important temporary storage of flood waters
  during flood events, thereby absorbing the impact of ocean-related events such as storm surges.
  The natural character of Noosa’s coastline and surrounding vegetated landscape is a key attractor and
  point of difference for the local economy. It attracts businesses, investors and residents who wish to enjoy
  the nature-based, casual lifestyle and take advantage of Noosa’s clean, green reputation, innovative
  culture and attractive beaches.


  Coastal Landscape
  The coastal zone is the interface between land and sea and includes coastal waters and areas landwards.
  Coastal land includes land under tidal waters, erosion prone areas, land at risk from storm tide inundation
  or permanent inundation due to sea level rise, and parcels of land adjacent to the foreshore. In Noosa
  Shire, this includes coastal waters and land adjacent to the open beaches, rivers and lakes that are
  influenced by the tides.
  Coastal hazards will affect localities to varying extents depending on geographic position and topography.
  For instance, the open coast will be most affected by coastal erosion and shoreline recession. Open
  coast communities include Peregian Beach, Marcus Beach, Castaways Beach, Sunrise Beach, Sunshine
  Beach, Noosa Heads, Noosa North Shore and Teewah. Contrastingly, riverine areas including Noosaville
  and Tewantin will be most affected by periodic storm tide inundation and permanent sea level rise. Further
  information on coastal hazards can be found in Section 4.

  Open coast
  The beaches along Noosa’s coastline are dynamic, wave-dominated sandy beaches that naturally
  experience phases of erosion and accretion that operate over a range of timescales, including seasons2.
  Most beaches in Noosa are ‘dynamically stable’ and have benefited from long periods of sand accretion
  in recent decades (largely due to the general absence of major storm activity as compared to historical
  erosion events of the 1970s). Noosa Main Beach and Dog Beach are notable exceptions experiencing
  more regular erosion. The open beaches are shaped and maintained by coastal processes of erosion and
  accretion, as well as longshore drift which transports sediments northward along Australia’s east coast3.
  The supply of sand needed to keep the beach at a ‘healthy’ state is reliant on longshore drift processes
  which is influenced by prevailing winds, swells, and sediment supply, mostly driven from the south east.



    Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2021). Region Summary: Noosa. Available Online: https://dbr.abs.gov.au/
  1 

    region.html?lyr=lga&rgn=35740
    Thom, B.G. and Hall, W (1991). Behaviour of beach profiles during accretion and erosion dominated periods.
  2 

    Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. 16:113-127. For more information, see ozcoasts.org.au
  3
    BMT WBM (2013). Sunshine Coast Regional Council: Coastal Processes Study

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