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

          Noosa Shire Council




  NOOSA HEADS
  Setting                                              Erosion risks for Noosa Heads
  The Noosa Heads locality encompasses the             Noosa Main Beach is susceptible to erosion on
  southern side of the mouth of the Noosa River        a regular basis due to the shape of the beach
  (‘the spit’) and Noosa Main Beach in the north,      (including its north-easterly orientation) and the
  the northern shore of Lake Weyba to the south,       slow rate of sand movement onto the beach via
  Noosa Junction, and is framed by Culgoa Point        natural processes due to the headland. Whilst
  and Weyba Creek to the west.                         sand can naturally replenish the beach, this
                                                       process is complemented through the use of
  The Noosa Heads locality provides a diverse
                                                       the sand recycling system commissioned in
  coastal urban area with a strong focus on
                                                       2012.
  tourism, business uses, apartment living and
  low-density housing. The locality has a low          Recession of the shoreline is limited by the
  rise, coastal character framed by a vegetated        presence of the buried bouldered seawall (more
  backdrop to the built environment. Development       commonly referred to as the ‘rockwall’) installed
  has a strong relationship to the coast,              in the 1960s. The low and narrow profile of the
  watercourses and the iconic Noosa National           beach and lack of vegetated dunes mean the
  Park with distinctive views and high accessibility   developed foreshore adjacent to the beach is
  to these natural assets.                             at risk of erosion today. Given the age of the
                                                       seawall, there is a material level of uncertainty
  The topography of the locality is varied and
                                                       regarding its ability to withstand wave attack
  includes Noosa Hill and nearby elevated areas,
                                                       or limit a relative increase in the frequency and
  as well as low-lying areas adjacent to Noosa
                                                       intensity of wave-overtopping as the sea level
  River and Laguna Bay. Much of the natural
                                                       rises. The sand recycling system is the most
  landform and landscape is retained including
                                                       significant infrastructure asset located within the
  the vegetated backdrop of Noosa Hill and areas
                                                       erosion prone area, as well as carparking and
  of natural foreshore.
                                                       shower assets along Claude Batten Drive.
  The low elevation and proximity to the
                                                       Appendices 3 and 4 show the change in
  coastline and riverfront exposes some parts
                                                       risk profile across various parts of Noosa
  of the locality to coastal hazards. Noosa Main
                                                       Heads as the area exposed to the effects
  Beach consistently experiences erosion on an
                                                       of coastal erosion and periodic tidal
  annual basis, with Noosa Heads Lions Park
                                                       inundation respectively, increases due to
  occasionally experiencing inundation due to
                                                       projected changes in sea level. The potential
  storm tides. Under future climate conditions,
                                                       consequences of an event in this location are
  both of these hazards are expected to worsen,
                                                       particularly high relative to others give the
  with permanent tidal inundation due to rising
                                                       major socio-economic value of this location to
  sea levels also expected to occur in Lions Park
                                                       Noosa, and therefore high-risk ratings are not
  and along recreational parklands along the rear-
                                                       unexpected.
  side of Claude Batten Drive.
                                                       Tables 15 and 17 provide a summary of the
                                                       changing risk profile for six broad asset types
                                                       within the locality that are projected to be
                                                       exposed to the effects of coastal erosion and
                                                       periodic tidal inundation between present day
                                                       and 2100.




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