ORDINARY MEETING MINUTES 22 JANUARY 2026 · Attachment 1 - 2026-01-22 Ordinary Meeting Minutes

ORDINARY MEETING MINUTES                                                       22 JANUARY 2026


     Noosa Council's 2018 Social Justice Charter commits Council to implementing policies and
     providing services that decrease inequality, to doing what it can to ensure Noosa is a diverse
     community where there are affordable places for people to live. At the 2021 Census there
     were 2,461 low to medium income Noosa Shire households in housing stress. Since then,
     the situation has only worsened. To illustrate, the median weekly rent for Cooroy has
     increased from $500 at the time of the 2021 census to $800 in the September 2025 quarter.
     That's a 60% increase in 4 years.

     In endorsing the 2022 Housing Strategy Noosa Council committed to encouraging greater
     public and private investment in more social and affordable housing in the Shire and
     partnering with registered Community Housing Providers and others with the aim of providing
     more social and affordable. This included investigating Council owned land which might be
     put to the purpose of housing locals. The land at Lake Macdonald Drive was just one site
     subject to feasibility investigations with others being in the centres at Noosa Junction and at
     Tewantin. Thes actions are specifically listed in the Housing Strategy and therefore do meet
     the Housing strategy actions. A Guide for Local Councils in Delivery of Affordable Housing,
     produced by the ALGA, Housing Australia and Australian Community Housing has recently
     showcased Noosa Council's efforts, including the Cooroy land-based contribution to social
     housing delivery


9    MAYORAL MINUTES
     Nil.

10   NOTIFIED MOTIONS

10.1 THREE-MONTH TRIAL OF ALTERNATE SHARK MITIGATION MEASURES
     DURING SOUTHERN WHALE MIGRATION
     The following material was presented to the meeting in relation to this item:
         Cr Lorentson – refer to Attachment 2 to the Minutes dated 22 January 2026
         Cr Wilkie - refer to Attachment 3 to the Minutes dated 22 January 2026
         Cr Wilkie - refer to Attachment 4 to the Minutes dated 22 January 2026
         Cr Wilkie - refer to Attachment 5 to the Minutes dated 22 January 2026
         Cr Wilkie - refer to Attachment 6 to the Minutes dated 22 January 2026
     Motion
     Moved:             Cr Amelia Lorentson
     Seconded:          Cr Jessica Phillips
     That Council write to the State requesting that, during the 2026 whale migration period, the
     Queensland Government consider a three-month trial replacing traditional shark nets with
     smart drumlines or other contemporary, non-lethal mitigation technologies that allow for the
     safe passage of migrating whales, with Noosa Main Beach proposed as the trial location.
     This trial should apply specifically to the southern migration period when whales, including
     vulnerable calves, are travelling south and when the majority of entanglements are known to
     occur.

     Amendment No.1
     Moved:              Cr Frank Wilkie
     Seconded:
     That the Motion be amended to read:
     A. Note the attached correspondence to and from the State Government on Noosa Council’s
     request to trial the removal of shark nets during whale migration season in conjunction with
     deployment of non-lethal mitigation methods, including smart drumlines and aerial drone