PM Submission - Philip Dauphin - MCU21/0110

BUSHFIRE CONSIDERATIONS

One significant concern is what will happen under bushfire conditions. The Oasis Body Corporate
met with representatives from Council, Emergency Services and the Police about 2 years ago. The
Council had provided The Oasis Body Corporate with a procedure for Emergency Services and
Council vehicles to access Links Drive if the bridge over Eenie Creek Road was closed. This route
made use of Wallum Lane and the track to the Noosa Lions Football Club grounds. The Oasis Body
Corporate were greatly concerned about potential bushfire impacts on the Estate, and the
availability and suitability of evacuation routes.

From what we told at the meeting, we concluded that evacuation was unlikely, but we were also
told that if it was necessary Emergency Services would door knock and ensure that everyone
evacuated.

If the bridge over Eenie Creek Road was blocked, we assume the evacuation route would be along
Wallum Lane and the track to the Noosa lions Football Club grounds. At the time this track was not
suitable for ordinary vehicles, and it remains so. In parts it is a rough track and it is not wide enough
to allow incoming and outgoing vehicles to pass safely and does pass by, or through, some high
potential bushfire impact zones.

We were advised that the most likely bushfire scenario was for a bushfire with a south or south
easterly wind behind it, but because the fire would come down the hill to Links Drive, the speed of
the fire would be reduced and the most impact for The Oasis would be burning embers and smoke.

However, Parkridge and the hotel effectively sit at the top of the ridge and would be subject directly
to any bushfire in that vicinity. The evacuation process for the hotel is not known given the early
stage of development, but there should be some consideration of how such an evacuation could be
safely managed under different scenarios e.g. Parkridge and the hotel have to evacuate at the same
time, Parkridge only etc. before any approval is given for the development to proceed. It is hard to
see how this development could be approved without an overall Bushfire Management and
Evacuation being developed and available for comment by Owners in the adjacent developments.

We were also advised by Council that there would be backburns in the National Park and Garrigal
Nature reserve to reduce the fuel load – there have been none in the two years since, and there has
been no explanation of why, or when they might happen. The only work that has been carried out
since the meeting is that Council organised a clean-up of the land to the east of Links Drive after we
had complained about the large amount of fallen timber and dead vegetation. This occurred after
we were told the council had no budget to do the work.

The residents of this area want to know that their safety is being properly considered, planned for
and those plans communicated to them in a timely manner, which is not what is currently
happening.


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BUSHFIRE CONSIDERATIONS

One significant concern is what will happen under bushfire conditions. The Oasis Body Corporate
met with representatives from Council, Emergency Services and the Police about 2 years ago. The
Council had provided The Oasis Body Corporate with a procedure for Emergency Services and
Council vehicles to access Links Drive if the bridge over Eenie Creek Road was closed. This route
made use of Wallum Lane and the track to the Noosa Lions Football Club grounds. The Oasis Body
Corporate were greatly concerned about potential bushfire impacts on the Estate, and the
availability and suitability of evacuation routes.

From what we told at the meeting, we concluded that evacuation was unlikely, but we were also
told that if it was necessary Emergency Services would door knock and ensure that everyone
evacuated.

If the bridge over Eenie Creek Road was blocked, we assume the evacuation route would be along
Wallum Lane and the track to the Noosa lions Football Club grounds. At the time this track was not
suitable for ordinary vehicles, and it remains so. In parts it is a rough track and it is not wide enough
to allow incoming and outgoing vehicles to pass safely and does pass by, or through, some high
potential bushfire impact zones.

We were advised that the most likely bushfire scenario was for a bushfire with a south or south
easterly wind behind it, but because the fire would come down the hill to Links Drive, the speed of
the fire would be reduced and the most impact for The Oasis would be burning embers and smoke.

However, Parkridge and the hotel effectively sit at the top of the ridge and would be subject directly
to any bushfire in that vicinity. The evacuation process for the hotel is not known given the early
stage of development, but there should be some consideration of how such an evacuation could be
safely managed under different scenarios e.g. Parkridge and the hotel have to evacuate at the same
time, Parkridge only etc. before any approval is given for the development to proceed. It is hard to
see how this development could be approved without an overall Bushfire Management and
Evacuation being developed and available for comment by Owners in the adjacent developments.

We were also advised by Council that there would be backburns in the National Park and Garrigal
Nature reserve to reduce the fuel load — there have been none in the two years since, and there has
been no explanation of why, or when they might happen. The only work that has been carried out
since the meeting is that Council organised a clean-up of the land to the east of Links Drive after we
had complained about the large amount of fallen timber and dead vegetation. This occurred after
we were told the council had no budget to do the work.

The residents of this area want to know that their safety is being properly considered, planned for
and those plans communicated to them in a timely manner, which is not what is currently
happening.