Biosecurity Surveillance Program 2027-2031 · Report

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                        8 SEPTEMBER 2026


If restricted invasive species are found on a property, the landowner is formally advised and provided
with information on what has been found and how to carry out control of the plant/s or animal/s on
their property. A written or verbal request to take reasonable action to control the plant/s or animal/s
may also be provided at this time.
If the prescribed action is not taken, the council officer may issue a statutory order under s.373 of
the Act requesting that control be undertaken within 30 days. If this order is not complied with it, the
Council officer could then arrange for a contractor to enter and clear the property of the restricted
invasive plant/s or animal/s at the landowner’s expense.
During the past four years of the previous Biosecurity Surveillance program (2020 – 2024) a total of
36 written requests were made to landowners for the control of restricted invasive plant/s on their
properties. This resulted in 10 Biosecurity orders being issued and only 4 instances where enter and
clear action was taken.
As the statistics of the previous surveillance program indicate, the focus of the program is primarily
about educating landowners about the invasive species that are present in our area and how they
can be effectively managed on their properties to reduce their impact.


Link to Corporate Plan
Theme No 1 - Environment
1.1 Maintain and improve water quality and the health of waterways, wetlands, and catchments
1.2 Partner with landowners and community groups to manage, protect and regenerate natural
environment assets, improve resilience, and incorporate Indigenous knowledge.
1.5 Deliver expanded vegetation networks, rehabilitation and habitat across the Shire and advocate
to the state and federal governments to assist funding environmental action




Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting, 18 June 2020, Planning & Environment Committee

BIOSECURITY SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM 2020-2024
That Council note the report by the Pest and Contracts Officer to the Planning & Environment
Committee Meeting dated 9 June 2020 and approve the following Biosecurity Surveillance Program
for the Noosa Council region in accordance with section 235 of the Biosecurity Act 2014:
A. Survey Area 1: 1 July to 30 September each year until the end of 2024, for the localities of Cooroy,
Cooroy Mountain, Tinbeerwah, Cooroibah and that part of Doonan that is within the Noosa Council
boundary;
B. Survey Area 2: 1 October to 31 December each year until the end of 2024, for the localities of
Black Mountain, Federal, and those parts of Ridgewood and Eerwah Vale that are within the Noosa
Council boundary;
C. Survey Area 3: 1 January to 31 March each year until the end of 2024, for the localities of Kin Kin,
Pinbarren, Cooran and that part of Como that is within the Noosa Council boundary; and
D. Survey Area 4: 1 April to 30 June each year until the end 2024, for the localities of Cootharaba
and BoreenPoint.


Finance
Property inspections will require approximately 1 day per week of an officer’s time, or approximately
12 days in total, to complete each quarterly survey area for the four-year duration of the surveillance
program. The work is considered core business of the Biosecurity Team and is funded as part of the
operational budget.