Submission 2a Woongar to Council

Page 2

throughout the village whose Owners use them, that are also used by extended family
and friends, often with visitors unknown to residents, but they are not available for rent.

   An accurate account of Existing STA capacity.
   To be clear, there are only 9 approved STA house rentals in BP. 10 if you count the
      motel property. At its peak there were 24 STA house rentals here in BP. The
      number continues to dwindle with the change to the STA laws introduced into
      Noosa Plan 2020, banning the establishment of more within the village low
      density residential zone. As some are sold to permanent residents, investors, or
      as further private holiday homes, others revert from holiday homes to PPR as their
      Owners retire here. Losing 13 properties for STA is not a great change to the
      village demographic by any means but it is a major change to STA holiday house
      accommodation for Visitors. Unlike prior years the portfolio of STA house rentals
      cannot naturally turn over or be restored to that number again.
   There is only 1 camping ground in BP with 73 sites and a tent only area for about
      10 tents, this area being mostly used by school groups. The marketing says ‘with
      spacious campsites set amongst shady bushland surroundings on the tranquil,
      sandy banks …. is great for families and nature lovers.’ Fire pits and open fires
      are permitted in this area directly bordering an Environmental & Conservation
      zoned area, many sites tucked discreetly in bushland.
      The other camping ground Habitat Eco is a full-on tourist facility, fully self-
      contained recreational park, upmarket glamping, cabin, and camping ground
      and is more than 5km away from BP, set in the National Park, with its own venues,
      restaurant, coffee shop and hire business in competition with BP. You don’t go
      there if you want to come stay in BP. Visitors don’t go to Habitat if they can’t stay
      in BP, unless there is no choice…e.g., sailing regattas - but the outcome is
      consistently that they don’t bother coming anymore if they can’t stay near their
      boats.
   There is one motel with 5 units and a house. Another mixed use zoned property
      historically an art gallery and 2 motel units having recently being sold, is currently
      being renovated for permanent tenants, and possibly one holiday unit.
   The pub has 10 guest rooms sleeping a total of 26 people with share bathroom
      and kitchen facilities for all.
   Le Bateau Ivre guesthouse is now a permanent residence only.
   There are 2 home hosted (HH) STA rentals in BP, both in Woongar Street. Some
      respondents have counted STA house rentals on AirBnB as HomeHosted rentals,
      so these numbers are incorrect. STA House rentals appear on many booking sites
      such as the direct business website, Stayz and Booking.com as well as AirBnB.
      What accommodation exists in other village zones such as Kin Kin and Pomona is
      not directly relevant to our area. Boreen Point is its own destination and there is a
      large deficit of suitable whole house accommodation available for rental for
      families who don’t want to camp, caravan or campervan, who don’t want to share
      bathroom & kitchen facilities at the hotel and prefer something other than the
      minimalist motel units.

Concerns Raised.
AMENITY
Most of us live here in BP for the natural beauty of the environment, and the lake. The
idea that BP is a quiet retirement village for people over 55 is ludicrous and it goes to
show the prejudicial outlook from some residents who may prefer a gated community

Page 3

lifestyle. Noosa Shire offers a relaxed lifestyle throughout its many unique locations, with
many lake, river and rural zones that support tourists and visitors who prefer to holiday
away from the busy urban centres. It gets very busy on weekends and during holidays in
BP and the foreshore and lake activity can be heard from the higher homes along the
foreshore ridgeline quite often. This is normal. Many permanent residents live a vibrant,
inclusive, tolerant, and active life here, and welcome the activity around them from
neighbours and Visitors. There are families with children; people going to work every
day; and the usual sounds of normal life in most streets. There are always visitors
staying in the village.

Visitors mostly arrive along the main entry road via Laguna Street, Orchard Avenue,
Vista Street, then travel along the foreshore boulevard and then often head to the
beaches, pub, coffee shop, camping ground are STA rentals on arrival. There are many
who are day trippers and who visit the pub and the lake from Noosa and the hinterland
areas. Woongar St receives traffic from the hinterland rural areas to the north and west
and is the dominant entry point for those rural residents. Many guests staying at Habitat
may visit BP prior to arrival or when departing along Lake Flat Road. According to some
that’s ‘hundreds of people’. There are always many ‘strangers’ walking, driving, and
cycling the streets on any given day or using the lake for the many activities it
offers. It is not an exclusive domain for permanent residents, like other suburban
enclaves.

PARTY HOUSE
There has never been a party house mentality coming to stay in BP. It attracts families,
nature lovers, bird lovers, walkers, sailors and other sporting groups, artists, writers,
musicians. Visitors predominantly all respect the environment and neighbourhood and
come here for the same reasons people choose to live here. Many are repeat visitors.
The incidence of complaints in holiday rentals has been highly exaggerated for effect
and on the rare singular occasions, complaints were dealt with in a professional manner
by management living in the village. Hundreds and hundreds of people have come as
Visitors staying in the STA rentals since the area was gazetted for development in the
1940’s. It was greatly appreciated for its unspoilt natural environment and lack of
commercial industry. It is known still as a place to holiday with the same values intact.

NOISE
For whom and to what extent noise becomes an issue is uncertain but somehow in
these submissions it is considered highly probable. Some residents mistake the activity
inside a STA rental or holiday home as noisy because when it is vacant there is no noise
at all. At peak times it is noisy everywhere and the streets are busy with kids, cyclists,
walkers and traffic and the houses are full.
2A has an established 5-bedroom house that for many years has catered for a large
family, with kids at times, making the usual noises of life, whose distant neighbours say
they know they are there, even though the approved building envelope is well removed
from the boundaries and the house not visible. There will always be some resident
noise.
Codes of Conduct exist for Managers and Guests, and well debated procedures are
now in place from Noosa Council for any noise issues should they become
uncomfortable. There has been a 5-bedroom house in BP for over 10 years as a holiday
rental in Mango Lane with no complaints from permanent residents, and which caters
mostly for mixed generational families. You must begin the appraisal of this application

Page 4

at 2A by trusting the process that is sensibly and fairly designed to deal with noise
issues.

RULES
The concept that rules don’t apply to BP and that it is a target for miscreants is ill
founded and inflammatory. Residents throughout the whole hinterland can be the worst
at taking the area for granted. Any damage along the main areas of foreshore reserve
can easily be accounted for predominantly by past flood events and strong winds
moving sand and eroding the banks; wash from motorboats; by dogs playing on the
beaches and roaming off leash through the scrub; by suspected residents who
deliberately cut down trees that seem to block views of the lake; innocent kids swinging
off trees and breaking branches off the melaleucas. There is a clear track along the
foreshore to Elanda Point through the State land well known to locals. There is no
shortage of local community events and family gatherings conducted in the foreshore
parks and beach areas. The open fire BBQs and timber tables all along the foreshore
are more often used by locals from the village and hinterland areas then visitors. The
foreshore along the building envelope at 2A is well worn and used and is not
threatened any further by habitation, nor would a further 10 people in the village create
dire consequences in the village.

Other issues.

     •   Overnight camping is a problem Shire wide and has been clamped down on by
         Council. I have seen the Local Law Officer abused by residents for fining visitors
         and moving them along while others are simply tolerant and one or two only
         complain. Some residents enjoy the early morning conversations and almost
         every one of these overnighters is quiet and respectful of the village and don’t
         stay. More problematic is the number of true homeless people seeking refuge
         in their cars for lack of AFFORDABLE housing. They are refugees and should
         first up be treated with kindness.
     •   Boats are a natural sight on a lake offering many kinds of water activities. Boats
         stored overnight are nearly always being used daily, especially in the peak
         August to May sailing season. Main beach is a boat beach with 4 boat access
         ramps and has serviced the sailing club since 1946. I have been monitoring
         boats on the beach for a while now and there are no long-term storage issues.
     •   Other rare occasions of questionable behaviour are simply offensive to some
         people’s sensitivities. Most of these people ‘urinating in the bush’; leaving
         boats on the beach or near the shore; and speeding, live in the village or
         nearby and many have done so for many years and none of these behaviours
         seem relevant to the application or are worth even mentioning.
     •   Increased traffic into the property is unsubstantiated and unlikely. The access
         road drops down the slope below the bordering houses and quickly out of view
         and behind vegetation. It’s well maintained, slow speed and safe.
     •   The concept that this application will create a flood of others and that new
         house sales have been dominated by aliens is hearsay and inaccurate.

FIRES & FLOODING
Fires are banned in all holiday houses and no fire pits or open fires are permitted. Gas
BBQs are supplied in some. Heavy penalties can be applied for contrary behaviour, but

Page 5

it has never happened. Houses can be entered by management at any time. Fire
extinguishers are mandatory in the houses. Smoke alarms are mandatory also.

Wildfires seem to concern neighbours and burn offs seem a divisive issue. The acreage
in question is an important Environmental and Conservation Zone, same as the area to
the south of the village beside the campground. Burn offs would kill the wildlife
inhabitants of protected koalas, frogs and endangered flora and decimate natural
habitat. Some of the eleven houses along the ridgeline used to have some views to the
lake. Destroying the ridge treescape would not do any more than open that view and
would not stop a wildfire. ‘Wildfire’ is emotive language for a reason.
Low lying land, wetland, marsh, and mossy undergrowth dominate the outskirts
surrounding BP bushland and this treed acreage below the higher ridgeline. The
bushfire risk is considered low.
The most likely source of any fire in BP village, being fully surrounded by well-
established forests, trees, bushland, and water, is from the increasing violent storm
activity and lightning strikes due to climate change. It could happen from any direction.
To this end BP residents have had access to Rural Fire Brigade, SES and Council
information days and have been encouraged to become resilient. A Local BP Disaster
Management group is in formation. Every Australian knows about the 2019/2020 Black
Summer Bushfires that decimated the east coast and destroyed so many properties and
habitats. The Mallacoota fire started from a lightning strike. It is all our responsibilities to
be sensible, vigilant and to be prepared.

It is grossly unfair to think guests will damage the property, dump rubbish, and start fires
and that many of them will do so with gusto. There is no past evidence whatsoever that
this has happened in any STA house rentals.
There is more than an acre of beautiful habitat for humans in the cleared building
envelope at 2A, with 2 natural billabongs, sandy beach, open lawn space, lake access,
and remarkable views from the full wraparound upper verandas for guests to enjoy.
Educational literature is always placed in the houses, walking and bird trails included.
Signage is evident and rules are clearly made. The land at 2A is not an appealing bush
to trapse over and there are no natural tracks evident. Humans in this place will
appreciate what they have and be grateful for it. It’s a privilege to have this property in
Noosa to showcase its uniqueness amidst the biosphere reserve, its preservation ideals,
and its total appreciation of the natural environment in BP. The interpretation and
education of guests will be paramount like any other unique holiday experience.

There is also information and material concerning storms and power outages placed in
the houses. Flooding events and other bad weather events are well documented and
well managed by locals experienced from past events. Many properties both low
density residential and rural can flood in BP. Lake levels are monitored every 3 hours
manually direct to BOM when flood alerts are raised allowing always adequate time to
notify guests of possible flood water entering the property, even for low level flooding.
It takes many hours and consistent heavy rain for the lake to flood and there are always
adequate timeframes to deal with any likelihood of a flood happening and allowing
ample time for any evacuations. Even severe weather events are relayed to guests in
house at the time to inform them of any possible problems on the horizon. Houses are
all equipped with literature and necessities to deal with them.

Page 6

PETS
Pets are prohibited in most houses and penalties apply including immediate removal.
Contact with the managing agent who lives in the village is encouraged and available
24/7.

PERMANENT RENTALS
2A is a unique and expensive property to maintain and due to its broader nature would
not be suitable or affordable for struggling families and would also deny the Owners
access after 40 years of personal use. This argument to rent permanently is not
appropriately addressed as an argument against this STA application, rather it is a
mockery of the dire situation in the Shire of the lack of affordable housing.


Noosa Plan 2020 sets Objectives, Codes and Overlays for assessment for
development.

This property meets the objectives for Boreen Point in so much as it ‘retains the casual
and leisurely lifestyle atmosphere focused on water activities which attracts Visitors and
Tourists to the area in holiday periods. As well as being a home to the community who
appreciates the lifestyle it affords it serves as a popular visitor destination and a gateway
to the scenic wilderness of the upper Noosa River. ‘
These Visitors need suitable accommodation. The objective is to retain the lakeside
character but meet the needs of residents and visitors alike, a fact known to residents
who choose to live here and appreciate this diversity. They must live together or learn to
do so, as the two are not separate from each other but are in this place quite
compatible. BP is not an urban streetscape full of domestic bliss but rather it is both a
beautiful place to live and a beautiful place to visit.

Noosa Shire serves as a domestic and international tourism destination with particular
emphasis on nature-based tourism, such as that found surrounding Boreen Point, hence
it attracts many visitors to the lake every single day.
On any day cyclists cackle past early morning along the cycle trail; a parade of tinnies,
kayakers, canoeists, and sailboats may launch to explore the lake and river; buses
deliver school groups to the camping ground or lake front for expeditions upriver.
There are tourist buses to the pub; groups of hobie boat enthusiasts, outriggers and
canoeists who launch off main beach; day trippers roam the streets and foreshore;
campers cycle the village and walk to the pub; motor & cycle clubs rally by on scenic
adventures, young and old nomads come to see the lake. At other times the many
guests arrive for important International, National and State class sailing regattas or the
annual week of the timber boats parading the lake; walkers covering the Great Walk
who do parts only; lone kayakers who daily explore the lake environs; trail bike
competitors doing the Noosa Trail, visitors flying into the Cootharaba airstrip; groups of
artists doing workshops; the biannual Floating Land Event and weddings groups
catered at the pub.
Of the near 300 households in the low-density residential zone, only 3% are STA rental
properties. It’s an insignificant and insufficient number in this zone to cater for demand
for whole house accommodation and it now cannot be increased in this zone.
Of the Residential Rural blocks on the outer limits of the village there are 2 only, one
being 2A, the other a permanent residence. Of the Rural blocks there are 12 and all but
2 of them house permanent residents. The other 2 are private holiday homes.

Page 7

There isn’t a visitor who comes to Boreen Point who does not appreciate its natural
beauty, the environment surrounding the village or the ever-changing vistas of the lake.
Visitors add an element of the unknown, but they also add a sense of adventure and fun
and enthusiasm and they ebb and flow with the seasons and the weather, and they
appreciate and utilise the facilities that are here. A very large majority of visitors are
respectful, decent people and contribute to our life in Boreen Point

2A meets all the requirements to house Visitors in an existing and appropriate
residence, in a unique location well removed and inconspicuous from others and with
ideal amenity. It is totally fit for purpose and of a scale and nature that compliments the
environment.
Any indication it will negatively impact neighbours is currently unreasonable as it would
be consistent with its current use. The family’s prior legacy remains intact with their
children, who have recently shown their willingness to meet reasonable demands and
work with both neighbours and Council. To maintain this property and its unique setting
will require a lot of ongoing work and having guests to use it is a big part of keeping
that maintenance at an extremely high level.

Residents and visitors have always interacted with ease in years past, some Respondents
have even themselves holidayed here for years with their families. Some have moved
from rural areas into the village for convenience and community. Some have holidayed
here for years and raised families to appreciate this place and have now retired here.
Some work at the pub where they mingle with Visitors who contribute to our economy.
Some use the pub stall to sell their art, crafts, and wares to Visitors also. Boreen Point is
an established and popular destination for Visitors who greatly contribute to the
economy and fabric of everyday life here, who respect the village and the environment
and who keep many of the small businesses afloat. There is a much bigger picture to be
considered for this unique lakeside village environment and having such a well-suited
site for STA rental at 2A Woongar Street would surely be over all other matters, totally
positive and beneficial to our community.

Sincerely
Rhonda Killeen

11 Orchard Avenue, Boreen Point -0439798445 - [email protected]
Single parent and permanent resident for 27 years.
Owner Operator of Loose Goose Village Store in Boreen Point 1999 - 2011
Owner & Principal of Boreen Point Real Estate 2005 – 2022
Treasurer of Cootharaba Community Association 2003-2021
Secretary & Vice Commodore Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club 2019 – 2020
Recipient Noosa Qld State Volunteer Award 2021