2016-09-06 S&O Committee - Attachment 1 to Item 3 - Noosa Local Disaster Management Plan

The Shire is the catchment for the Noosa River and its tributaries that flow to the east and
the Mary River and its tributaries including Six Mile Creek which flow to the north.
Much of the native vegetation of the region has been removed or greatly modified, and the
main forms of native vegetation that remain include tall open eucalypt forests along the
western borders and remnants of melaleuca forest and open heaths along the coast.
Some 28,655 hectares of Noosa is considered to have outstanding environmental,
biodiversity and natural history values and is managed primarily for conservation. A further
30,653 hectares of land is predominantly undeveloped and sustainably managed through
voluntary agreements such as Land for Wildlife.
Major natural features of the shire include: Great Sandy National Park, Laguna Bay, Lake
Cooroibah, Lake Cootharaba, Lake Macdonald, Lake Weyba, Mt Cooroora, Mt Cooroy, Mt
Tinbeerwah, Noosa National Park, the Noosa River, Ringtail State Forest, the Six Mile
Creek, Tewantin National Park, and Yurol State Forest.

2.1.2 Climate
The Region has a mild sub-tropical coastal climate modified by altitude in areas such as the
Blackall and Conondale Range.
Temperatures in summer average a minimum of 17 degrees and maximum of 28 degrees
and in winter from 7 degrees through to a maximum of 22 degrees. The highest summer
temperature of 38.7 degrees was recorded in both January 2002 and February 2008, and
the lowest winter temperature of minus 2.8 degrees was recorded at Tewantin in June 1901.
The recorded rainfall average on the coast is approximately 1610 mm and the highest
average rainfall occurs from December to May.

2.1.3 Demography
In 2015 the estimated population of the Shire was 53,500 persons.
The bulk of the population (38750 people) lives along the coast extending from Peregian
Beach in the south to Tewantin in the north. Population density in the coastal region is
approximately 400 persons per square kilometre.
In the hinterland the overall population density is around 25 persons per square kilometre.
The largest hinterland towns are Cooroy, Cooran and Pomona; all of which are located along
the railway corridor. Other centres of population are Boreen Point, Federal and Kin Kin.
Smaller clusters of rural residential settlement also occur throughout the hinterland.
The dominant housing form in the Shire is a detached house and this is most particularly the
case in Tewantin and the hinterland. In Noosa Heads and Noosaville up to 20% of occupied
private dwellings take the form of units or apartments and over 18% are semi-detached
(generally duplexes). Along the eastern beaches nearly 14% of occupied private dwellings
are apartments and approximately the same proportion is semi-detached.
Like other coastal Queensland communities, the Noosa community is aging and over 20% of
the population is 65 years or older. In Noosa Heads, Noosaville and Tewantin the figure is
over 25%. The last five years has seen a noticeable increase in the proportion of residents
over 45 years while the proportion of residents in nearly below 45 years has been
decreasing. Age groups between 15 and 35 years are particularly underrepresented and the
annual number of births in Noosa has also been decreasing.
Reflective of the older population, Noosa has a relatively high level of home ownership with
over 36% of occupied private dwellings being fully owned and almost a further 32% being
purchased.
Approximately 22% of the Noosa population were born overseas with the distribution being
as high as 28% in Noosa Heads and Noosaville but only 18% in the hinterland. Most of
these are from English speaking backgrounds with England being the most frequently

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