Submission Jetty 222 Gympie Terrace Noosaville

Submission:  Material Change of Use of Premises Commercial and Operational Works Jetty 222 Gympie Terrace Noosaville
Application Reference: MCU22/0048 and OPW22/0089
The pursuit of continuous growth and profit is undermining the environmental values that have in the past made Noosa unique.  The Noosa River has become an over utilised resource which is beginning to become an unattractive place to visit or boat on because of overcrowding.  Council needs to draw a firm line in the sand and say “enough is enough” and not approve this application.

Boat lease operators along Gympie Terrace have been increasing their size over time.  The combined size of these operations has now exceeded the carrying capacity of the river.  Last Christmas, at the mouth of the river, I observed so many hire boats, they were literally parked next to other like a giant boat carpark.  Hiring a boat ceases to be a pleasant experience when you are just one of wall-to-wall boats. The last thing the river needs is a further expansion of boat hire/jet ski hire capacity as diseconomies of scale are already evident with regard to both.
Boat hire places have increasingly gone into jet ski hire.  Jet skis are very noisy, impact on local wildlife and reduce the environmental values/experience of Noosa, not only along the river but at Noosa Main beach and Little Cove etc.  I would anticipate that the expansion of pontoons will lead to more jet skis for hire.  Also, a number of boat hire places now offer a larger “party boat” experience, once again detracting from Noosa’s environmental experience.  For example, a party boat with a mob of drunks at a Hen’s party is not the sort of encounter which makes visiting the river a pleasant experience, especially for families.
This business is one that continually breaks the law by mooring boats outside their lease area.  Even in the picture on the sign advertising the material change of use, boats are moored outside the designated lease area.  This business is one of a number of lease operators who continually extend their businesses onto public land, reducing public access, and nothing seems to happen to them.  They seem to have an attitude that they can do what they like with immunity.  I would not like to see an unethical business rewarded with increased capacity which, on past experience, will lead them to extending their business outside an even bigger lease area, on even more public land.

Yours sincerely
Jeanette Gentle
3 Laburnum Crescent, Noosaville
0408784489 [email protected]