Meeting papers

                                                      Message from                                                                  personally to Noosa’s short-stay property owners to
                                                                                                                                    consider offering their properties to long-term tenants
                                                                                                                                                                                                   recommendations to improve the ongoing management
                                                                                                                                                                                                   of our much-loved river.


                                                      the Mayor
                                                                                                                                    we helped deliver much needed extra housing stock – it’s
                                                                                                                                    64 new rental properties we could not have otherwise           Establishing this committee has been a meaningful,
                                                                                                                                    delivered.                                                     proactive step toward better outcomes for our river and
                                                                                                                                                                                                   we thank the Committee members for their efforts.
                                                                                                                                    Through our community grants program this year we
     I am delighted to present our 2022/23 Annual Report,             recreational and educational purposes and enhance their       channelled more than $2.43 million to various Noosa            MSQ is reviewing the committee’s recommendations, as
     offering a comprehensive snapshot of Council’s                   effectiveness as fire breaks.                                 community organisations in support of a host of                well as submissions from the community, and we hope to
     achievements and milestones of the past year.                                                                                  environment projects – a $100,000 increase for the sector      see reforms implemented soon.
                                                                      On the topic of fire mitigation, we’ve continued our          this year – as well as arts, climate change adaptation,
     The reprieve from the wilder weather of previous                 hazard reduction burn program to better protect our           sport and social and community initiatives.                    Diverting more waste from our landfill through recycling
     years couldn’t have been better timed as we tackled              community from the threat of fires, but this year, in an                                                                     remains an important priority as we continue our war
     a massive $43 million capital program. It’s the largest          exciting new approach to fire resilience, we also launched    It’s great to see the continued expansion of our Living Well   on waste. After a successful polystyrene compaction




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Noosa Council Annual Report 2022 - 2023
     capital program ever undertaken by our Council and this          our Firetech Connect Pilot Program based out of the           Noosa program. Since its launch in October the program         machine trial, we’ve this year installed a permanent
     ambitious effort has yielded a host of significant projects,     newly expanded Digital Hub. This pioneering initiative is     has grown to provide residents free and low-cost access        machine to continue to process and export this product
     including completion of the first phase of the Tewantin          testing cutting-edge technology to predict, detect, and       to more than 35 health and wellbeing activities.               for recycling. As well as leading to better environmental
     Bypass. Delivered with state government funding support,         combat bushfires, promising to revolutionise not only our                                                                    outcomes, processing polystyrene in-house is set to save
     the new $9.8 million Cooroy Noosa Road / Beckmans                community’s preparedness and resilience against this          Also expanded this year has been the reach of our              us more than $380,000 annually in costs associated with
     Rd roundabout intersection paves the way for future              critical challenge, but potentially that of communities all   libraries, with the rollout of new book vending kiosks at      landfilling this material.
     construction of the much-anticipated bypass.                     over Australia.                                               Pomona and Peregian Beach. These kiosks provide ease
                                                                                                                                    of access to our libraries for those in the further reaches    We round out this transformative year with adoption of
     We continued revitalisation of our bridges with the $3           Acknowledging the pressing concern of housing                 of our shire.                                                  our visionary Corporate Plan – an all-important blueprint
     million Wahpunga Lane Bridge renewal and $1.3 million            accessibility and affordability in our community, this                                                                       for the next five years, developed with our community to
     Cooroy Belli Creek Road Bridge renewal – both joint              Council has diligently tackled the issue head-on this year.   It’s no surprise that between our two library branches, the    ensure we’re delivering on our residents’ and ratepayers’
     efforts with the Australian Government.                          While acknowledging the primary responsibility of the         mobile library and now the kiosks, we loaned a whopping        aspirations for Noosa’s future.
                                                                      state and federal governments in providing social and         445,644 physical items, plus 100,469 digital items over the
     With completion of the $8 million Noosa Parade upgrade           affordable housing, we have taken proactive steps at the      past year. Our 33,057 library members made 214,205 visits      In conclusion, I extend my appreciation to our former CEO
     - bolstered by state funding - this transformational project     local level.                                                  to our libraries, showing just how popular and well-loved      Scott Waters, our current Acting CEO Larry Sengstock,
     is helping realise our Cycling and Walking Strategy                                                                            our library service is!                                        the Executive Team and all our staff for their efforts over
     objectives, providing dedicated bike lanes, expanded             Our new Housing Strategy – Council’s most aggressive                                                                         the past year. As well, the collective efforts of my fellow
     pathways and improved lighting, making for safer and             effort yet to improve housing availability for our            Speaking of the further reaches of our Shire, I look           councillors are greatly acknowledged and appreciated.
     more accessible streets.                                         community - includes a range of key actions. Not least        forward to watching our Pomona place-making trial              We all collectively continue to work toward protecting and
                                                                      of which are a suite of planning scheme amendments            progress over the next 12 months as the hinterland             enhancing the place we are so fortunate to call home -
     In April we proudly celebrated completion of the $1.68           designed to pave the way for more smaller dwellings           community takes a hands-on role in shaping its future          Noosa Shire.
     million Cooroora Trail upgrade. This comprehensive               and greater housing choice within our larger centres. We      through this collaborative approach to community
     undertaking, supported by funding from the Australian            eagerly await the state government’s sign-off so we can       planning.
     and Queensland Governments’ Local Economic Recovery              put these important amendments into action.
     (LER) Program, included trail realignments and widening,                                                                       Our Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee held
     resurfacing and improved drainage. Its completion marks          We gained 64 new permanent rental properties to the           its final meeting in March. They have done a brilliant job
     an important milestone as the first project to come from         local market following a letter writing campaign that I was   working through the complicated issues of anchoring
     our Noosa Trail Masterplan. This Masterplan will ultimately      pleased to spear-head earlier this year. The pen can be       and mooring, speed limits and other issues, to present         Clare Stewart
     deliver better trail connectivity, boost use of the trails for   mightier than the sword as they say, and by appealing         Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) a range of agreed             Mayor

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