2016-08-09 S&O Agenda Item 8, Attachment 1 - CCIQ Noosa Convention and Cultural Centre Initiative Pre-feasibility Study

CCIQ Noosa #3 Noosa Convention & Cultural Centre Initiative
Pre-feasibility Study                                                                           April 2016




A Noosa Industry
It is possible that the advent of a new Noosa Council and renewed enthusiasm within Tourism Noosa
provides a unique opportunity to reassess Noosa and its future prosperity.

In doing so, ask this question: What are the local "unique industries" that can really, truly be
exploited?

In answering that, however, first look at the industry categories which are unlikely to be revenue and
community positive in the foreseeable future. These I think would include heavy industry (obviously)
but also education (despite all the rhetoric of "local campuses", a “University of the Environment “et
cetera), Information Technology (every town wants an IT park and remember all the hype in this
regard surrounding Noosa Civic) and even eco-tourism (meaning that this is not likely to be revenue
significant in itself but basically part of the general environment of Noosa tourism).

What Noosa does have is environment, tourism and, when you think of it, events (the latter the
subject of this paper). To my mind you could have the mindset that Noosa’s “productive commerce”
consists of first the natural environment (of course), secondly tourism (happening already) and third
“events” (not just any events but quality events such as those already taking place) – “events”
meaning cultural festivals, music festivals, sporting events and conferences. Start to think, in other
words, that “events” is the obvious available “third industry” ready for organised exploitation given
the huge advantage Noosa has (with environment and tourism already in place) of so easily
attracting event participants, delegates and attendees.

The first industry, Noosa’s natural resources, is not necessarily revenue generating in itself. But it is,
of course, the vital ingredient energising the other two. It is, in short, the "brand" which underpins
the success of any industry project.

The second, tourism, is already benefited by the experience of Tourism Noosa and the vacationer
operator community and there is no reason to think other than positively for its future.

The third, "events", is where greater organisation and an attempt at common purpose are needed. If
we recognise that this could be an “industry” capable of exploitation then we need, in my view, to
develop an approach to organisation and promotion which is more holistic -using that term in the
sense of "emphasising the importance of the whole but at the same time the independence
(maintaining the autonomy) of its parts". In other words, an overriding organisational “structure”
which brings this potential “industry “under a leadership/management/guidance timetabled roof of
themed promotion of Noosa as a unique location easily able to attract speakers, musos, sports
people, participants and delegates. We need to understand that this asset of Noosa’s reputation as a
popular and admired easy to convince to come destination is potentially priceless and probably
unique in Australia.

There are already significant and revenue generating events of quality which already exist. Think of
the Wine and Food festival, the NLWE, the Jazz Festival, the Noosa Tri and the Surf Festival. Add to
that the possibility of the promotion of, say, a Noosa Festival of Ideas (controlled by a "Noosa
Institute" and building on the very popular public interest forums currently held as part of the NLW
Festival) and you can start to see the potential of the combination of an “Events Industry” organised
around common purposes of: –




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