Compiled Plans & Documents OPW18-0342 02

                                                                 Retirement Living & Aged Care Facility
                                                                        Grasstree Court, Sunrise Beach

west and south of Lot 9, aspect is not considered to maintain any significant influence on bushfire
intensity within either corridor, if fire were to occur.

6.6         Bushfire Behaviour Assessment and Extent of Hazard
The site adjoins the Noosa National Park and as such, is exposed to potential bushfire hazard
emanating from an ignition within the Park. In proximity to the site there is a discernible change in
vegetation communities, from a grassland and wetland area to the west to scrubland in more
immediate proximity. Fire activity within these communities is likely to alter in behaviour as a fire front
moves toward the site.

The key fire runs relating to the site are from the north-west, west and south-west, moving across a
slight upslope toward the subject land. Fortunately, the Noosa National Park Fire Management Plan
sets out the management regime for the area which focusses on periodic burning, largely to
maintain ecological value and activity and to reduce the likelihood of hot fires burning through the
Park which may damage the important biota and ecological processes within the Park. Whilst this
in no way guarantees reduced likelihood or consequence of bushfire in the locality, it is of
worthwhile note. Despite this, the corresponding fuel load management achieved under this plan
is not considered relevant to this assessment, which is based upon the pre-cleared and unmanaged
Regional Ecosystems of the landscape.

It is possible a fire of some intensity may transition toward the site. Whilst suppression access and
activity may occur, rapid onset of fire front transition must be considered. Wetlands and grasslands,
whilst subject to a lesser fuel load, can generate fast moving fire activity. However, its spotting
potential ahead of the main fire front is limited due to the nature of the vegetation, red reduced
flame height and subsequently lower fireline intensity. This is beneficial with respect to the subject
land and surrounding areas of Sunrise Beach, whereby lower intensity burning with low spotting
potential affords suppression time, and emergency procedures to be activated without the
immediate threat of radiant heat, ember attack or spot fire development. This is not to say these
bushfire attack mechanisms may not occur from a fire within the wetland / grassland area of the
Park, but it is less likely.

A fire front transition into scrubland to the south, north and immediate west of the subject land is
likely to generate increased fire behaviour, including increased intensity, flame height and ember
attack. In reflection of this and largely consistent with property boundary changes, an existing fire
trail network has been historically established to form a minor firebreak between these two
vegetation communities, enhancing the ability to frustrate transition between the two vegetation
communities.

Land the rear of the existing Uniting Church is managed to a limited degree but is more so in the
immediate area of the two buildings located on that property, immediately adjacent to the western
boundary of Lot 6. The northern tributary between Lot 6 and Sunshine Beach State High School is
slightly disturbed with a lower fuel load. The school is visible from the road boundary of Lot 6. Whilst
it maintains a level of connectivity to vegetation to the west, its fuel arrangement appears altered.
This, in conjunction with the narrowness of the corridor itself, is likely the reason it does not appear
with either the local or State bushfire prone area mapping. An addendum patch and corridor
methodology to supplement the Statewide mapping methodology prepared by CSIRO was
released last year, which flags a 50 to 66 per cent deduction in fireline intensity for narrow corridors
which in most cases, drops these areas below 4,000kW/m – negating specific planning and building
responses due to the low intensity nature of any ignition within such locations.

6.6.1       Fire History
Planned burns occur on occasion throughout the Noosa National Park (as recently as May 2018), as
do uncontrolled ignitions. In October 2008, an ignition occurred at Grasstree Court which was
quickly extinguished by local shopkeepers however a second ignition occurred at a ‘nearby’ creek
which ran for over one kilometre as fire crews and Parks personnel attempted to supress it. At its
closest point, it understood the fire front came within 50m of nearby dwellings on Dame Patti Drive


Status: Final                                                                                     March 2019
Project No.: 18-030                                                                                  Page 30