Compiled Plans & Documents OPW18-0342 02

                                                                 Retirement Living & Aged Care Facility
                                                                        Grasstree Court, Sunrise Beach


7           Bushfire Management and Mitigation
The bushfire risk and hazard context associated with the subject land requires a number of
management provisions. The below provisions should be read in conjunction with the Bushfire
Management Plan provided at Appendix E.

7.1         Noosa National Park Fire Management
Whilst not forming part of the site-based approach to bushfire management, the fire management
provisions relating to the adjoining Noosa National Park are worthwhile noting. The fire management
provisions contained within the Noosa National Park Management Plan provide the following:

            ‘Much of Noosa National Park’s vegetation is highly flammable. The seasonally dry plant
            communities including the sedgeland-grassland (wet heath), dry heath and high dune
            heath, low scrub and woodland and open eucalypt forest provide a large amount of fuel
            for fires.

            The close proximity of housing and tourist development has implications for fire
            management in Noosa National Park. Potential fire hazard areas exist in the vicinity of
            residential areas adjacent to park boundaries. Ecological burns occur throughout the park
            with the aim of reducing the fuel load in the heath and lessening the intensity of wildfires.

            A fire management strategy is in place at Noosa Heads with fire blocks being based on
            vegetation communities, existing tracks and fire control lines’.

The fire management plan is not currently available online but is administered by Queensland Parks
and Wildlife Service, which is joined by other agencies including Queensland Fire and Emergency
Services in emergency events.

A copy of this report could be provided to Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for their noting
purposes.

7.2         Urban Design (Structure and Settlement Pattern)
The structure and settlement pattern of the RAC and retirement living facilities responds to the local
bushfire context in the following ways:

      •    Provision of strategic asset protection zones or separation buffers to the north, west and
           south of the site, tangibly separating buildings from potential hazard sources within the
           adjoining Noosa National Park;

      •    Ability for fire appliance access to and across the strategic asset protection zones;

      •    Ability for fire appliance fall-back to the formalised vehicle movement network across the
           site – refer to the emergency egress location marked at Appendix E (although vehicle
           access to the strategic asset protection zones is more intended for landscape and fuel load
           management purposes than active or defensive firefighting);

      •    A RAC facility which adjoins an existing church facility to the west and shopping centre to
           the east (both of which are largely managed in proximity to Lot 6), with increased separation
           to the north to aid in the protection of the facility and its potentially vulnerable occupants;

      •    Multi-optioned vehicle movement network which is capable of facilitating emergency
           egress (and emergency services access) directly to Grasstree Court via several points,
           reducing the potential for bottlenecks. This is complemented by pedestrianised
           opportunities for evacuation if so required;

      •    Limited cul-de-sac / no through outcomes, allowing vehicles to return onto Grasstree Court
           with relative ease;



Status: Final                                                                                      March 2019
Project No.: 18-030                                                                                   Page 32