2019-03-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    12 MARCH 2019


numbers across the shire. Potentially this research could be funded through a future grants
program.
4.    Objective 5. Informed infrastructure decisions
Action 5.3. Conduct an audit of current koala infrastructure including land bridges, culverts, pipes,
road signs, climbing ladders, directional and exclusion fencing
One of the actions of the Koala Conservation Plan was to undertake an audit of koala hard and
soft road infrastructure. Generally hard road infrastructure aims to change fauna behaviour when
around roads. Examples include exclusion fences, underpasses and culverts, climbing ladders
and poles. Road bridges also act as an underpass for fauna when they are using creek lines as
movement corridors. Soft infrastructure aims to change driver behaviour and includes speed limit
controls, koala signs and improved lighting.
In 2017 consultants O2 Ecology were engaged to undertake an audit of existing infrastructure
and make recommendations on new infrastructure. The consultants undertook a literature review
to help inform the best approach for koala road infrastructure. The scope of the project was
towards road infrastructure and did not include other matters that may also influence the long
term sustainability of koala populations such as disease and dog attack. The audit findings are
summarised in this report and a full copy of this audit is provided at Attachment 2.
The consultants combined Noosa koala habitat maps with koala observation records to
determine overall risk of vehicle strike to koalas and have identified the following roads as being
‘hot spots’ areas of risk for koalas:
80-100km/hr speed zones:
    Yurol Forest Drive, Pomona (Yurol)
    Bruce Highway, north of Cooroy
    McKinnon Drive, Cooroibah
    Cooroy-Noosa Road, Tinbeerwah
    Walter Hay Drive, Noosaville to Eumarella Rd
    Eenie Creek Road, Noosa Heads
    Louis Bazzo Drive, Pomona
    Junction Road, Lake Flat Road and Cootharaba Road, Cootharaba
    Cooroy Belli Creek Road, Ridgewood
    Old Ceylon Road, Ridgewood
    Eumundi Noosa Road, Doonan
    Bruce Highway, north of Cooroy
40-60km/hr speed zones:
    Park Road, Noosa Heads
    Noosa Drive, Noosa Heads
    Leslie Drive, Noosa Heads
    Links Drive, Noosa Heads
    Noosa Springs Drive, Noosa Heads
    Cooyar Street, Noosa Heads
    Sunshine Beach Road, Sunshine Beach
    Solway Drive, Sunshine Beach




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