2019-03-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                   12 MARCH 2019


Finance & Risk
Operational costs
A funding partnership agreement is in place between Noosa Parks Association, State
Government and Council for the Yurol-Ringtail State Forests Project to protect and rehabilitate
koala habitat. The buy-out of the Plantation License Area is $3.5m and vegetation rehabilitation
costs over 5 years is estimated to be $2.74m, funded from Council, Noosa Parks Association and
external sources.
The University of Sunshine Coast koala research project has been funded from Noosa
Biosphere® Reserve Foundation grants at a cost of $65,500 in 15/16 and $40,000 in 17/18.
It is a recommendation of this report that koala road infrastructure such as fencing, underpasses,
gates and climbing poles/lattice be included on Council’s Financial Assets Register to enable
ongoing operational funding for maintenance and renewal of these assets.
A new initiative operational budget proposal of $5,000 was applied for the 18/19 financial year for
repairs to koala fencing. Council advised that this cost would need to be funded out of existing
operational budgets. Eenie Creek Road fencing has been repaired but Walter Hay Drive fencing
still needs to be repaired in three sections.
Capital costs for koala road infrastructure
O2 Ecology has developed cost estimates for new and retrofitted hard infrastructure in key hot
spot areas across the shire. The consultants estimate the costs to install new fencing, gates,
culvert retrofits, refuge poles and climbing ladders is $2.16m (not including soft infrastructure
estimates). Given that these works only represent 1.6% of Council’s road network it is unlikely
that such works would significantly protect koala populations across the extent of the shire, but
may offer some localised protection in targeted areas. A shire-wide solution is preferred, such as
the use of new car technologies to alert drivers of fauna on roadways.
There are some specific localities where there have been multiple koala sightings in recent years
and improvements may help. The highest density of koala records have been at Eenie Creek
Road (Monks Bridge to Links Drive), Noosa Drive (near Weyba Bridge) and McKinnon Drive (just
outside of Tewantin). Table 5 summarises the recommended works for these sections.
Road section               Recommended actions             Cost                Notes
Eenie Creek Road           Extend fence to direct koalas   $20,000             An innovative
(Monks Bridge to Links     under Monks Bridge on                               design will be
Drive only)                southern side                                       required where
                           Fill gaps at base of sound                          pathways merge
                           attenuation fence                                   onto the motorway.
                           Build log overpass at
                           bikeway/pathway entrances
                           (1)
                           Koala warning signs (2)
Noosa Drive (near Weyba    Koala warning sign (1)          $1200               It is impractical to
Bridge)                    Reduce speed limit to                               fence along Weyba
                           50km/hr                                             Road-Noosa Drive
                                                                               near Monks Bridge
McKinnon Drive (just       In consultation with TMR a      Subject to          TMR road
outside of Tewantin)       potential fence and             consultation with
                           underpass                       TMR
Total (Council)                                            $21,200
                                 Table 5. Recommended capital works

Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
O2 Ecology (now Premise Consulting)
Council Koala key stakeholder meeting

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