DeVantier RACV ecocabin submission to Noosa Council 6Feb23

My own lived experience in the Shire dates to the late 1950s. In respect of riparian zones, the
destruction of Hay’s Island for the Noosa Sound development in the early 1970s, and subsequent
relocation of the rivermouth, have remained with me for half a century as disgraceful exemplars of
what should not be done. Nancy Cato’s ‘The Noosa Story’ tells that woeful tale. In those cases, the
corrupt Bjelke-Peterson regime was a major player. Today, we should know better. The present case
may be considered ‘small change’ in as much as it is a small site, albeit riparian, with nothing like the
destruction wreaked on Hay’s Island or indeed many other parts of our and neighbouring shires (eg.
Peregian Springs). Nonetheless, we are now at a point in the extinction vortex for threatened species
where every parcel of habitat, and particularly corridors, are crucial. Noosa’s remnant bushland is
literally facing ‘death by a thousand cuts’. Instead of removing carbon-sequestering trees to facilitate
tourism development, we should be conserving remnant native vegetation. Riparian vegetation and
coastal wetlands play crucial roles in ameliorating storm and flood damage. It is a lot more effective,
and a lot less costly, to protect remnant vegetation than planting, which if successful, would take
years to establish.

 The applicant argues that the proposal would enhance koala habitat by the removal of frangipani
vines and damaged trees, and replanting. But such good work can be done without putting in yet
more tourism accommodation and car parks. Exotic species (including the frangipani vine which is
not a declared invasive weed in Australia) could be brought under control, assisting recovery and
regeneration of koala trees and other native vegetation. RACV, having profited from the resort for
many years, could fund the weed removal efforts, as well as initiatives in providing safe passages for
koala and other wildlife (eg. adequate and well maintained exclusion fences) to reduce roadkill and
injuries. Such contributions should not be conditional on the approval of the current development
proposal. Indeed, they would be a good example to other resorts as to what responsible
developments can achieve in a Biosphere Reserve.

On the ‘big picture’, climate disruption and sea level rise will increasingly impact the site, as
elsewhere in the Shire, as flood maps testify. IPCC is inherently conservative and estimates of sea
level rise in particular, over the coming decades, have large margins of error, the uncertainties tied
to the rate of destabilization of the huge Antarctic glaciers, among other major sources. It is well
past time for councils to adopt the much-lauded but rarely applied Precautionary Principle in all
these matters.

With thanks,

Lyndon DeVantier, PhD