2021-01-18 GC - Item 2 - Attachment 2 - Consultation Report River Plan Version 1 (2018)

                          -   Recommendation 26 to assist local government to develop clear planning guidelines about suitable activities for land where past agricultural activities
                              suggest the presence of environmental contaminants (Ms Gilson’s properties showed persistent organochlorine insecticide contamination as it was a
                              dairy farm from around the 1950s)
                          -   Recommendation 17 to conduct an annual electrofishing survey of the Noosa River to estimate levels of recruitment in Australian bass.
                          -   In response to the recommendations, Fisheries Queensland conducted an electrofishing survey in 2012. The Department of Environment and
                              Science (DES) has not undertaken any residue monitoring since the period of NFHIT.
                          -   Since the NFHIT, Biosecurity Queensland has not undertaken any chemical use regulatory activity in the Noosa River catchment. A 2018 report by
                              Roger Chong from the DAF Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory was provided to Ms Gilson stating that “the consequence of the abnormal embryonic
                              development of the Noosa estuary Australian Bass spawned eggs is likely to lead to widespread reproductive failure and localised extinction of the
                              fish species. This is likely, given that this problem was identified in 2008 and subsequent in 2011, 2013 and now in 2014. Of note, embryonic
                              developmental problems were also reported in the mullet caught from Noosa waters.
                          -   Collectively, this points to environmental sources of mutagenic factors - including man-made pollutants.” More data needs to be collected, especially
                              at times of spraying and after heavy rainfall.

Noosa and District        -   Council road works erosion & sediment control, maintenance of table drains.
Landcare                  -   Environmental induction?

Private                   -   In addition to surveying the contribution of unsealed rural roads to sediment reaching the river
                          -   In prioritising which roads to seal under the capital works program, make this one of the considerations.

Private                   -   Public contribution to the NR Plan is an exciting way to broaden the scope of consideration and this optimising outcomes for Noosa River. Thank you
                              for this opportunity.
                          -   KEEPING THE RIVER HEALTHY
                          -   Much of Noosa River's catchment is in national park.
                          -   Undisturbed riparian zones contribute significantly to the river's health, particularly regarding sediment and nutrient levels and weeds.
                          -   As urban development continues in the catchment area stress on the river will increase unless planning entrenches mitigation strategies.
                          -   Noosa River is central to a biosphere of international importance and renown, including migratory shore birds, local birds, fish, reptiles, mammals,
                              molluscs, crustaceans, mangroves and other riparian plants, sea grass beds, including endangered species.
                          -   Keeping the river healthy promotes survival of the Noosa biosphere.
                          -   Clean and green and nature's beauty are all aspects of the Noosa brand that is vital to successful tourism and many industries and businesses in the
                              Noosa region.
                          -   There are numerous simple strategies which can improve and protect the river's health.
                          -   These include systems to catch pollutants from water runoff from roads, storm drains etc. before the pollutants reach the river.
                          -   Reed beds, serviced litter booms or nets around every drain which exits to the river.
                          -   Statistics from such instillations elsewhere confirm the amount of rubbish which is prevented from entering rivers and contained for efficient retrieval
                              and appropriate waste management destinies.
                          -   It is a sad state when Noosa Integrated Catchment Association has reported that there are no sunken hulks in the Noosa River, when indeed there
                              certainly are abandoned house boat hulks sitting on the river bed, i.e. clearly not floating and thus sunken.
                          -   It is a sad state that NICA is paid significant amounts of money to clean the river yet large quantities of rubbish, including sunken boats have been
                              retrieved by just a four volunteers in one day in July 2018.
                          -   Mr Ian Thompson from Ocean Crusaders has the actual statistics of the items and weights retrieved from Noosa River on Saturday 28 July 2018 and
                              with its Paddle Against Plastic event on 29 July 2018 with public volunteers.
                          -   NICA's effectiveness in keeping Noosa River clean and the veracity of its reporting are both sadly lacking.
                          -   I strongly recommend that all river clean-up activities have open transparency re tendering, costs etc. and are not required to be channelled through
                              the NICA bureaucracy, which simply compounds layers of cost and creates unnecessary extra levels for unintended communication errors, and gaps
                              or duplications.
                          -   Weeding and replanting local natives in water catchment areas is vital to erosion mitigation, riverine health and the natural biosphere food chain.
                          -   Core flute surrounds for tree planting is no longer an appropriate part of this activity.
                          -   All such devices for weed matting, silt catching, seedling protection etc should be 100% biodegradable, be it for land care uses or on development
                              sites or industrial and agricultural indications.
                          -   It would be a very simple thing to have signs at the Noosa River car ferry area stating that public toilets are 50 metres further back from the ferry.
                          -   This is likely to save literally thousands of incidents of people toileting in the bushes and leaving their excrement and toilet paper, or plastic fabric
                              baby wipes in the bush, which will certainly wash into the river with storm surges, floods or simply high tides.

Lake Cootharaba Sailing   -   Water quality – 2 stroke motors should be banned from the upper NR.
Club

Private                   -   Another scenario to look at would be the slip and maintenance work performed by locals on their boats.
                          -   I know pretty well each and every commercial operator on the river is doing the right thing and performing all works at our local Slipway’s or in
                              industrial workplaces offsite of the river
                          -   However time and time again I have seen permanently moored vessel owners in the water scrubbing the barnacles from their hull to save a day’s
                              work and cost on the slipway.
                          -   Each time a barnacle is removed it will also be taking pieces of antifoul, primer and hull materials with it that end up in our river.
                          -   This could possibly be policed by having photos submitted when the boat is first on the slipway showing that the boat has not been recently scraped
                              down.

Noosa Nth Shore           -   Residential septic systems:
Residents Association     -   We strongly support all initiatives in this area as clearly the impacts on biodiversity in the Noosa River are profound.
                          -   We would like to add that in light of predicted sea level and storm surges, Council should seriously consider alternatives for sewerage disposal in
                              those small pockets of urban development along both sides of the river and in particular on the Noosa North Shore.
                          -   With the exception of only a couple of properties that have holdings tanks that get pumped out regularly, all other properties rely upon a septic/waste
                              processing system.
                          -   These get inundated during flooding and in some case in king tides.
                          -   Thought should be given to connection to the central reticulated sewerage system or alternative collective secondary system.

Private                   -   Major residential nodes like Wygani & Homeport need a community Council infrastructure for advanced secondary effluent disposal to provide a more
                              cost effective way of avoiding raw sewerage entering the Noosa River in wet seasons.
                          -   Relying on individuals won’t work and the Council is there to do what individuals can or won’t do.
                          -   Otherwise what is the point of any Government?

Private                   -   Signage at boat ramps about bringing rubbish back to shore, a lot of awareness is needed for marine life and it ends up on the beach.

Private                   -   Pollution and litter control – PLASTIC!

Department of             -   Re objective 7
Environment and Science   -   Management responses that reduce sediments, nutrients and contaminants deposited in the FHA would reap positive benefits to water quality in the
                              FHA.
                          -   Are there specific management responses proposed other than those that would contribute to this objective that are listed under objective 8?
                          -   DES Coasts and Catchments is directly engaging with Noosa Shire Council on water quality / ecosystem health matters raised in the draft River Plan.
                          -   Re objective 9


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