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

                          -   DES sees potential benefits to the FHA in a handover to Council of responsibility for undertaking management of anchoring and mooring locations
                              and types of moorings if suitable arrangements were in place, as Council would be well placed to identify any irregularities or illegalities in moorings
                              or other infrastructure in the FHA.
                          -   The River plan has raised ‘swing’ type moorings located in the FHA as an issue due to the scouring of seagrass beds by these types of moorings but
                              has not proposed a management response to address this issue other than a review.
                          -   Any new moorings types within the FHA are subject to authorisation.
                          -   New private moorings are not permitted in management A areas, which make up most of the Noosa River FHA.
                          -   It will be important for Council to engage with DES in any planning for moorings management, including locations and use of environmentally friendly
                              moorings.

Private                   -   How about leaving it a State responsibility

Lake Cootharaba Sailing   -   Living aboard a vessel is no longer a major problem.
Club                      -   It is now restricted with permits being issued to those few live a boards.
                          -   No further permits to be issued apparently.
                          -   Holding tanks have not been enforced since the Houseboat Act of 1990.
                          -   The pump out stations at present are not suitable e.g. Noosa Harbour Marina.
                          -   Restricted access I believe.
                          -   A floating pump out barge going from boat to boat would be best.

Noosa Nth Shore           -   Management of the Noosa River
Residents Association     -   The NNSA is strongly opposed to management of the river being delegated by the State to Council.
                          -   We see the issues in the Draft Strategy flagged as problems today as being ones that State Government Departments should take full responsibility
                              for both in a practical managerial and financial sense.
                          -   If there are jurisdiction problems inter-departmentally, these should be clearly identified and the Minister should take the lead to resolve to enable
                              effective ongoing management of the Noosa River.
                          -   The NNSA vehemently opposes additional Council charges on ratepayers for river management at that level.
                          -   It is our view that Maritime Safety Queensland being given legislative powers to deal with derelict or abandoned vessels immediately.
                          -   This then resolves most of the debate about the State needing to delegate management of the river to Council.
                          -   We support the other recommended action items but with the caveat being that the State implement and control them.
                          -   We believe that it should be compulsory for boats to have 3rd party insurance and it be mandatory for all non-trailerable boats - irrespective of
                              whether it has a motor or not, to be registered and to have compulsory anchoring/mooring/docking insurance to cover abandonment, dereliction, etc -
                              i.e. put the problem that we have seen in the Noosa River back on owners.
                          -   Should a boat not be covered then owners forfeit all rights and the State can dispose of it at will at the owners cost.
                          -   For trailerable boats they also should be registered irrespective of having a motor or not.
                          -   The difference should be the cost of registration e.g. < 3Kw free and today’s rates for above 3 Kw.
                          -   There should be serious fines for falsely declaring engine size.

Private                   -   No I do not think it is necessary to implement any new rules.
                          -   The Queensland government has adequate rules in place.

Private                   -   I am opposed to Council taking control of the river and placing a further financial burden on ratepayers for an activity that is a State responsibility.
                          -   Council should work with the State to get required changes to reduce moorings and the level of recreational use of the river at peak times (it is
                              acceptable at other times).

Private                   -   The river, catchment and estuary should be managed by a formal co-governance arrangement between NSC and relevant State Government
                              agencies.

Private                   -   The need to build a better partnership to Maritime Safety and the EPA.
                          -   To not continue to try to take the view that Noosa is capable of looking after a river.

Private                   -   Overall I support the draft Noosa River Plan.
                          -   I think we are lucky that the river is as healthy as it is thanks to the efforts of various organisations and individuals in the past.
                          -   The task now is to preserve and improve on the current situation.
                          -   However, I do not support the formation of a very costly Council group to implement the plan.
                          -   State Governments Departments already exist for all of the functions and the Council should put their effort into making that system work.
                          -   Additionally, the Council already perform some of the existing environmental functions included in the plan through the Environmental levy.
                          -   My comments on the draft plan are based on my interest as a ratepayer and user of the river for recreational boating/fishing and are mainly focussed
                              on Action Plan 7 Anchoring, Mooring and Living on the river.
                          -   I have a boat moored on a Maritime Queensland Safety approved mooring.
                          -   Although Noosa River is an attractive recreational boating area it is not overcrowded, except in peak holiday periods, especially when compared to
                              major centres areas such as Mooloolaba, the Gold Coast and Sydney.
                          -   The river is not easily accessed from sea because of the bar and this deters most visitors except for ramp launched craft.
                          -   My observation is that the number of moored and anchored craft has stabilised over recent years and given that the bar is not going to be dredged
                              (good) any increase is unlikely.
                          -   In general, the type of craft currently anchored/moored in the river indicates that the Noosa River it is not an attractive location for the owners of larger
                              expensive vessels which are usually marina based.
                          -   My concern is that the implementation of any User Pay system would focus on the moored and anchored craft in the river and impose unrealistic fees
                              if it is to raise any significant funding.
                          -   A Volunteer Coast Guard Survey of the river in 2015 found only 120 craft moored/anchored in the lower river (Community Jury Speaker Data) and
                              this has not changed much since.
                          -   This is not a potential major source of Council funds without unrealistic fees.
                          -   Ramp launched craft including jet skis are by far the major users of the river, many by visitors, and these would be exempt because boat ramps are
                              State funded even under the Noosa river plan and fee collection would not be practical.
                          -   Further the many craft based on the 687 private jetties would escape fee collection.
                          -   Therefore moored and anchored craft owners would bear the costs for ramp launched craft owners which would be exempt user fees.
                          -   Current issues with boats and houseboats anchored/moored in the lower river are often exaggerated by the media.
                          -   There are a few apparently abandoned craft but not as many as the media reports and removal by the appropriate authority should not be a major
                              task.
                          -   Abandoned cars disappear from our roads quickly.
                          -   Note some of the photos in the draft report are out of date and whether a vessel is ‘visually suitable’ for an area would be a very contestable issue.
                          -   Similarly, speed issues are debateable with various hull types causing significant wash at different speeds. However, an active ‘police’ presence on
                              the river would deter individual vessels causing damaging wash. Again, my observation is that it is mainly ramp launched vessels that cause
                              problems especially during holiday periods.
                          -   The draft river plan mentions a Harbour Master (Para. 3.1.2).
                          -   I am not aware that this position is currently active but the regulation of vessels moored/anchored, speed damage and issues such as live aboard
                              waste disposal could be monitored by this position and reported to the appropriate State authority for action if not within the Council’s current powers.
                          -   I believe the overall objectives of the Noosa plan should be achieved within the current resources of the present Council and State organisations with
                              the activation of the Harbour Master position with the formal status of a Council legal officer.


                                                                                                                                                                                              8