Annual Report 2019-20

          Noosa Shire Council                                                                                                                                                                2019 - 20 Annual Report



  Corporate Plan - Theme 2: The Noosa Community                                                              •	Construction on Stage 3 of the Rufous Street Peregian development commenced with the new
                                                                                                                carpark completed in time for Christmas. While the collapse of the primary contractor caused a
  Key achievements as we work towards our long term goal include:                                               delay, Council remained committed to the project and completed the detailed design of the new
                                                                                                                community house in preparation for a new tender for construction in mid-2020.
  Specific Operational Plan Priorities
                                                                                                             •	The redevelopment of the Noosa North Shore Beach Campground was completed providing
  •	Council continued implementation of Council’s Social Strategy including the Cultural Plan, Sport           additional powered and unpowered sites, improved toilet amenities and a new camp kitchen.
     and Active Recreation Plan and Health and Wellbeing Plan. Council completed a review of the             •	Council completed replacement of the old Noosa Botanic Gardens Shade House built in the 1980s
     Cultural Plan’s 2019 Action Plan, which demonstrated 85% of the actions were completed or                  with a new $400,000 Shade Garden jointly funded by Council and Seqwater. The shade garden is
     well underway. Council also endorsed a 2020/21 Action Plan to progress implementation of the               home to a large variety of shade-loving rare and exotic plants.
     Cultural Plan.
                                                                                                             Other Initiatives to enable Council to achieve its goal for this theme
                                                                                                             •	Council supported residents through the 2019 bushfires in Peregian, Cooroibah and Noosa North
                                                                                                                Shore. This included running evacuation centres (up to six at one stage), providing emergency
                                                                                                                relief and supporting the community with clean-up and recovery afterwards including maintaining
                                                                                                                Recovery Hubs at Peregian and Noosaville.
                                                                                                             •	Council supported the community through the 2020 Coronavirus Covid -19 pandemic. Key
                                                                                                                measures included increasing health and hygiene measures in public spaces, providing Covid-
                                                                                                                safe information and advice to businesses and community organisations and supporting social
                                                                                                                service organisations with the delivery of emergency relief such as food supply, clothing, funding,
                                                                                                                accommodation, hygiene products, free flu vaccinations, laundry facilities and hot showers.
                                                                                                             •	Over 65,000 people engaged in arts and cultural activities through Floating Land 2019. The festival
                                                                                                                included 21 projects and 38 associated events outside of non-traditional venues, with several
                                                                                                                community collaboration activities that included First Nations’ artists.
                                                                                                             •	Council continues to collaborate and partner with Kabi Kabi Traditional Custodians on a range of
                                                                                                                initiatives. A highlight included working with members of the Kabi Kabi Crowe family to produce
                                                                                                                two short films; Place of Crowes and Tewantin’s Oyster Feasts. The films are available online and
                                                                                                                were distributed to all local schools. They are regularly viewed and utilised in local education
                                                                                                                programs.
                                                                                                             •	Regional sporting events were supported through Council’s community development team
                                                                                                                including hosting the Pakistan and West Indies Women T20 World Cup cricket teams for warm-up
                                                                                                                games, training and community engagement activities.
                                                                                                             •	The Seniors Health and Wellbeing Program (Ageing Well Noosa) commenced across the Shire. The
  •	A major refurbishment of the Noosa Aquatic Centre was completed following a short closure.
                                                                                                                program provides low-cost exercise classes for seniors to improve balance, strength and mobility
     The refurbishment included replacing the roof, timber decking and completing major pool
                                                                                                                and provide opportunities for older people to meet new people.
     maintenance such as tiling and re-grouting.
                                                                                                             •	Children from prep to year 6 participated in Council’s Walking Wheeling Wednesdays program
  • Council adopted a Community Health and Wellbeing Plan and 12-month implementation plan.
                                                                                                                which promotes walking and riding to school. The initiative helps keep kids active, while reducing
  •	The first stage of the pre-feasibility study for a Regional Art Gallery was completed. This
                                                                                                                traffic congestion.
     stage reviewed the existing Galleries’ strengths and weaknesses and engaged a consultant to
                                                                                                             •	Digital education opportunities were provided to increase critical skills such as the Library and
     investigate the needs, opportunities and priorities of a possible new Gallery. This study will be
                                                                                                                Digital Hubs ‘Fly for Good’ program which provided local high school girls learning in drone use
     complete by early 2021.
                                                                                                                and application to solve critical problems
  •	Council has investigated contemporary options for outreach library services to replace the
                                                                                                             •	A motion led by Noosa Council in tandem with Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council at the Local
     existing Mobile Library which is reaching the end of useful life. It is expected that the new service
                                                                                                                Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ ) annual conference helped gain the support of
     model will be fully implemented by late 2021.
                                                                                                                Queensland local governments to endorse the Uluru Statement from the Heart and advocate for
  •	Master Plans for the Noosa District Sports Complex and the Cooroy Sports Complex were
                                                                                                                the constitutional recognition of First Nations peoples.
     adopted by Council and implementation plans commenced including the preliminary civil works
                                                                                                             •	Council continues to support and focus on recognising the important work of volunteers in our
     design for the Noosa District Sports Complex.
                                                                                                                community. A ‘volunteer recognition’ event was hosted by Council and a promotional video was
                                                                                                                developed for our Noosa service clubs.
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