NOOSA BIOSECURITY PLAN 2026-2031 · Attachment 2 - Noosa Biosecurity Plan 2026 draft for stakeholder review

1.       Introduction
Biosecurity is defined as efforts to prevent, respond to, and recover from, pests and diseases
that threaten the economy and the environment. Under the Biosecurity Act 2014 all persons
who deal with biosecurity matter have a general obligation to take all reasonable and practical
measures to prevent or minimise biosecurity risks on human health, amenity, economy and
environment. The Act also requires local governments to have a Biosecurity Plan for their local
government area. Reducing the threats from invasive plants and animals through
implementation of this plan is a strategic priority under the Noosa Environment Strategy.

Invasive animals and plants can be a major risk to biodiversity, waterways, agriculture and
human health and wellbeing. They can degrade and outcompete natural bushland and aquatic
environments, predate wildlife, reduce productivity and viability of crops and livestock, reduce
scenic amenity and recreational values, cause health issues for people, and increase land
management costs. Prevention, eradication and control at early stages can save significant
financial resources in the long term.

It is also acknowledged that some introduced plants are now naturalised and perform an
ecosystem function stabilising soil, providing habitat for fauna and absorbing nutrients in
wetland areas. Extreme control measures without natural regenerative approaches can cause
environmental harm. This Biosecurity Plan takes a regenerative, risk management approach that
prioritises areas and priority pest species for targeted management while helping to build
healthy and resilient ecosystems.

The plan comprises:

     •   Purpose and objectives
     •   Local, legislation and policy context
     •   Management approaches and tools
     •   Community engagement
     •   Compliance obligations
     •   Implementation actions
     •   Useful resources.




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Noosa Biosecurity Plan DRAFT