2021-10-08 SM - Item 1 - Attachment 2 - Draft Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan - tracked changes

Phase 4 – 5: Identifying assets of importance and their risks
The next stage in the project was to identify which important Council, community and natural
assets are likely expected to be exposed to each of the hazard scenarios, and then determine what
the overall risks are to each. This stage of the project was performed in alignment with national
standards for risk assessment.

Identifying areas and assets at risk

In order to assess the future erosion and inundation risks throughout the Noosa region, it is
necessary to understand which areas and key assets are presently at risk and which areas may
become threatened in the future. The 2040, 2070 and 2100 planning horizons are used to assess
risk which provides insight into the urgency of adaptation planning. For instance, an asset which is
threatened in 2040 may have more urgency for an adaptation response than an asset which is not
expected to be at high risk until 2100. Contrastingly, assets with a long useful life (e.g. buildings
and bridges) may require replacement or retrofitting significantly earlier than would have otherwise
occurred (i.e. in the absence of sea level rise) to ensure their safety and functionality. By
prioritising assets, Council is able to commit resources accordingly based on likely asset life,
desired function (including safety), and vulnerability to coastal hazards.

Assets were identified by comparing the hazard modelling results with existing data on public and
private asset types and locations across the coastal zone. It’s important to acknowledge that not all
assets require a specific response in this plan. For example, a single barbecue in a foreshore park
is considered an asset, but given its low cost of replacement and relatively short life, it is not worth
developing a specific response for this asset. In contrast, the entire park itself is considered
important, both from Council’s perspective (as it owns and manages that asset), as well as from
the community’s viewpoint (as it provides recreational and economic benefits).

Using a range of different criteria based on Council’s existing approach to asset management, and
feedback provided by community stakeholders, a database of built assets, infrastructure, and
natural areas that are considered most important to the community and/or Council was created.
Further information on the results of this process can be found in the Locality Risk & Action Plans
in Section 5.

Identifying the level of risks to areas and assets

A risk management approach has been applied to assessing all three coastal hazards risks. The
Australian Standard for identifying and managing risks is outlined in AS/NZ ISO 31000:2018
Standard Risk Management Principles and Guidelines and this guideline has been applied in the
performing of the risk assessment used in the CHAP’s development.

This risk assessment approach has been designed to provide a process to incorporate improved
data and risk knowledge over time. It provides an important basis for focusing effort and resources
towards those assets or areas at greatest risk from coastal hazards now and in future (i.e. prioritising
high risk areas and assets) and then determining responses that reduce these risks where feasible
to an acceptable or tolerable level.

It should be noted, that many assets for which a specific risk assessment was not performed are
likely to can still benefit from adaptation actions taken for those assets that were, due to their
proximity to these. For example, foreshore works that seek to prevent inundation from impacting a
park will also benefit the barbeque and playground facilities within the park. More descriptions of
each of the criteria used can be found in Appendix 5the Phase 5 – Risk Assessment Report6.


6 BMT, 2020. Noosa Shire Council – Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan Risk Assessment


Noosa Council – Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan 2020 - 2030                                     Page 21