NOOSA AQUATICS CENTRE UPGRADE PLAN AND NOOSA AQUATICS FACILITIES STRATEGIC PLAN · Attachment 2 Noosa Aquatic Facilities Strategic Plan 2026-2036

                          OPPORTUNITIES                                                                                     THREATS
                          ● Growing demand for high-quality aquatic facilities creates potential to deliver                 ● Rising energy, maintenance, labour and compliance
                              comprehensive upgrades at the NAC in accordance with the NAC Upgrade Plan                         costs threaten the sustainability of all aquatic
                              and Prioritised Implementation Plan, thereby strengthening the facility’s role as                 facilities, particularly smaller local pools
                              the Shire’s primary aquatic centre                                                            ●   Ageing aquatic infrastructure presents significant
                          ●   Incorporate universal design principles into NAC redevelopment, aligning with                     asset renewal challenges, both for Council and for
                              contemporary standards and catering to Noosa’s ageing population                                  other facility owners such as DoE
                          ●   Increasing focus on universal design and accessibility standards offers an                    ●   Ongoing viability of third-party lessee operations
                              opportunity to incorporate best-practice principles into NAC redevelopment,                       remains fragile without updated financial models
                              meeting national benchmarks and supporting Noosa’s ageing population                              and appropriate Council support
          OPPORTUNITIES




                          ●   Further enhance Council’s funding model to incentivise viable third-party                     ●   Local challenges in attracting and retaining qualified
                              management of school pools and help secure sustainable and broader                                aquatic staff mirror national industry trends and




                                                                                                                  THREATS
                              community access                                                                                  threaten ongoing service delivery
                          ●   Significant aquatic assets in neighbouring LGAs create opportunities for regional             ●   Noosa’s ageing population and declining youth
                              collaboration to reduce duplication and resource drain, smooth peak demand,                       cohort may reduce long-term learn-to-swim demand
                              and strengthen funding and resilience outcomes                                                    and require adaptation of service and programming
                          ●   Formalising an Aquatic Facilities Strategic Plan and review cycle presents an                     mix
                              opportunity to strengthen decision-making, accountability, and funding                        ●   Modest growth projections for the Shire limit the
                              alignment                                                                                         economic case for new facilities, requiring greater
                          ●   Growing emphasis on inclusion provides opportunities to work with schools and                     focus on optimisation and renewal of existing
                              DoE to investigate ways to improve accessibility and community access                             facilities, rather than expansion
                          ●   State and federal funding programs aimed at providing legacy outcomes present                 ●   Increasing frequency of extreme weather and
                              opportunities to secure investment for NAC upgrades and broader aquatic                           heatwaves could accelerate infrastructure wear and
                              network improvements                                                                              increase maintenance needs
                          ●   Advancements in climate resilience and energy-efficient technologies create                   ●   Failure to integrate climate resilience and energy-
                              opportunities to reduce environmental impact, lower operating costs, and align                    efficient systems in future upgrades could increase
                              with sustainability objectives in future facility upgrades                                        operating costs, accelerate infrastructure wear and
                                                                                                                                undermine sustainability objectives




18 | NOOSA SHIRE COUNCIL | AQUATIC FACILITIES STRATEGIC PLAN 2026-2036