2019-09-19 Ordinary Meeting Agenda

ORDINARY MEETING AGENDA                                                            19 SEPTEMBER 2019


3     MAYORAL MINUTES



                                 MAYORAL MINUTE
I hereby give notice of my intention to move the following motion at the Ordinary Meeting on
Thursday, 19 September 2019:

1     COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGES THOSE INVOLVED IN THE PEREGIAN FIRE EMERGENCY
      That Council:
      A.    Expresses its deep gratitude to the Queensland Fire & Emergency Services (including
            Urban and Rural Fire Services, SES and the pilots and crews involved in water and gel
            bombing) and the Queensland Police Service for their incredible effort during the
            Peregian Fires disaster that began on the afternoon of Monday 9 September, noting the
            remarkable protection of houses, the large scale evacuation that was achieved, and
            particularly that there was no loss of life or significant injury during the ordeal;
      B.    Expresses its gratitude to the various other agencies who so positively contributed to the
            event response, including but not limited to the Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service,
            Queensland Ambulance Service, Australian Red Cross, the Department of Communities,
            Energex, Unitywater, NBN, and Queensland Health;
      C.    Acknowledges and thanks the amazing Noosa community who worked together for such
            a wonderful outcome, including the resorts and residents who housed evacuees and our
            local businesses, community organisations and residents who rallied to provide support
            and assistance; and
      D.    Acknowledges the efforts of its own Local Disaster Management Group and Local
            Disaster Recovery Group, and also the Noosa Council communications team, as well as
            the Local Disaster Control Centre staff and Field Control Centre staff, plus those who
            volunteered at the Evacuation Centres, all of whom performed exceptionally well during
            this event.



BACKGROUND
The disaster event that has become known as the “Peregian Fires” began around 4.30pm on Monday
9 September. Noosa Council received its first alert from fire authorities at around 4.50pm, and just
minutes later was informed that the fire had jumped across the Motorway and was heading in a north
easterly direction.
From there the fire developed extremely quickly in the unseasonal dry, windy conditions. By 6.30pm,
Noosa Council’s LDMG was at stand-up and evacuation centres were being prepared.
In the end, thousands of residents from Peregian Beach, Marcus Beach, Peregian Breeze and
Weyba Shores (Murdering Creek Rd area) were evacuated as well as some from Peregian Springs,
Castaways Beach etc. Many other areas, including Sunrise and Sunshine Beaches, were on alert to
be prepared to leave.
Images of the fire, including the ember shower blowing ahead of the fire front, demonstrate the
conditions in which the fire fighters and police were operating. Such images also show just how lucky
we all are that the fire did not result in significantly more damage, let alone injury or death. Full credit
must go to QFES and QPS in particular for this remarkable outcome.



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