2018-06-12 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    12 JUNE 2018


   Successful relocation of over 90 residents to public or private housing without recidivism
     within the 6 to 7 months project timeframe.

   Continued engagement of children in schooling, particularly the Noosa Flexible Learning
     Centre, through rehousing most of the families with school-aged children locally.

   Long-term re-engagement of some residents in community life with a number taking up
     further education opportunities, such as Aged Care Certificates at local TAFEs.

   Reduced drug and alcohol consumption by residents in an effort to maintain their
     tenancies.

   Increased Court attendance by those residents required to attend court with a resultant
     reduction in breaches recorded by the Magistrate Court and reduced fines for those
     involved (and hence increased capacity to make progress with their lives).

   Reduced call outs for domestic violence as reported by Queensland Police Service.

   A reinforcement within Council of the value of a people centred empathic approach to
     solving social issues.

   Noosa Council being nominated as a finalist in the 2018 LGMA Awards for Excellence –
     Collaboration category for its work at Johns Landing.

Actions since Council acquired the land in November 2017
Since Council’s purchase of the property and the closure of Johns Landing in November 2017,
Council’s Waste and Environmental Health Branch have completed demolition work of the
permanent buildings and semi-permanent structures on site with the exception of one toilet block,
which remains. They have also removed asbestos, other high-risk materials and accumulated
rubbish.
Following the clean up the site was handed over to Environmental Services branch in late March
2018 for management into the future.
Conservation Area
Council has engaged a consultant to develop an Ecological Restoration Plan and Fire
Management Plan for the site, and commenced the process of making the land a Nature Refuge
under the Nature Conservation Act
It is intended that the proposed Nature Refuge area be brought back to a natural condition over a
number of years. This is a complex job, given extensive weed infestation and the fact there were
a considerable number of small gardens around previous permanent campsites.
The Ecological Restoration Plan will identify priorities and processes for restoration and the plan
will be completed by 30 June 2018.
The Fire Management Plan covers the Nature Refuge area but will also take into account
potential future camping and risks. It will inform the planned burn program, bushfire emergency
response and identification of assets for fire management (fire trails, water points etc.). The plan
will be completed by 30 June 2018.
Recreation Area
The recreation area will be closed to the General Public for 2 to 3 years and will be maintained by
slashing and weed control to enable the land to rehabilitate and Council to consider future
options for this part of the site. These options include creating a day use area, reopening the
camping ground or including area in the nature reserve.




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