2022-11-14 GC Agenda - Item 3 - Attachment 1 - Draft Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan

8. Social values
Cultural Values
Ocean coasts are resource rich and important landmarks in the landscape, meaning that they are
often important to people for both practical and spiritual reasons. Many coastal dune networks
have significant First Nations cultural value as cultural landscapes, past and current resource use
and archaeological sites. They also often have resource or historical value for more recent
residents, visitors and communities.

During the millennia of Indigenous stewardship, it is likely that Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) conducted
firestick farming, maintaining open grassy understories in Noosa’s eucalyptus forests that extended
into the area currently managed as the EBFRs. Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) trapped and harvested
fish, shellfish, sea turtle and dugong in the coastal strip and would likely have periodically lived at
sites in and near the coastal strip.

In conjunction with this resource use and occupation, they undertook cultural and resource
stewardship practices and may maintain ceremonial and spiritual places in the Eastern Beaches
coastal strip 4. In an area surrounded by significant landmarks, and with several significant view
lines, the Eastern Beaches coastal strip supports Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) cultural landscapes and
story places.

Before 1960 Noosa’s coastal areas were primarily used by non-Indigenous people for fishing and
holidaying in basic boarding houses and camps, Away from the sand dunes, the area was
dominated by low nutrient, acidic heathland, and wetlands unsuitable for western agriculture. The
Eastern Beaches urban areas were opened to residential development and more formalised
tourism in the 1960s, with the road from Coolum upgraded and urban blocks on sale in Peregian
Beach in 1960, and both road and blocks extended up to Sunshine Beach the following year.


EBFMP Management actions
The following actions are identified for implementation:

    Action                                          Responsible party    Resources         Due date
                                                                                           and status
    8.1. Invite the Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) to      Environmental        Within            2022/23
    work in partnership with Council and other      Services             existing          and
    land managers to collaboratively manage the                          operational       ongoing
    EBFRs                                                                expenditure
    8.2. Incorporate cultural heritage values in    Environmental        Within            2022/23
    EBFRs management and interpretation             Services Staff       existing          and
                                                                         operational       ongoing
                                                                         expenditure




4
 Noosa Council, Sergiacomoi, Leddy & Fesl, Eve (2004), Indigenous Cultural Heritage Study of Noosa
Shire, Noosa: Noosa Shire Council,



Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan – Draft (V4 26.9.22 – for public consultation)        Page 19