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

Scenic and landscape amenity
Noosa’s natural scenic amenity and natural landscapes are a key contributor to Noosa’s liveability.
Coastal landscapes and bushland are an essential part of the local ‘look and feel’ and character.
Many of Noosa’s iconic views are from, through, of, or over, our naturally vegetated foreshores and
most of our seaside residents and communities live alongside them, with many people visiting
Noosa’s iconic beaches walking through the EBFRs.


Liveability
The natural elements of the EBFRs and nearby bushland are a significant part of Noosa’s
liveability and act as a backdrop to Noosa’s casual coastal ‘look and feel’. The value of natural
areas is well recognised by Noosa’s community, with ‘elements of natural environment (natural
features, views, vegetation, topography, water, wildlife etc.)’ identified as Noosa’s #1 Care Factor
in the recent Noosa Liveability survey. Protecting and managing natural ecosystems and elements
ranked at number 2.

The ability to see and interact with natural landscapes as part of our day-to-day routines
contributes to physiological and physical wellbeing. Even small patches of bush visually break the
pattern of residential developments and improve visual diversity, which also has psychological
benefits. Natural vegetation provides cooling breezes in summer and reduces urban heat by
shading and evapotranspiration.5


Economy & Visitor Experience
Our natural areas are the backbone of Noosa’s tourism industry and visual amenity is a significant
consideration when people are choosing where they go for their holidays. Scenic values and
access to beaches and bushland also influences where people want to live, which in turn
influences investment attraction and the local economy.


Viewpoints
Viewpoints are existing scenic viewing areas that provide a focal point for the public to enjoy the
surrounding landscape. Viewpoint types in Noosa’s Eastern Beaches include:

    •       Vista viewpoints: Broad landscape views, often incorporating water and coastal
            landscapes. Often a driver for visitor attraction to specific areas, and to Noosa
            generally.
    •       Near-beach viewpoints: Cleared viewing areas close to the back of the beach, often
            associated with public beach accesses, sometimes with community supplied furniture,
            and may act as an informal community hub.
    •       Surf condition viewpoints: Where people go to look at the ocean to assess conditions,
            including surfers, swimmers and kite surfers.
The values and how each of these different types of viewing points are used often overlap and
perhaps change over time.




5 Mahamane S, Wan N, Porter A, Hancock AS, Campbell J, Lyon TE, & Jordan KE. (2020) Natural

Categorization: Electrophysiological Responses to Viewing Natural Versus Built Environments. Frontiers of
Psychology, 11:990.

Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan – Draft (V4 26.9.22 – for public consultation)           Page 20