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

12. Public access and recreation
Noosa’s coastal bushland, beaches and waters are some of the most valued in the world, and
thousands of residents and visitors are drawn to them every year. Dunes and foreshores are where
we access some of our most precious and in-demand recreation places. Maintaining long-term and
sustainable public access to these highly desirable locations in the face of coastal erosion, climate
change impacts and high visitor numbers is a challenge that requires careful planning.


Constructed recreational access and opportunities
Most EBFR recreational access is on the 41 beach accesses to Noosa’s Eastern Beaches.
Thousands of reserve visitors walk along the beach accesses through the EBFR each week. Some
interpretative signs about coastal plants, animals, ecosystems and landform, mostly installed by
community partners, is alongside some of the beach accesses. Some parts of the north-south
coastal bike and pedestrian path run in or near the western boundary of the EBFRs.


Commercial and organised recreational access and opportunities
On the beaches or in nearby open space many organised community or commercial recreational
opportunities are offered, some regulated under a permit or lease for commercial or community
activities or temporary events permits. These include markets, concerts, surf lessons and board
hire, other watercraft hire and lessons, weddings and other private events, boot camps and
personal trainers, yoga and wellness classes and events, and sand sculpting workshops. Council
seeks to ensure that the adjoining foreshore reserves and the leases and permit activities are
managed in a way that compliments each other.


Universal access
Coastal natural areas, dunes, beaches and waters are desirable for everyone to access but also
present particular challenges to universal access – they are highly exposed to the elements and
salts and are ever-changing, sometimes very rapidly. Sloped natural landforms, soft sand surfaces
and natural vegetation can be highly unfavourable for some forms of universal access. These
challenges present opportunities to consider innovative access designs and materials and events.

A mobility mat – Mobi-Mat - has been installed on nearby Noosa Main Beach on Hastings Street,
through a collaborative project between Surf Life Saving Queensland, Noosa Surf Club, Tewantin-
Noosa Lions Club, Noosa MP Sandy Bolton, and Council. It is a firm, recycled plastic mat that
extends from the beach access ramp in front of the Noosa Surf Life Club, across the beach and to
the water. It not only provides universal access to the down to the water, it also provides access to
the sand for sun bathing, making sand castles and other beach activities. This is a permanent
installation, only removed for king tides and bad storms. Considerations in locating the mat in this
location included: the very high visitor attendance, the flagged swimming area, and a flat, stable
beach that enables permanent installation.


Swimming and surf lifesaving
With over eleven kilometers of beaches, ocean swimming and paddling is a drawcard for locals
and visitors. Three flagged bathing areas in the EBFR, at Sunshine Beach, Sunrise Beach and
Peregian Beach, are patrolled with a mix of paid Surf Life Saving Queensland lifeguards and
volunteer lifesavers from Surf Life Saving Clubs at Noosa Heads, Sunshine Beach and Peregian
Beach. People are encouraged to swim here between the flags and is managed to be significantly
safer than the general beach or coastal environment. Surfboards, canoes, kayaks, fishing

Eastern Beaches Foreshore Management Plan – Draft (V4 26.9.22 – for public consultation)      Page 29