2017-07-11 S&O Agenda - Attachment 1 to Item 3 - Draft Sport & Active Recreation Plan

Noosa has 10 outdoor court sites accommodating netball and tennis. Tennis Qld is currently
undertaking extensive facility and club audits to develop 10 year maintenance and infrastructure
plans in extensive consultation with local governments and local clubs. LGA based reports from
Tennis Qld will provide clear evidenced-based direction for tennis participation and facility
development in the Shire with a proposal to partner and source external funding to meet financial
implications raised in the report. Qld Netball have secured State government funding to develop
a state-wide facility development plan in the 2017/18 fiscal year. The introduction of a successful
national team based on the Sunshine Coast (Sunshine Coast Lighting) is having a positive
impact on local interest and participation in netball with junior participation increasing
significantly in the last three years. Currently the Noosa District Netball Association use outdoor
courts at Noosa District Sports Complex, indoor courts at Noosa Leisure Centre and at Good
Shepard Lutheran College. Netball would benefit greatly from an increase in indoor court space
in order to accommodate a growing membership.

11 outdoor sites that are ‘single use’ (golf courses, lawn bowls, croquet, equestrian/pony club)
have been identified in the Shire. These sites are a mix of commercial freehold, NFP freehold,
Council and State owned properties. Golf courses and pony clubs in particular require extensive
land parcels that contribute significantly to the calculation of land area allocated to ‘sport and
active recreation’ purpose across the Shire. Significant costs are also attributed to these sites
due to the specialised nature and maintenance required of the playing surfaces. Golf clubs are
unique in that they service a large membership and visitor (local and tourist) market, with local
clubs working together for the tourist market, but competing in attaining local visitors and
memberships. Lawn bowls is experiencing a decline in memberships nationally with Roy Morgan
Research reporting a 25% decline in participation over the last 15 years. This is further
evidenced by closures of lawn bowls clubs nationally which has also been experienced locally
with the closure of the Noosa Heads and Peregian Bowls clubs and significantly low membership
of the Cooroy bowls club.

Pomona Showgrounds is a unique site in that is caters for a range of ‘single use’ outdoor
facilities ie tennis, pony club and an indoor facility exclusively used for squash. The
Showgrounds provide a significant service to the hinterland community and would benefit from
the development of a master plan over the site to provide a focus and strategic plan for future
participation and facility development.

When considering the expansion of existing sport precincts, attention must be given to the
important environmental constraints that are common across many sites in Noosa. The
protection of significant vegetation, environmental and fauna habitat areas reduce the likelihood
of expansion of existing facilities, particularly for field sports requiring significant open space.
Environmental values are held in high regard in Noosa and although expansion of sports
grounds is constrained, vegetation around sport facilities adds to the visual amenity, provides
shade and a physical barrier between residential areas and playing spaces. Master plans for
multi-use sports facility sites (eg Cooroy, Noosa District) need to be reviewed, updated and/or
endorsed to provide a clear direction of future improvements required. Site development plans
should be developed for smaller and single use sites which will assist in the evidenced-based
identification of future works.

Car parking around outdoor sports venues is of concern with onsite car parking facilities beyond
capacity at peak times, forcing cars to park on surrounding road verges or in residential streets.
Not only does this pose an annoyance to residents, but creates a hazard when children are
exiting vehicles road-side in 60-80km speed zones. This is particularly evident at venues such
as Noosa Golf Club, Read Park (Tewantin), Noosa AFL grounds and Girraween Sports
Complex.
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