2026 LGAQ CONFERENCE MOTIONS & COUNCILLOR ATTENDANCE (Referred from the General Committee Meeting dated 7 July 2026 - Item 7.7) · Attachment 9 - World Surfing Reserves

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Background                  Queensland is home to two of Australia’s three World Surfing
(required) 350-word limit   Reserves - Noosa and the Gold Coast. These globally recognised
                            designations highlight areas of outstanding environmental quality,
                            cultural importance and surfing heritage.
                            World Surfing Reserves are accredited through Save The Waves,
                            in partnership with local communities. Each designation requires
                            the establishment of a Local Stewardship Council and an ongoing
                            management framework, responsibilities that are largely
                            coordinated and resourced by local governments.
                            Surfing is a significant contributor to the Australian economy,
                            generating close to $3 billion annually, while also supporting jobs,
                            tourism, and regional growth. These benefits extend beyond
                            individual council boundaries, contributing to the broader
                            Queensland and national economy.
                            More broadly, many councils across Queensland are responsible
                            for managing natural and cultural assets of regional, national or
                            global importance, such as heritage places, wetlands and coastal
                            environments, often with limited recognition of their wider value.
                            Recognising World Surfing Reserves as significant public assets
                            provides a clear and scalable model for how governments can
                            better acknowledge and support councils managing places of
                            shared environmental, social and economic importance.
                            Such an approach strengthens the case for coordinated policy
                            recognition and reinforces the contribution local governments make
                            in maintaining assets that benefit the entire state.
Case study/ Example
(optional) 350-word limit




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                                                                                       Wilson Crawley