CONSOLIDATED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM FEEDBACK 2025-2026 · Attachment 1 - Interactions and Engagement Summary for 2025-26 Final

Page 2

Interactions and Engagement Summary for 2025                                            -26

A series of formal and informal consultation initiatives conducted in 2025 and 2026
provide comprehensive data and       evidence to help guide decision -making and inform
budget priorities during preparation of the 202     6 -20 27 Noosa Council Budget.


By analysing community feedback on Council’s service performance alongside broader
community values , aspirations and liveability outcomes       , Council has captured a broad
understanding of community expectations         and identified priorities.




Councillor Engagement

Residents and ratepayers have a range of formal and informal opportunities to connect with
Council’s elected representatives to share perspectives and priorities. These include
attending Councillor Coffee Chat sessions      and external “Council in Community” meetings    .
These forums encourage residents to engage directly with councillors and contribute to the
development of community      -focused policies and budget decisions.




2025 Coffee Chats

    •   Wednesday 19 February (Noosaville -Noosa Civic, Noosa North Shore, Sunshine
        Beach)
    •   Wednesday 16 April (Cooran, Peregian Beach, Kin Kin)
    •   Wednesday 13 August (Noosaville -Gympie Terrace, Tewantin, Boreen Point)
    •   Friday 14 November (Pomona, Peregian Beach, Noosa Springs)

Page 3

External Council Meetings


External “Council in Community” meetings were held throughout the            S hire, offering
residents the opportunity to engage with councillors on a variety of topics before the formal
Council sessions. In 2025, three such external meetings took place, each preceded by
engagement sessions attended by approximately 50 participants.



    •   Cooro y, May 2025
    •   Kin Kin , August 2025
    •   Boreen Point , November 2025.




Council Meeting s – Public Participation

Council meetings give residents, ratepayers and business owners an opportunity to raise
matters in a public forum . This includes pub lic question time , making a deputation on a
topic, and submitting a petition for consideration.

These options allow community members            to share their views , highlight concerns and
advocate for change or action on local issues.

After these formal presentation s, Councillors adjourn       the meeting to speak   with attendees
more informally, helping them better understand the issues, encouraging open and
respectful discussion.

While petitions are less common,     public question and deputation s have been regularly used
at most Ordinary meetings     over the past year , reflecting the community’s ongoing
engagement and interest in Council decision        -making processes.

Page 4

Formal Community Eng agement Projects

Noosa Council undertakes a range of community engagement activities to inform
decision -making , including support ing development of the annual budget, recognising
engagement as a core element of good governance. Through a mix of consultation
methods , such as surveys, online engagement via       Your Say Noosa , community workshops,
targeted stakeholder engagement, and        submissions, Council gathers insight into
community priorities, concerns and expectations.


This input helps Council understand community values, test trade        -offs, and balance
competing demands within financial and legislative constraints,       ensuring the budget is
informed by both technical analysis and lived experience, and aligns with         the long -term
interests of the Noosa community.


Over the past twelve months     formal c ommunity engagement        has occurred for localised
projects such as the Noosa Botanic Gardens Master Plan        , the Noosa Aquatic Centre
Upgrade Plan to more broad issues such as the Destination Management Plan               and
proposed amendments to the Noosa Plan         . There have been    over 4,300 interactions at
these community engagement opportunities throughout 2025 and 20             26.


The Community Satisfaction Survey and the Liveability Survey address distinct but
complementary aspects of community feedback. Together, they capture residents’ views
on Council’s performance and services, and the broader values, experiences and
outcomes the c ommunity seeks for Noosa as a place to live, work and participate in
community life.


B elow we have further information on     key engagements that have been completed which
include: 2026 Liveability Survey,   2025 Community Satisfaction Survey        and Destination
Management Plan.

Page 5

2026 Li veability Survey

The 2026 Liveability Survey was conducted from 2 February                 to 8 March 2026   2026. The
survey was completed        by over 2 ,300 community members who told us what they value
most about their neighbourhood and how they rate their neighbourhood.


These scores were then combined to provide an overall Liveability Index for each
neighbourhood. Noosa's 2026         L iveability score is 69 out of 100


These results allow us to focus on the things most valuable to our community. It helps us
plan and make decisions that will have the greatest impact on wellbeing.


It also recognises that each neighbourhood is different with individual values and
experiences.


The community was also invited to provide their own ideas on what Council priorities
should be by open text response, which generated            1,913 responses.


Top 10 Liveability Pr iorities :
Liveability Priorities   indicate opportunities for better community outcomes.          The top 10
attributes ranked the most important by respondents            are outlined below :

Page 6

Community Place Values – Highest/lowest priorities


Respondents were asked to select                their top three most important place values
(or attributes) across 9 place dimensions : Character, Community, Economy,                                 Environmental
Sustainability, Housing and Development, Management and Safety, Movement,                                       Open
Space, Social Facilities and Services.


The results in the below table indicate              the top 15 place values in order of ranking that are
the most important:




Community ideas


Respondents were asked to share, in 25 words or fewer, a big or small idea to make their
suburb more liveable. A total of 1,913 responses were received, often containing multiple
ideas or themes. Suggestions covered a wide range of topics and have been gro                                   uped
below by liveability theme, along with the number of mentions for each.




Count of open -ended responses from   Community Ideas by theme. Source: Place Score Liveability Monitor 2026.

Page 7

2025 Community Satisfaction Survey

Survey Overview


The 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey provides a statistically valid snapshot of
resident and ratepayer views on Council performance and priorities across 50 Council
service areas.


The Place Score survey     between 28 April and 23 May 2025        achieved responses from 398
randomly selected residents and ratepayers aged 15 years and over. The sample reflects
the Shire’s demographic profile and provides a reliable basis for understanding community
views on Council performance and future priorities.


The survey was designed to meet accepted standards of statistical validity in both sample
size and demographic composition.


For budget considerations, the survey is particularly valuable because it:
• Provides a resident perspective on      levels of satisfaction with operational     areas
   and identifies current priorities;
• Highlights areas where     areas of high importance are not matched by
   performance expectations, indicating potential priorities for resourcing or reform; and
• Adds qualitative context through free     -text responses that    further explain
   which areas the community wants Council to focus on.




Performance


Council received an overall performance rating of 79% which means that 79% of
respondents selected     very good, good or average to describe their level of satisfaction
with Council's performance over the past two years.

Page 8

The 10 service areas that respondents felt most satisfied with Council's performance
were:




The 10 service areas that respondents felt        least satisfied with Council's performance
were:




Note: n_r = is the number of respondents who rated their satisfaction with the service and
excludes the respondents who selected 'Don't Know'. P% is the percentage of n_r=
respondents who selected 'Very good', 'Good', and 'Average' and excludes the
respondents who s    elected 'Don't Know     ’.

Page 9

Importance


The survey captures respondents’                views on which service areas are             most important to
them. It acknowledges that while respondents might                      view many or all areas as being
important to them, it requires them to select those areas which are                         currently most
important to them.
Respondents prioritised the following 10 service areas:

Service Area                                                                                      Level of
                                                                                                  Importance %
Providing value for money from rates                                                              61%
– fairness of rates and fees, and balance between rates and       user -pays charges.
Provision and maintenance of parks and public spaces                                              59%
– including open space, off   -leash dog areas, shelters, BBQs, outdoor showers, etc
Road maintenance and condition                                                                    59%
– including repairing potholes/damaged road, resurfacing, grading, street sweeping etc
Council making decisions in the best interest of the community                                    58%
– transparency and    evidence -based decision -making.
Community wellbeing                                                                               53%
– including community events, programs, Living Well and support for vulnerable people.
Protection and management of the natural environment                                              52%
– including bushland reserves, ecosystem support, coastal and foreshore dune
management, river/waterway quality, conservation.
Health services and/or programs                                                                   50%
– including licensing and inspection of restaurants/cafes/shops, noise complaints,
waterways sampling, mosquito/midge treatment.
Beach and/or waterway services                                                                    47%
– including lifeguard services, beach access, showers, sand replenishment, Noosa North
Shore Ferry.
Safe public spaces                                                                                46%
– lighting, CCTV and perceptions of safety.
Planning for future community needs                                                               46%
– long -term plans/strategies for leadership & direction.




Improvement Priorities – High Importance / Lower Performance                            :

The Place Score analysis goes beyond individual performance and satisfaction ratings by
comparing how well Council services are performing relative to how important they are to
the community.

Page 10

This analysis identifies those services that are highly valued and being well deliver       ed, as
well as those that are important to residents but perceived as underperforming. This
approach provides a clearer, evidence       -based framework for prioritising improvement
efforts.

The results highlight five service areas in the ‘nurture’ category, which are performing
strongly and are highly valued, indicating the need for continued investment to maintain
satisfaction.

While no services were identified as ‘urgent’, seven areas fall within the ‘manage’ category         .
Services that are considered highly important but are not fully meeting community
expectations. These areas have a strong influence on overall perceptions of Council
performance and represent key opportunities for targeted improvement and resource
focus.




Community Ideas – Themes from free -text responses



Respondents were additionally invited to provide suggestions regarding what Council's
service delivery priorities should be for the upcoming two years. 345 survey respondents
provided ideas through a free text response. The suggestions were numerous and ve              ry
diverse from large strategic issues like climate change to localised operational requests

Page 11

like fixing a pothole in a particular street. While not statistically weighted, this feedback
provides important context to the quantitative results.

The bar chart below shows the number of responses for the dominant themes where the
respondent mentioned a theme element at least once in their free text response.




The second level of analysis explored what respondents were specifically seeking under
each of the primary themes. The number in brackets shows the number of respondents
(out of 345) who mentioned this element at least once in their response.

    •   Tourism Pressure & Development Control (121)            - Residents expressed concern
        about overcrowding, traffic congestion, short        -term accommodation and
        development scale. There was a clear call to prioritise resident needs over tourism
        growth, protect Noosa’s character and better manage growth impacts.

    •   Roads & Footpaths (74) – The responses called for improved local road and
        footpath maintenance, cycling infrastructure and road safety. Concerns extend
        beyond main roads to local streets, verges and gravel surfaces.

    •   Environment & Climate Change (73)          – Very strong support for protecting the
        natural environment, including beaches, waterways and bushland, alongside
        clearer action on climate change, resilience and environmental stewardship.

    •   Service Delivery (72)    – Respondents expressed requests for          improved service
        delivery across a variety of front facing services including sports infrastructure,
        libraries, cultural activities, youth and family services and community wellbeing

Page 12

    programs. Sentiment reflects a desire for services that support everyday quality of
    life.

•   Parking Management & Local Laws (47)          - Concerns about parking shortages,
    congestion and enforcement consistency, particularly in activity centres, tourist
    areas and resident areas near tourist areas. Some references to illegal camping and
    amenity impacts.

•   Community Engagement (37)         - Calls for Council to listen and act, to prioritise
    residents in engagement, to communicate clearly and engage earlier

•   Housing (36) - Concerns about housing affordability and availability, with calls for
    more rental, social and worker housing and better management of short                -term
    accommodation impacts.

•   Budget decisions that clearly align to these priorities       – particularly in areas where
    importance outpaces perceived performance             – are likely to have a positive impact
    on community confidence and satisfaction.

Page 13

Destination Management Plan

Noosa Council conducted two             key community engagement               phases in preparation of this
community -led plan , which was adopted on 15 December 2025.


The combined engagement attracted                 nearly 2,000 people . There were 937 responses
during Phase 1 (conducted between 15 September to 29                     October 202 3.)


In Phase two 1,099 responses were              provided (Consultation during May -September 2025)


The survey component sought to understand how tourism impacted the Noosa
community, confirm community expectations for managing visitation, and ensure that the
resulting DMP reflected what matters most to residents, businesses                      and stakeholders .




Figure 1: Phase 1 & 2 Additional Community Engagement Mechanisms   (How we engaged)




Collectivel y, DMP surveying delivered a rich quantitative and qualitative data set of          more than 2,000
individual survey responses, supported by 197 submissions, 40                Mentimeter responses, and 24 Love
Letters written by Noosa’s youth.



Phase 2: Validating and Refining Community Feedback

The second phase of consultation was designed to confirm earlier findings.


It shared back with the community the proposed vision, regenerative tourism approach,
and the set of strategies and actions identified in Phase               1.


The purpose was to check that Council had accurately understood and reflected
community feedback. This information was presented using four guiding principles to help
structure discussion and         understanding.

Page 14

This phase strengthened transparency        and closed the feedback loop with the community.

It also helped refine areas of consensus, identify any gaps or misinterpretations, and
ensure that the draft DMP reflects community expectations before finalisation.

Page 15

Guiding Principle 1: Respecting Community   (Phase 2)




Guiding Principle 2 – Leading the Way (Phase 2)

Page 16

Guiding Principle 3 – L iving Our Values (Phase 2)




Guiding Principle 4 – Tourism for Good (Phase 2)