Attachment F - Carparking Evaluation -Noosa Carparking Study - McGagney report

                                                                                                        Noosa Council
                                                                                   Noosa Car Parking Study 2017 - 2032
                                                                                                          Final Report



2         Strategic Context
This section evaluates the strategic context for this parking study, including:
   Noosa’s transport environment, including external transport connections, internal transport infrastructure
    and transport mode share; and
   Noosa Design Principles (2015) and Noosa Transport Strategy 2017 – 2027 and their strategic direction for
    parking within Noosa Shire.


Noosa’s current transport context will be used as an input to evaluate the viability of potential parking demand
management options, while the Noosa Design Principles (2015) and Noosa Transport Strategy 2017 – 2027 will
be used to align recommendations with Noosa’s broader strategic direction for parking.


2.1       Noosa’s Transport Environment
Noosa’s economic growth has slowed since the rapid expansion of the 1980s and 1990s. However, Noosa’s
population is expected to increase by 16% between 2017 and 2031, and along with population growth in
surrounding areas and the wider SEQ region, Noosa is still expected to experience increased parking demands
from residents and visitors, often concentrated with seasonal peaks.

Noosa is currently served by public transport such as inter-regional train services, inter- and intra-regional bus
services, and ferries. The coastal area has an extensive on-road and off-road cycle network, and a relatively well-
connected pathway network. Regardless of Noosa’s current public transport and active transport infrastructure,
most trips in Noosa are still completed by private vehicle, with 87% of Noosa residents relying on a car for
transport (SEQ Household Travel Survey, 2009 - 2012)

While active transport and bus public transport remain important as detailed in the Noosa Transport Strategy
2017-2027 it is recognised that the great majority of trips for the foreseeable future will continue to be made
by private vehicle, and carparking to cater for these trips is required.

Noosa Shire is primarily connected to the north and south via Bruce Highway, which runs west of Noosaville,
and via the Sunshine Motorway which originates south of Noosaville and follows the coastline through to
Maroochydore. Key links to the Bruce Highway and Sunshine Motorway include Cooroy–Noosa Road and
Eumundi–Noosa Road, and David Low Way and Emu Mountain Road, respectively. Noosa relies heavily on
roundabouts, as opposed to traffic lights, to manage traffic flow through intersections, with this choice a
conscious feature as per the Noosa Design Principles (2015).

Noosa’s main walking catchments are currently Tewantin / Noosaville / Noosa Heads / Sunshine Beach centric,
with limited infrastructure elsewhere in the region, although adequate walking infrastructure is provided in the
Cooroy region. In particular, there are large residential areas of Noosa Shire without roadside footpaths, which
generally discourage active transport participation.

Noosa’s public transport primarily consists of bus and train services. The North Coast train line, connecting the
greater area of Noosa to the north and south, passes to the west of Noosaville, stopping at Cooroy, Pomona
and Cooran. Bus services connect the main residential areas of Noosa, as well as external connections to
Maroochydore and Nambour.

Trip mode-share for residents and visitors to the region are shown in Table 2-1.




                                                             3