Meeting papers

Beach fishing
Beach fishing is popular, especially around the coastal creek mouths, targeting tailor, mulloway,
bream, flathead, whiting and dart. Discarded fishing gear may pose a risk to other beach users and
to wildlife.


Coastal community infrastructure and climate change
Community infrastructure on foreshores is especially vulnerable to severe weather events and
rising sea levels and impacts on community infrastructure may increase as climate change
continues. Climate change requires coastal community infrastructure materials, design and
management to be increasingly durable and responsive to both sudden major weather events and
gradual long-term changes such as sea level rise and gradual shoreline recession. Responses
may include relocating important recreational and infrastructure assets outside the projected high
risk coastal erosion area or where they cannot be feasibly relocated, accommodating the risks by
adapting the design of these assets to be more resilient before and after a major erosion event.
The CHAP sets out the preferred adaptation outcome for each locality as listed in Appendix Two -
Legislation and policy links.

Council is developing design standards for beach accesses, viewing platforms, signage fencing,
seat and other community coastal infrastructure, in line with Noosa’s Design Principles. Design
standard elements include classification, location, use, construction and maintenance,
environmental impacts and defects. This will inform future upgrades as part of Council’s asset
maintenance and renewal program

Beach accesses
There are 41 public beach accesses that cross the EBFRs, ranging from short, sandy tracks on
fairly flat ground, to highly engineered sets of open stairs down very steep slopes. Some have
largely unmodified natural surfaces, while others are concreted for part of their length, and many
have short lengths of chained planking or boardwalk at their seaward end. Many have stairs at
some point along their length and most are fenced with open post and rail fences and are closely
surrounded by native vegetation.

Some beach accesses tie in with tunnels and accesses under the David Low Way and other roads,
or from bicycle paths, pedestrian paths or open space parks. Many directly link the foreshore
reserves and beaches from secondary or main roads, some with dedicated off-road carparks.
All beach accesses have been in place for at least thirty years, although many have been
upgraded at some point during that time.


Condition and functionality
Most beach accesses are in good condition for most of their length. However, many are now not
long enough - the dunes are rebuilding after the 2017 storms, and the ocean end of many now
extend well past the ends of the modified surfaces and fences. Changes to beach accesses,
especially at the seaward end, can happen quickly too, after storms and floods requiring designs
that provide for dune building and accretion.

Council has detailed data about beach access and associated community infrastructure, including
their location, construction and condition. Council is also starting to collect information about how
they sit in the landscape and work with the environment. Further information from our community
as part of the community consultation for this EBFRMP included how beach accesses are used,
what people like about them, and any concerns they have.




Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan 2023                                       Page 48

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