Sealed Judgement

Introduction

Please find below an assessment of the
potential bushfire hazard and risk
assessment to which the proposed
development of Eco-cabins at the existing
RACV Noosa Resort, Noosa Heads

Development Proposal

The RACV Noosa Resort is proposing to
development part of their land for 15 new
Eco-cabins (see Figure 1).

As a result of an existing development
approval (circa 2015) for a 10-unit
development, part of the development area
has been identified as a conservation area
and as such the proposed development
seeks to restrict the development with the
land area approved in the earlier
development application.

The proposed Eco-cabins construction will
be two level unit construction, above natural
ground level on stumps or posts with an
external staircase providing access to the
first floor. The lower level will be accessible
from the boardwalk entrance to each eco-
cabin. The exception to this two level form
will be for Cabin 1 which will be a single
level Cabin, located above the proposed car
parking area.

The development site is to the left or west of
the entry road and the Eco-cabins will have
vehicle assess to a car parking area with
access to the cabins restricted to pedestrian
access.

We note that an elevated timber boardwalk
will provide access to each of the cabins
and this access will also allow for electrical
buggy by Staff members for servicing and
landscape management purposes.

Access to the area around the Eco-cabins
will be restricted to grounds maintenance

staff for the day-to-day management of the
areas around the eco-cabins.

We further note that all services, such as
water, electrical and communications will be
located under the boardwalk structure.

With regard to a water supply for necessary
hydrants or fire hose reels, these can also
be located below to boardwalk structure and
for the hydrants or fire hose reels located as
part of the final detailed engineering design
for approval by the building and plumbing
certifiers.

The bushfire protection will include a 10
metre wide Asset Protection Zone (APZ) to
the north-west and outside of Eco-cabins 1
and 2 & 3. As the potential bushfire risk
area is via a narrow corridor to the north of
the proposed development and the
development will receive protection from a
vegetation burning in the mixed sedgeland
to the north by the existing RACV Noosa
Resort development, the proposed
development will be partially protected from
any vegetation fire and as such not exposed
to that fire (see Figure 2).

With regard to the corridor to the immediate
west of the proposed development and
within the land managed by Noosa Shire
Council on the right bank of Weyba Creek,
the width of vegetation outside of the
mangrove communities on that tidal zone of
Weyba Creek is too narrow for that
vegetation to present a bushfire risk to this
proposed development. However, as the
cabins along the western boundary have
also been relocated to a position outside of
the Environmental Management and
Conservation Zone, Eco-units 2 & 3,4 &5
and 6 & 7 have now been setback further
from the western boundary.

It is further noted that a Concept
Rehabilitation Plan has been prepared
(Andrew Gold Landscape Architecture,

 

RFA18-048 — 22 - RACV Noosa Resort — Eco-Cabins - Bushfire Hazard Assessment and Mitigation Plan

Rob Friend & Associates Pty Ltd

28°" of May 2025

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