2018-08-07 P&E Agenda - Attachment 1 to Item 3 - Noosa Biosphere Reserve 10 Year Periodic Review

                                                                   Noosa Biosphere Reserve - Periodic Review 2018




A recent initiative is the construction of a state-of-the-art digital hub at Peregian Beach where innovative
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businesses can access new technologies. The Shire aims to attract high value, low environmental
impact, knowledge-based industries and entrepreneurs to the Noosa region. The Council also offers an
Innovation Masterclass where members of the public can learn the skills necessary for innovation.

It is clear from many global economic commentators that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is already
underway, and that knowledge and creative industries (using the internet as a vehicle for the creation of
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new products and services) will provide major employment opportunities in the future. People living
within the NBR can be connected into this activity.




Photo: NSC, Digital Hub Peregian Beach

Innovate Noosa is a collective of local entrepreneurs seeking to develop economic development for the
community whilst also tackling problems and challenges identified for the Noosa area. Innovate Noosa
holds ideas driven workshops and young starters pitch competitions.
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Similarly, Create Noosa brings talented people together to facilitate collaboration and help Noosa
become a centre of excellence for the development and use of creative technologies.

Just to the south of Noosa, the SCRC local government area is earmarked to become a Smart Region.
The rollout of new digital infrastructure, digital capacity and innovation skills is being supported by
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government, universities, training providers, business and the community. The NBR will also become
a beneficiary of this activity. It will be interesting to see how quickly new and faster internet, the
introduction of coding and other digital technology learning tools in school and university curriculums
benefits younger (and older) generations, and creates new regional employment opportunities in the
future.

5.7    Local business or other economic development initiatives (green alternatives)

The popularity of the NBR as a tourist destination has focused local community attention on transport
and energy issues. Like many other regional towns around the world that attract millions of visitors each
year, Noosa suffers from traffic congestion along its major roadways. Hastings Street - the major retail
shopping and tourist accommodation strip which runs parallel with Noosa Main Beach - is routinely
clogged with cars during the peak summer holiday season. Workers and local residents find it difficult to
move easily around their town with the number of visitors. The NSC is working closely with TN to find


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   https://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/whole-lotta-love-for-the-3m-peregian-digital-hub/3355849/
   (accessed 23/4/18)
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   https://www.weforum.org/projects/fourth-industrial-revolution-and-environment-the-stanford-dialogues
   (accessed 13/4/18)
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   http://createnoosa.com/ (accessed 22/5/2018)
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   2015, Digital Sunshine Coast – Smart Region, Smart City http://digitalsunshinecoast.com.au/



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