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

                                                                    Noosa Biosphere Reserve - Periodic Review 2018




long-term solutions to this problem. A range of working groups and consultants are developing plans for
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an exciting, environmentally-friendly integrated transport system for Noosa.

The introduction of electric vehicles may offer one solution. In a very positive move, an electric vehicle
charging station has been introduced at the Cooroy railway station, as part of the Queensland
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Government’s Electric Super Highway initiative. This program supported by LGAs and completed in
January 2018 provides the longest electric vehicle charging route in a single State in Australia.




Photo source Plugshare, Cooroy electric vehicle charging station

Council also provided grant funding to support an Electric Vehicle Expo held in May 2018 in conjunction
with local community organisation, Zero Emissions Noosa. Opened by the State's Transport Minister,
the one-day expo was attended by close to 2,000 locals. The introduction of electric vehicles into the
Australian car market (and potential price drops over the next 5-10 years with volume of sales and
popularity), is a sign that transport sustainability is achievable at scale.
The NSC has also adopted a goal for the organisation to be carbon neutral by 2026 with major
initiatives underway to increase solar installations from 30kw to 262kw on key Council buildings bringing
the total output per annum to 425200 Kwhr.
Noosa's approach to sustainable economic development is underpinned by the NSC’s Draft New Noosa
Plan (town planning scheme) and its 2016 Local Economic Plan. The overarching vision for the local
Noosa economy is ‘a dynamic and resilient economy for generations to come’.
The Local Economic Plan 2016 outlines the current economic profile and regional context. The SEQ
region has a GRP of $2.5 billion per annum, with average growth rate of 2.7%. Construction is the most
valuable industry delivering $267.8 million to the SEQ region annually, followed by Retail trade ($263.3
million) and Healthcare & Social Assistance ($219 million). Most of the 7,206 businesses in the Noosa
Shire (62%) are non-employing businesses. Most of the growth in the future will come from the
Healthcare and Education and Training sectors.
The Environmental and Professional Services industries together include:
•       Professional, scientific and technical services
•       Manufacturing
•       Electricity, gas, water and wastewater services
•       Building materials, and

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     http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-10/noosa-council-considers-vehicle-free-zone/8173488 (accessed
     23/4/18)
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     https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/projects/electricvehicles/super-highway (accessed 3/5/18)



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