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

                                                                     Noosa Biosphere Reserve - Periodic Review 2018




2. The early stages of ‘decoupling’ population growth from economic growth. While Noosa’s
   population growth has slowed considerably over the past decade from 2.1% to 0.8%, its economy
   has continued to grow. Over the past five years, growth in Gross Regional Product (GRP) has
   averaged at 2.4% per annum (above both South-East Queensland and the State), and increased by
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   1% to $2.8 billion in 2015-16 . There is evidence that the population is stabilising, but both the
   tourism and non-tourism sectors are increasing in revenue and employment levels. The Noosa
   Biosphere Reserve demonstrates it is possible to balance environmental protection with sustained
   economic growth.

3. Formal engagement between the NSC and the Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners.
   Following the successful registration by the Commonwealth Government of the Kabi Kabi (also
   referred to as Gubbi Gubbi) native title claim over parts of the Noosa Shire the Indigenous people of
   Noosa will have the right to formal input into potential development or management decisions
   affecting their traditional lands. The ruling that the Kabi Kabi are the appropriate claimants brings
   recognition of the unbroken ties to the land and sea country of Noosa to Traditional Owners, who
   have occupied the region for many thousands of years.

4. Continued recognition. This includes the recognition of Noosa as a National Surfing Reserve in
   2014, and a World Surfing Reserve in 2017. A diligent group of local people in the community,
   surfers and others, were successful in their bid for recognition of Noosa’s world-class surfing
   breaks. Tourism Noosa has also collected awards for its Welcome to Noosa and EcoCheck
   business programs. This Council-funded organisation has twice won the Queensland Tourism
   Award for Tourism Marketing and the Australian Tourism Award for Destination Marketing. The
   Noosa Visitor Information Centre was also recently voted Queensland’s best.

5. An increase in the area of scientific research. Projects such as the Noosa River Oyster Reef
   Restoration project which is an ‘Australian-first’ oyster restoration project in a river system. The
   project is jointly-funded by the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation (NBRF), The Thomas
   Foundation, the Noosa Parks Association (NPA), and The Nature Conservancy, and is being
   delivered by researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC).

The work of maintaining the Noosa Biosphere Reserve as a unique learning site for sustainable living is
demanding, requiring considerable resources. There are layers of Commonwealth, State and Local
Government regulation covering the terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments, as well as the
wildlife within these ecosystems.

The local government (NSC) is the level of government where most of the monitoring activity occurs.
However, many local governments are finding it difficult to manage the ever-increasing range of
responsibilities and community expectations, with limited budgets. Volunteers in community
organisations provide a highly valuable contribution in this endeavour.

A summary of the likely challenges ahead for the Noosa Biosphere Reserve in the next decade is:

1. Climate change - the greatest threat to people and nature. There is evidence of warmer air and
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   ocean temperatures, and more unpredictability of weather patterns in South-East Queensland
   (SEQ). Such climatic shifts are potentially harmful for Noosa, given the local economy’s heavy
   reliance upon the Tourism sector. Although the Council is currently engaged in a range of impact
   studies, more research is likely needed on the potential impacts of climate change upon people and
   nature in the region.

2. Pressure from coastal population growth and increased visitation. In the latest regional plan
   for SEQ, the State Government opted to leave Noosa’s future resident population as planned at
   approximately 60,000, and in consolidation mode. There is a risk that future governments may
   overturn this position. The greatest risk comes from projections that an estimated 500,000 people
   will be living on the Sunshine Coast by 2041 which will result in increased tourist day visits to the
   NBR area. More work needs to be done on achieving a better distribution of visitors between the
   coastal and hinterland areas of Noosa and managing visitor impacts throughout the NBR.

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   2017, Lucid Economics, Noosa Economic Profile, p.1
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   https://www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/en/climate-projections/future-climate/regional-climate-change-
explorer/super-clusters/?current=ESC&tooltip=true&popup=true (accessed 23/4/18)



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