2021-01-18 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                                18 JANUARY 2021


2                        NOOSA RIVER PLAN CONSULTATION & NOOSA RIVER STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY
                         GROUP
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                              Environment Services Manager, Craig Doolan
                                    Environment Officer (Rivers and Coast), Jan Maddin
                                    Environment & Sustainable Development Department

Index                               ECM/ Subject/ Noosa River Plan

Attachments                         1.    Terms of Reference: Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee
                                    2.    Consultation Report – River Plan Version 1 (2018) (22 pages
                                          provided separately to the agenda)
                                    3.    Consultation Report – River Plan Version 2 (2019-2020) (30 pages
                                          provided separately to the agenda)



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Draft Noosa River Plan is a key planning document of Noosa Council and of great interest to
the Noosa community. The current Noosa River Plan was endorsed in 2004 and work has been
done over several years to produce a new plan which takes a catchment-wide approach to
protecting and enhancing the key environmental, economic and social asset that is the Noosa
River system. Since a first draft was released for public comment in 2018 there has been significant
feedback received from the community, further river-related research undertaken and key projects
initiated, significant changes in State government policy and resourcing, and also changes at local
government level.

The decision to create a Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee, is being undertaken in
partnership with Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) to formalise ongoing engagement with key
community stakeholders in the sustainable use, conservation and management of the Noosa River
and its broader catchment. It is anticipated establishing the Committee will engender cooperation
and support, and the Committee’s advice and recommendations will help inform finalisation of the
Noosa River Plan.

The purpose of this report is to provide a collation of the community feedback received to date on
Draft Noosa River Plan (versions 1 and 2) and to present the Terms of Reference for the Noosa
River Stakeholder Advisory Committee. This report also considers the previously adopted position
of Council to locally manage a number of river-related activities. Due to MSQ’s commitment to river
management and marine safety in Noosa, through the establishment of a locally-based office and
dedicated Noosa River Marine Officer, it is recommended that there is no longer a need for Council
to take on these responsibilities. It is now likely that mutually beneficial outcomes can be achieved
by working with and supporting MSQ. This will provide a clear position prior to the formation of the
stakeholder group in early 2021.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Environment Services Manager and Environment Officer
(Rivers and Coast) to the General Committee Meeting dated 18 January 2021 and:
A.                       Note the consultation reports for the two periods of public consultation on the Noosa River
                         Plan, from 20 July to 26 August 2018 and 02 December to 10 January 2020;
B.                       Note the Terms of Reference for the joint Noosa Shire Council and Maritime Safety
                         Queensland Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee;



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