2021-01-18 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                18 JANUARY 2021


   Phase 7 Project Summary Report (BMT 2020) (see Attachment 2):
     o Cost Benefit Analysis for Coastal Erosion Options (Aither 2020) (see Attachment 3)
     o Cost Benefit Analysis for Noosaville Inundation (Aither 2020) (see Attachment 4)
The reports for phases 2-6 are summarised in the Phase 7 Project Summary Report and therefore
have not be attached to this report.
Completion of the CHAP document represents the eighth and final phase of the project, and will
be submitted to LGAQ and DES for approval following community consultation.
Coastal Hazards Mapping
Phase 3 Coastal Hazards Mapping Refinement Report (BMT 2019) was the subject of a report to
Council in July 2019. At this meeting Council endorsed the erosion and inundation modelling
methodology set out in the Coastal Hazards Mapping Refinement Report.
Further map updates have been made since to the erosion map for the areas between Peregian
and Sunshine Beaches to obtain locality-specific erosion prone area extents. DES has approved
these updates and will use this mapping to directly inform the next State mapping review of erosion
prone areas.
These updated maps are available on Council’s mapping system.
Key findings
Technical studies completed as part of the CHAP’s development revealed that without an
appropriate response, rising sea levels will likely lead to increasing impacts from coastal erosion
along open coast areas (i.e. Eastern Beaches, Noosa Heads, and Noosa North Shore). This will
have a high impact particularly on privately-owned assets and some Council infrastructure (e.g.
roads and recreational areas), as well as the beaches themselves.
Areas along the Lower Noosa River (Noosa Heads, Tewantin, and in particular Noosaville and
Noosa North Shore) will be increasingly at risk due to inundation associated with rising sea levels.
With inundation (flooding of land by tidal waters), the greatest level of exposure and impacts are
expected to occur to Council infrastructure (e.g. stormwater networks, open space, roads), some
private property, as well as indirect consequences for adjacent retail and commercial operations
primarily in Noosaville and Noosa Heads.
Engaging with the Noosa community and other stakeholders has formed an important part of the
development of this plan. Engagement has been ongoing throughout the project, with a range of
important in-person events (including workshops) and online surveys used to capture important
input were held at the project launch, phase four, and phase six. The consultation has allowed for
a two-way shared understanding of the risks that Council and the community face from coastal
hazards. It has provided important insights into the values, wants and needs of residents, business
owners, industry experts, state agencies and other stakeholders. The consultation has also helped
determine the level of tolerance the community has to disruption or damage to community values
and assets due to coastal hazards in areas of most concern, as well as potential responses for
dealing with the impacts.
The most prominent messages from the Noosa community received during the CHAP development
have been:
   The community considers natural and scenic amenity assets to have the highest intrinsic
     value.
   Short term disruptions to public access are tolerable, with a strong emphasis on restoring
     accessibility quickly and safely.
   There is a strong preference for nature-based solutions (e.g. beach nourishment) that fit with
     the look and feel of Noosa, and that minimize impacts to natural environments
   There is a general acceptance that temporary interruptions are likely to occur and that these
     are forecast to increase/worsen, but there is a low tolerance for more permanent impacts.

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