MCU14/0106 & OPW15/0001 Appendix F - Ecological and Bushfire Management Response

Noosa Civic Expansion
Bushfire Assessment Report



 Unit     Description                VHC     Potential        Potential             Potential      Corresponding
                                     Class   Fuel Load      Bushfire Fire-          Bushfire       SPP 1/03 Class
                                               (PFL)      line Intensity (FI)   Intensity Class4   (see Table 3-7)

 C        Areas of open forest to
          the east of Walter Hay
          Drive and separated
                                      2         30              34,081               High             Medium
          from Unit B by a
          cleared power
          transmission easement.
 D        Open Space Precinct 2
                                      1-2      30-33       34,081 - 41,237      High - Very High      Medium
          and 4.
 E        Employment Precinct
                                      1-2      30-33       34,081 - 41,237      High - Very High      Medium
          E7.
 F        Open Space Precinct
                                      2*        30              34,081               High              Medium
          OS7 (Covenant J).
 G        Employment Precinct
                                      2         30              34,081               High              Medium
          E2
 H        Part of Business
                                      2*        30              34,081               High              Medium
          Precinct B3
 I        Employment Precinct
                                      2         30              34,081               High              Medium
          E6.
 J        The proposed Noosa
                                      16        3                341                  Low               Low
          Civic expansion site
 K        The proposed Hofmann
                                      16        3                341                  Low               Low
          Drive extensions
 L        The existing Noosa
                                      16        3                341                  Low               Low
          Civic development


The values presented in Table 3-11 are generally consistent with the State Planning Policy’s interactive
mapping system’s bushfire hazard classifications. It is relevant to note that those areas of the site locality that
have been assigned a Very High Potential Bushfire Intensity Class all have FI scores at the lower end of the
Very High spectrum.
It is also noted that in accordance with the methodology for State-wide mapping of bushfire prone areas in
Queensland (Leonard et al, 2014), for the purpose of bushfire hazard assessments and mapping:
> small patches of a single Vegetation Hazard Class less than 1 ha are assigned the same VHC as that which
  dominates the surrounding landscape (i.e. the area is assigned the same VHC as the surrounding urban
  landform); and
> corridors of potentially hazardous vegetation less than 100m wide, that are isolated from other patches of
  high fuel load VHCs by more than 100m, are assigned the same VHC as that which dominates the
  surrounding landscape.
In this respect it is noted that the classification of Unit F as having a High Potential Bushfire Intensity Class is
conservative and does not take into account:
> the limited extent of this area which covers approximately 1.3 hectares of land;
> the narrow width of the area which ranges from 30-65 metres in width; and
> the high degree of separation that will exist post-development once the Noosa Civic expansion and
  associated road network expansions have been completed.
If Unit F was assigned the same VHC as that which will dominated the post-development landscape (i.e. VHC
16 - Mixture of urban classes) then it would be classified as having a Low Potential Bushfire Intensity Class.
Similarly the classification of Unit H as having a High Potential Bushfire Intensity Class is conservative and in
practice warrants adjustment to a Low Potential Bushfire Intensity Class.



QIC Noosa Civic Pty Ltd                               Version 2                                           23 April 2015
J13041_Bushfire Assessment V2.docx              Commercial in Confidence                                      Page 15