Meeting papers

12.11. Public access and recreation
Noosa’s coastal bushland, beaches and waters are some of the most valued in the world, and
thousands of residents and visitors are drawn to them every year. Dunes and foreshores are where
we access some of our most precious and in-demand recreation places. Maintaining long-term and
sustainable public access to these highly desirable locations in the face of coastal erosion, climate
change impacts and high visitor numbers is a challenge that requires careful planning.

Objective

2.    Maintain adaptive, long-term, inclusive, safe and sustainable public recreational access to
beaches, foreshores, waters, and foreshore bushland.

Outcomes
   • Equitable access to a range of recreational and natural areas experiences, distributed
      across the EBFRs, is provided.

   •   Attractive and sustainable beach accesses and community infrastructure in the EBFR are
       provided and improved.

   •   Erosion and vegetation damage associated with public access and recreation, public beach
       accesses and community infrastructure is reduced.

   •   Climate change considerations arein is included in beach accesses and community
       infrastructure planning and management

   •   Beach dog walking is supported while reducing its social and environmental impacts
Constructed recreational access and opportunities
Most EBFR recreational access is on the 41 beach accesses to Noosa’s Eastern Beaches.
Thousands of reserve visitors walk along the beach accesses through the EBFRs each week.
Some interpretative signs about coastal plants, animals, ecosystems and landform, mostly installed
by community partners, are alongside some of the beach accesses. Some parts of the north-south
coastal bike and pedestrian path run in or near the western boundary of the EBFRs.


Commercial and organised recreational access and opportunities
On the beaches or in nearby open space many organised community or commercial recreational
opportunities are offered, some regulated under a permit or lease for commercial or community
activities or temporary events permits. These include markets, concerts, surf lessons and board
hire, other watercraft hire and lessons, weddings and other private events, boot camps and
personal trainers, yoga and wellness classes and events, and sand sculpting workshops. Council
seeks to ensure that the adjoining foreshore reserves and the leases and permit activities are
managed in a way that complements each other.


Universal access
Coastal natural areas, dunes, beaches and waters are desirable for everyone to access but also
present challenges to universal access – they are highly exposed to the elements and salt and are
ever-changing, sometimes very rapidly. Sloped natural landforms, soft sand surfaces and natural
vegetation can be highly unfavourable for some forms of universal access. These challenges
present opportunities to consider innovative access designs and materials and events.

Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan 2023                                      Page 49


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