Meeting papers

Each beach access is required to have a standard beach access sign at each end, with the beach
access number and basic beach safety information and contacts.

Many beach accesses have other information and interpretation signs at the entrances or nearby.
These have often been installed as part of a community or Council project. Sign design and
location standards will be included in the new beach access and community coastal infrastructure
design standards. This work is in progress.


Online information
Web based maps, reserve information and beach access information characteristics would help
wayfinding and navigation and help visitors and locals access the beach.


Beach access and community coastal infrastructure design standards
There are currently no criteria for public beach accesses or many other coastal community
infrastructure components. Developing design standards for beach accesses, beach access trail
heads and coastal community infrastructure is needed to identify and direct beach access
construction and management that allows safe and sustainable public access to the beach and
water while protecting the environment it sits in.


Beach access plan
An overarching plan for beach accesses and other community coastal infrastructure could help
define the best intervals and location that allows safe and sustainable public access with an
acceptable walking distance. An agreed inspection and upgrade schedule would help maintain the
beach accesses in a safe and environmentally sustainable condition and allow Council to respond
to the changeable environment of the dunes and beach, including the slow changes of gradual
dune building, and sudden changes like the erosion after Cyclone Debbie in 2017.


Beach access and community infrastructure management
Beach access management involves several branches of Council. Track, handrail and community
infrastructure construction, management and upgrade is managed by Civil and Asset Operations
and Infrastructure Planning, Design and Delivery in Infrastructure Services. Grass and
groundcover maintenance alongside the access is managed by Parks in Infrastructure Services.
Overhanging trees, surrounding bushland maintenance and coordination of Bushcare volunteers
(who often work from and on beach accesses) are managed by Natural Areas in Environmental
Services.


Emergency access
During recent natural disasters it became clear Council could benefit from improved emergency
access to Noosa’s beaches. Most beach accesses are inaccessible to even small All-Terrain
Vehicles. Access for light vehicles, large machinery or large trucks is very problematic. Even where
the accesses would otherwise be suitable, community infrastructure in nearby open spaces, road
reserves, or along the beach accesses complicate or entirely prevents their use by large or long
vehicles and machinery. Restricted access means more machinery movements along longer
lengths of beaches, with accompanying budgetary, environmental and beach user impacts.
Identifying a few simple, short beach accesses that could be modified to allow large machinery and
small vehicle access could help resolve this issue. Consideration of accompanying budget, as well
as environmental and beach user impacts is needed to better understand the costs and benefits of
improved emergency beach access.


Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan 2023                                     Page 54


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