Meeting papers

17.15. Encroachments
Encroachments into foreshore reserves include damaging vegetation, filling, dumping rubbish, yard
extensions, private infrastructure and unauthorised planting. As the impact and area of
encroachments continues to expand in the EBFRs, their ability to contribute to nature-based
community climate change resilience under the CHAP 2021 and to improve coastal ecosystems
under the Noosa Environment Strategy 2019 is compromised.

Encroachments are not isolated to Eastern Beaches and are shirewideshire wide. They are
managed on a shire wide basis for all of Councils bushland reserves under existing Local Law
No.4 (Local Government Controlled Areas, Facilities, & Roads) 2015 annd supporting
Encroaochmenbts Policiy 2023 and Encroachment ProceeduresProcedures 2023.


Objectives

All management objectives

Outcomes
   • Encroachments are strategically managed and prioritised on a risk management basis to
      reduce the area of bushland reserve impacted by encroachments so as to improve
      environmental values and manage bushfire risk.


Education and communication
Ongoing communication between Council, visitors and neighbours can contribute to the protection
and enhancement of the EBFRs and minimise impacts from encroachments. Education and
communication will be the first option in dealing with neighbour impacts. There are many positive
examples for others to follow where bushland neighbours have created improvements for bushland
vegetation, native wildlife and natural amenity through their custodianship of the environment and
volunteer bushcare efforts. Council wishes to celebrate these success stories and provide ongoing
support.


Local Law No.4
Activities in Council managed reserves relating to encroachments are regulated under Local Law
No.4 (Local Government Controlled Areas, Facilities, & Roads) 2015. But how these impacts are
dealt with by Council can be subjective or inconsistent, which can make it difficult for Council
officers to respond to them unless clear processes are put in place to help guide how best to
prioritise and restore encroachments.

Several community groups have expressed frustration about the lack of Council action in relation to
incursions in the bushland reserve. They are calling on Council to take a “proactive, zero tolerance
approach to illegal appropriation of public land, degradation of public land through removal of
native vegetation, unauthorised planting on public land, and the dumping of rubbish or landfill on
public land”. 24 They wish to see immediate action to seek rectification of encroachments,
irrespective of past practices, and take a firm stand on this issue.

ThisThe new Encroachments Policy and ProceeduresProcedures provides for requires a
consistent and, transparent and well-resourced whole of Council response to encroachments that
better meets community expectations and protects the social and environmental values of the
EBFRs. Council’s approach for managing encroachments This includes education and

24 Cotterell, B. (2022) Letter to Scott Waters, Noosa Council CEO, 15 August.

Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves Management Plan 2023                                     Page 76


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