Meeting papers

10. Social values
Cultural values
The Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves have a range of cultural values for many communities.


Objectives
     5. Identify and protect Kabi Kabi and non-indigenous cultural heritage sites and values in the
     Eastern Beaches Foreshore Reserves.


Outcomes
     •   Kabi Kabi are supported in their cultural and environmental stewardship of the EBFRs

     •   Community understanding of the cultural values of the EBFRs is increased

Ocean coasts are resource rich and important landmarks in the landscape, meaning that they are
often important to people for both practical and spiritual reasons. Many coastal dune networks
have significant First Nations cultural value as cultural landscapes, past and current resource use
and archaeological sites. They also often have resource or historical value for more recent
residents, visitors and communities such as recreational fishing.

During the millennia of First Nations stewardship, it is likely that Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi)
conducted firestick farming, maintaining open grassy understories in Noosa’s eucalyptus forests
that extended into the area currently managed as the EBFRs. Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) trapped
and harvested fish, shellfish, sea turtle, and dugong in the coastal strip and would likely have
periodically lived at sites in and near the coastal strip.

In conjunction with this resource use and occupation, they undertook cultural and resource
stewardship practices and maintained ceremonial and spiritual places in the Eastern Beaches
coastal strip. 16 In an area surrounded by significant landmarks, and with several significant view
lines, the Eastern Beaches coastal strip supports Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) cultural landscapes and
story places.

Before 1960 Noosa’s coastal areas were primarily used by non-Indigenous people for fishing and
holidaying in basic boarding houses and camps. Away from the sand dunes, the area was
dominated by low nutrient, acidic heathland, and wetlands unsuitable for western agriculture. The
Eastern Beaches urban areas were opened to residential development and more formalised
tourism in the 1960s, with the road from Coolum upgraded and urban blocks on sale in Peregian
Beach in 1960. Both road and urban development extended up to Sunshine Beach the following
year 17.




16
   Noosa Council, Sergiacomoi, Leddy & Fesl, Eve (2004), Indigenous Cultural Heritage Study of Noosa
Shire, Noosa: Noosa Shire Council.
17 Centre for the Government of Queensland. (2018). Noosa Southern Beaches.

https://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/noosa-southern-beaches

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