Protecting First Point, Noosa Heads

Frank Wilkie9:59

Councillors. Okay. We're back on and it was brought to my attention that we actually moved and seconded the confirmation of the Minutes but we didn't actually vote on it. Those in favour of the Minutes? Thank you. Online? Yes. Thank you. That's carried, thank you. Right, now there are no Mayoral minutes. We have one notified motion which was included in the agenda. Protecting First Point, Noosa Heads, Councillor Lorentson, would you like to move your motion?

Amelia Lorentson11:14

Thank you Councillor Phillips. Councillor Lorentson. First Point Noosa Heads is of one Australia's most iconic and international and recognised surf breaks and an important environmental, recreational and cultural asset for both the local community and visitors. It contributes significantly to Noosa's identity, its lifestyle and visitor economy. The surf break, the beach, the dunes and the adjoining foreshore operate as an interconnected coastal system. Sand movement, shoreline condition and coastal works in the area can directly influence wave quality, surf amenity and the health of the surrounding environment. For this reason, management decisions at First Point require careful and coordinated consideration. First Point forms part of the Noosa World Surfing Reserve, which recognises the area's outstanding global surfing significance and provides an important stewardship and advocacy framework. While World Surfing Reserve designation confirms international recognition, it does not provide legislative or statutory protection. It does not regulate coastal works, it does not regulate sand pumping activities, pipelines, anchoring systems or other interventions that may affect wave quality, sediment dynamics or foreshore condition. First as a result, First Point remains vulnerable despite its global status, community groups, including saving First Point, have continually raised issues regarding sand pumping and coastal works, noting that Noosa Council has not pumped sand in this area for many years, these concerns reflect strong and enduring community expectations that a place of such significance should be afforded more targeted and robust protection. In the absence of new state led legislative or policy measures, there is a clear need for Council to investigate locally driven planning, coastal management, heritage and legal pathways to better safeguard First Point's environmental, cultural, and recreational values, including a dedicated section, or First Point, within the proposed Surf Management Plan, which is a key deliverable of the Destination Management Plan, and is a practical, low-cost, and proportionate first step. It formally recognises the areas significance, improves visibility in Council decision making, and provides a coordinated framework to guide future actions without committing Council to immediate capital works. Council is in the final stages updating its regional coastal process study and model in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council, the Queensland Department of Environment, tourism, science and Innovation, and through grant funding from the National Emergency Management Agency. Critical step will enable Council and the community to have evidence-based and data-driven insight into coastal processes and sand movements along Noosa's coastline over time. Through the process of developing a Surf Management Plan, Council can consider a range scalable and evidence-based options such as stakeholder engagement or roundtables, monitoring of sand movement and surf break performance, clearer operational triggers for intervention, alignment with existing shoreline or erosion management plans, review of sand management. And practices strengthening local planning or regulatory tools and exploring heritage or other recognition mechanisms where appropriate. Local or state heritage may represent a credible pathway to formally recognise First Point's importance, including its contribution. To Queensland's surfing history and coastal identity. In parallel, strengthened local laws, foreshore specific protections and tailored safe sand management approaches offer practical tools to guide decision making and regulate activities and preserve the coastal and wave forming processes that underpin First Point's significance. Investigating options, resourcing and funding implications ensures Council can assess these measures in the structured and financially responsible way through the normal budget process. This motion recognises and builds on the Noosa World Surfing Reserve's work and advocacy in protecting Noosa's Noosa's world-class point break. Breakers. Breaks from Laguna Bay to North Sunshine Beach. The World Surfing Reserve with Council have scoped this Surf Management Plan which is a key action of a Destination Management Plan that provides expertise and guidance to ensure key surf breaks are properly considered. This motion builds on their work to date and the strong ongoing. Advocacy of both Save First Point and the Noosa World Surfing Reserve, reflecting a collaborative, locally led and evidence based approach to protecting First Point for current and future generations. I do also want a and request that it's formally recognised in the motion. Just a quick overview of what makes First Point unique I do so because it uniqueness has and heritage significance that is probably not welcome to everyone in the community. I'll just speak quickly to it before I table. First Point Noosa Heads is internationally recognised as an exceptional right-hand break of rare geological and oceanographic quality. Comparable to only a very small number of sites globally, including Malibu, USA, it displays a mechanically consistent and highly refined wave form, ideally suited to long-term. Board surfing. And under optimal swell conditions, high performance short board surfing. Its exceptional length, shape and rideability represent a benchmark in global surf quality. The waves defined characteristics arise from the unique and enduring interaction between the granite headland of Noosa National Park, the curvature of Laguna Bay, long-established sand transport systems and subtle marine and vegetative stabilisation processes. Together these natural. Elements create a clean, peeling away face of remarkable consistency and aesthetic distinction. These attributes have developed over geological time and are dependent upon dynamic coastal processes that cannot be engineered or authentically replicated elsewhere, contributing to the site's rarity and integrity. First Point possesses outstanding aesthetic value due to the harmonious relationship between landforms, seascape and coastal dynamics that produce one of the most. Celebrated most surf braids in the world. It also holds strong social and cultural significance and has played a central role in the evolution of Australian longboarding and remains deeply embedded in Noosa's community identity, intergenerational traditions and surf culture. It maintains strong and ongoing associations with surfers locally, nationally and internationally and contributes materially to the region's tourism economy these and global reputation. Point reasons, point may reasonably be considered to demonstrate cultural heritage significance and may warrant assessment for potential listing under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. To ask you to table this to the CEO.