Noosa River Plan leading the way

The Noosa River plan regulates water activities and imposes speed restrictions.

GOFF POTTER

For years it seemed like a stagnating backwater of government inaction, but the Noosa River Plan is now leading the way for the rest of the Sunshine Coast to follow.

One of the key recommendations of the Sunshine Coast Draft Waterways and Coastal Management Strategy is to produce waterway management plans for other catchments such as Maroochy.

The proposed coastal management strategy recognises the Noosa community’s involvement in seeking to protect the river values and sees it as pointer for an overall direction.

But the Noosa plan, which has regulated water activities and imposed speed restrictions along river sections at peak times, is far from complete.

“Ongoing implementation of the regulatory provisions of the Noosa River Plan and new marine zones is a priority to take full advantage of community engagement and government coordination,” the draft strategy states.

This vital planning document recognises the needs of erosion “hotspots” like Noosa Main Beach and Mooloolaba when formulating a coordinated approach to coastal management.

Harmful run-off into the Noosa River, climate change and future foreshore inundation from rising seas and more frequent storm surges are also major considerations.

The strategy will “endeavour to balance the need for actions here and now with those that are likely to be most beneficial as the Sunshine Coast adapts to climate change and associated sea level rise”.

“The draft Queensland Coastal Plan 2009 projects that by 2100 the sea level will increase 80cm from the 1990 height.

“Such an increase will mean the lowest lying coastal areas will be subjected to regular and severe inundation in decades to come.

“Adapting to sea level rise will be one of the greatest challenges for coastal foreshore management.”

The strategy notes an important but often overlooked service provided by coastal foreshores is protection of the built environment.

“Well-vegetated coastal dunes and rocky headlands have a tremendous capacity to absorb wave energy and thereby prevent roads and buildings from inundation.”

How these rises and forecast acidification of the sea will affect Noosa’s fragile lakes systems should be another concern for locals.

The Federal Government has two declared wetlands of national importance across 12,805 hectares of the Noosa River system with World Heritage listings.

“The Noosa River lakes and adjacent wetlands are one of only a few intact wetland complexes on the entire eastern Australian seaboard.”