LOCAL HERITAGE REGISTER REVIEW
It’s a case of ‘what’s old is new’ when it comes to the planning for heritage places in the Shire.
It was five years ago , almost to the day, that I first advocated to my fellow Councillors and planning staff that we should review and expand the character precincts in Pomona and Cooroy. While agreeing in principle, staff felt that pursuing the proposal at that time would slow down the adoption of the Noosa Plan, that eventually took another two years anyway. But the long-awaited heritage study looking at the whole of the shire is currently underway.
The review of the Local Heritage Register and heritage provisions in Noosa Plan 2020 aims to ensure that Council is living up to its responsibilities under the Queensland Heritage Act and in line with community’s desire to identify, preserve and protect Noosa’s heritage.
The Queensland Planning Act requires schemes to put in place measures that conserve cultural heritage places and heritage areas, including places of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage, for the benefit of the community and future generations. This project will develop a set of planning scheme amendments to update The Noosa Plan 2020 heritage overlays and character area provisions
Council has appointed an architect with heritage experience to oversee the review which includes a local historical character study. Noosa’s heritage has been forged by :
- the Kabi Kabi-traditional custodians for millennia;
- early colonial settlement focussed on extracting timber;
- traditional farming activities which were the dominant land used for over a century; and
- the long-held tradition of nature based recreation.
- the Kabi Kabi-traditional custodians for millennia;
- early colonial settlement focussed on extracting timber;
- traditional farming activities which were the dominant land used for over a century; and
- the long-held tradition of nature based recreation.
Engagement with targeted community stakeholders has commenced with wider community engagement to be undertaken in the coming weeks.
BIOSPHERE TRAIL UPGRADE BEGINS
The $1.6 m upgrade of the multi-purpose Cooroora Trail (old Trail 5) and adjoining infrastructure is almost complete. Linking Cooran and Pomona the project has made what was sometimes a very rocky and eroded trail into one that is suited for walkers, horse riders and mountain bike riders of all skill levels.
Thanks to the support of my fellow Councillors the new initiative I put into this year's budget will follow on with the same contractor linking Pomona to Lake Macdonald. The Yurol Trail (old trail 7) . Up to $375,000 is available for the project which will focus on sediment and erosion control and best environmental practice waterway and wetland crossings.
A number of endangered riparian rainforest ecosystems and vulnerable frog habitat are a feature of the trail . However, recent rainfall events have caused creek bank erosion and bed scouring with concentrated around creek crossings and the low construction standards of fire tracks the trail uses is leading to potential downstream impacts on habitat and stream health from sedimentation.
The number of domestic overnight visitors who visited national parks/state parks and went bushwalking on their trip to Noosa increased 62% from 2018 to 2021. The Yurol Trail used by locals and visitors alike, including a number of signature events in the Noosa Tourism and adventure sport calendar. These represent helpful social and economic drivers for the hinterland community.
For example, the Noosa Ultra Trail attracted 1067 participants, 75 volunteers and 2,005 spectators in 2022 with an estimated economic value - $1.1m, forecast based on competitor numbers. The Noosa Enduro had 1103 participants with an estimated economic value of $600,000 2021. Smaller events such as the Great Noosa Trail Walk and Wild Women Adventures which have between 100-200 participants are important events on the local calendar.
Disaster Recovery funding from the State Government (QRAA) will mean that trails across the network will get some more love and attention this year.