Members newsletter January – February 2025
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Members newsletter January–February 2025 |
In this edition |
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Presidents Report Continuous Conservation Estate Qld’s Tourism Future State Facilitated Development |
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| President’s Report |
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Around this time last year, I shared my thoughts on the environmental and lifestyle concerns that are vital to our beautiful area, and these issues continue to weigh on my mind. Making a difference, or even maintaining the status quo, requires a lot of patience, persistent effort, and strategic planning. This is particularly true here in what many consider to be the best climate and lifestyle in Australia. It’s no surprise that so many people want to enjoy it!
With state government policies such as the ‘State Infrastructure Policy’ and ‘Building a 2032 Games Legacy,’ local government areas are being instructed on the level of growth they must accommodate. The push for “growing South-East Queensland” is an ongoing challenge to our lifestyle—one of the very reasons both longtime residents and newcomers love calling Noosa home.
We are still awaiting the finalization of the Noosa River Management Plan. In this newsletter, you will find more information about the ongoing and new issues affecting Noosa’s river and lake systems.
Additionally, the draft of the Noosa Destination Management Plan has yet to be released. Housing concerns remain a significant issue for many residents, particularly regarding short-stay rentals like Airbnb in residential areas, which need to be addressed by the Noosa Council. State-driven population growth focused on expansion has led to proposed amendments to the Noosa Plan that will increase building heights in some areas. Last year’s announcement of the State Facilitated Development pathway, which sought to allow developments of up to eight stories, served as a big wake-up call for all of us. More information on that will be provided later in the newsletter.
Since 1962, the Noosa Parks Association has played a vital role in ensuring that Noosa grows gracefully. Our members have always been dedicated to keeping Noosa distinct from other coastal towns in Australia while maintaining harmony with nature. Now is the time to advocate for a sustainable built environment, and a Noosa tourism industry that continues to offer visitors a connection with nature, and a relaxed low-rise community feel. A point of difference to other destinations. A well-crafted Destination Management Plan should tackle issues such as methods of limiting day visitor numbers and vehicles, effective strategies for reducing congestion, and improved transport planning.
While Noosa has undergone significant changes over the decades, it retains the essence of a beachside community surrounded by national parks and connected by green corridors. Without the Noosa Parks Association, our landscape would look very different. I truly appreciate the efforts of our current Committee Members and Project Officers, as well as the support of our members.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2025!
Darlene Gower President |
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Tell the State What you Think About Tourism + SFD Update |
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Noosa appears to have dodged a bullet with the State Facilitated Development (SFD) matter. I am informed that the two proposals for multi-storey SFD developments, one in Tewantin and the other in Noosa Junction – will not proceed as originally planned. I am also informed that, since the state election, the bureaucrats in state planning have made it clear to Noosa Council that any such developments will be expected to adhere to the Noosa planning scheme.
Arguably the biggest issue currently facing Noosa Shire is that of so-called “destination management”, and how Noosa might move forward regarding overtourism and resident amenity. The State Government has released a discussion paper titled Destination 2045 Queensland’s Tourism Future. Inevitably, that document takes a singular view, viewing increased tourism as being ultimately good for communities.
The state is asking for submissions on this document and on the future of tourism. Plainly Noosa will play a key role in such deliberating and strategizing. If residents don’t make submissions, the state will only hear from vested interests such as Tourism Noosa. I thus urge NPA members to make their own submissions and/or to complete the associated community survey.
The community survey asks questions about whether you believe the area where you live needs more or less tourists.
The discussion paper, survey and submissions can be accessed here:
Tony Wellington Project Officer |
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| Continuous National Park, Conservation Park, and Nature Refuge Estate now runs from Coolum to Tin Can Bay |
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At long last, at the end of 2024 and after 62 years of NPA volunteer project work, Noosa National Park, Tewantin National Park, and the Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park are finally connected.
First, we had to build the three National Parks. Then we had to connect them.
We are the small army of NPA volunteers who have pieced together hundreds of parcels of land, some large, many small, some government owned, some privately owned, all environmentally precious, to gradually become the Noosa, Cooloola and Tewantin National Parks we see today. The following is a very brief overview of our journey, which despite many setbacks and much public ridicule along the way has eventually turned out a success.
From 1962 to the late 1990s, NPA progressively achieved a Noosa National Park running from Noosa Heads to Coolum, and a Cooloola National Park running from Teewah Village on Noosa North Shore to Tin Can Bay. Since the late 1990s we have been working to achieve:
In 2011 we were successful in securing the creation of Tewantin National Park from the former Tewantin State Forest. NPA then set its sights on getting the adjacent Ringtail and Yurol State Forests added to Tewantin National Park.
A guaranteed pathway to achieving this was locked in with the 2017 signing of the groundbreaking multi-million dollar investment partnership brokered by the NPA, involving the Queensland Government and Noosa Council. From 2018 onwards sections of the former Ringtail and Yurol State Forests have been progressively ecologically rehabilitated and transferred to Tewantin National Park. The final transfers were voted for by the Queensland Parliament without dissent in late 2024.
NPA’s brokering of the breakthrough three-way partnership was only possible due to matching the $1.2 million contributions by the other two partners, to buy out Hancock Queensland Plantations’ long term logging rights in Ringtail and Yurol State Forests. And this proposal was only able to be on the negotiating table thanks to the incredible voluntary work contributions of the many hundreds of NPA members, from the steady NPA income stream generated from the Noosa National Park Visitor Information Centre.
The NPA-Noosa Council-State government partnership had a significant spinoff – it enabled us to commence explorations and negotiations with its partners on the ways and means of joining together the enlarged Tewantin National Park with the Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park to the north and Noosa National Park to the south-east.
As a result, Noosa National Park, Tewantin National Park and the Cooloola Section of Great Sandy National Park are now connected. In some areas, the three national parks connect directly, while in others, the connection is made through conservation parks owned by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, or nature refuges owned by Noosa Council. Like national parks, these conservation parks and nature refuges are protected permanently under Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act 1992.
Additionally, 2024 saw the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Sunshine Coast Regional Council jointly purchase environmentally significant private land to the south of Lake Weyba to establish a new conservation park, yet to be named, under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. This new conservation park, along with the Weyba Nature Refuge created by Noosa Council three years prior, also under the same act, forms a vital link between Noosa National Park and Tewantin National Park.
NPA commends their achievements and thanks QPWS regional staff, and SCRC and Noosa Council environmental and planning staff who have helped achieve this milestone linkage.
The efforts of NPA volunteers dating back to the late 1980s culminated at the end of 2024 when the former 428-hectare Noosa North Shore Aerodrome Reserve was incorporated into the surrounding Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park, by a vote without dissent in Queensland Parliament. This marked a highly satisfying milestone. NPA has in place a funding deed with QPWS to financially contribute towards the necessary ecological remediation of environmental damage caused by aviation activities over the years.
Since its creation in 1962, NPA has always been a 100% volunteer resourced and managed conservation organisation and its principal focus has been on the creation of a regional-scale National Park Estate in the Noosa-Cooloola region.
Having now achieved a continuous National Park, Conservation Park, and Nature Refuge Estate running from Coolum to Tin Can Bay, all NPA members please take a bow.
And thank you!
Michael Gloster Hon Project Officer National Parks and Noosa River |
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Join us at the Noosa National Park Visitor Information Centre as a volunteer!
For many years, the NPA has managed the centre, aiming to assist and educate visitors about the park’s attractions, while offering refreshments and souvenirs. All proceeds support the Land Fund, aiding future land acquisitions for koala supported habitat, national parks and conservation parks. We offer a choice of 3 shifts:
Roles include leaders and helpers. Parking is available for volunteers who drive, and the centre operates 364 days a year, 7 days a week. If you’re interested, please contact Dave Vickery at nnp@noosaparks.org.au. Your contribution will support a meaningful cause.
Dave Vickery Noosa National Park Visitor Information Centre |
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Botany Group |
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Members of the NPA Botany Group will have already seen the 2025 Program of our talks and walks, but I would like to welcome in advance any others who would like to attend.
Our first meeting of the year will be on Wednesday, February 12th, starting at 2 pm, with Dave Burrows giving a talk on Private Land Conservation in Noosa Shire, beginning at 3 – 3:15 pm. These meetings are on the second Wednesday of each month from February to November, and at the March meeting, we will be given a talk on Lichens by Vanessa Ryan.
Botanical field trips are generally held on the last Sunday of each month from February to November, beginning at 9 am. On Sunday, February 23rd, we will be meeting at the Water Tower, Viewland Drive, Noosa Heads, for a walk through coastal forest in Noosa National Park. In March, we will walk the Linda Garrett Circuit in Mapleton National Park, Delicia Rd., Mapleton.
If you would like to join, or know more about this group, please contact Linda Falkner at lindadfalkner@gmail.com.
Following is an article about a recent walk in a local conservation park. |
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| Gladys and Harry Spring Conservation Park |
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Less than a kilometre from Tewantin on McKinnon Drive is the entrance to a track leading through the Gladys and Harry Spring Conservation Park. There is no room for more than a couple of vehicles to park, ruling it out as a candidate for an NPA Botany Group walk, but I would recommend it for its botanical diversity.
Linda and I took a stroll there recently. The track has been widened for firebreak purposes, and exotic grasses have done some invading, but the bush on either side was looking nice and lush after good spring rain. Not far from the entrance is an impressive Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis), pictured below. Flowering in the understory was Baeckea frutescens and Xyris complanata You will also see large clumps of Foxtails (Caustis blakei) close to the path. |
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Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) (Credit: Robert Price) |
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The track appears to be flat, but is in fact falling slightly until you reach a small watercourse populated by Cabbage Palms (Livistona australis) and Flooded Gums (Eucalyptus grandis). Amongst the rainforest plants here is a Pepperbush (Tasmannia insipida) which appears to have come down, survived and turned into a 3-metre-wide shrub. It was covered in fruit, but they were still green. Flowering close by was a Blue Lillypilly (Syzygium oleosum), below.
As the track rises again, the vegetation changes to dry sclerophyll with She-oaks and a lone Bribie Island Pine (Callitris columellaris) on the right-hand side. Walk a little further and you will reach a track leading off to the left and into the small housing enclave quaintly titled The Daintree. Just before that track on the left is, I suppose, a dead tree clothed from top to bottom by the climber not so quaintly titled Vomit Vine (Gynochthodes umbellata), pictured below. This is due to the cheesy odour of its fruit of which there was plenty in evidence, but fortunately it was not ripe. And no, I won’t be going back to pick some when it is.
This park is well worth a visit, though, even in mid-summer.
Robert M Price January, 2025 |
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.jpg "Joan Heavey standing in the Botany Corner at the NPA Environment Centre")
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Blue Lillypilly in flower – Syzygium oleosum & Vomit Vine – Gynochthodes umbellata (Credit: Robert Price) |
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Friday Environment Forum |
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A very enjoyable end of year celebration was hosted by the Friday Forum team at the Environment Centre in November 2024. Team leader Di Shun Wah thanked all for their attendance and the team for their work throughout the year, presenting 20 Friday Environment Forums to an ever-growing audience keen to learn about the natural environment and our role in preserving it.
The 2025 FEF Program is shaping up to be another year of informative guest speakers with the first forum to be held on February 14. Guest speaker Dr Adrian Gallagher is a recently retired avian veterinarian. Adrian will present his view on feeding wild birds, primarily discussing juvenile metabolic bone disease resulting from improper parental feeding while also discussing some infectious disease implications of wild bird feeding.
Friday Environment Forum is held at NPA’s Environment Centre on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month excluding public holidays. Check the NPA website for details. The $5 tap and go entry remains unchanged and includes morning tea. Attendance at the forum is open to all and a great way to meet like-minded folk in a welcoming atmosphere.
Upcoming forums include: February 14: Feeding Wild Birds, a Veterinary Perspective with Dr Adrian Gallagher February 28: Sunshine Coast Frog Monitoring and Citizen Conservation Methods with Trevor Morrison of ECOllaboration. |
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FEF End of Year Celebration at the EC (Credit: Liz Diggles) |
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Bird Observers’ Group |
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Welcome to another year of birding in our Noosa shire!
The 2025 program is now complete. The first group activity starts on 14th February, 2025 with an Interpretive Birding Walk at Wallace Park before Friday Forum. Adrian Gallagher will be our guest speaker with a very interesting subject!
The first group outing will be to a private property at Carters Ridge on 16th March.
I had promised a return outing to the Imbil to Brooloo Rail Trail, after the previous successful walk there. The Birdlife group have planned an outing there at our chosen time, so I suggest that we join them on Wednesday 10th September.
This year we will continue to survey extra areas including Bushcare sites and the Koala Corridor. While birding in some local places is good, the general consensus seemed to be that numbers are low. The Threatened Species science advisor for Queensland has told a Birds Qld. meeting that ‘Overall, Australia’s imperilled bird numbers have declined by 60% since 1975 and Australia faces major challenges conserving bird populations.’ That is very concerning! Protecting habitat is more important now than it has ever been.
This information also concerns me – thanks Bob for the link. https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/ Let’s enjoy 2025 birding around the Sunshine Coast when and where we can.
Valda McLean Convenor, Noosa Parks Association Bird Observers’ Group |
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Mistletoe Bird, Imbil Rail Trail |
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Membership Matters |
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NPA memberships are due for renewal on 1 January each year and if you haven’t as yet renewed your membership your email will not be included in the mail list for future 2025 newsletters.
If you joined NPA or renewed your membership after 1 October last year, your membership extends through to 31 December 2025.
Many members take the opportunity to make a donation at renewal time, thereby boosting NPA’s ability to ensure continuation of the protective green belt and preservation of wildlife corridors throughout Noosa and Cooloola. Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible.
2025 membership fees As a reminder, family membership is $60 and individual membership is $35. Our preferred means of renewal is by bank deposit to: Name: Noosa Parks Association Inc. BSB: 734 219 Account no.: 070372 Please make sure to add your name!
Payment by credit card is another option through our website. In 2019 we introduced a tertiary student membership concession, which costs only $5 for the first year. To date the take-up has been minimal. We all need to encourage the upcoming generation to join in protecting our beautiful part of the world, so please direct any student family members or friends to our website. Please also encourage your like-minded friends and family to join now. Mike Sackett NPA Membership Secretary |
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Copyright © 2025 Noosa Parks Association, All rights reserved. |