Members newsletter March – April 2025
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Members newsletter March–April 2025 |
In this edition |
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| Message from the President |
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It is an honour to be the NPA president for the next year. There are not many community organisations that can boast of surviving for over six decades, let alone the litany of achievements that NPA has chalked up.
I want to thank departing committee members Michael Gloster and John Chester-Freeman for their service, and welcome new committee member Narelle Reid and returning member Liz Smits. Of course, Michael’s achievements are many and legion. He has played an intrinsic role in shaping modern Noosa. Thankfully, Michael will continue to contribute to NPA as a project officer.
I would also like to thank everyone who made submissions to the state government on their Destination 2045 consultation and also those who submitted on the Tewantin State Facilitated Development (SFD) proposal. Both issues underline the ongoing threats that Noosa faces, one being ever-escalating tourism and the other inappropriate development.
Thankfully, the state government stuck to their election promise to refuse SFD developments in Noosa Shire that breached the local planning scheme. No doubt the 495 submissions from Noosa helped to bolster that ministerial decision. It’s heartening to see that so many NPA members and other locals are willing to take action to protect Noosa’s intrinsic values. Those values – low-key development, avoidance of big city symbols, and respect for the natural environment – were embedded in a planning approach idealised and established by NPA stalwarts.
The forces wanting to make Noosa more like everywhere else are ever-present, which is why NPA plays a vital role in protecting not only our environment, but also our living amenity. We will continue to deliver services to members and the community via Friday Environment Forum, the Information Hut at Noosa National Park, management of the Double Island Point cottages, as well as NPA‘s various group activities. Meanwhile, the committee’s focus over the coming year will be on the council’s mooted Destination Management Plan and on the many factors impacting on biodiversity and health of the Noosa River. No doubt other issues will also arise, and we’ll keep you posted when they do.
Unlike other environment organisations operating in the shire, NPA does not receive any funding from council. This ensures that we are never compromised in our ability to campaign on local issues. That is a firm principle which I thoroughly support.
Best wishes Tony Wellington President |
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Will our Noosa River remain a congested parking lot? |
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Image credit: Ric Jay
How long must Noosa wait for effective, coordinated action to tidy up the river that is our most precious asset?
For years Noosa’s residents have watched with growing concern as increasing numbers of boats clutter up the Noosa River between Tewantin and Noosa Woods, the result of Maritime Safety Queensland’s decades-long policy of turning a blind eye to boats anchoring for as long as they like where they please. As well MSQ’s policy of approving increasing numbers of buoy moorings so that boats can tie up to a buoy for as long as they want.
Five years ago, Noosa Parks Association began building an advocacy network of key Noosa River stakeholders to persuade Noosa Council and Maritime Safety Queensland to tackle much needed boat anchoring, mooring, and live-aboard reform in the Noosa River and lakes system.
After three years of key stakeholder, then broader community consultation, MSQ commenced implementing long-term anchoring restrictions in 2024. How effective an enforcer of its own anchoring restrictions MSQ proves to be remains to be seen. For the time being, fair minded folk will give MSQ the benefit of the doubt. If MSQ proves itself to be an effective enforcer of its anchoring reforms, it will be addressing about half of the boat-cluttering mess it has allowed to evolve on the Noosa River over the past 40 years.
The MSQ challenge For MSQ to tackle the other half of the boat-cluttering mess, it will need to resist local political pressures to significantly increase the number of MSQ approved buoy moorings in the Noosa River to accommodate:
If MSQ does not resist local political pressures to increase the number of buoy moorings to accommodate all of those cited above, the brutal reality is that the Noosa River will end up with the same number of boats that are cluttering it today!
To avoid such an ‘own-goal’ debacle, MSQ will need to win the support of its political boss, the Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, to formally cap buoy mooring numbers in the Noosa River to MSQ’s currently informal cap of around 105 (MSQ is tight lipped on the precise number).
Around 60 of these 105 buoy moorings are currently occupied by MSQ approved boats, leaving around 45 buoy moorings currently available for MSQ allocation. In a rational and fair world, these would be allocated to the top 45 on MSQ’s buoy mooring waiting list, the 105 cap would be formalised by the Minister and MSQ, and MSQ would achieve the significant Noosa River reforms of a safer and decluttered river.
However, with local Noosa political lobbying of MSQ by those no longer allowed to anchor long-term, by those seeking liveaboard permits, and by those who believe that they and their boat are so special they automatically deserve a buoy mooring, there is a danger that MSQ and its Minister will succumb, and the number of buoy moorings in the Noosa River could blow out from around 105 to a number approaching 200.
What a monumental Noosa River Reform failure this would be – a less safe and more cluttered Noosa River than before!
Clearly, for the Minister and MSQ to avoid this embarrassing debacle, it will need to deliver not just Noosa River anchoring reform but also – just as importantly – Noosa River buoy mooring reform with buoy mooring numbers capped to around 105.
This is NPA’s current advocacy focus for the Noosa River and Lakes system.
Our current Noosa River advocacy is a logical extension of our successful six-decade long advocacy for a continuous National Park estate (Noosa NP-Tewantin NP-Cooloola NP) running from Coolum to Tin Can Bay. In achieving this, we have achieved perpetual conservation protection of much of the catchment and most of the shoreline of the iconic Noosa River and Lakes system.
Over the past decade we have been ramping up our advocacy for restoration of degraded Noosa River and Lake ecological communities such as oyster reefs, seagrass meadows and littoral/ inter-tidal areas between Tewantin and the river mouth.
At the same time, we have been advocating for more ecologically sustainable State Government and Noosa Council management of the Noosa River and Lakes system, and this includes Noosa River anchoring and mooring reform.
Dr Michael Gloster NPA Hon Project Officer, Noosa River.
Disclosure: The writer has held a MSQ buoy mooring authority in Woods Bay for over 20 years. |
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| Double Island Point Work Week |
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Double Island Point is the next headland north of Noosa, within the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park, at the southern end of Wide Bay. It is accessible by 4WD only. In 1991, the lighthouse was fully automated. The lighthouse-keepers’ cottages were left empty and, although they were not vandalised like many others, exposure to the elements meant they badly needed attention. After much lobbying, the Queensland Government awarded NPA a lease of the Double Island Point Conservation Park. Our first task was to organise restoration of the lighthouse-keepers’ cottages. NPA then implemented a vegetation management plan that remains current today – it endeavours to remove weeds and revegetate the area with endemic species.
Applications are now open for a caretaking/work week at Double Island Point for the period 28 June 2025 to 27 June 2026. Members are invited to apply for a one-week stay (7 nights, Saturday–Saturday) in a heritage-listed lighthouse-keeper’s cottage during the above-mentioned period, for up to 4 adults and 3 children. The tariff for the cottages will increase this year for the first time since 2021. So for the coming year the cost is $725 for 3 or 4 adults, or $550 should there be only 2 adults staying for the 7 nights. Applications close on 14 May 2024. Before you apply – important information As an NPA member accepting a week as part of the Double Island Point Project, you agree to stay for the week (Saturday–Saturday) and are obligated to act as caretakers during your stay and carry out vegetation rehabilitation and/or cottage maintenance/cleaning work as assigned by NPA. You will also take responsibility for any guests you may have staying with you. Please do not apply if you cannot stay for the 7-night period or cannot undertake physical work and vegetation tasks. You will be assisting NPA in our commitment to the state government to:
This is a very popular project among our members, and each year there are not enough weeks for the number of members applying. Should you be unsuccessful this year, you will be given priority next year. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable, so, if you are offered a week, before accepting please ensure that you are willing and able to fulfil the work commitment, and that you have the week free to participate. How to apply To apply, please complete the application form attached to this email (and read the “application information”) and email it to dip@noosaparks.org.au by the due date. If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Darlene Gower, Double Island Point Project Officer |
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Volunteer Opportunity We are looking for volunteers to help staff the Visitor Information Centre at the entrance to Noosa National Park. Shifts & Benefits:
Our fundraising efforts have played a vital role in protecting local natural areas. One of our greatest achievements was co-funding the purchase of the plantation rights in the Yurol and Ringtail Forests, which is now being revegetated and gazetted as National Park.
If you have some spare time or know someone interested in volunteering, we’d love to hear from you!
Our volunteer program is also approved for Centrelink Mutual Obligation requirements. NPA is an approved organisation.
Dave Vickery Noosa National Park Visitor Information Centre
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Three shifts per day: 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM, and 12:30 PM (each lasting 4 hours).
On-site parking available during your scheduled shift.
Contribute to conservation—100% of our profits support the 
Email: 
(Photo: Recently installed information boards to help visitors learn about the park’s history and features.)|
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Greening Noosa is the planting and weeding arm of Noosa Parks Association. We have the great privilege of weeding in the iconic Noosa National Park (NNP) on the third Wednesday of the month from February to November. Meet at the NNP car park. Morning tea is BYO or buy a coffee at the NNP coffee shop.
Three times a year we also look after the Noosa Parks Association Park on Noosa Spit.
All sessions begin at 8am and finish around 10.30am. BYO weeding tools, gardening gloves, water bottle, hat, long sleeved shirt and long pants. We would love to see you there!
Get the Green Noosing 2025 Program at https://noosaparks.org.au/
Amanda Curry – E: curry.clarke@gmail.com Glen Gloster – E: glengloster@gmail.com |
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| Botany Group |
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The group’s botanical year began with a well-attended meeting at which examples of the local and not so local flora were exhibited for discussion and identification. Also discussed was the desirability of purchasing our own laptop computer to link to the NPA digital projector for presentations, and to store information such as plant and fungi species lists compiled on field trips taken throughout the year. Donations were called for, and we are already approaching our funding target. Thanks to the many members who contributed.
Dave Burrows then gave a most interesting talk about private land conservation in the Noosa Shire. His valuable work with the Land for Wildlife programme and other measures, along with many NPA campaigns, has seen around 43% of Noosa Shire protected in national parks, reserves or conservation areas, and, I believe, over 50% in total when protected private land is taken into account.
Our second presentation was given by Vanessa Ryan. With the experience and knowledge she gained working at the Queensland Herbarium and in the field, Vanessa was able to educate us on a subject about which many of us know little: lichens. We learnt that they are not a single organism but a collection of a fungus and either green algae and/or cyanobacteria. Who knew? We saw photos of Coral Lichen, Resurrection Lichen, Gritty British Soldiers, and that was just the beginning.
Thanks must go to Dave and Vanessa for starting our programme with such fascinating subjects.
A fairly small gathering of botany stalwarts assembled below the water towers on Viewland Drive for our first walk of 2025. With a species list provided by our communications/computer person Linda Falkner, we ambled there and back through a little visited (compared to the busier tracks) piece of Noosa National Park coastal forest with an understory varying from rainforest to heath plants, and a canopy provided by bloodwoods, cypress, box and gums to keep us cool. Not commonly encountered plant species added to the list included Xanthosia pilosa, Halfordia kendack and Leucopogon margarodes. Patrick Leonard, with the help of Judith, was able to send a list to Linda of seven fungi identified, with one Boletus sp. described as undescribed, probably new to science!
The next talk on Wednesday, April 9th, will be given by Bob Tooth on the subject of Plants of the Little and Great Sandy Deserts.
Robert M Price |
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Xanthosia Pilosa (Credit: Robert Price) |
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Friday Environment Forum |
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The Friday Environment Forums have been very popular so far this year, with over 220 attendees across three sessions. Our speakers are experts in their fields, covering diverse topics throughout the year and we always welcome suggestions for new speakers.
On February 14, retired avian vet Adrian Gallagher discussed the dangers of feeding wild birds, emphasizing the importance of providing clean bird baths and planting native food trees. On February 28, Trevor Morrison from ECOllaboration spoke about frog ecology, highlighting that frogs are an indicator species of a habitat’s health. Neil Andison from Platypus Whispers presented on March 14, focusing on the history, anatomy, and protection of platypus.
Last Friday, Rod Lees from Slow Food Noosa and Amber Scott from Kandanga Farm discussed the importance of knowing where our food comes from and its relationship to our health and the environment.
Before the main speaker, we offer a 10-15-minute slot for anyone who has an environmental issue that they would like to bring to the attention of our community. For example, Valda Mclean spoke about the pesty common (Indian) myna, and Greg Reddaway encouraged everyone to protest the SFD at Tewantin. If you have an environmental issue to discuss, contact us at fridayforum@noosaparks.org.au
Our forums are managed by a dedicated group of volunteers who are expanding their skills in various roles, including technical set-up, computer operation, front desk attendance, morning tea preparation, publicity preparation, and speaker acquisition. If you would be interested in helping in any roles, please let us know!
Friday Forums are held on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month, and everyone will be welcomed by a like-minded community.
Sign-up to receive the Friday Forum Newsletter and view future forum details on our webpage https://noosaparks.org.au/
Upcoming Forums: April 11: Shorebird Conservation on the Sunshine Coast- Simone Bosshard, SCC April 25: ANZAC Holiday- No Forum May 9: Cyclonic Sea Foam Contamination- Dr İpek Kurtböke, USC
Lyn Graham |
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Adrian Gallagher informs a captivated audience of the dangers of feeding wild birds. |
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Bird Observers’ Group |
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Cyclone Alfred caused interruption to some birding activities, but the wild weather brought sightings of Frigatebirds to the coastline. Some seabirds, blown in and brought to Wildlife carers include a Masked Booby and a Black -winged Petrel that breeds on Lord Howe Island.
By the 14th March – for the Interpretive Walk at Wallace Park, fewer Flying Fox were present but birds were scarce. A Ringtail Possum was seen and only one Tawny Frogmouth found, but butterfly sightings made for an interesting morning.
Adrian Gallagher, our guest speaker for February, drew a crowd. As an avian vet, his presentation about the effects of bird feeding was very enlightening!
The March group outing to a private property at Carters Ridge was well attended. The impressive bird count of 66 species included many honeyeaters, waterbirds, raptors and grassbirds as well as a variety of butterflies. Simone Bosshard will be the guest speaker at Friday Environment Forum on 11th April when she will present ‘Shorebirds of the Sunshine Coast Region’.
Valda McLean Convenor, Noosa Parks Association Bird Observers’ Group |
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Photo credits: Angela Farnsworth |
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