Noosa’s Fairy Pools could soon be off limits to visitors of Noosa National Park

The Environment Department has confirmed barriers to fence off the Noosa Fairy Pools sites could be introduced to stop environmental damage and preserve public safety.

There are moves in play to fence off the Noosa National Park Fairy Pools to protect them from people pressure and for public safety.

Fencing the public out of Noosa’s Fairy Pools in Noosa National Park is likely if a draft management plan for the protected headlands is adopted.

An Environment and Science Department spokesman confirmed barriers to fence off the site could be introduced to stop environmental damage and preserve public safety.

“To help off-track areas of the park rehabilitate, and to protect the park’s natural values, DES is considering the installation of barrier fencing and educational signage to restrict visitor access,” the spokesman said.

“The rock pools and rocky headland areas hold important natural values.

Noosa National Park activist Dennis Massoud only wants Fairy Pool fencing to be temporary.

“The rock pools also pose safety risks, such as the potential for serious injury, for people who climb down the rock face to access them.”

The department’s draft plan calls for “sustainably managing visitor numbers to the park” and minimising visitor impacts to sensitive sites such as rock pools and rocky headlands by “restricting access and educating visitors and tourism bodies”.

The upgrades to Dolphin Point go too far, says Noosa National Park management critic Dennis Massoud.

Each year more than one million people visit one of Queensland’s most popular national attractions, but the spokesman said the department had no plans to limit the number of park visitors.

The beefed up protections are not good enough for Noosa’s longtime national park protection activist Dennis Massoud who has called on the state government to eventually introduce an entrance tourist fee of about $15-$20.

This would be similar to the protected Thailand parks he has visited with the funds raised poured back into the park’s preservation.

He said Noosa residents should still be allowed to enter for free.

Mr Massoud said there were two Fairy Pools, but one was far more popular than the other.

“I’ve said for the last five, six years that it needs to be closed to the public to rejuvenate it,” Mr Massoud said.

“The only way they can do that is to completely fence of the headland.

“As long as that is temporary, I don’t have a problem with it.”

Mr Massoud said once this section was restored, visitor numbers needed to be limited via a permit system.

“There’s just way too many people using the national park,” he said.

The Environment Department is trying to keep people on track in Noosa National Park to help protect its natural values.

Mr Massoud said he also wanted the carpark, the information booth and shop removed to restore a more natural entrance.

“There’s no need for the national park to provide carparking,” he said.

He said at the Dolphin Point headland upgrades included harsh concrete and sandstone blocks which were not indigenous to that area.

“The place looks more like a former penal settlement than a national park,” Mr Massoud said.

“There also needs to be marine reserves within the national park.”

The department spokesman said park management had already implemented sustainable management practices.

“Our visitor assets are built and maintained to accommodate a high level of use, and to enhance protection of the park’s natural values,” he said.

“Visitors to the park are encouraged to stay on designated tracks and within defined visitor areas, for safety and sustainability reasons.

“DES routinely works with local tourism bodies and the Noosa Shire Council to increase our knowledge and understanding of visitor numbers and the visitor experience at the Noosa headland.”

The Noosa Area Draft Management Plan was released on June 25 and public submissions close July 25.

The draft management plan can be found here.