Setting limits for Noosa Main Beach use

Noosa Council is looking to set some boundaries

MAIN EVENT: Competitors race in to the water as part of the Noosa Summer Swim.

NOOSA beach access to corporate events would be restricted to Main Beach west and limited to 10 a year in a proposed council events policy designed to a limit the impacts on day-to-day users of this much sought-after sand.

Surfing, swimming and surf carnivals would be given precedence over competing events such as music events, food festivals and film screenings, council property manager Clint Irwin said in a report to councillors to be be debated at committee on Monday.

Mr Irwin has recommended just one cultural festival/ food festival be approved each year on Noosa Main Beach east.

However, Tourism Noosa believes significant tourism events should take precedence over all other day-to-day uses of the beach and water activities.

It also wants the Laguna Noosa Festival of Surfing and the Noosa Food and Wine Festival clearly named as two events guaranteed annual access to this Main Beach area.

While the Hastings Street Association generally agrees with the proposed council policy, it has raised concerns about serious street access problems caused by events addressed.

The association said it could live with half-street closures for the Hastings Street Long Lunch and half-hour full street closures to allow the setting up of events but the blocking off of precinct carparks had not been addressed.

"Our members feel that the (Noosa) Tri, for example, blocks the vast majority of the precinct for several weeks prior to the event and a week after and each year seems to consume more space,” association president Shane Harvey said.

Mr Irwin's other policy recommendations include:

"Council's approach to event applications to ensure community access to the beach is not unreasonably diminished and that Noosa's relaxation capital of Australia reputation is maintained.

"The community's day-to-day use of the land and water will generally take precedence over events. Events that are locally owned and operated are preferred over events run by operators based outside the shire.

"Tourism events will not be approved to take place in the Queensland and interstate school holiday periods or on long weekends, given resident and visitor demand for beach access over those periods.”

He said the number of approved tourism and community events for Noosa Main Beach east would be capped at seven tourism events a year and eight community events in keeping with current levels.

Community events for Noosa Main Beach west will be capped at 14 a year, which aligns with present levels.