Lifestyle watchdog steps down from community role

Since it was founded in 1996 the Peregian Beach Community Association has only ever known one president … until now.

Peregian Beach community leader Barry Cotterell during the local fight over the fate of the Peregian Beach SLSC.

One of Peregian Beach's most influential lifestyle watchdogs, Barry Cotterell, is ready to take a back seat after almost a quarter of century of battling "inappropriate development".

The Peregian Beach Community Association has only known one president since it was founded in 1996.

That was until the association's annual general meeting last weekend when Mr Cotterell stood aside to make way for deputy Marian Koon to take over.

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Mr Cotterell built a formidable reputation on both sides of the Noosa and former Maroochy Council border for leading a successful charge to have south Peregian moved into Noosa.

New Peregian Beach Community Association president Marian Kroon and former president Barry Cotterell.

Mr Cotterell helped muster his grassroots troops to stop Lorikeet Dr being swallowed up in the Sunshine Motorway connection road network and also fought successfully to stop high rise development in the same street.

For more than eight years he lobbied for a better outcomes at the old Peregian Beach caravan site where the IGA supermarket sits nestled below the David Low Way.

The former Brisbane barrister rejected the "not in my backyard" accusations that his group was anti-development.

"We've had developers wanting to build inappropriate developments," Mr Cotterell, 74, said.

"That's what brought us together.

"We supported the IGA (Peregian) because it was better than what had been approved by council before."

Barry is always keen to help stop Peregian Beach from becoming weed infested. Here he is with Cr Joe Jurisevic and local bush carer Rochelle Gooch weeding out the rubbish.

That approval was for a two storey structure right on the David Low Way.

"We were opposed to the other supermarket on the IT (digital) hub site which would have been a disaster," he said.

"I think we managed to maintain the village vibe."

He said his group had always guarded against people who moved to Peregian because they loved the place and "then they want to wreck the joint".

Mr Cotterell said the Rufous St redevelopment precinct with its new community house appeared to be back on track, while the local surf club was heading back into local control.

It was his cue to spend more time with wife Susan Francis.

They already make a formidable couple sharing the association's passion for restoring local coastal dunes.

"I'm looking forward to relaxing, my wife's keen for me to devote my time to other things," he said.

"I did say to somebody I'm having people say nice things about me and I haven't died."

Mr Cotterell will remain on the association management committee.

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