There are growing calls for the release of a long-awaited study that will help determine how a popular beach destination is managed.
Plans for a Sustainable Visitor Capacity Study by the Department of Environment and Science (DES) for the Cooloola Recreation Area were announced as early as August 2021, but the results of the study still have not been released.
The study will inform the draft Cooloola Recreation Area Management Plan, which is due to be released for public consultation this year.
State Member for Noosa Sandy Bolton last month, through parliament, asked Environment Minister Leanne Linard for an update on the study, saying environmental degradation was continuing while the delay continued.
“With reference to the Cooloola Recreation Area and Teewah continuing to experience unacceptable dangerous driving and environmental damage to dunes and turtle hatcheries from 4WDs during and around high tide, will the minister advise when the government will release the long-fought-for recommendations to see an end to this devastation?” Ms Bolton asked.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
In her response, tabled on March 18, Ms Linard said careful planning and management was required to balance visitor safety and experience with the conservation of natural, cultural and social values.
“The Cooloola Recreation Area, which includes Teewah Beach and Teewah camping zone, is one of the most popular locations for day and overnight visitors managed by the Queensland Government in south-east Queensland,” she said.
“Importantly, this is also the traditional lands of the Butchulla and Kabi Kabi peoples.
“A statutory management planning process is in progress for the area. Importantly for the first time, this is being done in partnership with Traditional Owners.
“The Sustainable Visitor Capacity Management Study is an initial part of the planning process. The study assessed current site demands and impacts, and surveyed user and stakeholder groups to identify values and views regarding current visitation and sentiment towards visitor management options and priorities for inclusion in the planning process.
“The Queensland Government plans to release the study and government response in early 2024.
Related stories
- Beach playground ‘pummelled to near-death’
- Beach permits hit 124,700 but ‘no reason for concern’
- Call to limit beach access after issues with drivers and rubbish
- Speed limit to be changed along stretch of popular beach
“The findings and recommendations from the study informs the draft Cooloola Recreation Area Management Plan, which is projected to be released for public consultation in early 2024.
“The plan will build on and enhance the current management strategies in place. It will look to balance the needs of multiple user groups and Traditional Owners without negatively impacting on the natural, cultural and social values of the area and the quality of visitor experience.”
Paul Winter, who lives in Teewah Beach and is the chair of the Teewah Landowners Association, has also called for the study to be released.
“The crux of this situation is the two-and-a-half-plus years it has taken to date for the DES to develop the Sustainable Visitor Management Study,” he said.
“There is concern that the submissions and replies to the draft SVMS have not received any further communication between the DES and stakeholders, in particular the Teewah Landowners Association and Teewah Cooloola Working Group. We doubt that our feedback is being considered.
“We also note that there is considerable community resistance to the commercialisation of the Cooloola Recreation Area by private business interests.
“Meanwhile this area continues to degrade, the turtles and wildlife are under threat from the ever-increasing number of visitors made possible by unsustainable management by DES bureaucrats.”
Ms Bolton said she had been working to protect the area for a number of years, and while progress had been made, she wanted to see more being done.
“The safety of all residents and visitors to this area, and also our wildlife and environment, must be improved,” she said.
“I have been advocating for management improvements of Cooloola and Teewah Beach areas since 2018 based on the Teewah Cooloola Working Group recommendations.
“Some important progress has been made, such as increased compliance actions, decreased camping permits, vehicle recognition cameras and the Sustainable Visitor Capacity Study, which we have been waiting the recommendations on since 2022.
“This, and the updated management plans for the Great Sandy National Park (including the Cooloola Recreational Area) are well overdue, hence the question (to Ms Linard).
“The impacts from being ‘over-loved’, and poor behaviours from those dumping rubbish, driving dangerously and/or under the influence, driving on the high dunes and posing a risk to turtles, importantly needs appropriate management.
“In response to our advocacy, progress to make these areas safer have included vehicle recognition cameras, police drones, improved signage and education campaigns, as well targeted operations such as Operation Sandstorm.
“However, sadly we continue to see behaviours that are unacceptable to our community, particularly those living at Teewah Village, who experience this daily, not just at peak holiday times, and requires those recommendations from the Sustainable Visitor Capacity Study to be released.”
Scroll down to SUBSCRIBE for our FREE news feed, direct to your inbox daily.
