Short term letting – and Noosa Council’s attempts to design a policy to control it – are hot topics in Noosa right now. And the Future Noosa group, which has three councillor candidates standing for March’s election, is concerned about the policy’s impact on residents. Councillor Candidate Andrew Squires warns not to throw the baby out with the bathwater – the baby being the best interests of residents.
The expansion of the runway is to take larger aircraft, especially those from international destinations which currently fly into Brisbane. Most people think this is okay, since there aren't, and likely won't be for a while, any international flights.
Adventure takes many forms. For some it must involve mountains or wrestling bears, for others it comes from shopping at a different supermarket chain.
I count myself in neither camp. Instead I sit somewhere between. This is in part because...
I hate pouring water on an otherwise great parade but let’s consider the ramifications of the news that Tourism Noosa has appointed its Chairman to the CEO’s job. I acknowledge he’s been a good Chairman. But something’s not right.
The common consensus is that COVID will be around for years to come, so Rod Ritchie believes it's time to take a reality check. Rod outlines how the new normal will impact residents, businesses and tourism in general as we start living with COVID.
Rod Ritchie reflects on the long term impact of short-term lets and how those representing us at the local level have the power to form our hard-won Noosa values on town planning regulations into a commodity that can be bought and sold on a housing market.
Rod Richie sat on the STSRG (Sustainable Tourism Stakeholder Reference Group) as a resident group representative. Rod explains why he believes tourism is core Noosa Council business. Rod provides a declaration presented to STSRG in July 2019.
First up: I am against airport expansions in general, because I believe we all need to reduce flying in order to reduce our personal carbon emissions. However I believe the current flight path saga makes us all look like bad neighbours and NIMBYs with amnesia.
The complexities of the short-term rental phenomenon are well worth debating and in April a public meeting held jointly by resident’s groups NSRRA and CARA and attended by over 200 people showed that just as its impacts are various, so too no one solution will fix the obvious anomalies.
Council’s letting proposals are tearing community apart according to Ralph Rogers, prominent Noosa businessman and investor in local enterprise. In Roger's view, a council acting in the best interests of the shire would defer a vote on this draconian proposal, which will be subject to one legal challenge after another.
The new Noosa Plan is out for consultation with a brave new vision for the future of our shire. We get to look into the future and see what sort of place our civic leaders envisage Noosa will become. Get ready for Noosa Resort Inc.
We live in Sunrise Beach. Our kids go to one of the local schools and we love to walk and cycle for transport. We are fond of our local shopping centre and support the baker, butcher, pharmacist, bottle shop,...
Last month the city of Cape Town in South Africa narrowly avoided running out of water - a stark reminder of things to come for many communities around the world as we all struggle with changes in rainfall patterns...
Short term accommodation managed via the Noosa Plan will not diversify the Noosa economy, nor will it fix housing affordability, remove traffic congestion or ensure neighbourhood amenity, according to Ingrid Jackson. Effectively managed, short term accommodation could be an important part of offering the Noosa economy more adaptability and flexibility.
Aware of the Noosa Council apparent takeover of Tourism Noosa, Ingrid Jackson has been reminded of how in 2000 she project managed the communications for the merger of CBA with Colonial, the biggest merger in Australian history. In 2006, she published this article ‘How to Host a Merger’ in Today's Manager, the journal of the Singapore Institute of Management, about her experience in the takeover war zone. This can be something to compare the struggle that lies ahead for Noosa Council and Tourism Noosa.
These days complaints about Airbnb's negative impacts are a loudly squeaking wheel. The public and council react whilst local Airbnb hosts count their blessings and quietly hope they don't get slammed with a heavy levy or some sort of...
When you go down the rabbit hole of plans that relate to the different aspects of Sustainable Tourism, you may never come out again. Have we reached a planning paralysis? How do we move from planning into action?
Let’s take...
At its special budget meeting in June, Noosa Council voted to absorb what used to be the Tourism and Economic Levy into its general rates and took on what was previously Tourism Noosa's responsibility for 'destination management'. In this article, Ingrid Jackson explores what role groups of unelected people played in this and asks whether Noosa Council may become dependent on such people regarding how to proceed.
“Almost one billion extra people will be travelling in 2022, and as a result, responsible tourism is likely to become increasingly important and necessary, while authenticity and unique experiences will grow in importance for travellers. The issue of excessive...
While global warming has often been described as THE issue of modern times, plastic pollution is sitting hot on its heels, if not in the overtaking lane!
Countries around the globe are trying to come to terms with China banning...
Judy Barrass reflects on John Hare’s article in Noosa Matters which suggests that public transport can provide the answers to traffic congestion. Judy believes the broader Sunshine Coast solutions would not necessarily solve Noosa's traffic woes.
