Operational plan 2026–27
77 initiatives in 2026–27
Theme 1: Environment
Objective 1.1: Maintain and improve water quality and the health of waterways, wetlands and catchments
- Partner with Unitywater to develop an Integrated Water Catchment Management Plan for Burgess Creek that will provide a strategic framework for hydrological, environmental, and recreational improvement for the catchment area.
- Complete the development of a public-facing dashboard for the Modern Water Quality Monitoring Program in the Noosa and Mary River sub-catchments, to share insights on the ecological health of the catchments and the monitoring program with the community.
Objective 1.2: Partner with landowners and community groups to manage, protect and regenerate natural environment assets, improve resilience, and incorporate Indigenous knowledge.
- Continue to deliver the Noosa Bushland Reserve Strategic Fire Management Plan 2021 and deliver planned burns and mechanical fuel reduction where conditions allow in priority reserves, based on a comprehensive bushfire risk assessment.
- Continue to deliver a Community Bushcare Program for active volunteers across bushland care groups and undertake a review of the Community Bushland Care Guideline.
Objective 1.7: Deliver and partner with State and Federal Governments to protect threatened and vulnerable species identified in the Environment Strategy.
- Implement the Noosa Threatened Fauna Roadmap including the development of two action plans per year for priority threatened species identified in the Noosa Threatened Fauna Roadmap.
- Manage flying fox impacts on the community in accordance with the Noosa Council Statement of Management Intent (SoMI) and through community education.
Objective 1.8: Reinforce Noosa Design Principles to shape the look and feel of our distinctive built environment to ensure it responds to our climate, environment and unique character.
- Continue to implement best practice Development Assessment services that deliver the strategic outcomes of the Noosa Plan 2020.
- Complete the review of the Noosa Design Principles including incorporating sustainable design to embed climate resilience, nature-positive and low-carbon considerations into the principles, and promote and increase awareness with key stakeholders.
Theme 2: Liveability
Objective 2.4: Advocate and partner with all levels of government for increased funding for connected transport nodes, transit hubs, including walking, cycling and public transport and explore opportunities through smart city, smart biosphere and innovation to transform the way we move around and engage in our community.
- Continue to collaborate with the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) on the planning and design for staged, long-term safety and traffic flow improvements within the Beckmans Road corridor.
- Support the delivery of Northern Sunshine Coast Public Transport Strategy with the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) to improve public transport connectivity in the shire for residents and visitors.
- Deliver the Cycling and Walking Implementation Plan within available annual budget to achieve Council's planning, development and promotion of bike and walking networks in the future.
- Finalise the Noosa Parking Management Plan to guide our approach to the management of parking throughout the shire including ongoing consideration of contemporary demand management.; Continue to explore parking revenue models such as paid parking and dynamic parking.
- Deliver the Go Noosa program including the weekend and Holiday Bus program, as part of the Transport Strategy to provide alternative transport modes, reduce traffic congestion, and emissions.
Objective 2.5: Ensure community facilities and services are inclusive, accessible and meet the evolving needs and interests of residents across the shire.
- Deliver an Accessible Changing Places Facility at Quota Park.; Complete the investigation into the permanent design approach for the replacement of riverfront revetment walls.
- Deliver the Lake Doonella Bridge Upgrade to ensure it meets modern safety and design standards.
- Complete the design for street improvements for pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle safety, and stormwater repair.; Complete the design for the Living Foreshores Project, including delivery of a pilot section to better manage riverfront erosion.
- Complete expansion of Cooroy Gymnastics building.
Objective 2.7: Fund and deliver sustainable assets and facilities and associated services responding to the changing needs of the community and the challenges and opportunities of the future.
- Implement the Legacy Cemetery Reservation Management Policy to audit and commence reclaiming long- standing, unused cemetery reservations for release for future interment.
- Continue planning for the future of Noosa Leisure Centre to ensure community needs are met. Focus area: - Advocate for external funding for business case development.
- Continue planning for the future of Noosa Aquatic Centre to ensure community needs are met. Focus areas: - Complete filtration system renewal and upgrades. - Advocate for external funding for facility upgrades.
- Continue to progress asset management planning for Council's community services buildings and community infrastructure. Focus activities: - Complete Asset Management Plans for the five largest community facilities.; Continue to explore options for the future of the Noosa Regional Gallery .
- Implement new venue and client management software for Noosa Aquatic Centre and Noosa Leisure Centre.
Objective 2.8: Provide opportunities to enhance the health, wellbeing and safety of our communities.
- Conduct and complete a proactive auditing program of wastewater treatment systems of at least two high-risk localities to keep community safe and maintain water quality and the health of waterways.
- Undertake proactive education programs to enhance community safety and environmental awareness. Focus areas: - Animal registration. - Effective animal control. - Environmental health - water quality testing.
- Collaborate with Seqwater to effectively manage the impacts of the Lake Macdonald Dam reconstruction in a timely manner supported by an effective communication program by Seqwater to impacted residents, and seek support for community benefit opportunities.
Theme 3: Prosperity
Objective 3.1: Deliver and fund the Smart Biosphere - Economic Strategy, partnering with and supporting Noosa Shire’s business community and industry sectors to deliver key outcomes.
- Advance sustainable procurement across the organisation through the development of appropriate strategies, procedures, and tools, in response to the four sustainable procurement pillars outlined in Council's Procurement Policy.
- Advance investigations to activate employment land (Jarrah Street).; Develop Business Case (Feasibility) for Carpenters Lane.
- Complete Holiday Park Strategic Plan.
- Apply for grant funding to facilitate a Renewable Energy Hub (Compost Facility).; Develop Business case for a Circularity Precinct at the Waste Facility.; Initiate investigations into an Olympic Games Strategy for Micro Businesses.
Theme 4: Future
Objective 4.2: Complete and implement the Destination Management Plan in partnership with the community and Tourism Noosa to protect Noosa’s quality of life, environment and iconic places through planning for sustainable tourism and managing visitation and events.
- Finalise Events Strategy for Council consideration.; Complete transition of Major Events Portfolio from Tourism Noosa to Council.; Establish Events Coordination Group with cross-organisational representation.
- Establish a formal Destination Stewardship Council.; Commence 'For the Love of Noosa' Program.; Complete the audit for the Destination Eco-Accreditation Program.
Objective 4.8: Deliver best practice approaches to combat and plan for natural disasters and climate change including supporting safety, preparedness, resilience and recovery capacity.
- Complete at least 75% of the Disaster Recovery Infrastructure program to reinstate infrastructure impacted by the March 2025 Western Front storm event. This includes Nandroya and Black Mountain Road projects.
- Complete the reference design for the replacement of the Main Beach Sea Wall to be more resilient to future climate events and continue to seek grant funding.
- Deliver the Get Ready Program across the Shire for FY26/27.; Complete the Lessons Learnt actions from the 2025 Tropical Cyclone Alfred and Western Storm Front events.
- Prepare the annual carbon footprint report.
- Launch the Climate Wise Communities program.; Pilot the Adaptation Game in partnership with Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
- Complete the erosion prone area assessment and storm tide study.
- Finalise the Noosa River Flood Study.; Implement the Flood Operational Management Plan across the organisation.
Theme 5: Excellence
Objective 5.1: Improve the customer experience to prioritise customers' needs and outcomes throughout the entire customer journey.
- Undertake the 2026 Community Satisfaction Survey to understand community perspectives on Council's performance and guide priorities for service delivery and budget development.
- Progress a Customer Experience Program to create better experiences for our customers across the organisation: Focus Activities: - Adoption of Customer Experience Strategy. - Process & system improvements. - Operational training.
Objective 5.2: Continue to deliver a financially sustainable Council that has the Provider resources now and into the future to achieve its strategic objectives. This will be supported through the introduction of enhanced sustainability reporting and performance indicators, as well as ESG (environment social and governance) accounting practices as guided by statutory requirements.
- Develop a Sustainability Organisational Policy and embedment roadmap.
- Implement emissions reduction projects within budget allocation and undertake water and energy audits.
- Implement the Scope 3 Emissions Project and Regional Resilience Capacity Building project.
- Finalise the development of the Financial Strategy, supported by the 10-year financial plan model, and incorporating the Funding Strategy, Revenue Diversification Strategy, and the Strategic Land Review.
- Progress the review of Council water and electricity consumption and investigate value for money efficiency options, including Power Purchasing Agreements for electricity.
- Facilitate a review Council's Key Performance Measures.
Objective 5.5: Provide robust and transparent governance systems to build and strengthen community trust, supported by the implementation of an enterprise risk and opportunity management framework.
- Undertake Phase 1 (Discovery) to scope and assess organisation-wide technology solutions for risk management, including evaluation of system options.
- Finalise the comprehensive review of Council's Enterprise Risk and Opportunity Management Policy i n consultation with Councillors, including determination of Council's risk appetite.
- Review Council's pilot technology solution for Administrative Action Complaints to assess its effectiveness and suitability for ongoing use.
- Facilitate a Status Review of the Corporate Plan 2023-2028 for councillors.
Objective 5.8: Mature the asset management framework and systems to ensure robust asset management practices are in place to deliver well-maintained quality assets.
- Continue to implement the Asset Management Framework, in line with the Strategic Asset Management Plan and Framework.; Deliver State of the Assets dashboard reporting for all Asset Classes to provide improved understanding of assets.; Review of the Asset Steering Committee terms of reference to refine decision making and sharing of information.
- Delivery of the budgeted annual asset maintenance and renewal program.