The Sunshine Coast local government area was officially designated a UNESCO Biosphere in June 2022. As a biosphere, our region is now recognised as an international site of excellence, an area of natural beauty, where responsible development, and people living, learning, working and playing sustainably, sit alongside active conservation.

Following the designation, the majority of the Biosphere’s Community Reference Group (CRG) members nominated to continue their roles for the important early phase of the biosphere’s implementation. There was an opportunity for three new members to join the Biosphere Community Advisory Group (CAG).

Three vacant Biosphere CAG positions were advertised through an open expression of interest process in late 2022, targeting areas identified by existing members, including education; social/health; and small business. Considerable interest was received, and two new CAG members, representing education and health sectors, were appointed by the Biosphere Coordinating Committee in February 2023.

Future vacancies may be advertised via an open Expression of interest (EOI) process, and interested community memebers can send enquires regarding the CAG to the Biosphere project team at biosphere@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au.

Led by an independent Chair, the Biosphere Community Advisory Group (CAG) provides advice to support the Sunshine Coast Biosphere’s implementation, in line with biosphere objectives and governance principles that were informed by the community. The CAG provides advice to the Biosphere Coordinating Committee, which is the key decision-making body guiding the biosphere’s implementation.

There are 13 current members of the Biosphere CAG including: First Nations Traditional Custodians as well as leaders of a range of interest areas across the community, including environment, youth, residential, tourism, agriculture, business and property development sectors.

The group meets on a bi-monthly (approximately every two months), for two-hours on a weekday evening (usually 5-7pm).

In 2019, we adapted some of the world’s best practice models to suit the Sunshine Coast context and set up a Community Reference Group (CRG) with diverse membership to provide advice for the region’s biosphere nomination. The group convened again in 2022 to inform planning and preparations in anticipation of our region becoming a biosphere. Under the Sunshine Coast biosphere governance arrangements, the CRG has transitioned to a CAG.