Wurtulla Beach Access Upgrade

Engagement Results

Survey results from Wurtulla beach access 249A proposed upgrade

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback on the proposed Wurtulla beach access (BA) 249A upgrade.

The results on whether council should formalise the existing informal track were:

No – 50 %
Yes – 47.5 %
Other – 2.5 % (asking for the track to be located in another area).

Summary of feedback

For respondents who did not support the informal track upgrade, feedback included:

concerns about increased noise, increased use and impact on surrounding residents
extended stays, not enough parking, no direct access from the road
close off the access to protect the turtle nesting habitat, vegetation in the foreshore area and the dunes
there are already enough beach access points.

For respondents who were supportive of the upgrade, feedback included:

the viewing platform provided a great vantage point but could do with some shade
the coastal pathway is well used, and any extension opportunities would be positive
support putting infrastructure in place, so people don’t walk through and damage the dunes further.

Further suggestions

Here is a general summary of the suggestions received as part of the survey and council’s response.

Feedback	Council response
Leave the track in its current natural state	The track is not approved by the Queensland Government, and as such council is unable to maintain it as if it were a typical beach access. The erosion impact is evident by the considerable cut the informal track has made through the dunes. We remain concerned about the erosion impact from the informal access to the dunes and will continue to explore other management options to address this.
Focus on upgrading surrounding beach accesses	The majority of these beach accesses are 30 years old and were built by the estate developer. We are progressively upgrading the stairs (similar to the access at Firetails BA252). The stairs at BA247 at Wurley Drive has just been upgraded and were reopened to the public at the start of June. The stairs at BA251, at the end of Petrel Court, are also in the process of being upgraded. Firetails was upgraded a few years ago. Beach access 250 has also been scheduled for maintenance following the works at BA251.
The stairs at beach access 249 need to be repaired or upgraded	The stairs at BA249 have been scheduled for major works in the capital program and will also have minor maintenance programmed in for the next financial year.
Put the platform at 249 instead	Council will investigate this suggestion however accessibility to a platform on the beach is via stairs and a sand track and therefore not easy to get to for some users.
Viewing platform at Firetails	Council will investigate this suggestion further.
More fencing and signage in the area to prevent people walking through the dunes and creating informal pathways	This feedback has been considered by the team responsible for managing the environmental reserve and further revegetation and protection works will be rolled out in the area.
Install more drinking fountains	Council doesn’t routinely add drinking fountains along the coastal pathway particularly where it is traveling through natural areas. Water supply can be an issue, and the level of embellishment through these areas is intentionally low to manage cost, sustainability and retain the natural character. For the Coastal Pathway, we would look to provide such facilities at the trail heads, which are referred to as ‘Connections’ in the Coastal Pathway masterplan (e.g. Currimundi Lake or Moffat Beach) and at Arrival nodes (e.g. Bokarina Beach). You could also expect to find one at the District parks along the way (e.g. Wyanda Park).
Pedestrian crossing at Parkhaven Drive	Council will pass this feedback on to the transport and infrastructure team.
Remove traffic calming on Oceanic Drive, in front of beach access 249	Council will pass this feedback on to the transport and infrastructure team.
Create more accessible beach accesses	We have accessibility at the front of our minds with each beach access upgrade, however ramps are not often possible due to the height of the dunes and the extent of clearing required through the forest. Some flora species have been identified as critically endangered and Council is committed to protecting these wherever possible. Council considers BA248 would be suitable for improved disability access due to dune heights and existing infrastructure. We will investigate this further in the future.

Next steps

After reviewing the feedback, council has decided not to proceed with formalising the track at this stage and will instead focus on upgrading the surrounding beach accesses – which was the general feedback from the majority of ‘no’ respondents.

A critically endangered flora species was identified either side of the track. The protection of this species onsite will be made a priority.

We also remain concerned about the overall erosion impact to the dunes from the informal access and will continue to explore other management options to address this.

Thank-you once again for taking the time to provide your feedback on the proposed Wurtulla BA249A upgrade.

Overview

Proposed new beach access 249A at Oceanic Drive South, Wurtulla

The beach is an important part of our Sunshine Coast lifestyle.

Council regularly maintains or upgrades beach accesses to keep them in good condition so everyone can safely access the beach.

Designated beach accesses also help to protect the dunes, the plants and coastal foreshore areas from erosion and damage.

Through our regular inspection process, we’ve been monitoring the condition of an informal beach access track south of beach access 249 at Oceanic Drive South, Wurtulla.

We’ve been aware of this path for some time and use of the track is increasing. Over time this has, and will continue to, cause significant erosion and damage to the dunes.

Community Engagement

We’re proposing to formalise this informal track to turn it into a designated beach access track, with a viewing platform and stairs – and want to know what you think about the proposal.

We asked the community to review the proposed concept plan and let us know their view on the proposal through a survey which opened on Thursday 24 March and closed on Sunday 8 May 2022.

Council is currently reviewing the feedback and will advise the community of the outcome soon.