THE Wonga Beach Foreshore Management Plan has been released for public comment. The plan is available on Council’s website at Wonga Beach Foreshore Management Plan | Douglas Shire Council.
There are a number of ways for the community to provide feedback:
- Speak directly with the authors who will be holding a drop in session at Wonga Beach State School on Monday 14 June, 5:30pm to 7pm.
- Emailed comments to Gaye Scott, Community Liaison, Douglas Shire Council – gaye.scott@douglas.qld.gov.au
- Post comments to Douglas Shire Council, PO Box 723 Mossman, Q 4873
- Drop in written comments to Port Douglas Community Centre, Mossman Library or Administration Building at 64 Front Street, Mossman.
Comments are requested by Friday 25 June 2021.
Overview
Following on from community consultation in 2018, Douglas Shire Council adopted an Interim Wonga Beach Foreshore Management Plan which set out the conditions whereby residents could drive ATVs on the beach for recreational purposes.
At the time it was envisaged a more detailed plan would be formulated at a later date.
With a successful grant application through the Queensland Government Reef Assist program, Douglas Shire Council has now appointed Alluvium Consulting Australia Pty and Wild Environmental to revise the Interim Plan to produce a more detailed plan.
The Foreshore Management Plan will contain, among other things:
- Description of the vegetation types
- Description of fauna found along the foreshore
- Weed species list
- Audit of beach access points – formal and informal
- Dune protection activities such as revegetation and recommended plant species
- Maps which clearly define access points to the beach and priority area for revegetation.
The Wonga Beach plan will be one of five in the Shire, with other foreshore management plans being undertaken for Newell, Cooya, Four Mile and Oak Beach.
What is a Foreshore Management Plan?
A Foreshore Management Plan (FMP) is designed to guide the management of foreshore zones within the Douglas Shire.
The plan will be developed to better identify how the foreshore zone can be managed to maintain the natural character of the area, as well as protecting the environmental, cultural, recreational and social values of the foreshore.
The plan will inform dune protection, including weed species for removal, native vegetation species for regeneration, and pedestrian and vehicle access management.
The Douglas plans will identify how the foreshore area can be managed to maintain the natural character of the area, as well as protecting the cultural, environmental, recreational and social values.
The Foreshore Management Plans will contain, among other things:
- Description of the vegetation types
- Description of fauna found along the foreshore
- Weed species list
- Audit of beach access points – formal and informal
- Dune protection activities such as revegetation and recommended plant species
- Maps which clearly define access points to the beach and priority area for revegetation.
The foreshore area includes the area from the highest astronomical tide inland to the edge of either a road reserve or residential property boundary (whichever is closest).
Foreshore management plans are integral tools to ensure open foreshore areas are managed for the benefit of the community, while making best use of ratepayers’ funds. These plans consider how the foreshore is used by the community and provide actions to maintain, develop and sustainably manage the areas.