Livingstone Shire Council Invites Community Feedback on Farnborough Beach Foreshore Master Plan
Livingstone Shire Council is inviting residents to have their say on the newly released draft Farnborough Beach Foreshore Master Plan.
Developed in consultation with the community and the Farnborough Beach Reference Group, the master plan proposes several major improvements to provide safer, more sustainable long-term options for vehicles accessing Farnborough Beach and Corio Bay, whilst continuing to protect and rejuvenate the dunes in the area.
Deputy Mayor Councillor Adam Belot emphasised the importance of community feedback on the master plan in helping to shape the future management of Farnborough Beach.
“The need for a solution to this problem has been kicked around by council for twenty-five plus years, and now we have a potential way forward, importantly, designed by locals,” Councillor Belot said.
“Once upon a time, there was only a handful of four-wheel drives that accessed the northern beaches of our shire – now we have as many as 900 vehicle movements in a day along Farnborough Beach alone”.
"It is vital to the ongoing sustainability of the natural environment and the safety of all beach users in the Farnborough Beach and Corio Bay areas that we begin to take steps to ensure the safe ongoing use of the beach for everyone,” Councillor Belot said.
“With our community growing so rapidly, now is the time to find real long-term sustainable solutions”.
The development of the master plan follows the temporary closure of Farnborough Beach to vehicles earlier this year, during which time Livingstone Shire Council and Queensland Police Service reported a substantial decrease in vehicle incidents on the beach. Feedback received in consultation with the public following the closure indicated that the trial closure should become permanent.
“The feedback from the initial night-time closure was mainly positive. However, some residents were upset by the not being able to access Farnborough Beach 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
“Council is now proposing to reintroduce unlimited access to Farnborough for our keen fishing community. This will allow unlimited access for those vehicles launching and retrieving boats along Farnborough Beach, day and night,” Councillor Belot said.
"Our goal is to strike a balance between facilitating continued vehicle access to the beach and ensuring the long-term health of our natural environment. We believe that through these proposed improvements, we can create a more sustainable and enjoyable experience for all beachgoers," Councillor Belot added.
The proposed vehicle access to Farnborough Beach is located on private land. Construction of the new vehicle access to Farnborough Beach will be pending future discussions with the landowner. Council will consider sourcing through alternative funding sources to finance the master plan, including but not limited to state and federal government funding.
Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the feedback process by reviewing the draft Farnborough Beach Foreshore Master Plan document and completing the online survey available on the council's website. The council welcomes all contributions and encourages everyone to have their say before the deadline for feedback on 31 January 2024.
To participate in the community consultation, visit https://getinvolved.livingstone.qld.gov.au/farnborough-beach-foreshore-master-plan-community-consultation.
Paper copies of the survey and all relevant information will be made available at all Council Libraries and Customer Support Centres.
The survey results will be presented to the Council at a briefing session in April.