Growth Management Queensland South East Queensland Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2010 October 2010 Tomorrow s Queensland: strong, green, smart, healthy and fair
Contents Toward Q2: Tomorrow s Queensland...1 Growth Management Queensland...1 Challenges and opportunities...1 What is the South East Queensland Outdoor Recreation Strategy?...2 Benefits of outdoor recreation...2 Making Queenslanders Australia s healthiest people...2 Building a stronger economy...3 Encouraging volunteers...3 Where are we now?...3 Implementing the SEQ Outdoor Recreation Strategy priority actions:...5 Looking forward. Delivering now. The Department of Infrastructure and Planning leads a coordinated Queensland Government approach to planning, infrastructure and development across the state. State of Queensland. Published by the Department of Infrastructure and Planning, October 2010. 100 George Street, Brisbane Qld 4000. The Queensland Government supports and encourages the dissemination and exchange of information. However, copyright protects this publication. The State of Queensland has no objection to this material being reproduced, made available online or electronically but only if it is recognised as the owner of the copyright and this material remains unaltered. Copyright inquiries about this publication should be directed to the department s Legal Services division via email copyright@dip.qld.gov.au or in writing to PO Box 15009, City East, Queensland 4002. The Queensland Government is committed to providing accessible services to Queenslanders of all cultural and linguistic backgrounds. If you have difficulty understanding this publication and need a translator, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 and ask them to telephone the Queensland Department of Infrastructure and Planning on 07 3227 8548. Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in preparing this publication, the State of Queensland accepts no responsibility for decisions or actions taken as a result of any data, information, statement or advice, expressed or implied, contained within. To the best of our knowledge, the content was correct at the time of publishing. PPL_0075.001_Pu Cover images courtesy of Queensland Canoeing, Mountain Bike Association of Queensland, Tourism Queensland. Inside images courtesy of D. Batt, D. Weatherburn, W. Roscoe.
Toward Q2: Tomorrow s Queensland The Queensland Government has five ambitions for the future of this state. Strong: Green: Smart: We want to create a diverse economy powered by bright ideas. We want to protect our lifestyle and environment. We want to deliver worldclass education and training. Healthy: We want to make Queenslanders Australia s healthiest people. Fair: We want to support a safe and caring community. Outdoor recreation provides social, health, educational and tourism benefits which contribute significantly to South East Queensland s identity, culture and economy. The South East Queensland (SEQ) Outdoor Recreation Strategy will play an important role in achieving our Green, Healthy, Strong and Fair ambitions. Growth Management Queensland SEQ s environment and lifestyle are under increasing pressure from population growth and climate change. The region s population is expected to grow from 2.8 million in 2006 to 4.4 million in 2031. This is an increase of 1.6 million people almost 60 per cent more than the 2006 population. Population growth is a major issue for Queensland. The establishment of Growth Management Queensland within the Department of Infrastructure and Planning signifies the Queensland Government s commitment to capitalising on the benefits of growth while ensuring our lifestyle and environment is maintained. This is a major initiative from the Queensland Government s Growth Management Summit in March 2010. Growth Management Queensland is responsible for the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009 2031 which balances population growth with the protection of SEQ s lifestyle and environment. The SEQ Regional Plan helps meet community needs for outdoor recreation by protecting over 85 per cent of the land area within SEQ from urban development and specifies principles, policies and programs which support outdoor recreation and recreation trails. In addition to the SEQ Outdoor Recreation Strategy, Growth Management Queensland is responsible for the: Queensland Greenspace Strategy focusing on securing more community greenspace as land for public recreation across Queensland SEQ Active Trails Strategy focusing on developing a network of highquality recreation trails in SEQ. MANY PEOPLE Challenges and opportunities Balancing growth and change with development and infrastructure provision is a complex challenge for the State Government and the community. It is important that needs for outdoor recreation opportunities and community greenspace are addressed in land use planning. National, state and regional surveys show consistently higher participation in outdoor recreation than in organised sports. Surveys on participation of SEQ residents in outdoor recreation activities show a significant increase from 84 million activity-events 1 in 1997 to 170 million activity-events in 2001. By 2007, participation dropped to 127 million activity-events. This may have been caused by factors including the introduction of Sunday trading; over-crowding of prime sites at peak times; new technologies that changed recreation preferences; perceptions of safety; increased traffic congestion and fuel costs; reduced site quality; and drought. One challenge for governments and the community is to return outdoor recreation participation in SEQ at least to the 2001 level while maximising the health, social, environmental and economic benefits. A second challenge is to form partnerships between the Queensland Government, Local Government, private enterprise and the community. The aim of these partnerships is to provide places for people to participate in their preferred outdoor recreation activities and to manage the places and activities for safety, sustainability and compliance with relevant laws. VARIED ACTIVITIES DIFFERENT PLACES 1 Activity-events are based on the number of SEQ residents participating in a particular outdoor recreation activity multiplied by their average frequency of participation over a year. Department of Local Government, Sport and Recreation, Outdoor Recreation Trends in South East Queensland between 1997-2007, Brisbane, 2008. Copies are available from the Department of Communities, www.sportrec.qld.gov.au 1
What is the South East Queensland Outdoor Recreation Strategy? Put simply, people need the right sorts of places to participate in their preferred outdoor recreation activities. Outdoor recreation activities, services and facilities are supplied and managed by Queensland Government, local Councils, private businesses and community groups. The SEQ Outdoor Recreation Strategy focuses on coordinating these entities to ensure these places and activities are managed for safety, sustainability and compliance with relevant laws. For this strategy, outdoor recreation means recreation or sport activities undertaken in natural, rural and urban open space without significantly changing those places. Outdoor recreation activities include: 2 Bushwalking, rogaining and orienteering Canoeing and kayaking on rivers and lakes and in the sea Camping Fishing Wildlife watching Horse riding trail riding and endurance events Swimming, scuba diving and surfing in the sea Four-wheel driving Cycling road cycling and mountain bike riding Picnicking Sailing Rock climbing Gliding Waterskiing Outdoor recreation is usually a secondary use of: land used primarily for forestry, farming, nature conservation or transport creeks, rivers and lakes used for water supply coastal seas used for transport and commercial fishing. Usually, outdoor recreation activities can be managed to complement these primary uses and to ensure safety, sustainability and compliance with relevant laws. Activities which require exclusive use of purpose-built facilities (e.g. courts, playing fields, stadiums and racing Where does outdoor recreation happen in SEQ? Recreation trails and commuter cycleways Local Council bushland State forests Navigable estuaries and rivers Beaches Private off-road vehicle parks Making Queenslanders Australia s healthiest people Queenslanders enjoy good health and an enviable quality of life. We re living longer, but this is under threat. Poor diet, inactive lifestyles and obesity are predicted to cause a tracks) are not addressed by this strategy. People engage in outdoor recreation for many reasons and in many different ways including for personal challenge; to relax; to participate in an outdoor education program or in adventure, nature-based or eco tourism; to compete; to improve health and fitness; and to experience particular places, landscapes or cultures. Outdoor recreation is very diverse with differences in activities, equipment, motivations, expectations; preferences for landscapes and group size; and providers. Managing this diversity is complex and needs new approaches. Public parks Unformed roads and stock routes National, conservation and marine parks Major dams and associated lands Coastal waters including Moreton Bay Private rural land Benefits of outdoor recreation Image courtesy of Melanie Doheny. 55 per cent increase in Type 2 diabetes in Queensland over the next 10 years. These and many other illnesses can be prevented by eating better, exercising more and by directly experiencing nature. Outdoor recreation is the preferred form of physical activity for many Queenslanders. Participation in outdoor recreation can help manage obesity and related health issues; improve fitness and strength; reduce stress; develop problem-solving and risk management skills and selfconfidence; and build and maintain social relationships. By providing safe, convenient and attractive places for outdoor recreation, the Queensland Government encourages Queenslanders to choose healthy lifestyles. The health, economic, social and environmental benefits from outdoor recreation are strongly interrelated.
Building a stronger economy Most of SEQ s population lives in major coastal cities and, for these people, outdoor recreation is the main way to experience the region s landscapes and seascapes. In addition, SEQ s high quality and diverse environments attract many interstate and international visitors. To experience places through outdoor recreation, people buy specialist equipment (e.g. four-wheel drives, boats, camping gear, navigation equipment, surfboards and saddles), fuel and food. They also purchase services including skills instruction, guides, transport and accommodation. SEQ residents and interstate and international visitors spend, directly or indirectly, more than $1 billion a year to participate in outdoor recreation. This supports regional economies and creates jobs often where there are few other economic development opportunities. Encouraging volunteers There are many outdoor recreationbased organisations that attract, train and retain volunteers in order to operate. These include: surf life saving clubs, marine rescue and coast guard organisations Guides, Scouts and similar organisations natural history associations bushland regeneration groups activity-based clubs (e.g. four-wheel driving, bushwalking and horse trail riding). Outdoor recreation-based volunteering has significant economic, social, educational and environmental benefits. The strategy will support these organisations and help achieve the Towards Q2 target of increasing the number of volunteers involved in their community. Where are we now? The Queensland Government is already delivering new outdoor recreation opportunities in SEQ. Recent achievements include: 100 kilometres of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail opened with another 50 kilometres to be completed by July 2012 the 28 kilometre Maroochy River Trail on the Sunshine Coast development of a regional outdoor recreation precinct around the Wyaralong Dam to include: 745 hectare Wyaralong Trail Bike Park in partnership with Local Governments facilities for camping and canoeing 24 kilometres of the Boonah to Ipswich Trail 25 kilometres of mountain bike tracks in the Mount Joyce Escape Mountain Bike Park more than 40 kilometres of multiuse (walking, mountain biking and horse riding) recreation trails completion of four new Great Walks in SEQ s national parks Gold Coast Hinterland (54 kilometres) Connondale Range (56 kilometres) Sunshine Coast Hinterland (58 kilometres) Cooloola (102 kilometres) release of the Seqwater Recreation Management Framework setting out the principles for managing outdoor recreation in precincts around each of the 24 major dams in SEQ. Detailed planning to improve outdoor recreation on offer at Somerset and Wivenhoe Dams by Seqwater is now underway dedication of the 61 750 hectare Cooloola Recreation Area from Noosa North Shore to Rainbow Beach managed by the Department of Environment and Resource Management in partnership with Gympie and Sunshine Coast Regional Councils 11 new recreational boating infrastructure projects completed in SEQ boat ramps, pontoons and floating walkways completion of the Harry Atkinson Reef east of St Helena Island and approval for two new artificial reefs in Moreton Bay for recreational fishers and scuba divers vision for North Stradbroke Island by the end of 2027, all sand mining leases will have expired and more than 80 per cent of the island will be national park with opportunities for outdoor recreation activities such as camping, four-wheel driving, beach fishing, picnicking, bushwalking, cycling and surfing release of a draft Queensland Greenspace Strategy in March 2010 with the final strategy expected in 2011. Map 1 outlines existing regional community greenspace within SEQ. Department of Infrastructure and Planning South East Queensland Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2010 3
4 Map 1: Existing regional community greenspace network
Implementing the SEQ Outdoor Recreation Strategy priority actions The SEQ Outdoor Recreation Strategy identifies eight priority actions for implementation to better coordinate and build on the Queensland Government s achievements to date. These actions will also enable formal establishment and recognition of partnerships with Local Governments, industry organisations and the community to increase participation in, and opportunities for, outdoor recreation in the region. 1. Develop an implementation plan to guide planning, development and management of outdoor recreation activities, places and infrastructure in SEQ. The implementation plan will detail coordination arrangements; infrastructure priorities and development plans; outdoor recreation-related services; research priorities; opportunities for volunteer involvement; and mechanisms for community engagement. 2. Coordinate outdoor recreation policy, development and management through Queensland s planning system community plans, planning schemes, policies in the SEQ Regional Plan and management plans for public land. 3. Develop and implement mechanisms to protect and manage multi-tenure areas for outdoor recreation such as dedication of new recreation areas under the Recreation Areas Management Act 2006. For example, the recently dedicated 61 750 hectare Cooloola Recreation Area covers national park, various State and Local Government properties, roads and esplanades (both state land), and beaches down to the low water mark. 4. Prioritise outdoor recreation opportunities and community green space in management plans for state lands. For example, implement a management plan for Glen Rock Regional Park which ensures outdoor recreation is diverse, safe and sustainable while achieving priority nature conservation, catchment management, and scenic amenity and landscape heritage outcomes. 5. In conjunction with the Queensland Greenspace Strategy, develop options to assist private landholders to provide outdoor recreation opportunities. For example, the Department of Communities already has information about the development and management of trail bike riding facilities on private land available online. 6. In conjunction with the Queensland Greenspace Strategy, develop a public recreation land register and map the regional community greenspace network. This information will be used to create a website for community groups, tourists and Queensland residents to access information about the outdoor recreation opportunities in their region, town or city. 7. Manage a program of projects which foster community involvement in planning, developing, managing and monitoring outdoor recreation places and activities such as the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Ambassadors. 8. Develop a system for consistent naming of outdoor recreation activities and describing the places needed for each activity. This system will accommodate changing technologies and emerging activities. For example, since the 1990s, mountain bike riding has branched into many different styles including Downhill Cross-Country, Trials, Mountain Cross, Free Riding and Dirt Jumping. Although these are collectively known as mountain bike riding, each requires a different combination of place, technique and bicycle design. Likewise, surfing is a collective term for related, but clearly different activities, including body surfing; boogie board riding, surfboard riding, surf ski riding, wave ski riding and surf kayak paddling. The outdoor recreation naming system will be used by State agencies, Local Governments, researchers and private enterprise to help meet people s preferences for activities and places and to manage emerging activities for safety and sustainability. Image courtesy of Michael Marston. Department of Infrastructure and Planning South East Queensland Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2010 5
Department of Infrastructure and Planning PO Box 15009 City East Qld 4002 Australia tel +61 7 3227 8548 info@dip.qld.gov.au www.dip.qld.gov.au