Shire of Noosa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shire of Noosa Queensland
Location within South East Queensland
Sunrise in Noosa
Population	56,298 (2021 census)
• Density	64.7/km2 (168/sq mi)
Established	11 May 1910 – 15 March 2008 1 January 2014
Area	870 km2 (335.9 sq mi)
Mayor	Frank Wilkie
Council seat	Tewantin
Region	South East Queensland
State electorate(s)	Noosa
Federal Division(s)	Wide Bay
Website	Shire of Noosa
LGAs around Shire of Noosa: Gympie Gympie Pacific Ocean Gympie Shire of Noosa Pacific Ocean Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast Pacific Ocean

The Shire of Noosa is a special area in Queensland, Australia. It is about 130 kilometers north of Brisbane, in the Sunshine Coast district. The shire covers an area of 870 square kilometers.

Noosa has been a local government area for a long time. It existed from 1910 until 2008. Then, it joined with other areas to form the Sunshine Coast Region. But on January 1, 2014, the Shire of Noosa became its own area again! In 2021, about 56,298 people lived here.

Noosa's Past: A Journey Through Time

How Noosa's Land Was Formed

Mount Cooroora from Hill Street in July 2023.

The hills and mountains behind Noosa were created a very long time ago, about 25-30 million years ago. This happened because of volcanoes! Later, as the sea levels changed, Noosa's beautiful beaches and waterways began to take their current shape.

Noosa's First People

The Noosa area was originally home to several Aboriginal groups. The main ones were the Undumbi tribe in the south, the Dulingbara in the north, and the Kabi Kabi (or Gabbi Gabbi) in the west.

The Gubbi Gubbi language was spoken across this land. This area includes places like Caloundra, Noosa Heads, and Gympie.

In 2003, a court decided that the Kabi Kabi First Nation are the traditional owners of the Noosa area.

Even though much of the old ways have changed since European settlement, you can still find reminders of the traditional owners of Noosa. These include:

• bora rings: special circles used for ceremonies.
• canoe trees: trees with marks where bark was taken to make canoes.
• Border/navigation trees: trees used to mark paths or tribal areas.
• Stone carvings.
• burial trees.
• middens: piles of shells left by people over thousands of years.
• Stone axes.
• Spoken legends: many stories passed down through generations.
• Place names: many local names come from Aboriginal words.

Many people believe the name "Noosa" comes from the Aboriginal word "Noothera" or "Gnuthuru." This word means "shadow" or "shady place" in the Kabi Kabi language. However, some old maps from the 1870s show the Noosa River as "Nusa River." "Nusa" is an Indonesian word for "island," and the Noosa River does have islands like Makepeace Island.

You can learn more about the history of the first people and early European settlers at the Noosa Shire Museum in Pomona.

Early European Settlers

Captain Cook explored this area in 1770, but Europeans didn't settle here until almost 100 years later. It was hard to travel around the region, which slowed things down. Early European settlers came for timber logging and later for the gold rush near Gympie.

In 1871, a port was set up in Tewantin. By 1877, Tewantin had hotels, a school, and a police station. In 1872, the Noosa Heads coast was made an Aboriginal Mission, but this plan was stopped in 1878. Land then became available for people to settle. After 1890, the port became less important when a railway line was built inland.

Noosa is not just one town; it's a whole region! It has beautiful beaches, a national park, and a clean river. It also has many trails and small villages inland. In the last 50 years, Noosa has changed from a quiet fishing village into a popular tourist destination. Noosa is known for its "green" approach to development. This means they try to protect nature. There are no tall buildings, and much of the natural forest remains. About 34.8% of the Noosa area is protected land, like National Parks.

One reason Noosa Heads is so popular is that its main beach faces north. This protects it from strong winds and storms, making it a great place to visit.

How Noosa's Council Grew

The Former Noosa Council Chambers used from 1911-1980.

Noosa became a separate shire in 1910. The first elections were held, and James Duke became the first leader. The first Noosa Shire Hall was built in Pomona in 1911.

In 1917, a special list was put up at the Shire Hall to remember those from the area who served in World War I.

In the 1970s, new areas like Noosa Sound started to be developed. In 1980, the main council office moved to Tewantin. The old hall in Pomona became the Noosa Museum.

In 1982, the people of Noosa elected a council that cared a lot about the environment and careful planning. This council started ideas like limiting how much the population could grow. They also focused on keeping Noosa's special character and protecting its natural beauty.

In 1995, the mayor, Noel Playford, announced a "population cap" of 56,500 people for Noosa Shire. This was based on how many people the area could support while keeping its unique feel. Noosa was the first council in Australia to do this!

On March 15, 2008, the Shire of Noosa joined with other areas to form the Sunshine Coast Region. This happened even though 95% of Noosa voters did not want to join! Noosa's mayor, Bob Abbot, became the mayor of the new larger council.

In 2012, people in Noosa wanted to become a separate shire again. On March 9, 2013, 81% of Noosa residents voted to separate from the Sunshine Coast Region. This was because Noosa had different ideas about planning and development.

The Shire of Noosa was officially re-established on January 1, 2014. New councillors and the mayor were sworn in the next day.

Towns and Localities in Noosa

The Shire of Noosa includes many different towns and areas:

¹ - includes part of Great Sandy National Park
² - shared with Sunshine Coast Region

Who Lives in Noosa?

In 2021, the average age of people in Noosa was 52. This is older than the national average of 38.5. Most residents (71.7%) were born in Australia, and 14.2% were born in the United Kingdom. Almost everyone (90.9%) speaks only English at home.

Many people in Noosa are well-educated, with 22.3% having a university degree or higher. A lot of people (26.2%) also volunteer in their community, showing they are very involved. Families in Noosa generally have a good income, with a median weekly household income of $1,256.

Noosa's Local Government

The Noosa Shire Council is made up of a mayor and six councillors. These people are chosen by the community in elections. The council works to make decisions for the whole Noosa area.

In the 2024 election, there were 44,127 people in Noosa Shire who could vote.

Who is on the Council Now?

The current council, elected in 2024, includes:

Leaders of Noosa Shire

Noosa Shire has had many leaders over the years, first called Chairmen and then Mayors.

Early Chairmen (Chosen by Councillors)

• James Duke (1910–1911)
• Frank Conroy (1911–1914)
• Eugene von Blankensee (1914–1915)
• Alexander Chapman (1915–1916)
• Charles Livingstone (1916–1917)
• Alexander Parker (1917–1918)
• Alexander Chapman (1918–1919)
• Charles Crank (1919–1920)
• Alexander Parker (1920–1921)

Mayors (Directly Elected by the People)

• William Ferguson (1921–1927)
• Frederick Bryan (1927–1930)
• Charles Crank (1930–1939)
• William Ferguson (1939–1946)
• Robert McAnally (1946–1955)
• Victor Gee (1955–1958)
• S.T. (Stanley) Adams (1958–1964)
• Ian MacDonald (1964–1980)
• Bert Wansley (1980–1988)
• Noel Playford (1988–1997)
• Bob Abbot (1997–2008)
• (Noosa was part of Sunshine Coast Region from 2008–2013)
• Noel Playford (2014–2016)
• Tony Wellington (2016–2020)
• Clare Stewart (2020–2024)
• Frank Wilkie (2024–present)

Noosa's Culture and Fun Events

Noosa is a lively place with many festivals and cultural activities!

The Noosa Film Festival was held in 1999. Other popular events include the Noosa Festival of Surfing, where surfers show off their skills.

The Noosa Arts Theatre is a well-known place for plays and performances. Every year, Noosa also hosts the Noosa Long Weekend Festival. This is a 10-day festival with theatre, dance, music, food, films, and workshops. It attracts over 10,000 people!

The J Centre in Noosa Heads is another place for live shows and music. It's also a campus for the University of the Sunshine Coast.

The Noosa Country Show, which started in 1909, is a yearly event. It shows off the best cattle and horse riders in the shire. It's held at the Pomona Showgrounds every September.

The King of the Mountain is an exciting annual festival and mountain challenge. It takes place in Pomona every July.

Pomona is also home to the Noosa Shire Museum, where you can see both European and Aboriginal history. The Majestic Theatre in Pomona is a performing arts center. There's also an art gallery in the old Pomona Railway Station.

Services for the Community

The Shire of Noosa has libraries in Noosaville and Cooroy. There's also a mobile library that visits other areas every week. These areas include Noosa Heads, Sunrise Beach, Cooran, Federal, Kin Kin, Boreen Point, Peregian Beach, and Pomona.