Final ReportOctober 2014

CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL

LAKE MORRIS RECREATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

Final ReportOctober 2014

ABN: 55 093 304 717

B O :Suite 8, 29 Mt Cotton Road(PO Box 1358)CAPALABA QLD 4157

tel: (07) 3823 5688fax: (07) 3823 5689

info t ate i lei u e o aut ate i lei u e o au

Cai n Of e:Suite 44, 5 a ult Clo e(PO Box 857)SMITHFIELD, QLD 4878

tel: (07) 4055 6250fax: (07) 4055 6250

ai n t ate i lei u e o aut ate i lei u e o au

2014 St ate i Lei u e Pt Ltd t a T e St ate i Lei u e G ou T i do u ent a onl e u ed fo t e u o e fo i it a o i ioned and in a o dan e it t e te of en a e ent fo t e o i ion

Prepared by:

CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL

LAKE MORRIS RECREATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

Doc Version Date Checked Distribution RecipientDraft V1 12 05 2014 ML E ail NW

Final Draft 14 07 14 ML E ail NW

FINAL 24 10 14 ML E ail LJ

Final Report 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11 1 Introdu tion 2

1 2 Re ie of Pre iou Re ort 2

1 3 Sta e older and Co unit En a e ent 3

1 4 A e ent of Potential Ne A ti itie 3

1 5 Ben ar in of Ot er La e 4

1 6 Re reation Mana e ent Fra e or 5

2 RECOMMENDATIONS 62 1 Pro idin and Ex andin Re reation O ortunitie 7

2 2 See in Partner in Re reation Pro i ion 10

3 INTRODUCTION 113 1 Site O er ie 13

4 BACKGROUND AND REVIEWS 204 1 Re ie of Pre iou Studie 21

4 2 Su ar of Value 24

4 3 I le entation of Pre iou Re reation Mana e ent Plan 26

5 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 295 1 Sta e older Grou 30

5 2 Co unit En a e ent 33

5 3 Co unit Sur e Re ult 34

5 4 Co unit and Sta e older Re ie of Draft Re ort 38

6 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL NEW RECREATION ACTIVITIES 396 1 Prote tin Value 40

6 2 A ti it Mana e ent 40

6 3 Le i lation 41

6 4 Infra tru ture I li ation 44

6 5 A ti it De and and Potential for Co er ial, or ot er, Partner in Pro i ion 44

6 6 Potential Re reation A ti it A e ent 45

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan4

7 BENCHMARKING OF OTHER LAKES 5571 Ke Learnin fro Ben ar in 56

72 Ke Learnin fro Ben ar in 57

8 RECREATION MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK 598 1 Re reation Mana e ent of La e Morri 61

8 2 Re reation one and U e Matrix 62

8 3 Re reation U e onin Plan and Ma ter Plan 65

9 APPENDIX A - SUGGESTED APPROACH TO MARKET 679 1 Co er ial Partner i 68

9 2 Co unit Partner i 68

9 3 T e Offer 69

9 4 A roa to Mar et for Co er ial O ortunitie 70

9 5 See in Co unit Partner i Offer 72

10 APPENDIX B - COMMUNITY SURVEY DETAILED RESULTS 73

11 APPENDIX C - COMMUNITY SURVEY QUESTIONS 80

12 APPENDIX D - TRAFFIC COUNT DATA 81

13 APPENDIX E - A3 MAPS 96

14 APPENDIX F - REVIEW OF DRAFT: COMMENTS RECEIVED 100

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan2

La e Morri (Co erlode Da ) i t e rin i al ater u l for Cairn T e la e it to t e e t of t e it it a at ent redo inantl o ri ed of national ar and Wet Tro i World Herita e Area fore t T e

la e i an out tandin natural and eni a et in t e Cairn re ion Currentl t ere i a da u e and i ni area ro ided ad a ent to t e da all Per itted re reation in lude u e of t e i ni area, a al in tra to Cr tal Ca ade in t e Redl n Valle , ridin and runnin on t e a e road and o e li ited tour

rou u e of t e road a ro t e da all into t e Da ie Cree Clo e Ri er e tion of Dinden National Par

In 1991 a re reation ana e ent lan for La e Morri a de elo ed to ro ide a lon ter trate for

ro i ion of re reation o ortunitie t i a re ie ed and u dated in 2001 and a u orted a Ri Mana e ent Plan, and Vi itor Infra tru ture Condition A e ent Mo t of t e re o endation re ardin infra tru ture and i itor fa ilitie ere i le ented,

o e er t e i le entation of ex anded re reational u e a dela ed for a nu er of rea on

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

T e re iou lan ere ri orou and e ta li ed on idera le detail on en iron ental, o ial and ultural alue and de ned ater ualit o e ti e

for t e la e Ho e er t e 2001 lan did not in lude exten i e o unit on ultation T e re iou lan found t at t e rote tion of ater ualit a a riti al i ue and t at it out i ni ant u rade of t e treat ent lant a ti itie in ol in ri ar onta t (i e

i in ) ere not ad i ed Si ilarl in a not u orted a t e la e a t en t e u e t of on oin

to in re ear

T e re iou tudie did nd t at on ater u e addle raft and non o u tion en ine oat ould e u orted if it a underta en in a ontrolled a

t rou all rou I ortantl , t e e t reat in a in raft u e t e ater a t e i ortation of eed

and e t e ie or at o en To re ol e t i ri it a re o ended t at no ri ate raft e allo ed and

t at o er ial o erator e li en ed to ro ide tour on t e la e it raft t at ould e e t on ite and

uarantined for u e in La e Morri onl

1 1 INTRODUCTION

1 2 REVIEW OF PREVIOUS REPORTS

This report reviews the previous work, reports on the community’s views in regard to recreation at Lake Morris and proposes a new recreation management framework and strategies for increasing outdoor recreation opportunities for residents and visitors to the region.

Final Report 3

A ran e of ta e older ere inter ie ed re ardin La e Morri In eneral t ere a ontinued u ort for additional re reation o ortunitie to e ro ided at t e la e and a eneral ie t at artner i it o er ial or o unit rou ould e a ia le a

to ro ide t e on ater a ti itie t at are on idered uita le

Ke a on t t e ta e older i t e De art ent of National Par , Re reation, S ort and Ra in (Qld Par and Wildlife Ser i e) and Wet Tro i Mana e ent Aut orit Mana in a ti it in t e area a re uired an on oin artner i et een Coun il and t e e a en ie Bot a en ie ex re ed tron u ort for initiati e t at in rea ed t e ran e of nature a ed re reation in t e area and re o ni ed t e otential touri ene t t at ould a rue for t e it T e need for edu ation en iron ental inter retation to

e inte rated into an uided a ti it a i li ted a art of re on i le ana e ent and ro otion of t e alue of t e area

Anot er e ta e older a Gi u Walla urra idin i, t e traditional o ner of t e area Re re entati e

of Gi u Walla urra idin i (Gi u ) ex re ed t eir tron intere t in o t e area i ana ed and ould

li e to e in ol ed in on round ana e ent and de elo ent of uided tour T e are de elo in an indi enou ran er ro ra and a e een re arin a trate to or it QPWS in arin for t eir ountr

T ere i tron otential for a artner i it Gi u to deli er i ro ed ana e ent of tra and fore t and to ro ide t e ultural ontent t at i often ou t in e o and nature a ed touri ex erien e

Co unit ie ere ex lored ri aril t rou an on line ur e i re ei ed 531 re on e T e re on e learl indi ated t at t ere a u ort for ex anded re reation o ortunit at t e la e ut t at t i u ort a te ered it on ern for t e ater

ualit Stand out referen e for additional re reation were:

• Wal in Tra • Wal ride addle to Ca in • Pro idin Canoe and Ka a for Hire • Kio and Caf • Mountain Bi e Trail

Pro idin new re reation o ortunitie at La e Morri wa lanned wit re ard to t e li ited re our e Coun il a to de elo new infra tru ture or to ana e new a ti itie For Coun il, t e ain ur o e of La e Morri i water u l Howe er, t e urrent alue a a re reation re our e and t e otential to add to t e o ortunitie for re ident a een a nowled ed

Coun il Added to t at, are t e touri ene t of an o ortunit to ex erien e a ri tine la e urrounded world erita e rainfore t lo e to t e it T erefore, an ro o ed additional a ti it need

to e u taina le, ot en iron entall and nan iall De elo in a ran e of artner i wit o unit

rou and o er ial re reation ro ider offer a ia le a roa

A ran e of otential a ti itie were a e ed a ain t a atrix of fa tor in ludin :

• Prote tion of Value (So ial, En iron ental, Water Su l )

• A ti it Mana e ent on ern or i ue • Le i lati e on traint • Infra tru ture I li ation • A ti it De and and Potential for Partner i

T e a e ent ro e ena led identi ation of re o ended a ti itie and deter ination of t e e t o tion for deli er

1 3 STAKEHOLDER AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

1 4 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL NEW ACTIVITIES

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan4

A re iew of i ilar la e and t e ro i ion and ana e ent of re reation and o er ial re reation wa underta en on iderin a nu er of lo ation and tate T e e learnin were:

• T ere i a ix of a roa e to ana in a in wit t e u e of a o er ial le ee o t li el w ere t ere i t ou t to e uf ient o er ial

otential So e Coun il are till ana in a in round t e el e eit er a a o unit er i e or

to u e an ro t to ontri ute to o eratin o t • Co er ial re reation a ti itie o onl offered

are: ire of oa t raft io af ro o in io a in and ara an ar

• Mixed u e ite are o on In o t a e t e a in round and ara an ar i in a de ned

area wit it own a e to t e water or no a e to water and i itor a in to dri e to da u e area ra to a e

• Mix of addle and iin u e i o on • Pro i ion of afe wi in area i a re urrin

i ue at ixed u e area o tl a o iated wit irre on i le oat dri er or ite w ere t ere i

li ited a e to water ide • T e o t o on o laint fro all u er

(in ludin ier ) i t e e a iour of o e oat dri er and t eir uttin ot er u er at ri

• T ere are o e lo ation w ere water a e for iin or rowin i onl a aila le t rou a lu

te Nu erou i ue e er e wit t i a roa , arti ularl t at of e uit and u re ion of touri otential

• De i n of i itor fa ilitie i riti al at ulti u e ite , wit t e followin ele ent re o ended: Se aration of da u e area fro o ni t ta

area If o i le afe wi in area ould e

identi ed and learl delineated Pi ni and da u e area ould e e arated fro

t e oat ra and trailer ar in Ve i le traf ould e ana ed to eri eral

area and e i water a e node • Co er ial u e an ea il e inte rated and

t ere are o ortunitie for o er ial a ti itie to ontri ute to etter ite ana e ent t rou ot ite ana e ent re en e and nan ial ontri ution

to o eration • For oun il ana ed ite :

A ran e of a ti itie are o i le ut t e tenden i to ana e t e land o onent onl

Co er ial u e tend to e t e lea in of t e a in round and ara an ar

1 5 BENCHMARKING OF OTHER LAKES

Final Report 5

A recreation management framework is proposed that has the following main objective:

The proposed objectives for management are:

1 Re reation o ortunitie will e on idered to e uita le if t e are on i tent wit t e alue of La e

Morri 2 Pro i ion of re reation o ortunitie will fo u on

two areas:a Co unit Re reation Ser i es w i are

o ortunities ro ided for all users Dis retionar Re reation Ser i es w i are t ose esta lis ed in artners i wit ot er ro iders and a e offered as additional a to use o ortunities

3 T e ro ision of Co unit Re reation Ser i e o ortunities are onsidered art of t e nor al o erational res onsi ilit of Coun il s ar s, s ort and re reation a ti ities

4 T e ro ision of Dis retionar Re reation Ser i es are additional to nor al o erations and it is desira le t at t e are ro ided in a ost neutral wa As so e a ti ities a a e ore otential to deli er a nan ial return t an ot ers, t ese ser i es s ould e onsidered as a a a e wit t e net result ein no additional o erational ost urden T is allows for so e a ti ities to ross su sidise t e

ro ision of ot ers5 Co unit rou or o er ial artners i s will

e ana ed arefull to ensure t at no detri ent to t e La es alues o urs and t at o erators are

ro idin a fair return to Coun il for an o er ial ri ts t e re ei e

6 Edu ation of users to t e alues of t e la e and surroundin at ent will e an inte ral art of ana in re reational use Cairns Re ional Coun il will stren t en existin artners i s wit WTMA, QPWS and JCU in deli erin edu ation and inter retation for users All new artners ro idin dis retionar re reation o ortunities will e re uired to in or orate edu ation inter retation in t eir a ti ities

7 Mana e ent of re reation will e oordinated wit QPWS A ree ents s ould e esta lis ed re ardin res onsi ilit for ana in re reational infrastru ture It is enerall anti i ated t at t e i ni and da use area and t e oat laun

eninsular will e t e o erational start nis oints for ost dis retionar re reation a ti ities and t at Coun il will a e res onsi ilit for ana in t e o erators and t eir use of t ese areas W ere a ti ities use National Par areas, t e ana e ent of t is use will e oordinated wit QPWS

8 A nu er of ones will e esta lis ed to ana e re reational use and assist in de nin er itted a ti ities and ana e ent res onsi ilities (see 8 3) T ese are:a Da use and Pi ni one

La e Morris Road Restri ted Area no u li a ess

d Controlled Area a ess for rou s under er it onl

e La e Use Areaf National Par

The recommended recreation activities for each zone are described in Section 8.2.

1 6 RECREATION MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

Cairns Regional Council will manage Lake Morris to ensure continued safe supply of drinking water for the city. Where there is no risk to the quality of the water supply, Cairns Regional Council will endeavour to provide a range of recreation opportunities for residents and visitors to the region. The provision of new recreation opportunities may be undertaken with commercial or community partners.

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2 RECOMMENDATIONS2 1 PROVIDING AND EXPANDING RECREATION

OPPORTUNITIES As one of t e ain ur oses of t is lan is to in esti ate o ortunities for additional re reation ro ision at La e Morris, t e followin strate ies are re o ended for ro idin and ex andin re reation o ortunities at La e Morris It s ould e noted t at new a ti ities in ol in additional infrastru ture a re uire de elo ent a ro al under t e Cairns Plannin S e e and t at a ti ities in t e surroundin National Par will re uire a ro als or onsent fro ot t e De art ent of National Par s Re reation S ort and Ra in and t e Wet Tro i s Mana e ent Aut orit

2 1 1 Day Use and Picnic Area • Continue to ana e t e da use and i ni area as

a Co unit Re reation Ser i e o ortunit T is eans it s ould re ain free to use and s ould ater

for all users • En an e t e ex erien e a aila le see in

additional artners i s wit WTMA, QPWS or JCU to ro ide additional edu ation and inter retation ontent t rou out t e area

• In esti ate o ortunities to artner wit Gi u Walla arra idin i to ro ide ultural inter retation in t e da use area

• See a o er ial or o unit o erator willin to o erate t e ios and af as an added dis retionar o ortunit at t e i ni and da use area T is o ortunit s ould also in lude t e otential to u rade t e uildin to in rease t e a ilit to offer s all fun tion or da onferen e uses and ossi l ,

ro ision of li ited and restri ted a in in onsite fa ilities

• In esti ate t e otential to wor wit QPWS and Gi u Walla arra idin i to ro ide a s ort 1 our self uided ir uit wal a essed fro t e da use area T e wal ould e onstru ted and aintained

Gi u t rou t eir ro osed indi enous ran er ro ra and inter reti e ontent ontri uted fro

QPWS WTMA • T e desi n a a it of t e existin treat ent lants

s ould e deter ined and ad i e sou t as to u rade o tions and osts to o e wit in reased de and

• As isitation in reases at t e da use area, lannin for infrastru ture u rades s ould e onsidered U radin t e sewa e treat ent and water treat ent lants s ould e lanned w en annual isitation nu ers or ea loads ex eed li its

a reed wit Cairns Water

• As t ere is so e un ertaint on existin use nu ers1 and t e treat ent a a it of t e existin lant, it is re o ended t at isitor data e re orded on a dail total asis for t e re ainder of 2014 and t is data e used to esta lis ase line usa e Traf ounts ould e used for t is infor ation, owe er

t is s ould e orrelated wit o ser ation studies for a wee to deter ine a era e o u an and orrelations etween ar and ot er odes (e le)

2 1 2 Crystal Cascades Walking Track • A tra audit s ould e underta en and re uired

wor s to rin t e tra to an a e ta le standard identi ed T e audit s ould e ointl funded CRC and QPWS

• As t e tra is redo inantl on National Par , an a ree ent s ould e rea ed wit QPWS on resour in tra i ro e ents Partnerin wit Gi u Walla urra idin i and t eir ro osed indi enous ran er ro ra ould e onsidered for

ot tra i ro e ents and on oin aintenan e • Additional inter retati e si na e s ould e

onsidered for t e tra to en an e t e wal • Addin a s ort ir uit loo startin fro t e trail

ead on La e Morris Rd s ould e onsidered for a future u rade T is s ould e less t an 1

our return and ould e de elo ed as art of t e ro osed artners i wit Gi u idin i

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan8

2 1 3 On Water Activities • A ran e of on water a ti ities s ould e ro ided

as dis retionar re reation ser i es Co er ial or o unit artners s ould e sou t to ro ide t ese a ti ities

• On water a ti ities s ould use t e Controlled Area ones wit water s ed e a ess ro ided for rou s ia t e existin o erational oat laun in area on

t e s all eninsular sout east of t e da use area • Pro iders s ould e res onsi le for de elo in and

aintainin t eir own a ess infrastru ture and stora e on t e eninsular A ess is t e restri ted use road and in 4WD e i les onl

• In t e ediu to lon ter , onsideration of wal in a ess fro t e da use area s ould in esti ate t e

otential for at stairs down to t e water s ed e elow t e i ni area and for a oatin ontoon

wal wa to lin to t e eninsular T is would ena le asual ire of addle raft

• T e on water a ti ities t at ould e sou t are: Canoe and a a tours Bird wat in wildlife e o tours usin addle

raft or solar ele tri oats Pu li anoe a a stand u addle oard ire

• A water ualit and i a t onitorin ro ra s ould e esta lis ed to ensure on water a ti ities are not i a tin on t e la es alues Baseline data s ould e olle ted rior to o en e ent of an a ti it Partners i wit JCU or anot er uni ersit s ould e ursued to ro ide t e on oin

onitorin and ena le a solid resear ro ra for t e uni ersit

2 1 4 Overnight Stay Activities • As art of t e ran e of on water a ti ities or ot er

uided re reation a ti ities, o erni t sta s for s all rou s at t e ios area or at a us a in site ould e onsidered

• T e old road reser e (identi ed on Fi ure 3) w i is outside t e national ar area s ould e in esti ated for a us a in area

• T e de elo ent ( o er ial artners) of a s all nu er of on site tents ould e onsidered wit in t e Coun il Reser e area to su ort li ited and restri ted a in T is would onl e for s ort sta a o odation asso iated wit arti i ation in ot er o er ial re reation a ti ities

• De elo ent and aintenan e of a us a in area wit asi ser i in (as su ested in 2 a o e) s ould e t e res onsi ilit of one or ore of t e o er ial artners ro idin tours and s ould e

su e t to t eir assess ent of ar et de and and ia ilit Howe er an a ree ent re ardin t e

de elo ent and o eration of su an area s ould in lude liaison wit QPWS and WTMA and e lanned to ensure no i a ts on t e la e or surrounds fro

u an or ot er waste An a ree ent s ould in lude ro isions for s e ial rou s (e ad enture

s ort e ents, s ools, resear ) to a e a ess • All o erni t sta a ti ities s ould onl e onsidered

for s all rou s (less t an 30) for durations of no ore t an t ree ni ts and fre uen s ould e

li ited • Multi da wal s and ulti odal (i e addle

and wal and ride) tours ould e de elo ed in on un tion wit QPWS and in lude use of t e

existin networ ased around Bridle Cree , Clo es Ri er and Da ies Cree

2 1 5 New Trails for Walking or Mountain Biking • T e de elo ent of new ridin and wal in trails

is desira le as it an offer new outdoor re reation o ortunities to t e eneral u li If ossi le, new trails s ould e free to use (or at t e least in lude a

ix of free and ontrolled use) Partners i s wit o unit rou s and lu s s ould e ex lored to

de elo new trails • Trail lannin would need to e oordinated t rou

QPWS and e de elo ed a ordin to t eir standards, as trails are ost li el to e t rou national ar An a ree ent for new trails needs to ensure t at res onsi ilities (and resour in ) for de elo ent and aintenan e are resol ed efore ro eedin

• Potential o unit artners are Gi u Walla arra idin i (as art of an indi enous ran er and arin

for ountr ro ra ) and lo al or re ional ountain i e lu s t at are willin to ursue a si ilar odel

to S it eld Conser ation Par • Co er ial o erators a also e willin to su ort

trail de elo ent as it will allow t e to ex and t e ran e of a ti ities t e ould offer

• In t e lon er ter trail lannin s ould ex lore t e otential to lin wit t e Da ies Cree area and Ta lelands and offer ulti da wal or ride o ortunities

• Coun il s da use area ould e o e t e sta in oint (or end oint) for a nu er of lon er duration trail ex erien es T e sites a a it in ter s of ar in , stora e and a enities a need to e u raded for t is use

2 1 6 Fishing • Li ited s in o ortunities s ould e allowed on

t e la e T ese s ould e ro ided t rou at and release o ortunities a essed ia addle or solar ele tri raft No ri ate raft or an s in s ould e er itted

• Co er ial artners s ould e sou t to offer a li ited nu er of s in tours for s all ontrolled

rou s • Re enue fro s in tours s ould ontri ute

towards a resto in and la e onitorin ro ra to ensure t at t e a ti it is not detri ental to t e water ualit or la e e olo An sto inresto in ro ra would e su e t to a ro al fro QPWS, DEHP and Fis eries

Final Report 9

• If u li ire raft are ro ided on t e la e t en a li ited nu er of raft ould e a aila le for s in

ires T is will allow ontrols to re ain on s in a ti it , and t e o erator would e res onsi le for

e in an s in ear rou t in is free of ests or at o ens

• Consideration s ould e i en to s littin u t e s in a ti it ri ts into t ree o ortunities:

Fis in tours on solar ele tri oats s in tours fro addle raft and ire of addle raft (or solar ele tri oats) for self ana ed s in

• Consideration s ould also e i en to onin la e areas so different o erators a e different areas a aila le for t eir use and to ensure so e areas of t e la e re ain off li its to all s in

2 1 7 Lake Morris Road • La e Morris Road s ould e ana ed as s ared use

trans ort, s ort and re reation infrastru ture T e lower road is er o ular for wal ers, runners and

lists and ana e ent of t e road needs to allow for t ese uses

• General infor al use of La e Morris Road for wal in , runnin and lin s ould ontinue as a s ared use wit si na e and desi n allowin for all users and en oura in onsideration of ot er users

• Esta lis in for al ti es for non otorised use of t e road is re o ended as a ro ra ed re reational use Closure of t e lower ate ( rst loo out) and restri tion of otorised e i les efore 8 a on wee da s and efore 9 or 10 a on one wee end da will a e ini u i a t on ar traf or an future o er ial re reation o ortunities and as t e ene t of en oura in ore a ti e re reation on existin infrastru ture

• If a wildlife tour re uires road a ess wit in restri ted ours t e ould e ro ided wit e a ess and

re uired to la e si na e at t e lower ate warnin riders t at tour e i les a e on t e road

• Road losures for for al s ortin e ents or ot er s e ial a ti ities ould also e onsidered on an indi idual e ent asis An su ro osal would need to e onsiderate of an i a t on o er ial re reation a ti ities

2 1 8 Swimming • General u li a ess for swi in in t e la e is

urrentl not re o ended due to la of suita le infrastru ture and on erns re ardin t reats to water ualit

• Li ited swi in use ontrolled rou s ould e allowed w ere it is asso iated wit an a ti it

su as a s ortin e ent or ana ed trainin for a s ortin rou (su as lifesa in or triat lon) Per its s ould e issued on a ase ase asis and all res onsi ilit for safet and a ti it ana e ent will e t e res onsi ilit of t e er it older

• A ess for ontrolled swi in use s ould e ia

t e oat laun in eninsular • In t e future it a e a ro riate to onsider

li ited and ontrolled u li swi in in a de ned area and ana ed an o erator w o ould ar e for a ess T is ould onl o ur wit a onitorin

ro ra in la e to assess an i a t on water ualit

• If fundin is ro ided for t e re uired u rade to t e Tunnel Hill treat ent lant t en ro ision of free u li swi in a ess ould e re onsidered

2 1 9 Sporting Events • T e esta lis ent and de elo ent of lo al,

re ional and nationall si ni ant s ortin e ents ould e onsidered for La e Morris T e o ination

of t e uni ue en iron ent, t e allen in a ess road and t e a ilit to offer land and water sta in

eans t at ultis ort enduran e e ents are ideall suited to t e area Cairns and Ta lelands as a re ion is uildin a onsidera le re utation for t ese st le of e ents

• E ent ro osals s ould e onsidered on a ase ase asis, and will need to eet t e sa e

re uire ents as o er ial re reation ro iders in ter s of en iron ental rote tions and a ti it

ana e ent Onl a li ited nu er of e ents s ould e de elo ed so as not to de alue t e uni ueness of

t e o ortunit • Trainin use of t e La e and t e Road s ould e

ro ided for lo al enduran e s ort lu s on a er it asis In ot er words, t e an lan a s e i

trainin e ent and see er ission (if t e wis water a ess or te orar road losures)

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan10

It is re o ended t at Coun il onsider t e followin a roa : • See o er ial re reation ro iders and touris

o erators to ro ide t e followin a ti ities: On water uided tours ia addle raft Pu li ire of addle raft O eration of t e ios af usiness and

asso iated su ort a ti ities for t e o er ial re reation a ti ities (w i a in lude future

ro ision of li ited and restri ted a in in onsite fa ilities)

On water tours usin solar ele tri oats Fis in tours usin addle raft Fis in tours usin solar ele tri oats O erni t addle tours usin a us a in site

(in ludin t e de elo ent and o eration of t e a in site)

• Consider su ortin a otential a ree ent etween QPWS, WTMA , Coun il and Gi u idin i to esta lis a ran er trainin ro ra w i will e entuall see t e ta e so e res onsi ilit for arin for t e forest, tra de elo ent and tra aintenan e T is a ree ent ould in lude e entual de elo ent of ultural tours in t e area and t e in ol e ent of Gi u in ot er tours It a e ad anta eous to in esti ate a otential olla orati e a roa t at

artners Gi u wit an ex erien ed o er ial o erator so ot ro ra s ould e de elo ed in an inte rated wa T is ould de elo a alua le e lo ent and trainin ro ra as well as add alue to t e touris rodu t at t e la e

• In esti ate furt er t e otential for a o unit rou , lu or o er ial ro ider to wor wit

QPWS, WTMA and Coun il in de elo in new ountain i e trails

In see in o er ial interest in ro idin a ti ities, a two sta e a roa is re o ended: • A roa t e ar et wit a all for ex ressions of

interest and ro osals ased on a ros e tus w i details t e ran e of o ortunities and t e o eratin onditions t at will a l

• Sele t referred o erators ro onents to su it detailed ro osals ased on assess ent of a nu er of fa tors and sele t o erators to ne otiate a nal a ree ent wit

More detail on the “Approach to Market” is contained in Appendix A Suggested Approach to Market.

2 2 SEEKING PARTNERS IN RECREATION PROVISION

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan12

La e Morris lies a out 22 west fro t e Cairns CBD and sits at lose to 500 a o e sea le el T e la e is for ed Co erlode Da w i was o leted in 1976 and is na ed after for er Cairns Cit en ineer E R Morris w o dis o ered t e site for t e da

T e surroundin at ent area is ostl rainforest and art of t e Wet Tro i s World Herita e Area

T e total area leared for onstru tion was 336 e tares T e ro and eart ll da i ounds 37,000 e a litres of water and as a rainforest at ent area of 44 T e da o rises a 45 i oned eart and ro ll da of 122 in len t T e e an ent

as a rest le el of 403 84 AHD and a widt of 6 4

Currentl onl li ited land ased re reation is allowed and t is is fo used on t e Coun il ontrolled reser e (for water su l ur oses) Howe er, t e a ess road (La e Morris Road) is used onsistentl for re reation and t e a ess a ross t e da wall into Dinden National Par is used tour rou s under er its fro ot Coun il and Qld Par s and Wildlife Ser i e

In 1991 a re reation ana e ent lan for La e Morris was de elo ed to ro ide a lon ter strate for

ro ision of re reation o ortunities and identif t e e ana e ent issues in ol ed in re reational use of t e area T en in 2001 an u dated stud was underta en Sin lair Kni t Mer Pt Ltd to re iew t e 1991 lan and in esti ate t e i a ts of an ed le islation, e er in outdoor re reation de and, or anisational ana e ent and infrastru ture T e

2001 re ort was su orted a Ris Mana e ent Plan re ared E is Consultin (Jul 2000), and a Visitor Infrastru ture Condition Assess ent re ared

Site lan Cairns Pt ltd, O to er 2001 T is wor was also su orted a detailed re iew of en iron ental onditions

A funda ental rin i le of t e lan was rote tion and aintenan e of water ualit T e re iewed lan was ado ted at t e Cairns Water Co ittee Meetin on Wednesda 20 Fe ruar 2002 Infrastru ture re o endations in t e re iewed lan were ado ted for i ro e ents and re a ilitation wor s for t e isitor area at Co erlode Da were lanned in ludin ar ar reseal, a ess road i ro e ents, retainin

wall re la e ent, i ni area u rades ,re la e toilet lo and relo atin t e water treat ent lant

W ile t e wor s were lar el o leted t ere as een no an e to re reational use of t e site w i urrentl in ludes t e road, i ni fa ilities and t e

wal in tra to Cr stal Cas ades

3 INTRODUCTION

This report reviews the previous reports and progress in providing additional recreation opportunities at Lake Morris. The changed legislative, commercial and community environments are also investigated. Engagement with the community on the Lake and recreation management forms a signi cant part of the new information used to prepared a revised plan.

Final Report 13

La e Morris (Co erlode Da ) is ostl surrounded Dinden National Par and is ontained wit in t e Wet Tro i s World Herita e Area T e area ontainin t e ios and Coun il s water su l o erations is on rown

reser e wit Coun il as trustee

T e La e lies to t e sout west of Cairns CBD and is a essed ia La e Morris Road w i leads fro t e Western B ass (Brins ead) T e a ess road is a sealed road suita le for e i les under 6 5 and wit

so e sin le lane se tions re uirin i e wa oints Additional a ess is ia wal in tra fro Cr stal Cas ades and a restri ted dirt road (Bridle Cree ) lin fro t e Ta lelands (Da ies Cree and Clo es Ri er) T e lin a e to Bridle C Road Dinden National Par is a ross t e Da wall and e i le a ess is er it onl Clo es Ri er Road allows u li e i les w i

ro ides a ess to t e ate A o e La e Morris da wall (see Fi 2)

Fi ure 1 Lo ation of La e Morris

3 1 SITE OVERVIEW

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan14

3 1 1 Site FeaturesT e e ele ents of t e site are: • Bitu en a ess road and sealed ar in areas at

t e to ser i in t e i ni area and ios Par in su le ented wit an o er ow area on t e lower se tion of t e one wa a ess road leadin t rou t e site A ess to t e la e is ti e restri ted wit u er ates ein losed at ni t to re ent out of ours use T e ate is ontrolled re otel and

onitored t A lower ate is also used to restri t a ess if t ere are road losures for an reasons and to restri t ni t use

• Road a ess to t e da wall and iewin areas • Lar e i ni area wit BBQ stations, iewin area, a

la round and se eral i ni nodes • Kios and lar e o ered de wit a ess ra s and

at s • A s all iewin area o er t e s illwa • Inter reti e anels around t e de and ios

i li tin en iron ental and world erita e alues

• Toilets ad a ent to t e u er ar ar • Loo out areas alon t e road leadin u to t e la e • A ess oint for t e Cr stal Cas ades wal in tra ,

ar in for t is trail ead is ro ided as art of t e ain ar in area

• Hi olta e ele tri it lines and towers tra erse t e isitor area and ross s illwa annel

• A eninsular sout east of t e i ni area w i is a essed a restri ted road and ro ides a ess for

oat laun in for da o erations and onitorin • An unused ut still a etted road orridor leadin

down anot er eninsular to t e sout of t e wall w i is ex luded fro t e surroundin National Par

• T rou out t e surroundin forest t ere are old and o er rown a ess tra s relatin to t e da onstru tion and ro a le earl forestr a ti it

• T e site is ser i ed a s all water treat ent lant and a s all sewa e treat ent lant

Fi ure 2 La e Morris and Surroundin National Par s (QPWS Ma )

Final Report 15

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Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan16

3 1 2 Past and Present Non–Recreational UsesWater SupplyT is is t e main purpose of t e lake and istorically management as focused on t is wit recreational use being secondary T e water supply use re uires t e following core activities:

• Management and protection of t e surrounding catc ment to ensure uality of received water W ile t e surrounding catc ment is nearly all national park, Cairns Regional Council ave collaborated wit QPWS on a number of initiatives to protect t e catc ment including feral weed and animal control programs

• Maintenance and operation of t e water supply intake and storage infrastructure

• Monitoring of water uality and environmental conditions across t e lake

• Management and maintenance of t e dam wall and ot er impoundment infrastructure

ResearchA number of researc activities ave been conducted in t e lake and surrounding catc ment T ese include:

• Fis stocking researc undertaken by Fis eries (w ic as now ceased) Involved t e release of

ngerlings and periodic sampling to monitor growt rates and be aviour Most of t e species were salt water breeding so would not reproduce in t e lake Species stocked include: Sooty Grunter Sleepy Cod Arc er Fis Bony Bream Eel Tailed Cat s Barramundi Mangrove Jack and Jungle Perc

• Habitat and ecosystem researc by JCU and ot er institutions Undertaken in catc ment forest and some riparian areas Varied researc as included bot fauna and ora and t e impact and extent of pest and weed species

Management of researc activity is not formally coordinated by any one agency, owever t e presence of an on-site caretaker and t e good communication between land management agencies and Cairns Water ave meant t at in general Cairns Water staff (Caretakers) are aware of all researc activity in t e area and are usually advised of any site visits to water and land areas

Wit any increase in recreational use of t e area it will be important to formalise t e coordination of researc activities so t at studies are not compromised unknowingly and t at investigation locations are selected wit consideration for recreation activities

Electricity SupplyPowerlink as a ma or transmission line running t roug t e area wit towers spanning ridgelines and crossing at t e spillway c annel T e towers

do traverse t e parking and picnic area and ave a signi cant visual impact on some parts of t e visitor use site Consideration of electromagnetic radiation impacts on users was discussed in t e 2001 plan:

“Currently the casual link between human health and EMFs is under debate and there is a general policy of “prudent avoidance” in areas where continuous exposure is likely. Generally a distance of 20 metres from a transmission tower would be suf cient. Further detail on this issue can be found in the appendices. In light of inconclusive evidence on EMF, perceptions by some communities of potential harm from EMF and the practice of prudent avoidance, the current location of the tower ad acent to the of ce would suggest that the area is unsuitable for any further development as a public use area. Further any facilities should not encourage a signi cant length of stay. This may affect the northern lookout but is not likely to be an issue with the main use area of the kiosk and deck”. (p6)

A review of updated advice by ARPANSA (Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency) identi ed t at t e latest 2013 fact s eet as not really c anged t e earlier advice and t at w ile no rm correlations ave been made prudent avoidance is recommended In t e case of Lake Morris Picnic Area it means t at prolonged exposure directly under t e ig voltage towers s ould be avoided Picnic and viewing uses are not expected to constitute prolonged exposure

ConservationAs part of t e Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and wit most of t e catc ment contained wit in national park, conservation is t e ma or land use T e protection of natural environment and cultural eritage values are extremely important in t is context T e conservation use of t e lake and t e surrounding forest aligns wit t e need for protection of t e water supply but s ould not be seen as a barrier to sustainable recreation use Nature based recreation activities are integral to effective management of conservation lands as t ey allow for greater education and awareness of t e values of t ese areas and elp ig lig t t e importance of protecting natural areas

Final Report 17

3 1 3 Current Recreation Management

GeneralT e lake and picnic area are managed by Cairns Water Cairns Water employs caretakers on site w o look after t e visitor facilities as well as undertake operational tasks and monitoring related to water supply functions

T e surrounding National Park area is managed by Qld Parks and Wildlife Service (Department of National Parks, Sport, Recreation and Racing) wit policy and planning interest from Wet Tropics Management Aut ority

Picnic Area and LookoutsT e focus of recreational use at t e lake is t e Picnic area and kiosk T is area is managed and maintained by Council (Cairns Water) and includes mainly passive opportunities for picnicking, viewing t e lake and some limited walking

Crystal Cascades Walking TrackT e Crystal Cascades walking track links t e Council managed recreation area in Redlync Valley to Lake Morris mostly t roug National Park T e management of t e track remains unresolved wit council taking responsibility for t e trail ead and recreation area at Crystal Cascades T e maintenance of t e track itself and provision of signage is a grey area wit responsibility probably belonging to QPWS w o ave no funding to maintain t e track T ere ave been informal agreements to undertake work at times but overall responsibility remains uncertain and t ere are emerging issues wit bot track standard and t e poor

uality of way nding (signage) provided

T e track itself is very popular and w ile primarily for walking is also used by mountain bikes

T e Crystal Cascades recreation area is a popular swimming and picnic spot and council as invested considerably in t is destination Usage of bot t e picnic area and t e track could be expected to increase

3 1 4 Lake Morris RoadT e road up to Lake Morris is a signi cant piece of recreation infrastructure t at needs to be considered separately to t e picnic area T e road is eavily (and increasingly) used by walkers, runners and cyclists In addition it is a popular scenic drive and as a number of way points t at act as informal lookouts and formal lookouts as well T e road is maintained by Council and is t e only operational access to t e dam and intake operations at t e dam wall W ile t ere are strong operational reasons for maintaining t e road t ere is also a strong community expectation t at t e road is maintained for community use

A number of issues surround t e management of t e road Primarily, t e expense of maintenance and repair is an ongoing concern for Council Almost every wet season t ere are landslips and road closures w ic

istorically ave been able to be repaired t roug disaster relief funding Since Cyclone Larry (2006) around 14 2 M as been spent on t e road T is as all been sourced from national disaster relief funding

Road closures due to land slips are a wet season regular (usually between January and May) In 2013 t e road was closed for a total 125 days and 69 days in 2012 W ile t ese closures were not in a single block, closures can be for signi cant durations and may exceed 1-2 weeks w ile repairs are sc eduled and undertaken T is often coincides wit poor weat er and t e aftermat of extreme weat er so tour demand in t ese times may be low Regardless it is a signi cant constraint for a prospective operator

Council’s roads section as limited funding for t e road and, as traf c volumes are so low, it is dif cult to ustify allocations for t e road T e road is not managed as a recreation asset rat er it is managed as transport infrastructure However t e main purpose of t e road is arguably recreation T ere is considerable value in t e recreation opportunities t e road provides and it may be wort considering an alternative basis to ustify costs

It is possible to access t e day use area from Clo esy River Road (wit consent from QPWS) T is may be an alternative t at could be made available to commercial recreation providers if circumstances re uired However t is relies on dirt re roads and condition of t ese roads may also be very poor after extreme weat er

Commercial RecreationLimited commercial recreation as occurred in t e surrounding catc ment T is as been based mostly on permits for use of QPWS roads and council permits to cross t e dam wall T e activities are mostly managed by QPWS wit t e operators also re uired to ave a permit from council to traverse t e dam wall as a prere uisite Currently, it is believed t at 6 permits are active but reports from t e caretaker indicate t at only two of t ese are actively used W ile t e reasons are unclear it is believed t e lack of take up is due to a number of factors including t e unreliability of t e access road (Lake Morris Rd) and previous downturns in tourismT e currently active users are Wilderness Eco Safaris and Discovery Tours T e main use is visiting t e day use area / kiosk and deck and t en traversing t e dam wall into QPWS managed roads (Clo esy River/ Davies Ck/ Bridle Ck) Last year Wilderness Eco Safaris ad around 800 passengers t roug Lake Morris and by June 2014 ad already conveyed 700

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan18

T e caretaker records all use by operators Activity permits are sub ect to state legislative controls and council local laws and commercial recreation policies As t e area is included in t e Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, federal legislation also applies under t e Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act Ot er federal legislation may apply depending on t e activities being considered and t e speci c area concernedCurrent activity permits are all tour based and include mountain bike, car (4wd) and motorcycleEvent and single activity permits ave been awarded in t e past for:

• Eco-c allenge (adventure sport race) • Scouts • Walking and bird watc ing groups • Mountain bike groups

In t e past, tour groups ave also visited t e kiosk (w en it was operating in full) and w ile use of Lake Morris Road by small tour groups ad not re uired commercial recreation permits t e use of t e kiosk facilities by t ese groups constituted a commercial use of t e area as t e visit was part of an organised tour

3 1 5 Cairns Planning Schemes

CairnsPlan 2009District and planning area:Under t e CairnsPlan 2009 (current planning sc eme), t e Lake Morris area is identi ed wit in t e Rural Lands District wit in t e Conservation planning Area

Tables of assessment:T e types of uses generally appropriate (identi ed as self assessable and code assessable in t e tables of assessment) wit in t e Conservation planning area are: • Educational establis ment

All ot er land uses are identi ed as impact assessable or impact assessable (inconsistent use) Bot of w ic re uire public noti cation

Planning area code:T e purpose of t e Conservation Planning Area Code is to facilitate t e ac ievement of t e following desired development outcomes (only t ose relevant are listed):

reas identi ed as having signi cant values for biological diversity, ecological integrity and scenic amenity, as well as declared Fish Habitat Areas, are protected from development or from the effects of development that impact on those values;

Any recreational use of the signi cant areas within the Planning Area that are in the control of the Crown or the Council, such as Reserves, National Parks and the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, is consistent with the management plans of the controlling authority so that the conservation and scenic values of these areas are not affected;

Any low intensity development based on an appreciation of the natural environment or on nature based recreation which may be located within the Planning Area, where a demonstrated community need exists, do not have any detrimental effects on the conservation or scenic values of the area;

Draft Cairns Region Planning Scheme (as at October 2013)

T e Draft Cairns Region Planning Sc eme is currently being prepared and was released in draft in October 2013 for non-statutory public consultation T e draft planning sc eme is still under development and is sub ect to c ange

one:As at October 2013, t e Lake Morris area was oned wit in t e Conservation one

Final Report 19

Tables of assessment:As at October 2013, t e draft types of uses generally considered appropriate (identi ed as self assessable and code assessable in t e tables of assessment) wit in t e Conservation one are: • Environment facility

All ot er land uses are identi ed as impact assessable (re uires public noti cation and is generally not considered appropriate)

one code:T e purpose of t e draft Conservation one code is ac ieved t roug t e following outcomes: • land wit in t e Conservation one is appropriately

managed to protect and maintain biological diversity, water uality, ecological functioning, beac protection and coastal management, scenic amenity and istorical and cultural values

• t e values of t e Wet Tropics World Heritage Area are protected

• development does not occur wit in t e one, wit t e exception of low intensity development based on t e appreciation of t e signi cant values of t e

area w ere a demonstrated community need exists or w ere development is located wit in, and is consistent wit t e overall outcomes of, an identi ed precinct

• areas w ic form part of t e scenic rim are protected from adverse effects of development on t eir scenic values

• development does not adversely affect t e conservation and/or scenic values of t e site or surrounding area

• development does not adversely affect t e biological diversity and/or ecological integrity of t e site or surrounding area

• furt er lot recon guration, ot er t an amalgamations or boundary realignments to resolve minor, existing encroac ments, does not occur on land wit in t e one

As t e draft planning sc eme is currently under development, t e content above is sub ect to c ange Until suc a time as t e draft planning sc eme as undergone statutory public noti cation, no weig t can be given to t e draft sc eme in t e assessment of any development application

Final Report 21

4 BACKGROUND AND REVIEWS

T e following table summarises t e relevant information from Prior reports

4 1 REVIEW OF PREVIOUS STUDIES

Table 1 Summary of Literature Review

Document Purpose and content Relevance to Recreation ManagementRecreation Management Plan 1991(Environment Science and Services)

Investigated t e environmental issues around recreational use, considered public submissions and developed a proposed approac to management

Very strong emp asis on protecting environmental, scenic and cultural valuesRecommended to pro ibit s ing, swimming and unrestricted access to water’s edgeProposed consideration of limited controlled canoe use by tour groups onlyProposed upgrading of picnic facilities (w ic was eventually undertaken)Recommended identi cation and development of trails including Crystal Cascades link (Crystal Cascades track is establis ed but not built to any standard and responsibilities still unclear)Recommended interpretive displays w ic were subse uently developed in partners ip wit WTMARecommended interpretive signage on walksRecommended road improvements and over ow parking (road improvements ave been ongoing)Recommended t e following Principles of Management:1 Protection of Water Quality2 T e Notion of Quality (e g pristine rainforest

gateway and well-presented facilities)3 Environmental Sensitivity4 Role of Private Enterprise (in providing en anced

levels of service and recreation opportunity)5 Education and Interpretation

Wet Tropics Walking Track StrategyWTMA 2001

Overall strategy for t e Wet Tropics region identifying a range of s ort, medium and long tracks as well as partners ip opportunities in developing t e track network

Proposed long distance trail to Lambs Head and Davies CkRecommended formalising t e Lake Morris-Crystal Cascades track

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan22

Document Purpose and content Relevance to Recreation ManagementRisk Management PlanEgis Consulting 2000

Investigated potential risks and proposed strategies for managing t em

Ma or risk identi ed was t at activity on or ad acent to t e water will degrade water uality and potentially cause algal blooms T e risk is associated bot wit t e level of contamination and t e treatment plant’s ability to cope wit t e impact and still ensure safe drinking waterLand based activities suc as walking tracks and mountain bikes were considered management risks but concern was expressed over on-water activity and t e need to upgrade t e treatment plant to minimise riskT e most important risk identi ed was t at of faecal contamination from feral pigs

Review of Recreation Management for Lake MorrisSKM 2001

Reviewed t e 1991 management plan and revised recreation management recommendationsT e Plan was supported by t e Egis Consulting Risk Management Plan (2000) and t e Visitor Infrastructure Condition Assessment (Siteplan 2001)

Recommended continued protection of site values and found t at expanded recreation use would be appropriates t roug additional trails and commercial recreation permits delivering on-water activitiesT e following ob ectives for recreation management were de ned: • Provide a range of recreation opportunities t at

are consistent wit protection of environmental, cultural, social and scenic values

• Have a primary focus on provision of free picnic and day use facilities for residents of Cairns and visitors to t e region

• Seek to establis partners ips wit ot er agencies commercial parties to provide a ig er level of discretionary recreation services to paying participants

• Establis better coordination of recreation management between QPWS, WTMA and Council

• Recognise t at provision of information, education, environmental and cultural interpretation can en ance t e recreation experiences and assist wit management of visitor be aviour

• visitor facilities on t e dam wall/ spillway area

Final Report 23

1

Document Purpose and content Relevance to Recreation ManagementKey recommendations arising under t ese ob ectives were: • No primary contact (swimming) activities will be

allowed in t e lake or between t e dam and t e water treatment plant

• A plan for t e refurbis ment of t e picnic and kiosk area s ould be developed including improved toilet facilities, more accessible picnic facilities and a playground

• On-water (secondary contact) activity will be strictly controlled and monitored and only allowed according to and activity/environmental management plan

• Upgrading, improvements and design of t e day use area will be suc t at its capacity does not exceed t at of t e existing water and sewage treatment plants

• Picnic and day use facilities to be con ned to t e existing developed areas

• Investigate t e possibility of a s ared pro ect wit QPWS to construct a s ort circuit track (1 r) starting at t e sout ern end of t e dam wall

• Longer term planning for upgrading viewing and visitor facilities on t e dam wall/ spillway area

• Seek commercial operators willing to run canoe tours on t e lake T e operators to fund t eir own infrastructure and activity monitoring

• Seek commercial operators to offer boat tours (using solar electric motors)

• Do not pursue any camping facilities (sites) unless demand is expressed by t e commercial operators and t e canoe tours are demonstrating viability

• Encourage development of a small number of sporting events using t e road

• Continue to allow adventure recreation events to use t e lake on a low fre uency basis and sub ect to more stringent environmental management

• In con unction wit WTMA and QPWS develop an integrated interpretive strategy for t e area and access road T is s ould include ora, fauna,

istory, cultural eritage and water supply • As s eries ave an active researc program,

s ing in lake waters is not recommended

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan24

Lake Morris and t e surrounding catc ment as t e following values w ic s ould be considered in managing recreation:

4 2 SUMMARY OF VALUES

Table 2 Summary of Values

Value Signi cance Implications for Managing RecreationEnviron-mental/ Ecological

National and International signi cance World Heritage Area

T e environmental values of t e terrestrial and a uatic abitats must be protected Recreation activity needs to be managed in a way t at minimises any disturbance to abitats and ensures sustainable useOngoing protection of environmental values also means t at education and awareness of t e values s ould be integrated into any activity

Civic Infra-structure/ Water Supply

Regional Signi cance Bot t e Lake and t e catc ment are critical infrastructure for t e city’s water supply

Activities wit in t e catc ment and on/in t e lake need to be managed so as not to impact on water

uality or present any risk to infrastructureSensitive infrastructure s ould be secured from any public accessT e cumulative impact of activities over time (on water uality) needs to be consideredRecreation activities s ould also include education/awareness contact about protecting t e city’s water supplyT e critical issue will be ensuring no in ltration of pollutants, pat ogens, weeds or ot er pest species into t e water body Restricting use to controlled paddle craft only and pro ibiting combustion engines are possible strategies

Cultural Local Signi canceGimuy Wallaburra idin i are t e traditional owners of t e land and ave a strong interest in t e protection of bot cultural and ecological values

T ere are some areas wit in t e surrounding catc ment t at are considered signi cant to t e Gimuy people and s ould not be open for public accessGimuy people would like to be involved in t e management of t e forest and in providing cultural tourism opportunities and nature based recreationOpportunity exists to en ance recreation activities (speci cally tourism) wit t e inclusion of cultural content

Social/ Recreational

Regionally signi cant area valued by residents in Cairns and Tablelands

Residents are eager to see more recreation opportunity at t e lake but are wary of impacts on t e uality of t e City’s waterManagement of recreation will also need to ensure t at free and accessible recreation opportunities are retained at Lake Morris and t at t e introduction of new activities does not t reaten w at is available now

Final Report 25

Value Signi cance Implications for Managing RecreationSport Regionally Signi cant Lake Morris

Road is a popular training route for cyclists and runners T e Lake as been used in t e past to support ma or sporting events and t e road and lake ave strong potential to become more signi cant in supporting sporting events

Management of use for sport training re uires t e same considerations as recreation However management of road users could consider strategies to improve safety for runners and cyclists t roug speci c use timesSporting events will re uire more detailed consideration including protection of ot er values and ensuring competitor safety Limits on t e number and type of events will need to be considered in terms of infrastructure capacity

Tourism Local signi canceT e picnic area is a popular destination for t e visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market However t e lake and surrounds ave t e potential to be internationally signi cant if appropriate nature based tourism product is developed

Current tourism activities are already managed suf ciently and ave minimal impact Expansion of tourism activities also offers t e potential for additional pay to use recreation options Care is needed to ensure cumulative impacts are sustainable as popularity grows wit international tourists T e main implications are for managing any on-water use and ensuring no impact on water ualityKey strategies will be to restrict new uses to small groups led by an aut orised operator w o will ave responsibility for compliance wit management controls

Scenic / Landscape

Regional Signi cance -International Signi canceT e Wet Tropics World Heritage area and part of t e scenic Rim around Cairns Signi cant view scapes west and east

Any development or additional infrastructure to support recreation (or tourism) s ould not impact on viewscapes or scenic backdrops to t e city T is generally means t at development on ridges and slopes facing t e city are undesirable and t at locating any infrastructure s ould not impact on views from lookouts and ot er viewpoints around t e lake

Education Regionally signi cant and potentially internationally signi cantCurrent environmental interpretation at t e picnic area and kiosk promotes

abitat values of t e Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and t e importance of protecting water catc ments for security of water supplyAdditionally t e proximity to JCU and t e city’s sc ools can support tertiary and secondary education in bot environment and water supply and management

Education is compatible wit recreation Management of recreational uses will need to ensure t at education and researc activities are not compromised In some cases t e opportunity to en ance recreation or tourism activities t roug integrating education s ould be pursued

Science and Researc

State and National Signi cancePrior s stocking researc and researc into abitats, weed and pest species could ave state and national importance T e ongoing use by JCU also means t at a considerable body of knowledge is being built w ic may contribute to International researc

Researc activities can be compatible wit recreation uses Management of recreational uses will need to ensure t at education and researc activities are not compromised by allowing users into study areas or modifying any monitored sites Researc and monitoring of water uality and local environment impacts from some recreation activities will be a key part of management activities and t e opportunity to collaborate wit universities in t is regard s ould be pursuedT ere are also emerging tourism products w ic involve volunteer researc work

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan26

4 3 IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVIOUS RECREATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

T e previous plan (along wit t e Visitor Infrastructure Condition Assessment) identi ed a range ofrecommendations associated wit : • Upgrading and improving visitor infrastructure • Managing existing visitor use • Providing new recreation opportunities • Protecting environmental values (particularly water

uality) • Communicating t e environmental values of t e

area wit visitors

4 3 1 Visitor InfrastructureSince t is 2001 plan was prepared t ere as been signi cant investment in t e site wit many of t erecommendations from t e Infrastructure Assessment and Management plan being undertaken • T e kiosk and picnic area are now accessible for

people wit mobility c allenges, • A new playground • A new BBQ area / station • Toilets refurbis ed and accessible • T e water treatment s ed relocated • T e lower parking area was built • New lookout areas establis ed • T e Kiosk and Deck area upgraded • Improved pat works and signage

One of t e c anges since t e 2001 plan is owever t e provision of access to t e intake tower w ic is now not publically accessible As critical infrastructure associated wit water supply, it is not appropriate for public access to be retained ere Legislative and policy c anges since t e September 2001 terrorist attacks in USA ave meant t at governments at all levels reassessed t eir approac to public access at sensitive infrastructure

One of t e areas t at remain outstanding is t e issue of walking tracks T e 2001 plan recommended oint investigation and construction of a new track of about 1 our return (on t e ot er side of t e dam wall) and t e establis ment of some more formal agreement/ arrangement wit QPWS regarding maintenance and management of t e track to Crystal Cascades It is understood t at some preliminary investigation was undertaken for t e proposed new track but t at no real progress was made Similarly it is evident t ere as been some improvement to t e Crystal Cascades track at t e Lake Morris trail ead (QPWS) and at t e Crystal Cascades end (CRC) but no agreement regarding bot track maintenance and signage as been formalised

Final Report 27

4 3 2 Managing Existing Visitor UseT e recommendations in t e 2001 plan identi ed a range of actions to assist wit managing existing use T ese included t e upgrading of infrastructure, improved signage, more interpretation of site values and continued use of t e gate system to restrict ours of use In addition interagency coordination between Cairns Water and QPWS was proposed to be strengt ened One of t e issues identi ed in visitor management was t e need for better data collection and particularly traf c counts on t e access road T is as been undertaken at various times by Cairns Regional Council and been extremely useful in informing planning Added to t e detailed records kept by t e caretakers, a reasonable body of knowledge as been built up regarding use of t e picnic area

Anot er key recommendation from t e 2001 plan was recognition t at t e site ad a particular capacity to accommodate visitors based on t e capacity of t e Sewage and Water Treatment Plants T e plan recommended t at t e parking space and picnic space be purposefully restrained to act as a limit on numbers using t e site and assisting wit keeping visitation to wit in t e capacity of t e treatment plants

Visitor management strategies suc as signage, way nding and interpretation were also recommended in

t e 2001 report Roadway and traf c signage regarding s ared use of t e road as improved considerably Overall t oug , site signage improvements at t e picnic area and dam wall as not progressed to t e level envisaged Way nding is generally good but communicating site values is generally limited to t e Kiosk and picnic area w ic as a mix of generic wet tropics information and some speci c content relating to t e water supply role

T e top gate as been upgraded considerably since 2001 and is now fully automated and monitored by CCTV T is as improved access control considerably and also offers opportunities for special access times to be permitted for some events wit out re uiring p ysical presence of t e caretaker to open and close t e gate

Mobile Phone CoverageOne of t e issues t at still exist is t e lack of ade uate mobile p one coverage at t e picnic area and kiosk T is is a dif cult issue, as coverage is available a s ort distance away (near t e top gate) and it is not really council’s responsibility to upgrade mobile networks or provide a booster However, t e lack of coverage could be seen by some as an issue T ere is an emergency p one at t e kiosk and t e presence of a caretaker means t at t e site is not isolated

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan28

New Activity 2001 Recommendation RationalePrimary Contact Water Based Activity (swimming etc)

Do Not Allow- in t e lake or in t e creek between t e dam wall and t e inlet for Tunnel Hill Water Treatment Plant A very limited number of uses associated wit specialist sporting events suc as t e eco-c allenge may be considered

T e level of risk to water uality was seen as too ig Primary contact activities are also ard to manage- re uiring access infrastructure and monitoring of water uality (to ensure it is suitable for primary contact) and monitoring to ensure no degradation in

uality from t e activityTo manage increased risk of water contamination an upgrade to t e Tunnel Hill water treatment plant would be re uired and t e cost for t is was seen as pro ibitive

Secondary Contact Water Based Activity

Allow for craft wit out combustion engines and craft t at are permanently on site via a controlled permit system allowing limited operators • Activities proposed include: • Guided canoe tours • Boat tours (solar elec) • If demand exists consider

low impact bus camping for tour groups

• Limited number of sporting event uses

Bringing private kayaks and canoes to t e lake as too ig a risk of introducing pat ogens and weed species or ot er pests Restricting use to craft t at stay on site reduce t is riskUse of private operators / licensed operators means t ey can carry responsibility for developing appropriate risk and environmental management plans and t at overall numbers can be set under permit conditionsInfrastructure re uired for t is activity can be t e responsibility of t e operator not council

Bus Walking Allow on developed tracksDevelop new track (1 r circuit) in partners ip wit QPWSAllow for ot er tracks as long as constructed to WTMA and QPWS standards

Bus walking as t e ability to add to t e range of activities and wit t e diversity of potential locations to explore t e rain forest or along t e water line track could provide low impact recreation opportunity Construction of tracks needs to be to contemporary standards and also wit in resources to manageT e WTMA walking track strategy identi ed additional opportunities for longer distance tracks linking wit Davies Ck/ Bridle Ck/ Clo esy River

Mountain Bike Tracks

Acknowledged as a non-sanctioned activity Identi ed need to develop a s ared agreement wit QPWS and WTMA re management of mountain bike tracks

Mountain bike activity will mostly occur in land contained wit in t e National Park However access points and some links and trail eads could be on Council reserve or road reserve A combined approac to managing t is activity was suggested wit a focus on dealing wit any informal tracks t at traversed areas t oug t to be inappropriate for t e activity

Fis ing Not allowed At t e time of t e 2001 plan DPI- Fis eries were conducting s stocking researc in t e lake and any

s ing could ave t reatened t e researc program

4 3 3 Providing New Recreation OpportunitiesT e 2001 plan explored a range of potential activities and made recommendations on t e suitability of eac activity as well as proposed implementation T e following table summarises:

Table 3 New Activity Recommendations from 2001 Plan

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan30

5 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT5 1 STAKEHOLDER GROUPS

T e following stake olders were contacted regarding t e study • Councillors (including tour on 24/2/14) • Current caretakers • Wet Tropics Management Aut ority, • Qld Parks and Wildlife Service, • Dep’t National Parks Recreation Sport and Racing

(Sport and Recreation Services) • Council Staff (Roads, Water, Planning) • Traditional Owners (Gimuy idin i) • Tourism Tropical Nort Queensland • Harbourmaster/ Maritime Safety Qld • Surf Life Saving Queensland

Summaries of t e discussions wit Stake older follow

5 1 1 Harbourmaster – Maritime Safety Queensland

Any on water activity is covered by Maritime Safety Queensland Transport (boating and s eries) legislation covers be aviour On water be aviour can be managed under t e legislation by aut orised of cers w ic may include: Boating and Fis eries Staff, Water Police, MSQ Of cers, Police (w o ave been aut orised under t e act)

For commercial ire craft or craft used for tours- vessels are considered commercial if t e passenger sits in rat er t an on t e craft T is means t at kayaks are not considered commercial vessels but canoes are

If an operator was running tours or iring craft t ey would most likely re uire approval from t e Harbour Master and approval would re uire t em to prepare and ave endorsed: Safety Management Plans (w ic investigate all t e risks and ow to manage t em) A key issue would be emergency access for rst aid/ rescue T e idea of GPS trackers in t e boats was also supported strongly

Ot er comments included t at t e approvals/ activity management framework s ould be developed in a way t at doesn’t place a ig monitoring burden (to ensure compliance) on t e approving aut ority

5 1 2 CaretakersDiscussions wit t e current caretakers focussed on t e

istory of use of t e Lake Morris area and t e Kiosk and picnic area T e values of t e area and t e potential for managed nature based recreation were explored along wit t e visitor management and infrastructure issues Key points were:

• It is important to reinforce t e conservation values of t e area in any visitor management and activity management

• Over t e years t ere ave been a number of proposals for increased nature based recreation One off events ave occurred w ere t e lake was used for paddle craft

• T e lake and surrounding forest is a popular researc location and offers some uni ue researc opportunity as no visitors are allowed

• T e road is a ma or constraint to developing new activities and as an impact on commercial viability

• In t e past t e caretakers built t e caf / kiosk business up considerably and it ran as a reasonable business providing for visitors, tour groups and locals However it is a volatile environment and t e road closures could ave a signi cant impact

• T e past approac of Cairns Water t at didn’t recognise t e development of t e kiosk business as

aving any tradeable value meant t at t ere was no ability to sell t e business as a going concern and any investment in building up trade would not be able to be realised T e caretakers wouldn’t bot er building it up again in t at situation However t ey now offer ust a basic service wit an onesty box for tea and coffee and snacks operating w en no one is at t e kiosk area

• T e current usage by tour groups is low but t ere is probably some angover from t e last few years w ere t ere ave been extended road closures Only 2 companies are operating: Wilderness Eco Safaris 1 or 2 times a week Discovery Tours 1 or 2 times a week

• Strong potential to develop more walking and mountain bike trails in t e area wit trail eads at t e kiosk/ picnic area

• Crystal Cascades track still gets considerable use

Final Report 31

5 1 3 Surf Lifesaving Qld- Far NorthDiscussions were eld wit SLSQ regional manager, key points were: • T ere may be interest in aving competition or off-

season training in Lake Morris One of t e options mig t be to establis a regular event suc as Surf Rescue C ampions ips as a summer event

• Managing public swimming is complex, as t ere is no ga etted bat ing reserve t en t ere may be less expectation on Council to provide any lifesaving service at t e lake (if public swimming was allowed) However it is a grey area and current approac es seem to be t at inland waters and lakes for swimming are assumed as areas w ere individual responsibility applies T is is really t e same for beac es- patrolled areas are provided as a service for t e beac going public not as a re uirement on Council

5 1 4 Wet Tropics Management Authority and Qld National Parks

An on-site meeting was eld at t e kiosk and a site visit via boat was undertaken Attending were: • Wet Tropics Management Aut ority (WTMA) • Department of National Parks Recreation Sport and

Racing:- Qld Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) • Cairns Regional Council (CRC) • Cairns Water (Lake Morris Site Caretakers)

T e discussion focused on management and nature based recreation goals of bot WTMA and QPWS as well as future plans, constraints to activity and ideas for improving recreation opportunity at t e lake t at were consistent wit t e management intent of t e agencies Key points were: • W ile t ere are a number of permits (6) currently

awarded for activity in t e area (crossing t e dam wall) only 2 are active T e caretaker monitors use and records permit olders usage

• Any management needs to protect t e environmental and cultural values of t e surrounding forest areas

• Past partners ip wit WTMA as been for t e interpretive signs at t e kiosk

• T ere are some researc activities current in t e national park and t e area is ideal for researc as it is so undisturbed Bot agencies would like to see researc continue and if any increased recreation activity is allowed t ere s ould be consideration of approac ing tertiary institutions (JCU) to undertake concurrent researc

• Generally increased outdoor recreation is supported as long it is sustainable and bot agencies are

appy to look at partners ips in planning t e land based elements suc as tracks but t ey advise budget limitations mean t ere is currently no capital available

• QPWS as been investing in some improvements to opportunities on t e western side and advised t ere

is a new bus camping area (4wd) planned for Bridle Ck pad/ Clo esy River

• Upgrading and expanding trail network would be supported but needs a solution as to maintenance of new tracks

• On water boat tours (e g Solar W isperer) seen as appropriate

• Good linkages to Davies and Bridle Creeks across dam wall mean t at Lake Morris could be developed as a trail ead facility and even become a base for commercial operators w o offer a range of opportunities including: on-water MTB Walking multi- day trips or even mixed activity (paddle/ride/walk)

• MTB track network could work but need someone to build and maintain

• Lack of signage ( way nding and interpretive) is an issue for any track expansion

• QPWS advised t ey ave recently opened a new paddle in/ boat in camping area at Tinaroo (Kurri

Kurri Ck)

5 1 5 Gimuy Wallabarra Yidinji (Traditional Owners)

A meeting was eld wit representatives of Gimuy Wallabarra idin i (Gimuy) As traditional owners t ey

ave a strong interest in t e pro ect and in caring for t e land • Gimuy are very keen to establis a co-management

partners ip wit QPWS to care for t e land around t e lake and would like to establis an indigenous ranger and caring for country program T ey believe t at t ere is an opportunity to establis a strong training and nature based/ cultural tourism pro ect in t e area and would be willing to develop and maintain tracks as well as undertake weed management and ot er natural area management activity T ey ave a vision of providing a pat way for Gimuy yout as well as adding a strong cultural tourism element to t e range of opportunities available

• Gimuy did advise t ere are likely to be some locations in t e surrounding National Park t at would not be appropriate for visitor use due to cultural signi cance

• T ere is a detailed proposal being prepared and Gimuy would like to work wit CRC, QPWS and WTMA in developing t e opportunity

• T e possibility of Gimuy running t e commercial/ nature based recreation opportunities in partners ip wit an experienced operator was also discussed

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan32

5 1 6 Cairns WaterCairns Water are t e managers of Lake Morris, t e following points arose in discussions: • Primary concern is to protect water uality and

integrity of t e catc ment • T ere are security and safety concerns around water

supply infrastructure and public access to some areas is not possible Restricted areas of particular note are t e intake tower and spillway No on water use can be permitted near t ese structures, a no-go one of at least 100-200 m is warranted T is would

include t e new mec anical agitation/ aeration plant ad acent to t e intake tower

• T e existing site infrastructure (water treatment and sewage treatment) are close to capacity and ave limited ability to accommodate increased visitor loads Any signi cant expansion of use in t e area will need to consider upgrading t ese treatment units

• On water (secondary contact) activity may be manageable on t e lake provided t e risk associated wit any in ltration of weed/ pest species is managed However access infrastructure (to t e water) is not ade uate for public use Some investment in suitable infrastructure would be needed

• T e existing boat ramp is suitable for operational purposes but t e access road is not suitable for public use wit some upgrading to t e unsurfaced section (along t e peninsular) it mig t be suitable for limited use by an operator

• In-water activities may cause concerns for water uality and visitor management An additional

concern is t at t e addition of somet ing like public swimming could create signi cant demand and place pressure on t e road and parking (and ot er ) infrastructure

• Controlled activities suc as canoe ire and tours (on electric boats) are manageable Controlled swimming/ in water could be manageable if it was permitted groups only and monitored

• Any commercial operation suc as canoe ire would need to consider safety and t e use of GPS tags for

ire craft is recommended • Limited s ing may be suitable for t e lake based

on controlled numbers/ led groups and most likely a catc and release approac T ere is no stocking program running at t e lake

5 1 7 Roads Traf cCouncil’s roads and traf c section advised t e following: • T ere as been considerable improvement to t e

road up to Lake Morris Improvements include additional stabilisation and furt er safety measures for cyclists Signage indicating fre uent cycle use

as been installed and additional management of traf c ows added

• Investment in t e road as been considerable over t e last few years mostly associated wit post wet season/ cyclone event landslip and road closures

T e issue of road closures needs to be considered in assessing any commercial potential as t is is likely at least once per year In t e previous year t e road was closed on multiple occasions Council s ould be upfront about t is issue in advertising any commercial recreation opportunities

• T e capacity of t e road is suf cient to accommodate at least a doubling of t e current load (2000-3000/ week) However lengt restrictions need to remain (meaning anyt ing over 7 M is unable to use t e road)

• Traf c counts indicate t at ve icle peak times are at 10 am or later Usage (by cars) before t is is negligible T is means t at t e proposal for cyclists to ave car free access times early in t e morning would ave minimal impact on car users

5 1 8 Tourism Tropical North QueenslandT e pro ect was discussed wit t e CEO of TTNQ: • T ere is strong potential for Lake Morris to contribute

to expanded tourism product Particular advantages lie in t e close location to t e city and to potential to target bot self-drive and pick-up market

• T e unspoiled nature of t e lake and surrounds is a real advantage in terms of being able to offer access to lake and rainforest experience T e on-water aspect is a ma or strengt as t is can’t be offered elsew ere in suc a secluded way

• Important to manage activity and any infrastructure to retain t e value of t e site and t e sense of wilderness t at visitors can get T is means bot

managing numbers of visitors at a time and numbers of operators

• T e cultural tourism aspect is particularly strong and partnering Gimuy Wallabarra idin i wit an experienced operator would be a smart tactic to develop a diverse experience w ere visitors could experience indigenous culture as well as nature based activities T ere is considerable appetite for t is kind of experience in t e market

• Overall t ere is potential for a very uni ue set of opportunities and strong bene t to t e city wit addition of new tourism product

• Likely to be strong market interest but t e level of investment re uired (in infrastructure) by t e potential operator may be an issues

• For t e approac to market a two stage process would probably be best T e invitation to t e market could indicate t at indigenous group involvement is an advantage and could encourage experienced operators to seek a partners ip wit Gimuy

• Multi-day tours and adventure based tours would also be strong wit t e kiosk area becoming an operational base/ trail ead

• Could look at small conference and event market as well using t e kiosk area Mig t be more effective to sell event rig ts on an individual basis rat er t an

giving it all to a single operator

Final Report 33

5 2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Community engagement for t is pro ect involved a number of activities:

• Press Releases advising of t e pro ect commencement and inviting community involvement via t e your say website w ic included a s ort community survey

• Council Corner inserts in t e Cairns Post over several weeks advising of t e pro ect and t e use of t e your say website and community survey

• Council’s on-line community engagement portal our say ad pro ect information, contact details

and links to t e community survey • Signs were placed along Lake Morris Rd at t e 1st

lookout, at t e Kiosk and t e top Carpark T e signs advised of t e pro ect and encouraged engagement via t e community on-line survey

• Letters posted to residents along Lake Morris Rd advising of t e pro ect and inviting submissions

• Meetings wit Stake olders • Interested parties were able to contact Council’s

Recreation Planner via p oneFigure 4- Information Signs and Content for Public Notices

Figure 5- our Say Website

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan34

5 3 COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS

T e community survey was provided as an on-line survey and was open for t e mont of February T e survey offered a mix of open ended uestions and asked respondents to rate some issues/ suggestions from 1-10 T ere were 531 responses and t e detailed

breakdown is contained in Appendix B Community Survey Detailed Results, t e Questions used in t e our Say website are contained in Appendix C- Community Survey Questions

5 3 1 Key Community ConcernsWhat (if any) concerns do you have about increasing recreational use of Lake Morris?

1 Road Access and Traf c Con ict Concerns (196)2 Water contamination and uality (117)3 Environmental impacts on lake and surrounds (106)4 None (91)5 Litter and pollution (74)6 Site Management (68)7 No motori ed craft on water (50)8 Overuse- overcrowding (29)9 Impacts on cyclists (29)10 Impact on Flora and Fauna (23)

Figure 6 Community Concerns

Final Report 35

5 3 2 Additional Activities Desired at Lake MorrisWhat additional recreation activities do you think are appropriate at Lake Morris?

T e top 10 activities/ responses were:1 Private Canoe Use (222)2 Walking/ Hiking (157) - walking iking3 Mountain Biking/ Bike Tracks (148) Bike tracks mountain biking4 Camping (115)5 Non-motori ed boating (97)6 Swimming (73)7 Fis ing (63)8 BBQ/ Picnic (63)

Figure 7 New activities desired at Lake Morris (open uestion)

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan36

5 3 3 Preferred ActivitiesRespondents were asked to rate a list of proposed activities from 1 (most preferred) to 10 (least preferred)

T e stand out Most Preferred were: • Walking Tracks • Walk/ ride/ paddle to Camping • Providing Canoes and Kayaks for Hire • Kiosk and Caf • Mountain Bike Trails

T e stand out Least Preferred were: • Cultural Interpretation/ tourism • Boat tours using electric motors • Meeting facilities • Environmental Interpretation • Outdoor Education Programs

Analysis of t e responses indicated t at some data skewing occurred due to some respondents entering 11 or 12 against activities and t is skewed averages used to identify most and least preferred However for t e activities listed, t e following averages were reported:

Figure 8 Activity Preferences (unad usted scores)

Final Report 37

An alternative examination of preferences looked at t e percentages of responses t at t into Strong Preference (score 1-3), Moderate Preference-Moderate Dislike (score 4-6), or Strong Dislike (score 7-10)- T e distribution between t e t ree groupings provide a better indication of t e overall community view on t e activity and w et er t ere was a strong polarisation of views or relatively e ual distributions

T ese results are compared wit an ad usted average score out of 10 (wit responses indicating 11 or 12 being recorded as 10) t is as been used to make a score fall into a positive (scores below 5 s own in green) neutral (scores from 5-7 s own in black) and negative (scores above 7 s own in red)

Activity Adjusted average 1 to 3 4 to 6 7 to 10

S ort term bus camping 5 56 33 6 276 38 8

Walk in/ ride in/ paddle in - campsites 4 87 44 3 26 1 29 6

Small, day-use only conference or meeting facilities

776 10 3 19 4 70 3

Providing canoes and kayaks for ire 4 94 38 6 33 3 28 1

Guided programs suc as paddle tours, bird watc ing, nature walks

6 07 21 1 33 2 45 7

Boat tours using electric motors 796 9 0 15 9 75 2

Kiosk and caf 5 00 35 5 32 8 31 6

Outdoor education programs 6 82 13 8 26 7 59 5

Environmental interpretation 6 96 12 3 270 60 7

Cultural interpretation/ tourism 795 6 9 173 75 8

Walking tracks 4 15 50 0 29 4 20 6

Mountain bike trails 5 28 39 2 20 1 40 6

Figure 9 Activity Preferences - Analysed by Distribution and Ad usted Averages (1 most preferred, 10 least)

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan38

5 4 COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER REVIEW OF DRAFT REPORT

Council undertook community consultation regarding t e RMP over four weeks in September andOctober 2014All stake olders were advised o f te draft report and t e opportunity for comment In addition a range of

actions were taken to allow for general community comment T e following table indicates t e range ofpeople and groups consulted and t e tec ni ues used to inform:

A total of 24 submissions were received wit over 41 comments being made during t e w ole consultation period, many of w ic were very positive and supportive of t e proposal, w ilst ot ers submitted comments and suggestionsT e most prevalent comments made in t e submissions were as follows: • Hig level of support for Traditional owners to

manage t e site or manage in partners ip as well as aving indigenous ranger programs and training

• Keeping t e natural beauty, pristine environment

and tran uility of t e area is very important • Providing new bus walking trails to t e dam from

t e sout ern suburbs of Cairns, w ic presently ave very few locally accessible walking options unlike ot er parts of Cairns

• Swimming s ould be allowed • Don’t allow motori ed craft at t e site

Appendix F details t e feedback received and t e c anges made to t e plan in response

Technique Level of Engagement

Fact S eet, Website (Facebook/ our Say) Inform / educate and Involve

Letter Drop to residents along Lake Morris Road Inform/ educate and Involve

Letters to key stake olders Inform/Educate and Involve

Posters at Lake Morris Inform/Educate and Involve

Newspapers Inform/Educate and Involve

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan40

6 ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL NEW RECREATION ACTIVITIES

T e assessment of potential new recreation activities was undertaken wit consideration of: • Protection of values • Activity management • Legislative concerns • Infrastructure implications • Activity Demand and Potential for commercial or

ot er partner in provision

Activities to be considered were drawn from t e previous plan and suggestions t at arose during stake older discussions

As discussed in Section 4 2 t ere are a number of values t at s ould be considered w en investigating new recreation activity at Lake Morris T ese are: • Environmental (including Scenic/ Landscape) • Cultural • Water Supply / Water Quality • Social (including Recreation, Sport, Tourism) • Education, Science and Researc

T e assessment of candidate activities considered t e likely impact of t e activity on t ese values and w at feasible mitigation strategies mig t exist to manage any impacts Feasible mitigation means t at t e current

nancial environments at bot state and local levels are considered and solutions need to be affordable and implementable

Assessing t e management aspects of any activity can be dif cult as t ere may be numerous ways to provide and manage a particular activity, depending on t e

nancial and infrastructure resources available to t e managing agency

T ere is also a tension between t e costs of managing (in terms of staff, monitoring and infrastructure maintenance) and t e bene t of providing an activity From a commercial perspective any investment in t e infrastructure and management resources needed to provide and activity needs to be wort t e revenue generated From Council’s perspective, t e activity needs to be manageable in a way t at doesn’t re uire any signi cant increase in management resources

T e activity must also be able to be provided in a way t at ensures reasonable levels of safety of participants (and doesn’t ave any unreasonable impacts on ot er users of t e area)

Apart from self-directed activities (suc as walking), it is expected t at guided activities will be provided by external providers under a permit system and t at t e

permit conditions will specify t e need for an activity management plan w ic addresses identi ed concerns T e risks associated wit providing and managing any commercial recreation becomes t e responsibility of t e operator

Typical considerations for activity management are: • Group si e • Fre uency of use and lengt of activity • Infrastructure re uired to be provided and

maintained by t e operator • Suitable areas w ere t e activity can take place • Safety and emergency planning • Impact management (noise, visual, ecological, water

uality) • Monitoring and reporting • Duration of permit • Ot er permits re uired

T e particular circumstances at Lake Morris mean t at it is likely any operator will, in addition to Council’s consent, re uire additional approvals or consents from QPWS, WTMA and (if on water) Maritime Safety Queensland

6 1 PROTECTING VALUES

6 2 ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT

Final Report 41

6 3 LEGISLATIONT e 2001 Review of Recreation Management Plan for Lake Morris (Copperlode Falls Dam) (SKM, 2001) provided a summary of Commonwealt and State legislation relevant to environmental matters associated wit activities proposed for t e Lake Morris area T is section provides an update on environmental legislative re uirements relevant to t e current proposed activities

Commonwealt and State legislation specify t e manner in w ic activities can be carried out and t e permit re uirements for particular activities T e following assessment of legislation is based on available information and s ould be reviewed progressively as proposed activities are nalised and more detailed information becomes available T e opinions expressed in t is section are based on t e tec nical and practical experience of expert environmental practitioners t ey are not presented as legal advice, nor do t ey represent decisions from t e regulatory agencies c arged wit t e administration of t e relevant Acts

T is summary provides a synopsis of environmental legislation likely to be relevant to t e proposed activities Approvals, w ere re uired, will be dependent on t e land tenure, potential impacts of t e activity and proposed management

6 3 1 Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Under t e Commonwealt Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), a person must not, wit out approval under t e Act, take an action t at is likely to ave a signi cant impact on a matter of national environmental signi cance (MNES) MNES of particular relevance to t e Lake Morris area include National and World Heritage properties (ie Wet Tropics of Queensland), listed t reatened species or ecological communities and listed migratory species

Signi cant impact is de ned as an impact w ic is important, notable, or of conse uence, aving regard to its context or intensity W en assessing t e potential impacts of t e proposed activities, t e environment in w ic t e activity will occur needs to be appraised (e g sensitivity, value and uality) and t e extent of t e impact will need to be considered (i e intensity, duration, magnitude and geograp ic extent)

If t e establis ment or maintenance of t e proposed activities for Lake Morris are likely to ave a signi cant impact on any of t ese MNES, t e activity must be referred to t e Commonwealt (currently t e Department of t e Environment, (DoE)) for assessment

6 3 2 Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994 and subordinate protection policies

T e Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) and subordinate legislation (Environmental Protection Policies for Air (2008), Water (2009), Noise (2008) and Waste Management (2000)) are t e principal State legislative controls concerning t e environment T e EP Act is administered by t e Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP)

T e EP Act creates a general environmental duty to avoid environmental arm unless all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent or minimise arm

ave been taken T e Act also re uires a person to report potential or actual environmental arm as soon as reasonably practicable after becoming aware of t e event

Activities w ic ave t e potential to cause environmental arm are identi ed under t e EP Act as Environmentally Relevant Activities (ERAs) Suc activities (eg sewage treatment, c emical storage) may not be carried out wit out approval

6 3 3 Environmental Protection (Water) Policy 2009 (EPP (Water))

T e ob ective of t e EPP (Water) is to protect Queensland’s waters w ile allowing for development t at is ecologically sustainable T is is ac ieved by protecting or en ancing environmental values by managing areas to ac ieve de ned water uality ob ectives

Environmental values (EVs) and water uality ob ectives (WQOs) for t e Wet Tropics region are being de ned by t e Terrain regional NRM body T e existing Barron Trinity Inlet WQIP (Barron and Haynes, 2009) identi es EVs for Lake Morris as stock watering (low importance), visual appreciation ( ig importance), drinking water ( ig importance) and cultural and spiritual ( ig importance) Hig ecological values (HEVs) ave been assigned to watercourses upstream of Lake Morris, owever t e dam/lake was excluded from HEV (Barron and Haynes, 2009) Water uality guidelines for protection of t e EVs are nominated in t e WQIP (Barron and Haynes, 2009)

In undertaking proposed activities in t e Lake Morris area, protection of t e environmental values will need to be considered, particularly for activities being undertaken ad acent to watercourses w ic ave t e potential to release contaminants, suc as sediment, litter, ydrocarbon and c emicals

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan42

6 3 4 Queensland Water Act 2000T e 2000 aims to provide for t e sustainable management of water and ot er resources A Riverine Protection Permit (RPP) is re uired to destroy vegetation, or excavate or place ll in a watercourse, lake or spring T e RPP is administered by Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (DNRM)

Copperlode Falls Dam (Lake Morris) is owned by Cairns Regional Council and as a failure impact rating category 2, making it a referable dam Dam safety re uirements associated wit management of referable dams is administered by Department of Energy and Water Supply, and is not considered as an environmental issue

6 3 5 Queensland Vegetation Management Act 1999

T e purpose of t e 1999 (VM Act) is to regulate t e clearing of vegetation in a way t at: • conserves remnant vegetation t at is an endangered,

of concern or least concern regional ecosystem • conserves vegetation in declared areas • ensures t e clearing does not cause land degradation • prevents t e loss of biodiversity • maintains ecological processes • manages environmental effects of t e clearing

Vegetation surrounding Lake Morris is mapped by t e Queensland Government as remnant vegetation w ic is listed as ‘least concern’, and containing essential

abitat for Sout ern Cassowary () and some frogs (eg Litoria nannotis, Litoria

a i, Litoria r o o a) Some areas near t e existing infrastructure are mapped as non-remnant (category

area), and vegetation in t ese areas is not regulated under t e VM Act Clearing of vegetation for t e establis ment and maintenance of t e proposed Lake Morris activities may re uire approval, depending on location, extent and purpose of t e clearing Some clearing may be exempt from approvals (refer to List of vegetation clearing exemptions, DNRM 2013), ot er clearing can be conducted using a self-assessable vegetation clearing code (e g managing weeds), or a development approval may be re uired

Vegetation management offsets may be re uired as a condition of a development approval T e Queensland Policy for Vegetation Management Offsets sets out performance outcomes w ic development applications for clearing native vegetation must meet

t is not n ra anti i at t at an si ni ant tation arin o onsi r a ro riat

to a i itat a itiona nat r as r r ation a ti iti s n ro osa s o n to ass ss on rit at t

ti ro os an it s o a so not t at a ro a ro ss s a an

6 3 6 Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992

T e at r ons r ation t 1992 (NC Act) provides for t e conservation and ecologically sustainable use of biological diversity in protected areas, and t e protection of protected wildlife Certain species of plant and animal are classed as protected wildlife under t e NC Act and t ese classes are de ned by t e NC Act, i e extinct, endangered, vulnerable, near t reatened, least concern and special least concern at r ons r ation i i ation 1994, nominates

plants and animal species t at fall into eac class

Activities undertaken in national parks are to be managed to provide t e greatest possible extent, for t e permanent preservation of t e area’s natural condition and t e protection of t e area’s cultural resources and values A person must not take protected wildlife, except under a conservation plan licence, permit or aut ority or an exemption under a regulation For example, a clearance permit will be re uired to clear listed plant species

Recently t e Queensland Biodiversity Offsets Policy (January 2014) was developed by t e Department of Environment and Heritage Protection T is policy applies to impacts on a variety of State signi cant biodiversity values (SSBVs) including protected species and is triggered in situations w ere residual impacts from a development cannot be avoided T e policy provides t e framework to ensure t at t ere is no net loss of biodiversity

r ation an stat o i asso iat it io i rsit s ts is rr nt n r r i

6 3 7 Queensland Sustainable Planning Act 2009 and Qld Planning Reform

T e staina annin t 2009 (SPA) provides t e framework for coordinating planning and land use in Queensland in an ecologically sustainable manner Development approvals for certain activities may trigger t e assessment process under SPA Currently t e State of Queensland is reviewing muc of its planning legislation and associated state planning policies T e Sustainable Planning and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2012 (SPOLA Act) implements some c anges, notably establis ing a single state assessment and referral agency A new Planning and Development Act is anticipated in 2014/15

Final Report 43

6 3 8 Queensland Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002

T e Lan rot tion st an to o t ana nt t 2002 (LP Act) provides for pest management of land

designed to protect t e environment by preventing t e spread of establis ed pest plants in new areas and by reducing t e extent of existing infestations w ere feasible Weed species are classed according to t e severity of t reat t ey pose T e potential to introduce and spread pest plant species in t e Lake Morris area during establis ment, maintenance and operation of t e proposed activities will need to be considered and appropriately managed, particularly given t e sensitivity of t e area (ie Wet Tropics World Heritage Area)

6 3 9 Wet Tropics Management Plan 1998Parts of t e Lake Morris area form part of t e Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WHA) W ilst some of t e land surrounding Lake Morris is a council controlled reserve, some of t e proposed activities are likely to occur in t e WHA T e t ro i s ana nt an 1998 (t e Plan) is legislation subordinate to t e Wet ro i s Wor erita e rote tion an ana e ent t

1993 and regulates activities in t e Wet Tropics WHA t roug a oning and permit system

T e Lake Morris area is located in one C (area contains disturbances, often associated wit existing community infrastructure), and surrounded by one B (land as a

ig degree of ecological integrity and is in a natural state but not necessarily remote from disturbance)

Permits administered by t e Wet Tropics Management Aut ority (WTMA) in Cairns may be re uired prior to certain activities, including some maintenance, being undertaken in t e Wet Tropics WHA

Note t at t e Wet ro i s ana e ent an 1998 is being reviewed e Wet ro i s en ent ana e ent an 2009 is in consultation draft stage

6 3 10 Queensland Fisheries Act 1994e is eries t 1994 provides for t e use, conservation

and en ancement of t e community’s s eries resources and s abitats in a way t at seeks to apply and balance t e principles of ecologically sustainable development T e proposed activities are not likely to trigger waterway barrier works, owever t is potential impact s ould be considered if crossings will be installed across watercourses

Wit regards to s ing activities (catc and release), permits re uired under t e Fis eries Act 1994 s ould be con rmed wit t e administering aut ority once t e proposed activity details ave been determined For example, a stocked impoundment permit is re uired under t e Fis eries Regulation 1998 to take fres water

s using a s ing line or set line from a prescribed stocked impoundment It is noted t at Lake Morris is not listed as a prescribed stock impoundment under the isheries e ation 1998

6 3 11 Cairns City Council Planning SchemeFurt er to t e summary in 3 1 4 , any new development may re uire a Development Application to be lodged wit Council for approval under t e Planning Sc eme Advice from Council s ould be soug t to ensure all necessary applications are made

References, e ie o e reation ana e ent an or

La e orris o er o e a s a re are in air ni ht er t Lt or airns Water e e er

arron, , an a nes , Water a it ro e ent an or the at h ents o the arron i er an rinit

n et errain to er

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan44

Many of t e potential activities considered will re uire some form of infrastructure to be built and maintained For example: at a minimum bus walking re uires constructed tracks and way- nding signage or w ere

re roads or ot er existing s ared use infrastructure is available t en t e minimum would be signage

On water activities will re uire a way for users to get to craft and to get to t e water’s edge so at a minimum a pat or stairs down to t e water’s edge and some form of ramp, etty or pontoon is re uired

T e cost and practicality of developing infrastructure and strategies for funding maintenance or re uiring an operator to maintain areas, are all considerations for viability of an activity

An additional concern is t e capacity of t e sewage treatment and water supply at t e picnic area as little capability for expanded use Any activity or development t at will increase user numbers (at t e picnic area and kiosk) considerably will need to consider funding for upgrading of t e treatment facilities

In addition t e access road also as some limits Current advice t at it could easily accommodate a doubling in use means t at t is may only be a longer term concern , particularly if increased use is mostly associated wit tour groups in small buses or four w eel drives

Only activities t at are considered to ave demand ave been considered T e current trends in regard

to bot self-directed outdoor recreation and pay to access activities ave been considered In addition t e potential for a partner (commercial or ot erwise) to take responsibility for delivery of t e activity is a key consideration

Apart from some low level improvements and additions to t e existing activities, Council is not currently considering increasing staff resources to provide guided and led activities Council does not ave suf cient

resources to establis and maintain signi cant new infrastructure t at may be needed for new activities

T e investigation of commercial or community partners, to deliver speci c opportunities, considered w at potential was t ere for new activities to be offered as discretionary services T is means, can t e activities

be offered for a fee and is it possible a sustainable business can be developed around t e provision of t ese activities

6 4 INFRASTRUCTURE IMPLICATIONS

6 5 ACTIVITY DEMAND AND POTENTIAL FOR COMMER-CIAL, OR OTHER, PARTNERS IN PROVISION.

Final Report 45

T e following matrix summarises t e assessment of potential activities

6 6 POTENTIAL RECREATION ACTIVITY ASSESSMENT

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Wal

king

/ Bu

s

Wal

king

•W

ill e

nan

ce s

ocia

l va

lues

by

prov

idin

g m

ore

natu

re b

ased

re

crea

tion

•En

viro

nmen

tal r

isks

ar

e lo

w if

trac

ks

are

cons

truc

ted

appr

opria

tely

•Lo

w ri

sk to

wat

er

ualit

y •

Low

risk

to c

ultu

ral

valu

es p

rovi

ded

trac

ks re

spec

t Tr

aditi

onal

Ow

ner

reue

sts

for

som

e ar

eas

to b

e ex

clud

ed fr

om

publ

ic a

cces

s •

Can

impr

ove

educ

atio

n an

d sc

ienc

e va

lues

by

off

erin

g c

ance

for m

ore

inte

rpre

tatio

n •

Low

risk

to

rese

arc

act

ivity

if

trac

ks k

ept a

way

fr

om re

sear

c

area

s w

ere

publ

ic a

cces

s w

ould

impa

ct d

ata

capt

ure

•Ac

tivity

can

be

man

aged

via

sel

f- gu

ided

trai

ls o

r use

of

gui

des

alon

g ag

reed

rout

es •

Guid

ed a

ctiv

ities

w

ill re

uire

per

mits

fr

om Q

PWS

and

poss

ibly

WTM

A

CRC

perm

its a

lso

reui

red

as li

kely

to

be u

sing

te

picn

ic

area

as

stag

ing

poin

t •

Self-

guid

ed tr

ails

w

ill n

eed

QPW

S pe

rmis

sion

and

W

TMA

cons

ent

•An

y tr

ails

nee

d ag

reem

ent o

n re

spon

sibi

lity

for

mai

nten

ance

•Tr

ails

cou

ld b

e co

nstr

ucte

d by

ac

tivity

pro

vide

rs

as p

art o

f an

agre

emen

t •

Wal

king

use

of t

e m

ain

acce

ss ro

ad

is a

lrea

dy

ig a

nd

easy

to p

rovi

de

for a

s lo

ng a

s sa

fety

con

cern

s ar

e ad

dres

sed

•Li

mite

d le

gisl

ativ

e im

plic

atio

ns

New

trac

ks n

eed

appr

oval

s fr

om

QPW

S an

d W

TMA

•Gu

ided

act

iviti

es

need

per

mits

und

er

CRC

loca

l law

s an

d un

der Q

ld N

atur

e Co

nser

vatio

n Ac

t •

Wal

king

con

sist

ent

wit

inte

nt fo

r are

a un

der W

et T

ropi

cs

Man

agem

ent P

lan

•N

ew tr

acks

w

ill n

eed

to b

e co

nstr

ucte

d an

d m

aint

aine

d •

Cons

truc

tion

stan

dard

s s

ould

be

acc

ordi

ng

to n

atio

nally

re

cogn

ised

trai

l st

anda

rds

•W

alki

ng

oppo

rtun

ities

exi

st

on

re tr

ails

and

Q

PWS

road

s on

w

este

rn s

ide

of t

e da

m w

all

Cou

ld

prov

ide

wal

king

op

port

uniti

es

by s

igna

ge a

nd

way

ndin

g on

t

ese

exis

ting

trac

ks •

A ne

w s

ort (

1 r)

circ

uit w

alk

wou

ld e

nan

ce

oppo

rtun

ities

at

te

picn

ic a

rea

•O

ld tr

acks

use

d in

da

m c

onst

ruct

ion

coul

d be

con

vert

ed

to w

alki

ng ro

utes

•Ex

istin

g m

ain

acce

ss ro

ad

coul

d be

furt

er

enan

ced

as

wal

king

rout

e w

it

addi

tiona

l sig

nage

re

gard

ing

wal

kers

an

d s

arin

g ro

ad

•W

alki

ng/

ikin

g/

bus

wal

king

in

ig d

eman

d-

Com

mun

ity’s

top

pref

eren

ce •

Com

mer

cial

pr

ovid

er in

tere

st

in o

ffer

ing

guid

ed

tour

s un

likel

y to

be

viab

le if

reui

red

to

build

and

mai

ntai

n tr

acks

•Co

mm

unity

age

ncy

inte

rest

(Gim

uy)

in p

artn

erin

g w

it C

ounc

il an

d co

mbi

ning

in

dige

nous

ra

nger

trai

ning

an

d em

ploy

men

t pr

ogra

m to

bui

ld

and

mai

ntai

n tr

acks

Ther

e is

hig

h de

man

d fo

r new

wal

king

op

port

uniti

es a

nd

prov

isio

n of

new

tr

acks

sho

uld

be

purs

ued.

H

owev

er t

e pr

ovis

ion

of n

ew tr

acks

will

ne

ed to

be

on Q

PWS

land

as

Coun

cil

as

no re

al s

uita

ble

land

w

itin

te

rese

rve

Q

PWS

as in

dica

ted

it is

not

fund

ed to

pr

ovid

e (o

r mai

ntai

n)

new

trac

ks b

ut w

ould

su

ppor

t an

alte

rnat

ive

solu

tion

to p

rovi

sion

A pa

rtne

rsip

sou

ld

be p

ursu

ed w

it a

co

mm

unity

pro

vide

r to

est

ablis

and

m

aint

ain

new

trac

ks

Tis

par

tner

sip

co

uld

offe

r te

oppo

rtun

ity fo

r im

prov

ed e

duca

tion/

in

terp

reta

tion

and

te

linka

ge w

it a

trai

ning

an

d em

ploy

men

t pr

ogra

m w

ould

app

ear

to b

e a

stro

ng b

ene

t

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan46

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Mou

ntai

n Bi

ke T

rails

•W

ill e

nan

ce s

ocia

l va

lues

by

prov

idin

g m

ore

natu

re b

ased

re

crea

tion

•En

viro

nmen

tal

risks

are

low

to

mod

erat

e if

trac

ks

are

cons

truc

ted

appr

opria

tely

So

me

risk

of w

eed

spec

ies

bein

g im

port

ed o

n bi

kes

•Lo

w ri

sk to

wat

er

ualit

y •

Low

risk

to c

ultu

ral

valu

es p

rovi

ded

trac

ks re

spec

t Tr

aditi

onal

Ow

ner

reue

sts

for

som

e ar

eas

to b

e ex

clud

ed fr

om

publ

ic a

cces

s •

Low

risk

to

rese

arc

act

ivity

if

trac

ks k

ept a

way

fr

om re

sear

c

area

s w

ere

publ

ic a

cces

s w

ould

impa

ct d

ata

capt

ure

•So

me

sens

itive

ve

geta

tion

area

s m

ay re

uire

ex

clus

ion

•Ac

tivity

can

be

man

aged

via

sel

f-gu

ided

trai

ls o

r as

guid

ed g

roup

ride

s on

ly •

Trai

ls w

ill n

eed

agre

emen

t on

cons

truc

tion

and

mai

nten

ance

wit

Q

PWS

•Co

nsen

t nee

ded

from

WTM

A an

d Q

PWS

•CR

C pe

rmits

for

guid

ed a

ctiv

ities

m

ay b

e re

uire

d if

usin

g t

e pi

cnic

ar

ea o

r roa

d re

serv

e ar

eas

as

stag

ing

poin

ts •

Coul

d be

est

ab-

lised

as

grad

ual

deve

lopm

ent o

f ne

twor

k w

it a

co

mm

unity

or

com

mer

cial

par

tner

re

spon

sibl

e •

Man

agem

ent o

f tr

ails

doe

s ne

ed

sign

age

and

info

r-m

atio

n so

use

rs a

re

awar

e of

dif

cult

y le

vels

•Co

uld

cons

ider

a

club

lice

nce

to d

e-ve

lop

and

mai

ntai

n tr

ails

(sim

ilar t

o Sm

itel

d) •

Pote

ntia

l for

long

er

dura

tion

(cro

ss

coun

try)

ride

s to

be

deve

lope

d an

d lin

k w

it e

xist

ing

re

road

s an

d Q

PWS

trac

ks o

n w

este

rn

side

of d

am w

all

•Li

mite

d le

gisl

ativ

e im

plic

atio

ns

New

trac

ks n

eed

appr

oval

s fr

om

QPW

S an

d W

TMA

•Gu

ided

act

iviti

es

need

may

nee

d pe

rmits

und

er C

RC

loca

l law

s an

d w

ould

nee

d t

em

unde

r Qld

Nat

ure

Cons

erva

tion

Act

•Ac

tivity

con

sist

ent

wit

inte

nt fo

r are

a un

der W

et T

ropi

cs

Man

agem

ent P

lan

•N

ew tr

acks

w

ill n

eed

to b

e co

nstr

ucte

d an

d m

aint

aine

d •

Cons

truc

tion

stan

dard

s s

ould

be

acc

ordi

ng

to n

atio

nally

re

cogn

ised

trai

l st

anda

rds

•O

ppor

tuni

ties

exis

t on

re

trai

ls a

nd

QPW

S ro

ads

on

wes

tern

sid

e of

te

dam

wal

l C

ould

pr

ovid

e ad

ditio

nal

and

expa

nded

ro

utes

by

linki

ng

wit

tes

e ex

istin

g tr

acks

•O

ld tr

acks

use

d du

ring

dam

co

nstr

uctio

n co

uld

be in

vest

igat

ed t

o id

entif

y su

itabl

e al

ignm

ents

for

conv

ersi

on to

w

alki

ng ro

utes

•N

umer

ous

non-

sanc

tione

d tr

acks

ex

ist l

eadi

ng d

own

te

sout

ern

and

nort

ern

side

s of

te

ridge

M

anag

emen

t of

tes

e is

mos

tly

an

issu

e fo

r QPW

S

•St

rong

dem

and

-MTB

trai

ls

pref

erre

d ac

tivity

of

com

mun

ity •

Com

mer

cial

in

tere

st in

pr

ovid

ing

tour

s ex

ists

but

unl

ikel

y to

ext

end

to

deve

lopm

ent

of n

ew tr

ails

/ re

spon

sibi

lity

for

trai

ls •

Part

ners

ip w

it

club

or c

omm

unity

or

gani

satio

n po

ssib

le •

Coul

d lo

ok a

t cl

ub o

nly

mod

el

(res

tric

ted

acce

ss)

Ther

e is

str

ong

dem

and

for M

TB

oppo

rtun

ities

with

bo

th d

ownh

ill a

nd

cros

s co

untr

y tr

acks

de

sire

d. P

rovi

sion

of

san

ctio

ned

trac

ks

shou

ld b

e pu

rsue

d.H

owev

er t

e pr

ovis

ion

of n

ew tr

acks

are

lik

ely

to b

e on

QPW

S la

nd

QPW

S as

in

dica

ted

it is

not

fu

nded

to p

rovi

de (o

r m

aint

ain)

new

trac

ks

but w

ould

sup

port

an

alte

rnat

ive

solu

tion

to

prov

isio

nIn

vest

igat

e po

ssib

le

part

ners

ips

wit

cl

ubs

or c

omm

unity

gr

oups

for t

rack

pr

ovis

ion

and

mai

nten

ance

in

a si

mila

r mod

el

to S

mit

eld

Cons

erva

tion

Park

Inve

stig

ate

com

mer

cial

inte

rest

in

aw

ardi

ng to

ur

rigts

in e

xcan

ge

for p

rovi

sion

of s

ome

publ

ic tr

acks

Final Report 47

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Wat

er

skiin

g an

d ot

er

mot

oris

ed

priv

ate

boat

ac

tiviti

es

•Po

tent

ial t

o av

e im

pact

on

envi

ronm

enta

l va

lues

tro

ug

nois

e po

llutio

n,

bank

ero

sion

and

w

ater

pol

lutio

n •

Soci

al im

pact

on

oter

recr

eatio

n us

ers

•Po

tent

ial t

reat

to

wat

er

ualit

y w

it

ydro

carb

on

pollu

tion

and

impo

rtat

ion

of

wee

d or

pes

t sp

ecie

s •

Wou

ld b

e pe

rcei

ved

by m

any

as

inap

prop

riate

in

te

pris

tine

lake

en

viro

nmen

t- cu

ltur

al im

pact

s

•N

o ac

cess

in

fras

truc

ture

ex

ists

for b

oats

or

skie

rs to

get

to t

e w

ater

•La

ke M

orris

road

no

t sui

ted

to

num

bers

of c

ars

wit

boa

t tra

ilers

•N

ot p

ract

ical

to

prov

ide

a pe

rmit

for o

ne o

r a fe

w

oper

ator

s w

o w

ould

be

reui

red

to u

se o

n-si

te

craf

t onl

y •

Pote

ntia

l for

ad

ditio

nal

man

agem

ent

prob

lem

s w

it o

n-w

ater

use

rs

•N

o re

al le

gisl

ativ

e co

nstr

aint

to

allo

win

g it

as a

n on

-wat

er a

ctiv

ity-

but a

ny u

se o

f ban

k ar

eas

by t

e pu

blic

co

uld

trig

ger t

e Q

PWS

and

WTM

A in

tere

sts

•Ac

tivity

wou

ld b

e co

vere

d un

der

Mar

itim

e Sa

fety

an

d Tr

ansp

ort

regu

latio

n

•W

ould

reui

re

ma

or in

vest

men

t in

acc

ess

road

s an

d bo

at ra

mps

and

pa

rkin

g ar

eas

for

user

s •

Wou

ld re

uire

st

ringe

nt w

as

dow

n fa

cilit

ies

for

boas

t to

ensu

re

no im

port

atio

n of

w

eed

spec

ies

•La

ke M

orris

Roa

d no

t sui

tabl

e fo

r ca

rs a

nd b

oat

trai

lers

•W

ould

als

o re

uire

so

me

bank

and

s

ore

faci

litie

s fo

r us

ers

•O

nly

14 (o

ut o

f 53

1) re

spon

dent

s to

sur

vey

indi

cate

d a

desi

re fo

r m

otor

ised

boa

ting

•

Alte

rnat

ive

loca

tions

exi

st •

Stro

ng o

ppos

ition

fr

om c

omm

unity

lik

ely

to a

ny

prop

osal

for

mot

oris

ed b

oatin

g an

d sk

iing

Do

not a

llow

any

m

otor

ised

boa

ting

activ

ities

.Li

mite

d us

e of

4

stro

ke m

otor

s fo

r re

sear

c m

onito

ring

and

oper

atio

nal

reas

ons

sou

ld

cont

inue

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan48

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Cano

eing

, Ka

yaki

ng,

Stan

d up

Pa

ddle

Bo

ards

et

c

•So

me

pote

ntia

l ris

k to

env

ironm

enta

l va

lues

tro

ug

priv

ate

craf

t im

port

ing

wee

ds,

pat

ogen

s or

pes

t sp

ecie

s •

Soci

al a

nd

recr

eatio

n va

lues

no

t com

prom

ised

- co

uld

enan

ce

valu

e fo

r co

mm

unity

•W

ould

allo

w

impr

oved

acc

ess

for b

ird w

atc

ers

and

oter

act

iviti

es

enoy

ing

natu

re •

Impr

oved

op

port

uniti

es fo

r ed

ucat

ion

and

inte

rpre

tatio

n an

d co

mm

unic

atin

g va

lues

of t

e la

ke •

Som

e ris

k to

re

sear

c- m

ay n

eed

to re

stric

t acc

ess

to

som

e ar

eas

•So

me

risk

to W

ater

Q

ualit

y va

lue

tro

ug u

se o

f pr

ivat

e cr

aft

Was

do

wn

proc

edur

es

may

not

be

relia

ble

to p

reve

nt im

pact

•Cu

ltur

al im

pact

s

unlik

ely

as

Trad

ition

al O

wne

r re

stric

ted

area

s la

nd b

ased

•Pu

blic

use

of p

rivat

e cr

aft w

ould

be

dif

cult

to m

anag

e as

it

wou

ld re

uire

acc

ess

infra

stru

ctur

e an

d so

me

mea

ns o

f cle

anin

g cr

aft

to p

reve

nt s

prea

d of

pe

sts

and

dise

ase

•Ac

tivity

cou

ld b

e m

anag

ed e

ffect

ivel

y t

roug

com

mer

cial

pe

rmit

to a

pro

vide

r to

offe

r pad

dle

tour

s or

cr

aft

ire

•W

ould

nee

d a

rest

ricte

d cr

aft a

rran

gem

ent

wer

e an

y cr

aft u

sed

are

reta

ined

at t

e la

ke

•Co

unci

l cou

ld m

anag

e t

e ac

tivity

but

QPW

S/

WTM

A co

nsen

t nee

ded

if to

urs

used

nat

iona

l pa

rk a

reas

(abo

ve w

ater

lin

e) a

roun

d t

e la

ke

•Ac

tivity

man

agem

ent

conc

erns

aro

und

safe

ty

of u

sers

, em

erge

ncy

acce

ss a

nd o

n-la

ke

navi

gatio

n

•So

me

form

of G

PS

tagg

ing

for t

e cr

aft

wou

ld b

e ne

eded

if

publ

ic

ire p

rovi

ded

•Co

mm

unic

atio

ns a

lso

an is

sue

for t

our g

roup

s as

mob

ile p

one

not

effe

ctiv

e

•Re

stric

ted

area

s ex

ist

arou

nd t

e da

m w

all

and

inta

ke to

wer

•Li

mits

to u

ser n

umbe

rs

and

tour

fre

uenc

ies

will

nee

d to

be

esta

blis

ed

•O

n w

ater

sec

onda

ry

cont

act a

ctiv

ities

pr

ovid

ed b

y co

mm

erci

al

prov

ider

wou

ld

reui

re C

RC

cons

ent a

nd li

cenc

e un

der c

omm

erci

al

use

prov

isio

ns o

f Lo

cal L

aws

•D

epen

ding

on

craf

t us

ed fo

r gro

ups

or

ire, a

ppro

val m

ay

be re

uire

d fr

om

Mar

itim

e Sa

fety

Q

ueen

slan

d •

Any

use

of Q

PWS

cont

rolle

d la

nd

will

reui

re t

eir

cons

ent

•Pu

blic

acc

ess

for p

rivat

e cr

aft

wou

ld re

uire

m

aor

inve

stm

ent

in a

cces

s in

fras

truc

ture

in

clud

ing

car

park

ing,

cra

ft

port

age

was

do

wn,

and

lake

ed

ge a

cces

s •

Prov

ider

co

ntro

lled

activ

ity

wou

ld re

uire

es

tabl

ism

ent o

f a

wat

er’s

edge

op

erat

ion

for t

e pr

ovid

er a

nd o

n si

te s

tora

ge o

f cra

ft

(cou

ld b

e pr

ovid

ed

on t

e ex

istin

g bo

at la

unc

pe

nins

ular

) •

Enab

ling

clie

nt

acce

ss c

ould

be

via

limite

d 4w

d ve

icle

acc

ess

to

te

exis

ting

boat

la

unc

pen

insu

lar

•If

ire c

raft

wer

e to

be

pro

vide

d so

me

pat

infr

astr

uctu

re

reui

red

from

pi

cnic

are

a so

pu

blic

can

acc

ess

te

ire c

raft

•Ve

ry s

tron

g de

man

d - P

rovi

ding

ca

noes

and

kay

aks

for

ire w

as 2

nd

mos

t pop

ular

ac

tivity

pre

fere

nce

•Go

od p

oten

tial

for a

com

mer

cial

pr

ovid

er to

off

er

tour

s- R

ange

of

tour

type

s an

d du

ratio

n p

ossi

ble

•Pr

ovis

ion

of

ire c

raft

as

co

mm

erci

al

pote

ntia

l and

w

ould

nee

d to

be

bal

ance

d ag

ains

t cos

t of

prov

idin

g ac

cess

in

fras

truc

ture

•Be

st v

iabi

lity

may

be

for a

pac

kage

of

opp

ortu

nitie

s to

be

offe

red

wic

allo

ws

for a

nu

mbe

r of i

ncom

e st

ream

s to

off

-set

in

fras

truc

ture

cos

t

No

priv

ate

padd

le

craf

t acc

ess

to b

e pr

ovid

ed.

Com

mun

ity o

r co

mm

erci

al p

rovi

der

to b

e so

ught

to

prov

ide

padd

le to

urs

and

poss

ibly

hire

cra

ft

for g

ener

al p

ublic

use

.Al

l cra

ft u

sed

will

be

rest

ricte

d to

Lak

e M

orris

onl

yD

evel

opm

ent o

f ac

cess

and

sto

rage

in

fras

truc

ture

wou

ld

be t

e re

spon

sibi

lity

of t

e pr

ovid

erAc

tivity

man

agem

ent

cond

ition

s s

ould

av

e co

nsid

erat

ion

from

Har

bour

Mas

ter

(MSQ

)

Final Report 49

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Bus

Ca

mpi

ng •

Low

leve

l bus

ca

mpi

ng c

ould

po

se s

ome

envi

ronm

enta

l ris

k t

roug

impa

ct

on w

ater

ua

lity

or v

eget

atio

n co

mm

uniti

es •

Rest

ricte

d ar

eas

will

app

ly to

pr

otec

t cul

tura

l va

lues

•W

ater

ua

lity

risk

occu

rrin

g fr

om

man

agem

ent o

f um

an w

aste

and

an

y im

pact

on

ualit

y of

te

lake

ca

tcm

ent

•Ed

ucat

ion

valu

es

can

be e

nan

ced

tro

ug e

duca

tion

of to

ur g

roup

s or

in

terp

reta

tion

at

site

•Ri

sk to

rese

arc

ac

tiviti

es c

an b

e av

oide

d w

it u

se o

f ar

ea re

stric

tions

•M

anag

ing

a pu

blic

ac

cess

bus

ca

mpi

ng a

rea

will

re

uire

reso

urce

s to

mon

itor a

nd

mai

ntai

n •

Prov

idin

g an

ar

ea fo

r tou

r gr

oups

wou

ld

be m

anag

eabl

e w

it t

e pr

ovid

er c

arry

ing

resp

onsi

bilit

y fo

r t

e si

te •

Emer

genc

y ac

cess

ne

eded

for a

ny

cam

ping

are

a •

Activ

ity a

nd s

ite

man

agem

ent p

lans

w

ill b

e ne

eded

to

ensu

re n

o im

pact

s on

wat

er

ualit

y or

su

rrou

ndin

g N

P •

Use

r num

bers

and

us

e fr

eue

ncy

will

ne

ed to

be

dene

d

•If

loca

ted

on

Nat

iona

l Par

k t

en

bot

QPW

S an

d W

TMA

appr

oval

s ne

eded

•A

suita

ble

site

on

te

lake

wic

is

road

rese

rve

exis

ts

(ie

it i

s ou

tsid

e of

NP)

and

cou

ld

mak

e pr

ovid

ing

an

area

eas

ier

•Pl

anni

ng s

cem

e ap

prov

al m

ay b

e re

uire

d fo

r a

cam

ping

are

a

•Re

stric

ted

use

cam

ping

are

a w

ould

mos

t lik

ely

need

cle

ared

sp

aces

for c

ampi

ng

and

som

e ag

reed

ap

proa

c to

um

an w

aste

m

anag

emen

t •

Poss

ibly

reui

re a

sm

all c

ompo

stin

g to

ilet

•Em

erge

ncy

and

mai

nten

ance

site

ac

cess

trac

k Is

re

uire

d •

A su

itabl

e si

te

exis

ts o

n t

e ol

d ro

ad re

serv

e al

ignm

ent w

ic

lead

s do

wn

a pe

nins

ular

to t

e la

ke’s

edge

•If

a si

te w

itou

t em

erge

ncy

veic

le

acce

ss is

pro

pose

d,

ten

may

nee

d to

co

nsid

er a

larg

e en

oug

cle

ared

ar

ea fo

r el

icop

ter

land

ing

in c

ase

of

med

ivac

•Ac

cess

via

a

wal

king

and

MTB

tr

ack

wou

ld b

e de

sira

ble

•D

evel

opm

ent

optio

ns c

ould

be

for C

RC to

sel

l use

rig

ts to

diff

eren

t gr

oups

•H

ig d

eman

d w

it w

alk/

ride

/ pa

ddle

in c

ampi

ng

3rd

mos

t pop

ular

de

sire

d ac

tivity

•Ex

pect

ed t

ere

will

be

str

ong

tour

ism

/ co

mm

erci

al

recr

eatio

n de

man

d fo

r ove

rnig

t pa

ddle

tour

s in

volv

ing

bus

ca

mpi

ng

•Co

mm

erci

al

prov

ider

cou

ld

deve

lop

cam

ping

ar

ea a

s pa

rt o

f ag

reem

ent

• T

e ra

nge

of p

oten

tial

user

s (s

coo

ls,

com

mun

ity g

roup

s, co

mm

erci

al to

urs,

rese

arc

gro

ups)

m

eans

tat

may

be

bett

er fo

r cou

ncil

to m

anag

e t

e si

te

or to

bui

ld a

cces

s fo

r ot

er g

roup

s in

to a

gree

men

t •

Cam

ping

op

port

unity

co

uldn

’t be

pr

ovid

ed u

ntil

te

padd

le o

r tr

ack

acce

ss

infr

astr

uctu

re is

de

velo

ped

and

user

s ac

cess

ing

lake

Inve

stig

ate

prov

isio

n of

a b

ush

cam

ping

ar

ea o

n th

e ol

d ro

ad

rese

rve

sout

h of

the

mai

n pi

cnic

are

a.D

evel

opm

ent o

f a

bus

cam

ping

are

a s

ould

be

cons

ider

ed

in a

sec

ond

stag

e af

ter t

e in

itial

in

fras

truc

ture

for

padd

le to

urs

is

deve

lope

dSu

bec

t to

asse

ssm

ent

of d

eman

d an

d vi

abili

ty fr

om

com

mer

cial

ope

rato

rsFu

rter

dis

cuss

ion

reui

red

wit

po

tent

ial o

pera

tors

an

d Q

PWS

rega

rdin

g ow

te

cam

ping

are

a s

ould

be

deve

lope

d an

d w

o s

ould

m

anag

e it

If m

anag

emen

t of

te

cam

ping

are

a is

pa

rt o

f a c

omm

erci

al

arra

ngem

ent,

cond

ition

s s

ould

in

clud

e al

low

ance

for

scoo

l and

com

mun

ity

grou

ps to

av

e so

me

acce

ss

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan50

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Sor

t Sta

y Ca

mpi

ng

in o

n si

te

Tent

s

A ca

mpi

ng a

rea

coul

d po

se s

ome

envi

ronm

enta

l ris

k t

roug

impa

ct

on w

ater

ua

lity

or v

eget

atio

n co

mm

uniti

es

Prov

isio

n of

on-

site

te

nts

at a

sui

tabl

e lo

catio

n co

uld

min

imis

e im

pact

on

land

scap

e t

roug

use

of p

latfo

rm

tent

s or

sim

ilar a

nd

cont

rol o

f use

are

asPr

ovis

ion

at t

e Da

y us

e ar

ea (w

itin

cou

ncil

rese

rve)

is li

kely

to

ave

leas

t ris

k of

impa

ctin

g on

cul

tura

l val

ues

Wat

er

ualit

y ris

k oc

curr

ing

from

m

anag

emen

t of

uman

w

aste

and

any

impa

ct

on

ualit

y of

te

lake

ca

tcm

ent-

Day

use

ar

ea o

ffers

acc

ess

to

exis

ting

infra

stru

ctur

e fo

r was

te a

nd w

ater

Educ

atio

n va

lues

can

be

en

ance

d t

roug

ed

ucat

ion

of to

ur

grou

ps o

r int

erpr

etat

ion

at s

iteRi

sk to

rese

arc

ac

tiviti

es c

an b

e av

oide

d w

it lo

catio

n at

Day

use

are

aCo

uld

com

plem

ent

recr

eatio

n va

lues

by

supp

ortin

g or

gani

sed

and

grou

p ac

tiviti

es

Man

agin

g ac

cam

ping

ar

ea w

ill re

uire

re

sour

ces

to m

onito

r an

d m

aint

ain

Prov

idin

g an

are

a fo

r tou

r gro

ups

or

asso

ciat

ed w

it o

ter

co

mm

erci

al re

crea

tion

activ

ities

wou

ld b

e m

anag

eabl

e w

it

te

prov

ider

car

ryin

g re

spon

sibi

lity

for t

e in

fras

truc

ture

Emer

genc

y ac

cess

ne

eded

for a

ny

cam

ping

are

aAc

tivity

and

site

m

anag

emen

t pla

ns

will

be

need

ed to

en

sure

no

impa

cts

on w

ater

ua

lity

or

surr

ound

ing

NP

Use

r num

bers

and

use

fr

eue

ncy

will

nee

d to

be

de

ned

If lo

cate

d in

Cou

ncil

Rese

rve

will

nee

d Pl

anni

ng S

cem

e ap

prov

als

Day

use

are

a al

read

y of

fers

acc

ess

to

toile

t and

drin

king

w

ater

infr

astr

uctu

re-

owev

er t

e ex

istin

g tr

eatm

ent s

yste

ms

ave

limite

d ca

paci

ty

for i

ncre

ased

dem

and

Emer

genc

y ac

cess

is

reui

red

Pote

ntia

l are

a ex

ists

ad

acen

t to

te

low

er

carp

ark

T

e bo

at la

unc

ing

peni

nsul

a m

ay

be a

pro

spec

t but

si

gni

cant

pla

nnin

g an

d in

vest

igat

ion

need

ed a

s no

acc

ess

or o

ter

infr

astr

uctu

re

avai

labl

e

Like

ly to

be

dem

and

asso

ciat

ed w

it

part

icip

atio

n in

ot

er

activ

ities

, as

gene

ral

acce

ss to

wat

er is

not

pl

anne

d an

d t

eref

ore

won

t driv

e de

man

dCo

uld

be

com

plem

enta

ry to

w

ole

day

or m

ulti

day

wal

ks/p

addl

e to

urs

Coul

d be

co

mpl

emen

tary

to d

ay

conf

eren

ce o

r out

door

tr

aini

ng ty

pe u

ses

Expe

cted

ter

e w

ill

be s

ome

tour

ism

/ co

mm

erci

al re

crea

tion

dem

and

Co

mm

erci

al p

rovi

der

coul

d de

velo

p ca

mpi

ng a

s pa

rt o

f ki

osk

and

day

use

area

op

erat

ion

Allo

w fo

r the

pos

sibl

e de

velo

pmen

t of a

lim

ited

num

ber o

f “p

erm

anen

t ten

ts”

as a

sho

rt s

tay

(max

3 n

ight

s)

acco

mm

odat

ion

offe

ring

with

in th

e co

unci

l res

erve

/ da

y us

e ar

ea.

Te

prov

isio

n of

te

cam

ping

ac

com

mod

atio

n s

ould

onl

y be

as

soci

ated

wit

su

ppor

ting

te

oter

co

mm

erci

al re

crea

tion

activ

ities

and

not

de

velo

ped

as a

sta

nd

alon

e a

ccom

mod

atio

n bu

sine

ssD

evel

opm

ent

is s

ubec

t to

com

mer

cial

ope

rato

r as

sess

men

t of m

arke

t an

d s

ould

be

a po

ssib

le o

ppor

tuni

ty

asso

ciat

ed w

it t

e op

erat

ion

of t

e Ki

osk

and

day

use

area

Sub

ect t

o pl

anni

ng

scem

e ap

prov

als

Final Report 51

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Swim

min

g •

Ma

or

envi

ronm

enta

l and

w

ater

ua

lity

risk

is t

e po

tent

ial

cont

amin

atio

n of

w

ater

sup

ply

•

Low

fre

uenc

y an

d lo

w n

umbe

rs

swim

min

g ev

ents

un

likel

y to

pos

e an

y t

reat

•U

ncle

ar a

t wat

le

vels

sw

imm

ing

use

may

bec

ome

an is

sue

for w

ater

ua

lity-

mon

itorin

g of

any

sw

imm

ing

use

reui

red

over

tim

e to

det

erm

ine

acce

ptab

le le

vels

•N

o t

reat

to

cult

ural

val

ues

alt

oug

co

mm

unity

fe

edba

ck in

dica

tes

conc

erns

rega

rdin

g t

e ac

tivity

•Re

crea

tion

and

soci

al v

alue

s m

ay

be e

nan

ced

wit

sw

imm

ing

•Lo

w ri

sk to

ed

ucat

ion,

rese

arc

or

sci

enti

c va

lues

•Re

uire

s m

onito

ring

to

ensu

re w

ater

ua

lity

is s

uita

ble

for p

rimar

y co

ntac

t •

Reui

res

mon

itorin

g to

en

sure

sw

imm

ing

does

not

deg

rade

w

ater

ua

lity

to a

po

int t

at im

pact

s on

wat

er s

uppl

y st

anda

rds

•W

ater

side

acc

ess

wou

ld n

eed

to

be b

uilt

to a

llow

sw

imm

ing

•U

ncon

trol

led

(pub

lic a

cces

s)

swim

min

g di

fcu

lt

to m

anag

e •

Adop

ting

a re

stric

ted

appr

oac

t

at p

erm

its g

roup

s on

a o

ne o

ff b

asis

(e

g s

port

ing

grou

p tr

aini

ng o

r ev

ent)

wou

ld b

e a

mor

e m

anag

eabl

e ap

proa

c •

Coul

d of

fer t

e m

anag

emen

t of

swim

min

g ac

cess

to

a c

omm

erci

al

prov

ider

wo

coul

d un

dert

ake

mon

itorin

g an

d c

arge

for a

cces

s •

Craf

t use

rs in

te

lake

are

like

ly to

co

ntac

t w

ater

on

occa

sion

and

tis

is

seen

as

low

risk

•N

o m

aor

le

gisl

atio

n is

sues

ex

cept

for t

ose

arou

nd s

wim

min

g an

d w

ater

ua

lity

•CR

C co

mm

erci

al

recr

eatio

n pe

rmit

coul

d co

ver m

ost

issu

es if

a p

rovi

der

was

inte

rest

ed •

Doe

s no

t trig

ger

stat

e or

fede

ral

legi

slat

ion

asso

ciat

ed w

it N

P or

WTW

HA

•W

ater

sup

ply

cont

amin

atio

n ris

k fr

om p

rimar

y co

ntac

t act

iviti

es

coul

d be

rem

oved

w

it u

pgra

ding

te

wat

er tr

eatm

ent

infr

astr

uctu

re a

t Tu

nnel

Hill

(app

rox

5m

) •

Acce

ss

infr

astr

uctu

re

reui

red

from

t

e pi

cnic

are

a (s

tairs

and

ett

y or

po

ntoo

n) if

pub

lic

swim

min

g w

as

prov

ided

•Co

ncer

n ab

out

capa

city

of t

e ac

cess

road

if

publ

ic s

wim

min

g w

as o

ffer

ed a

nd

te

resu

ltin

g de

man

d in

crea

sed

traf

c vo

lum

es

sign

ica

ntly

•In

crea

sed

visi

tatio

n to

pic

nic

area

al

so a

con

cern

as

exi

stin

g w

ater

su

pply

and

sew

age

trea

tmen

t as

lit

tle

capa

city

for

incr

ease

d nu

mbe

rs

•T

ere

was

m

oder

ate

dem

and

for s

wim

min

g ac

cess

exp

ress

ed

in t

e co

mm

unity

su

rvey

- ow

ever

t

ere

was

als

o st

rong

con

cern

re

gard

ing

wat

er

ualit

y pr

otec

tion

and

uest

ioni

ng if

sw

imm

ing

wou

ld

risk

wat

er

ualit

y •

Anec

dota

lly

ter

e w

ould

be

sign

ica

nt in

tere

st

in s

wim

min

g ac

cess

for d

ay

visi

tors

•Cl

ubs

and

grou

ps

suc

as

tria

tlo

n an

d lif

esav

ing

ave

indi

cate

d an

inte

rest

in

avin

g tr

aini

ng

or c

ompe

titio

n ac

tiviti

es a

t te

lake

and

usi

ng

road

and

wat

er fo

r m

ulti-

disc

iplin

e ev

ents

•In

clud

ing

prov

isio

n of

faci

litie

s an

d m

anag

emen

t of

sw

imm

ing

in a

pac

kage

of

com

mer

cial

re

crea

tion

entit

lem

ents

m

ay n

ot

ave

com

mer

cial

app

eal

Gene

ral p

ublic

sw

imm

ing

shou

ld n

ot

be a

llow

ed.

If t

e w

ater

trea

tmen

t fa

cilit

y at

Tun

nel H

ill

is u

pgra

ded

ten

pu

blic

sw

imm

ing

coul

d be

reco

nsid

ered

Prov

isio

n of

one

-off

pe

rmits

to g

roup

s to

use

te

lake

fo

r sw

imm

ing

as

part

of t

rain

ing

or

com

petit

ive

even

ts

sou

ld b

e co

nsid

ered

W

it n

umbe

rs a

nd

wat

er

ualit

y im

pact

s m

onito

red

If an

ope

rato

r wis

es

to p

ursu

e pr

ovis

ion

of a

pay

to u

se

publ

ic s

wim

min

g ar

ea

ten

tis

cou

ld b

e co

nsid

ered

sub

ect

to a

ppro

pria

te

infr

astr

uctu

re a

nd

activ

ity m

anag

emen

t pr

ovis

ions

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan52

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Fis

ing

•Lo

w ri

sk to

en

viro

nmen

tal

valu

es if

cat

c a

nd

rele

ase

sin

g al

low

ed L

imiti

ng

sin

g to

from

cr

aft o

nly

wou

ld

elp

furt

er (i

e n

o s

ing

from

ban

ks)

•As

per

boa

ting

and

padd

le c

raft

c

ould

not

allo

w

priv

ate

craf

t to

be

used

•As

no

rest

ocki

ng

prog

ram

is in

pla

ce

a re

stoc

king

pla

n m

ay n

eed

to b

e co

nsid

ered

•Re

sear

c v

alue

s no

t im

pact

ed a

s pe

rvio

us

ser

ies

rese

arc

as

ce

ased

•Lo

w ri

sk to

wat

er

ualit

y va

lues

if

limite

d s

ing

acce

ss p

rovi

ded

tou

g a

set

nu

mbe

r of

ire

craf

t or v

ia

sin

g to

urs

only

•W

ould

add

to s

ocia

l an

d re

crea

tion

valu

es

•M

anag

ing

num

bers

of

peo

ple

sin

g at

an

y on

e tim

e an

d en

surin

g a

catc

and

re

leas

e et

ic w

ould

be

ess

entia

l •

Caut

ion

also

re

uire

d in

rega

rd

to a

ny b

ait a

nd

sin

g e

uipm

ent

brou

gt i

nto

site

(r

isk

of w

eeds

, pe

sts,

pat

ogen

s)

Coul

d co

nsid

er u

se

of

ire g

ear o

nly

or in

spec

tion

and

clea

ning

of p

rivat

e e

uipm

ent

•Si

mpl

est o

ptio

n is

to

allo

w

sin

g vi

a to

ur g

roup

s on

ly (i

e

perm

its to

con

duct

) Pa

ddle

cra

ft o

r sol

ar

elec

tric

boa

ts c

ould

be

use

d fo

r te

tour

s •

Publ

ic a

cces

s co

uld

be m

anag

ed if

a

ire

craf

t ope

rato

r wan

ted

to p

rovi

de a

lim

ited

num

ber o

f cra

ft fo

r s

ing

activ

ity a

nd

publ

ic c

ould

boo

k t

e bo

ats

in a

dvan

ce •

Coul

d co

nsid

er

a pe

rcen

tage

of

fees

car

ged

to b

e re

turn

ed to

a

s

rest

ocki

ng p

rogr

am •

An a

lter

nativ

e m

anag

emen

t mod

el

wou

ld b

e to

est

ablis

a

Lake

Mor

ris F

isin

g Cl

ub w

ic c

ould

pr

ovid

e ac

cess

to t

e la

ke fo

r mem

bers

un

der a

set

of p

erm

it co

nditi

ons

•N

o m

aor

le

gisl

ativ

e is

sues

•

Sam

e in

fras

truc

ture

re

uire

men

ts a

s pa

ddle

cra

ft

ire •

Fis

ing

tour

s vi

a so

lar e

lect

ric b

oats

re

uire

acc

ess

for

tour

4w

d an

d on

si

te a

ncor

age/

st

orag

e fo

r boa

ts

•D

eman

d fo

r s

ing

was

exp

ress

ed

in c

omm

unity

co

nsul

tatio

n w

it

sin

g in

te

top

10 •

Acce

ss t

roug

s

ing

tour

s, fo

r a

lake

tat

as

not

be

en

sed

and

is

kno

wn

to

ave

been

sto

cked

wit

po

pula

r tar

get

spec

ies,

is li

kely

to

ave

stro

ng lo

cal

and

tour

ist a

ppea

l •

A lo

cal c

lub

or

s

stoc

king

gro

up

coul

d be

par

tner

ed

wit

to p

rovi

de

rest

ocki

ng w

it

fund

s co

min

g fr

om

a le

vy o

n ac

cess

/ac

tivity

fees

•Fi

sin

g ac

cess

co

uld

be p

rovi

ded

via

a nu

mbe

r of

tour

per

mits

al

low

ing

num

bers

fo

r be

cont

rolle

d an

d t

e va

lue

of

te

tour

to b

e m

aint

aine

d •

A cl

ub p

artn

ers

ip

to m

anag

e al

l s

ing

activ

ity a

nd

rest

ocki

ng c

ould

be

cons

ider

ed

Cont

rolle

d sh

ing

acce

ss to

the

lake

sh

ould

be

prov

ided

on

a ca

tch

and

rele

ase

basi

s on

ly.

Perm

its fo

r s

ing

tour

s s

ould

be

awar

ded

to a

ver

y lim

ited

num

ber

of o

pera

tors

and

m

arke

ted

as a

pr

emiu

m p

rodu

ct

Tour

s co

uld

be fr

om

padd

le c

raft

or s

olar

el

ectr

ic b

oats

If a

ire c

raft

ope

rato

r is

est

ablis

ed a

t te

site

ten

a p

erm

it s

ould

be

prov

ided

for

tem

to o

ffer

a li

mite

d nu

mbe

r of c

raft

for

sin

g ire

s

Final Report 53

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

On

wat

er

tour

s an

d gu

ided

ac

tiviti

es

•Lo

w ri

sk to

en

viro

nmen

tal

valu

es if

pad

dle

and

sola

r ele

ctric

cr

aft u

sed

tat

re

mai

n on

site

•Lo

w ri

sk to

wat

er

ualit

y va

lues

if

activ

ities

wel

l m

anag

ed •

Opp

ortu

nity

to

enan

ce e

duca

tion

and

scie

nti

c va

lues

tro

ug

inte

rpre

tive

activ

ities

in

tegr

ated

into

te

tour

s •

Low

risk

to

soci

al a

nd

recr

eatio

n va

lues

w

it p

oten

tial

to a

dd v

alue

w

it p

rovi

sion

of

add

ition

al

oppo

rtun

ities

to

enoy

te

lake

w

ildlif

e an

d su

rrou

ndin

g fo

rest

•Re

sear

c v

alue

s ca

n be

pro

tect

ed

tro

ug a

ctiv

ity

man

agem

ent a

nd

rest

rictin

g ac

cess

to

are

as b

eing

st

udie

d

•Gu

ided

act

iviti

es

will

be

prov

ided

by

3rd

par

ties

unde

r per

mit

from

Co

unci

l (an

d Q

PWS/

W

TMA

if re

uire

d fo

r ter

rest

rial

com

pone

nts)

•Ac

tivity

man

agem

ent

plan

s w

ill b

e re

uire

d to

ens

ure

com

plia

nce

wit

en

viro

nmen

tal a

nd

safe

ty c

ondi

tions

•Em

erge

ncy

acce

ss, m

anag

ing

was

te/ p

oten

tial

cont

amin

atio

n, an

d ac

cess

to t

e w

ater

ar

e ke

y co

ncer

ns •

Te

num

ber o

f tou

rs,

freue

ncy

and

max

gu

ests

per

tour

nee

d to

be

dene

d so

t

at t

e ex

perie

nce

for a

ll us

ers

is n

ot

com

prom

ised

•T

e pr

istin

e un

touc

ed la

ke

perc

eptio

n ne

eds

to

be p

rote

cted

•M

ariti

me

safe

ty

legi

slat

ion

will

ap

ply

wit

per

mits

re

uire

d fo

r any

sit

in c

raft

•Fe

dera

l and

st

ate

legi

slat

ion

asso

ciat

ed w

it

Nat

iona

l Par

ks a

nd

Wet

Tro

pics

WH

A w

ill b

e tr

igge

red

by a

ny to

ur

com

pone

nts

tat

im

pact

Nat

iona

l Pa

rk a

reas

•Ac

cess

infra

stru

ctur

e fo

r tou

r gro

ups

coul

d be

pro

vide

d w

it g

roup

s av

ing

perm

issi

on to

use

t

e bo

at la

unc

ing

peni

nsul

ar 4

wd

veic

les

will

be

reui

red

and

limits

on

num

bers

wou

ld

be s

et •

On

site

sto

rage

an

d m

oorin

g w

ill

be n

eede

d w

it

deve

lopm

ent o

f sp

eci

c no

des

for

diffe

rent

gro

ups

likel

y to

be

te

best

ap

proa

c

•Po

ntoo

n or

ett

y fa

cilit

ies

sou

ld b

e co

nsid

ered

- te

leas

t im

pact

will

be

from

a

sar

ed fa

cilit

y de

velo

ped

by c

ounc

il w

it c

apita

l cos

t re

paid

ove

r tim

e fro

m p

erm

it fe

es •

Any

sign

ica

nt

incr

ease

in n

umbe

rs

coul

d pl

ace

pres

sure

on

te

toile

t and

dr

inki

ng w

ater

fa

cilit

ies

at t

e pi

cnic

are

a •

Cons

ider

atio

n of

a

seco

nd to

ilet f

acili

ty

(dry

com

post

) at t

e la

unc

site

Cos

t co

uld

be s

ared

be

twee

n op

erat

ors

•Co

mm

unity

re

spon

ses

indi

cate

d st

rong

sup

port

for

bird

wat

cin

g an

d na

ture

wal

ks b

ut

limite

d su

ppor

t for

ou

tdoo

r edu

catio

n an

d in

terp

reta

tion

prog

ram

s •

Tour

ism

indu

stry

fe

edba

ck in

dica

tes

ter

e is

like

ly to

be

dem

and

for

tour

s on

te

lake

an

d pa

rtic

ular

ly

stro

ng p

oten

tial

for a

pre

miu

m

limite

d av

aila

bilit

y ex

perie

nce

•T

e nu

mbe

r of

perm

its o

ffer

ed

and

te

num

bers

al

low

ed p

er to

ur

sou

ld b

e m

anag

ed

care

fully

so

tat

t

e ex

perie

nce

is n

ot d

eval

ued

by b

eing

ove

r pa

tron

ised

An a

ppro

ach

to

mar

ket s

houl

d be

m

ade

to a

sses

s in

tere

st in

pro

vidi

ng a

ra

nge

of n

atur

e ba

sed

tour

s/ a

ctiv

ities

on

(or

arou

nd) L

ake

Mor

ris.

If m

arke

t int

eres

t is

suf

cien

t ten

a

limite

d nu

mbe

r of

perm

its s

ould

be

awar

ded

Neg

otia

tion

wit

po

tent

ial p

rovi

ders

s

ould

incl

ude

reso

lutio

n of

acc

ess

infr

astr

uctu

re is

sues

Pack

agin

g of

op

port

uniti

es s

ould

be

con

side

red

to

mak

e t

e pr

opos

ition

m

ore

attr

activ

e fo

r co

mm

erci

al o

pera

tors

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan54

Activ

ityVa

lues

Man

agem

ent

Legi

slat

ion

Infr

astr

uctu

reD

eman

d an

d Pa

rtne

rshi

psO

vera

ll Re

com

men

datio

n

Kios

k an

d Ca

fe •

Low

risk

to m

ost

valu

es •

Som

e ris

k to

soc

ial

and

recr

eatio

n va

lues

if le

vel

of d

evel

opm

ent

asso

ciat

ed w

it

caf

act

ivity

was

se

en to

be

out o

f sc

ale

wit

te

site

•Ex

istin

g fa

cilit

ies

exis

t to

prov

ide

caf

and

kio

sk

serv

ice

Te

deck

is

wel

l sui

ted,

ow

ever

te

kitc

en fa

cilit

ies

wou

ld m

ost l

ikel

y re

uire

upg

radi

ng

to c

ompl

y w

it

curr

ent

ealt

re

gula

tions

for

food

pre

para

tion

•As

a c

omm

erci

al

prop

ositi

on

te

kios

k ca

f

busi

ness

wou

ld

prob

ably

be

viab

le

afte

r bui

ldin

g cl

ient

ele-

ow

ever

it

is e

xpos

ed to

te

unce

rtai

nty

of t

e ac

cess

road

and

fr

eue

nt c

losu

res

asso

ciat

ed w

it t

e w

et s

easo

n •

Valu

e of

te

busi

ness

may

be

incr

ease

d if

allo

wed

to s

ell

smal

l gro

up

func

tions

and

nig

t tim

e ev

ents

•M

ay n

eed

cons

ent

unde

r te

plan

ning

sc

eme

•Re

uire

s co

mpl

ianc

e w

it

stat

e ea

lt

legi

slat

ion

and

Coun

cil l

ocal

law

s

•M

ost o

f te

infr

astr

uctu

re

reui

red

exis

ts

Upg

radi

ng t

e ki

tcen

faci

litie

s is

te

mai

n re

uire

men

t •

If t

e ki

osk

caf

was

too

succ

essf

ul a

nd

star

ted

gene

ratin

g si

gni

cant

incr

ease

in

vis

itors

ten

ad

ditio

nal p

arki

ng

area

s (in

te

low

er c

ar p

ark)

w

ould

be

reui

red

and

even

tual

ly

an u

pgra

de o

f se

wag

e an

d w

ater

tr

eatm

ent p

lant

s

•St

rong

dem

and-

4t

mos

t po

pula

r act

ivity

in

com

mun

ity

resp

onse

s •

Pote

ntia

l to

add

valu

e to

ot

er

tour

ism

pro

duct

s su

c a

s on

wat

er

tour

s •

Care

take

rs in

dica

te

it is

a c

omm

on

reue

st a

nd

tat

te

limite

d se

rvic

e of

fere

d on

t

e w

eeke

nds

is

seei

ng in

crea

sing

pa

tron

age

•Ro

ad c

losu

res

betw

een

Janu

ary

and

May

are

a

conc

ern

for a

ny

pote

ntia

l ope

rato

r (1

25 d

ays

last

yea

r an

d 69

in 2

012)

•Pa

ckag

ing

te

oper

atio

n of

te

kios

k w

it o

ter

co

mm

erci

al ri

gts

(e

g to

urs)

like

ly to

be

te

mos

t via

ble

appr

oac

An a

ppro

ach

to

mar

ket s

houl

d be

m

ade

to a

sses

s in

tere

st in

pro

vidi

ng a

ra

nge

of n

atur

e ba

sed

tour

s/ a

ctiv

ities

on

(or

arou

nd) L

ake

Mor

ris.

If m

arke

t int

eres

t is

suf

cien

t ten

a

limite

d nu

mbe

r of

perm

its s

ould

be

awar

ded

Neg

otia

tion

wit

po

tent

ial p

rovi

ders

s

ould

incl

ude

reso

lutio

n of

acc

ess

infr

astr

uctu

re is

sues

Pack

agin

g of

op

port

uniti

es s

ould

be

con

side

red

to

mak

e t

e pr

opos

ition

m

ore

attr

activ

e fo

r co

mm

erci

al o

pera

tors

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan56

7 BENCHMARKING OF OTHER LAKES71 KEY LEARNINGS FROM BENCHMARKING

Key Learnings from benc marking of similar sites • T ere is a mix of approac es to managing camping

wit t e use of a commercial lessee most likely w ere t ere is t oug t to be suf cient commercial potential Some Councils are still managing camping grounds t emselves eit er as a community service or to use any pro ts to contribute to operating costs

• Commercial recreation activities commonly offered are: ire of boast/ craft kiosk/caf pro s ops/

s ing kiosk camping and caravan parks • Mixed use sites are common In most cases t e

camping ground and caravan park is in a de ned area wit its own access to t e water or no access to water and visitors aving to drive to day use areas / ramps to access

• Mix of paddle and skiing uses is common • Provision of safe swimming areas is a recurring

issue at mixed use areas- mostly associated wit irresponsible boat drivers or sites w ere t ere is

limited access to waterside • T e most common complaint from all users

(including skiers) is t e be aviour of some boat drivers and t eir putting ot er users at risk

• T ere are some locations w ere water access for

skiing or rowing is only available t roug a club system Numerous issues emerge wit t is approac - particularly t at of e uity and suppression of tourism potential

• Design of multi-use sites is critical wit t e following elements recommended: - Separation of day use areas from o/nig t stay

areas - If possible safe swimming areas s ould be

identi ed and clearly delineated - Picnic and day use areas s ould be separated from

t e boat ramp and trailer parking - Ve icle traf c s ould be managed to perip eral

areas and speci c water access nodes • Commercial uses can easily be integrated and

t ere are opportunities for commercial activities to contribute to better site management t roug bot site management presence and nancial contribution to operations

• For council managed sites: - A range of activities are possible but t e tendency

is to manage t e land component only - Commercial uses tend to be t e leasing of t e

camping ground and caravan park

Final Report 57

72 KEY LEARNINGS FROM BENCHMARKING

Dam/ Lake Activities Commercial Rec Management

Atkinson Dam (SEQ) • Skiing • Fis ing • Camping • Paddle • Sail • Picnic • Swimming not

encouraged (BGA)

Caravan park ad acent (and on water front) Also manages t e waterfront camping in t e public area- picnic area

Se water overall managersCamping managed by caravan park lessee w o also maintains picnic area ad acent to t e waterfront campingAnot er part of t e picnic/ public area is maintained by Se water (contractor)Key complaint is power boat driver be aviour

Lake Kurwongba (Sout Pine Dam)

• Rowing • No Motors • Paddle • Fis ing • Skiing (under permits use

of event area) • Swimming not

encouraged (BGA)

NoneRowing club only building on water font

Se water managementClub use under leaseNo ma or complaint issues (except not being able to access)

Lake Samsonvale(Nort Pine Dam)

• Fis ing (non-powered) • Sailing • Paddle • Swimming (not

encouraged BGA)

No commercial usesWatersports access via Club grounds (leased to community club)Fis ing club also as boat ramp and leased area

Se water overallManage and maintain picnic areasWater access via Watersports club (members only)Fis ing club access (for craft) members onlyBank s ing in some locationsKey complaint is t e waiting list to get into t e ski club (members ip is capped)

Maroon Dam (SEQ) • Skiing • Camping • Fis ing • Paddle • Overnig t- outdoor

adventure centres • Swimming not

encouraged

No public camping areaCaravan Park and Camping on private land3 sc ools ave outdoor camps on lake (private land)Lake Maroon Outdoor education centre (state land )

Se water overallMost of t e land based commercial activity is managed by Scenic Rim and occurs on private landSe water maintain picnic areas

Key compliant is user con ict between irresponsible boat drivers and ot er users

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan58

Dam/ Lake Activities Commercial Rec Management

Moogera Dam (SEQ) • Skiing • Camping • Fis ing • Paddle • Overnig t- outdoor

adventure centres • Swimming (no formal

area)

Public campground on council reserve-leased and managed by CouncilSki club as exclusive area and lease allowed to establis temp dwellingsKiosk in public picnic areaOutdoor education centre

Se water overallCouncil manages camping groundSki club lease allows t em to use t eir land site and water access exclusively but gives t em no rig ts over t e water areaKey complaints were con ict between day use and campers and ski boats con icts wit

uiet areas and paddle craft

Sunwater Dams where Council manages recreation areas.(sample)Boondoomba (St Burnett)B elke Peterson (St Burnett)Paradise, Cania, Mingo crossing (Nt Burnett)

• Skiing • Camping • Fis ing • Paddle • Swimming (BGA issues-

no formal areas) • Sailing

Council manages campgrounds or as lessees managingPicnic areas and boat ramps usually slig tly separate from CampgroundKiosks associated wit campgrounds often sell s ing gear and snacks etc

All locations are managed by council w o maintain t e picnic areas as well as manage t e camping and ot er activitiesWater access is via boat ramps and ood margin land wit permits/leases issued to council to use t e FMLKey complaints include on water user con ict and access to bank space (limited space for skiers)

Fairbairn Dam / Lake Maraboon

• Skiing • sail • Camping • Fis ing • Paddle • Swimming (de ned area) • Sail

Sailing club and ski club bot ave own area leased and wit

water accessOutdoor education centre as own accessCaravan park ad acent to picnic area wit no water front access

Managed by SunwaterA dedicated swimming area is provided and marked by buoys and water uality monitored for BGA issuesCaravan Park is managed by Discovery w o ave free old and lease old landKey complaints Are around boat ramp and parking issues as well as be aviour of some picnic area users Picnic area is closed after dark

Lake Glenbawn (NSW) State Parks

• Skiing • sail • Camping • Fis ing • Paddle • Swimming • Amp it eatre for

community events • Community all for ire • Oval for community sport • Club storage areas

leased • Can ire areas for partys/

events • Protected swimming

areas

W ole recreation area is managed as a pay to use site wit day use and camping and caravanCamping area separate form day useKiosk on site can cater for up to 80 pp for a functionPro-s op ( s ing) on site

Managed by State Parks NSW On site managers and staffMixed use areas wit public day use and o/nig t areas de nedSome on site s eds/ storage leased to clubsAs a pay to use area t ere is generally more management of be aviour as t ere are on-site staff all t e timeAccess controlled to site

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan60

8 RECREATION MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

Lake Morris is a complex environment for managing recreation as t ere are a number of agencies involved and t e Lake as a primary purpose of water supply w ile t e primary purpose of t e surrounding catc ment is conservation

Council manages t e access road and t e reserve land surrounding t e picnic area and dam wall w ile Qld National Parks and Wildlife mange t e surrounding catc ment Overlaid across bot t e reserve and t e national park is t e interest of Wet Tropics Management Aut ority and t e Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Management Plan In addition, Council manages t e lake itself but on water activity or commercial on water activity can potentially fall under t e responsibilities of Maritime Safety Queensland and t e Department of Transport

T e Recreation Management Framework proposed focuses on Cairns Regional Council’s area of responsibility and seeks to identify effective coordination mec anisms wit ot er agencies

T e framework is based to an extent on t e previous plan as t e environmental and ot er issues investigated in t e 2001 plan ave not c anged substantially T ere ave been policy c anges at state level w ic indicates t ere is a greater receptiveness from state agencies in regard to innovative partners ips to provide new recreation opportunities in state managed lands However it s ould also be acknowledged t at current scal constraint at bot federal and state levels means t at investment in infrastructure or increased operational funding for QPWS management of t e national park or WTMA initiative is unlikely

Final Report 61

8 2 1 Overall Objective

8 2 2 Recreation Management Objectives1 Recreation opportunities will be considered to be

suitable if t ey are consistent wit t e values of Lake Morris T ese area Environmental (including Scenic/ Landscape)b Culturalc Water Supply / Water Qualityd Social (including Recreation, Sport, Tourism)e Education, Science and Researc

2 Provision of recreation opportunities will focus on two areas:a Community Recreation Services w ic are

opportunities provided for all users and include:i t e picnic and day use facilities, ii t e access road and recreational use of t e

road and lookouts,iii t e trail ead at Crystal Cascades (and t e

Crystal Cascades recreation area),iv walking trails,v information and interpretation at t e dam wall

and picnic areab Discretionary Recreation Services w ic are t ose

establis ed in partners ip wit ot er providers and may be offered as additional pay to use opportunities

3 T e provision of Community Service Recreation opportunities are considered part of t e normal operational responsibility of Council’s parks, sport and recreation activities

4 T e provision of Discretionary Recreation Services are additional to normal operations and it is desirable t at t ey are provided in a cost neutral way As some activities may ave more potential to deliver a nancial return t an ot ers, t ese services s ould be considered as a package wit t e net result being no additional operational cost burden T is allows for some activities to cross-subsidise t e provision of ot ers

5 Community group or commercial partners ips will be managed carefully to ensure t at no detriment to t e Lake’s values occurs and t at operators are providing a fair return to Council for any commercial rig ts t ey receive

6 Education of users to t e values of t e lake and surrounding catc ment will be an integral part of managing recreational use Cairns Regional Council will strengt en existing partners ips wit WTMA, QPWS and JCU in delivering education and interpretation for users All new partners providing discretionary recreation opportunities will be re uired to incorporate education/ interpretation in t eir activities At a minimum t is s ould reinforce:c T e importance of protecting Lake Morris as t e

city’s water supplyd T e importance of t e Wet Tropics World Heritage

Areae T e uni ueness of t e Lake and surrounding

forests and t e privilege of being able to experience t em

7 Management of recreation will be coordinated wit QPWS Agreements s ould be establis ed regarding responsibility for managing recreational infrastructure It is generally anticipated t at t e picnic and day use area and t e boat launc peninsular will be t e operational start/ nis points for most discretionary recreation activities and t at Council will ave responsibility for managing t e operators and t eir use of t ese areas W ere activities use National Park areas, t e management of t is use will be coordinated wit QPWS

8 A number of ones will be establis ed to manage recreational use and assist in de ning permitted activities and management responsibilities (see 8 3 Reference source not found ) T ese are: a Day use and Picnic oneb Lake Morris Roadc Restricted Area- no public accessd Controlled Area- access for groups under permit

onlye Lake Use Areaf National Park

Recommended recreation use wit in eac of t ese ones is described in t e following matrix

Cairns Regional Council will manage Lake Morris to ensure continued safe supply of drinking water for the city. Where there is no risk to the quality of the water supply, Cairns Regional Council will endeavour to provide a range of recreation opportunities for residents and visitors to the region. The provision of new recreation opportunities may be undertaken with commercial or community partners.

8 1 RECREATION MANAGEMENT OF LAKE MORRIS

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan62

T e following matrix is proposed as a draft only and would be re ned and modi ed following Council acceptance of t e Management Plan T e Roads and ot er areas included in t e ones are still controlled t roug Council local laws as well as state and federal

laws T e matrix is intended as a guide for activity management and can generally be interpreted as pro ibiting t ose activities not identi ed T e matrix is not intended to manage ot er activity suc as scienti c researc or land management

8 2 RECREATION ZONES AND USE MATRIX

Table 4 Recreation Management ones and Allowable activities (Draft Only- to be reviewed)

Recreation Management

Zone

Allowed for general community recreation purposes

(No permits or approvals required)

Allowed under ongoing licence or permit as recurring

activities

Allowed under licence or permit for speci c

(one off) events

Day Use and Picnic one

General recreation: picnicking, walking on tracks and trails, use of visitor centre, en oyment of nature etcCommunity/ non-pro t group activities associated wit appreciation of natural or cultural values of t e area (e g volunteer led bird watc ing)

Managed visits by tour groups Commercial recreation activities approved by CRCCaf and Kiosk activities Regular gat erings by community groups w ere t e activity is associated wit formal use of ot er onesSub ect to sc eme approval- limited and restricted camping accommodation provided in on-site tents

Formal gat erings and events (e g weddings, functions etc )Special sporting or community events associated wit formal use of ot er onesTemporary use for overnig t stay associated wit approved eventsTemporary addition of amenities to support eventsTemporary storage of e uipment and materials to support events

Lake Morris Road Ve icle use to access t e visitor area or ot er trail

eads (noting restriction on lengt greater t an 7m)Cycling, running and walking by individuals and informal groups for exercise and training purposesAppreciation of viewpoints and informal picnic use of formal lookout areas

Use of road for commercial tour groups or ot er commercial recreation purposes (access permissions would be part of overall permit)

Use of road for formal sporting events or ot er organised commercial participation events

Restricted Area Operational activities associated wit water supply and storagePublic Access not permitted

Nil Sub ect to Cairns Water risk assessments, permission to traverse restricted ones may be permitted for speci c events associated wit formal permitted use of ot er ones

Final Report 63

Recreation Management

Zone

Allowed for general community recreation purposes

(No permits or approvals required)

Allowed under ongoing licence or permit as recurring

activities

Allowed under licence or permit for speci c

(one off) events

Controlled Area Tracks and trails to support walking or cycle use

Nature based recreation/ ecotourism/ cultural tourism activities- as part of guided group use of t e lake or surroundsLow impact infrastructure to support organised group use of t e lake and access to t e water (sub ect to Development Assessment Approval)S ort stay camping may be permitted for controlled groups and only wit in t e Council controlled reserve near t e Day Use area or unused road reserve (areas outside National Park)Low impact infrastructure to support s ort stay camping by controlled groups (sub ect to Development Assessment Approval)Development of ve icle access track for operator ve icles and emergency access

Special sporting or community events associated wit formal use of ot er onesTemporary use for overnig t stay associated wit approved eventsTemporary addition of infrastructure or amenities to support eventsTemporary storage of e uipment and materials to support eventsTemporary ve icle access associated wit approved events

Lake Use Area Nil Controlled public use of paddle craft (e g canoe ire) provided by licenced operator and sub ect to environmental controls re uiring craft to be retained on site and not used elsew ereOn water tours and guided activities using paddle craft or emission free motorised craft (e g solar-electric)Catc and release s ing from on-site ire craft or via controlled group toursOt er water based activity based on en oyment of t e natural and cultural values and provided via on-site ire craft or controlled tour groups

Sporting and community events consistent wit management ob ectives (i e protection of environmental values and safety of users)Temporary water based infrastructure suc as pontoons, marker buoys or

oats to support an eventControlled group visits for sc ools or ot er educational groups- sub ect to restrictions on craft useTemporary swimming use for speci c groups to train or compete and sub ect to use of a de ned area- generally around t e Controlled Use one surrounding t e boat

launc ing peninsularTemporary use of private paddle craft sub ect to craft cleaning and water uality protection measures as re uired by Cairns Water

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan64

Recreation Management

Zone

Allowed for general community recreation purposes

(No permits or approvals required)

Allowed under ongoing licence or permit as recurring

activities

Allowed under licence or permit for speci c

(one off) events

National Park Sub ect to Dinden National Park Management Plan and state legislationWalking and mountain bike riding on permitted tracks and trails

Sub ect to Dinden National Park Management Plan and state legislationTour groups using t e re roads and ot er tracks

Sub ect to Dinden National Park Management Plan and state legislationCamping in designated camping areas

Ot er Areas Areas not identi ed wit any Recreation Use one will generally be treated as being included in t e Controlled oneT ose sections of t e Crystal Cascades Walking Track w ic fall outside National Park and are on Council reserve Walking and cycling use of t is track is allowed

Controlled nature based recreation activity (i e tours) may be permitted sub ect to investigation applicable to t e Controlled Use one

Sub ect to Council and Cairns Water risk assessments, permission to traverse restricted ones may be permitted for speci c events associated wit formal permitted use of ot er ones

Final Report 65

8 3 RECREATION USE ZONING PLAN AND MASTER PLAN

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Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan66

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Final Report 67

9 APPENDIX A SUGGESTED APPROACH TO MARKETKEETET

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan68

This is a partnership with a commercial recreation provider/ tourism operator. The partnership will enable the operator to develop, promote and conduct one or more activities at Lake Morris. The activities will be allowed under permit from Council and will be sub ect to a range of conditions including:

• The operator to be responsible for securing and complying with the permit and consent re uirements of other agencies (WTMA, QPWS, MSQ).

• The operator to be responsible for securing any planning and development approvals re uired under the Cairns Planning Scheme.

• The operator to develop an approved Environmental Management Plan which ensures protection of water uality and landscape. The plan will also need to include a monitoring and reporting regime that allows Council to monitor the activity through reporting of agreed sampling and other data on a regular basis.

• The operator to develop an approved Activity Management Plan which covers safety of users, emergency provisions, staf ng and participant

numbers. The plan would also cover the education/ interpretive content that will be delivered. Providing content that promotes the natural values of the Lake will be prere uisite.

• The operator to agree on the development and maintenance of any infrastructure re uired for the activity to be conducted. Where the activity will rely on public infrastructure then a proportion of the permit fee charged should be retained for maintaining infrastructure.

• A number of compliance conditions should be negotiated including use it or loose it provision that ensures permits can’t be bought and then held back to prevent competition.

• Operator suitability, based on proven industry experience, appropriate uali cations and permits, and demonstrated viability of the proposed activity.

Commercial Partners should be encouraged to think innovatively and to plan for longer term growth of the opportunities provided. To this extent it is desirable for potential partners to consider a proposal that make offers for one, some or all of the opportunities.

Some activities may not have suf cient commercial appeal to support a full commercial partnership. However there may be opportunities for community based organisations to partner with Council to add additional value to both recreation opportunities and management of recreation.

Community partnerships would focus on developing a sustainable arrangement with a community group, club or organisation to develop and deliver new opportunities or to enhance existing ones. The agreement should focus on mutual bene t and while it may not deliver a nancial return to Council it should be cost neutral or may provide a saving on maintenance of recreation infrastructure.

Combined agreements where commercial and community partners collaborate to offer a package to Council should also be considered.

Agreements with community partners should include similar conditions to those for commercial partners but may have more exibility in regard to some of the more commercial aspects. In addition, community partners should: • Demonstrate organisational viability • Have an overall ob ective that is community based • Demonstrate the resourcing and knowledge to

deliver the proposed outcome.

As discussed in the report there are two types of opportunities for developing partnerships at Lake Morris that deliver additional recreation opportunities.

9.1 COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP

9.2 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

9 SUGGESTED APPROACH TO MARKET

Final Report 69

It is recommended that Council consider offering the market the following opportunities:

9.3.1 Commercial Partnership Offers:1. On water guided tours via paddle craft2. Public hire of paddle craft3. Operation of the kiosk/caf business, including the

opportunity to offer limited small functions and day conferences and associated support activities for the commercial recreation activities (which may include future provision of short stay accommodation in temporary structures).

4. On water tours using solar electric boats5. Fishing tours using paddle craft6. Fishing tours using solar electric boats7. Overnight paddle tours using a bush camping site

(on the identi ed site)8. Development of other extended stay tours using

the day use area as a staging point9. Combined proposals that package the provision and

management of more than one activity and may include elements of the Community Partnership Offers (such as cultural tourism).

9.3.2 Community Partnership OffersThere are a number of potential community partnerships that could be considered:1. Establishment of an indigenous ranger training

program for Gimuy Wallabarra idin i youth that takes on responsibility for maintaining existing walking tracks and develops and maintains additional tracks. The program could also take some of the responsibility for land management and work closely with QPWS.

2. Establishment and operation of cultural tours and interpretation of indigenous culture to add value to visitor experiences.

3. Planning, development and maintenance of new mountain bike tracks. With potential inclusion of guided tours and development of extended stay tours in partnership with commercial operators.

4. Development of new sporting events (endurance and adventure sport) that utilise the access road, tracks and water. A local sporting club may have a vision to develop a signature event that can develop over time to prominence or could ust become a popular locals race.

9.3 THE OFFERS

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan70

In seeking commercial interest in providing activities, a two stage Approach to Market (AtM) is recommended:1. Expressions of Interest (EOI) Phase to test market

interest and scope the range of proposals present.2. Select Tender (ST) from EOI participants.

The successful tenderers would be chosen from the ST submissions. If suf cient interest is not shown in some offers or the level of offer is well below that considered reasonable, than Council may choose to defer proceeding with some offers until the level of market interest has improved.

Any innovative proposals that were submitted that had not been envisaged in the original scope of opportunities advertised could be considered on merit and negotiations with the proponent could proceed directly after the EOI phase. Going to a select tender on such a pro ect would be unfair for the proponent as it may expose their idea and commercial intellectual property to potential competitors.

9.3.3 Suggested Tactics for Approach to Market

For the Approach to Market to be successful a number of tactics are suggested:

Prior to the Approach to Market, liaison with internal stakeholders and QPWS and WTMA is essential to ensure that concerns and re uirements are identi ed in the content prepared and that the agencies are comfortable with the activities being proposed. In addition some discussion with QPWS is re uired in regard to the existing permit holders who are inactive and if there are any implications for those operators or the inactive operators are sitting on capacity that could be used by new operators.

A con dential brie ng should be held with Tourism Tropical North Queensland to discuss the AtM and timing and seek their support in promoting to the market. Council may wish to consider the involvement of an industry representative on the assessment team. This may be dif cult in terms of ensuring impartiality.

All internal stakeholders should be briefed and the need for a con dential process explained. All staff will need to be briefed not to discuss any aspects with potential proponents.

A professional marketing strategy is re uired that: • Uses uality images and clear information to alert

and excite the market to the prospects available • Makes it easy to enter the negotiating process to

attract the best prospects to engage and commence formal dialogue with Council

• Creates urgency by being competitive and nite • pursues a ‘partnership’ approach rather than a

‘supplier’ approach by enabling considerable ‘preferred’ prospect input into the solutions explored, and

• Promotes the site and the uni ueness of the opportunity

• Involves industry bodies in promoting the opportunity • Promotes the opportunity as building or expanding

the nature based tourism product in Cairns and highlights how it could mesh with existing opportunities

• Considers an industry brie ng and Q A session to help potential proponents understand the offer (s) and develop their EOI

• Uses press releases to clarify implications for the general community so that concerns regarding threats to water uality or other values do not develop. The timing of community awareness strategies will be important to the overall process.

9.4 APPROACH TO MARKET FOR COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Pre AtM brie ng with key stakeholders

Prepare a marketing strategy and EOI “prospectus”:

Final Report 71

• The EOI document will need to detail the range of opportunities and the basis for assessing any innovative proposals.

• Critical information needed in assessing a business case (for proponents) should be provided including: - Council’s re uirements in terms of infrastructure

to be provided or maintained by the operator - The access road’s constraints on vehicle length and

allowance for closures due to extreme weather. - The likelihood of additional permit re uirements

from QPWS, WTMA and MSQ and the responsibility of the operator to secure them

- Constraints on craft used for in water activities and the uarantine of those craft at Lake Morris

- Re uirements for activity management plans and environment management plans and the inclusion of monitoring and reporting components of these

- The non-disposability of the permit- that is the activity permits can not be sold, if an operator seeks to sell the business any incoming operator must negotiate with Council (and others) for a new permit. This is because the permits licence a speci c operator who is assessed as being suitable.

- Planning scheme re uirements and development approvals likely to be re uired

- Expectations from Council in terms of nancial returns or cost neutrality

- Expectations from Council in terms of community or event use and Council’s rights in this regard (to pause commercial activities in favour of an event).

- Con dentiality of the submission • Clarify that council will consider packaged offers and

innovative proposals. • Clarify that the EOI is the rst stage and that detailed

submissions/ tenders will be sought from amongst the selected EOIs.

A multi-discipline panel is recommended for the assessment of proposals. The following should be considered: • Panel chaired by a senior staff member of Council’s

Parks and Leisure Department • Representative from Cairns Water • Representative from procurement/ legal • External representative from QPWS • External representative from the tourism/ recreation

industry

Preferred tenderers should be selected based on their EOI and invited to submit a more detailed proposal. Council may choose to make some or all of these invitations competitive (except for those that are innovative and are not part of the list of offers originally advertised). The Select Tender (ST) participants would be re uired to: • Provide a detailed proposal for operation of the

activity • Provide their proposed solution to providing access

infrastructure and moving clients around • Demonstrate reliability in terms of environmental

management, monitoring and reporting • Detail their capability to secure relevant permits and

planning approvals • Provide a nancial offer and other bene ts for the

operation of the site • Con rm their ability to develop, market and operate

the activities • Indicate preferences for duration of permit, user

numbers and activity fre uencies • Indicate any staged approaches to development

of infrastructure and provision of new/ expanded activities

• Provide evidence of all insurances, nancial viability, uali cations, licences etc..

In some cases the EOI may not have produced competitive bids for some activities. In that case Council will need to decide whether to proceed direct to negotiation with the EOI proponent or to defer the activity until a future date when additional market interest (i.e. after some other activities have been operating at the lake successfully for a year or more) may generate a more viable return for Council.

Once the ST process has identi ed preferred tenders then nal negotiations should commence with each of the operators.

Given that it is likely on-water activities will all be using the same infrastructure or at least, will be sharing some infrastructure, Council should broker an agreement on the shared provision and maintenance of infrastructure.

Final negotiations should include implementation and timing re uirements so that if an operator hasn’t progressed the activity within an agreed timeframe, Council can cancel the permit and proceed back to market for another operator.

Provide suf cient information to guide prospective partners without sti ing innovative proposals:

Select Preferred Tenders and invite them to submit detailed proposals:

Final negotiations with successful tenderers from the ST process or EOI

Establish a skilled panel for the assessment of the EOI submissions:

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan72

Seeking community partnerships is more of a targeted exercise and does not need to run with the same level of commercial rigour.

Council will need to consider if they wish to proceed with this approach and if the option to combine community and commercial offers should be promoted.

If community partnerships are sought it is likely to be in trails planning and management and in indigenous cultural activities and land management.

For indigenous culture it is appropriate that Council approach Gimuy Wallabarra idin i and offer them

the opportunity to develop a proposal for Council and QPWS / WTMA to consider. Gimuy could be encouraged to nd a commercial partner if they were seeking to offer cultural tourism.

The development of mountain bike trails is desirable and has good potential for a partnership similar to Smith eld Conservation Park. However as it will occur primarily in National Park it is not up to Council to solicit proposals. Council could support initiatives in this area through linkage with the day use area and allowance for the development of trail heads in appropriate locations on the access road.

9.5 SEEKING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP OFFERS

Final Report 73

10 APPENDIX B COMMUNITY SURVEY DETAILED RESULTS

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan80

11 APPENDIX C COMMUNITY SURVEY QUESTIONSNS

1. What additional recreation or tourism activities do you think are appropriate at Lake Morris o en en e

2. What (if any) concerns do you have about increasing recreational use of Lake Morris o en en e

3. A number of suggestions have been made for the site. What is your level of support for the following from 1-10:

ost re erre east re erre

a. Short term bush campingb. Walk in/ ride in/ paddle in - campsitesc. Small, day-use only conference or meeting facilitiesd. Providing canoes and kayaks for hiree. Guided programs such as paddle tours, bird watching, nature walks f. Boat tours using electric motors g. Kiosk and caf h. Outdoor education programsi. Environmental interpretation. Cultural interpretation/ tourism

k. Walking tracks l. Mountain bike trails

What do you think?

our Say Content

Final Report 81

12 APPENDIX D TRAFFIC COUNT DATA

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan96

13 APPENDIX E A3 MAPS

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Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan100

14 APPENDIX F REVIEW OF DRAFT: COMMENTS RECEIVED

Final Report 101

Facebook/Your Say Submissions No of Response proposed RMP Change

Traditional owners should manage the site or manage in partnership, have indigenous ranger programme.

5 This matter is addressed in the RMP. Whilst the RMP does not speci cally state that traditional owners should manage the whole site, it acknowledges and encourages opportunities for traditional owners to manage parts of the site, run tours, provide youth training, maintain tracks, be involved in community or commercial partnerships and the like

none

Any improvements should blend/ t in with the scenic beauty and be designed in environmentally desirable ways.

1 Is touched on in the RMP. New infrastructure is covered by existing legislation including the current planning scheme which articulates the types of improvements which need development approval. Given the sensitive nature of the site, most improvements are likely to re uire some sort of Council or State Govt approval.

none

Natural beauty, tran uillity and biodiversity must be protected. So no motor sport on the lake including shing (as its a National Park), sailing or other (fun sports). Limited numbers of kayaks for educational, nature based use would be okay, if kept to strict use and conditions

2 The report only recommends canoe/kayak/paddle boards and solar electric boats for tours. Fishing is proposed in a limited and controlled manner, and only via paddle craft or solar electric motors.

none

i don’t think making the place a higher use of biking and mountain biking is good, as again it increase impacts on the vegetation, and biodiversity. Controlled small numbers ok, but general use problematic.

1 New Path and trail development will be mostly in QPWS lands and would be managed under their guidelines and legislation. Any proposal for new trails would re uire appropriate levels of planning -RMP needs to highlight how these impacts can be managed. Doesn’t seem to be evident in the RMP beyond a few words on p46.

Strengthen wording re new trails being sub ect to QPWS standards and approvals in Section 6.6

Keeping the area, tran uil, low impact, low noise, with a strong focus on Nature, the environment, conservation, and indigenous heritage is the most important aspect of Lake Morris and any upgrades made

1 This is the intent of, and is therefore covered in, the RMP.

none

Greater level of indigenous involvement re uired to educate public/tourists about culture, cultural stories, traditions.

1 RMP addresses this matter and supports high level involvement from traditional owners.

none

Southern area of Cairns has very few accessible walking trails. Opportunity to provide the large urban community in the southern suburbs with walking trails up to the Lake.

2 Bushwalking is acknowledged in the RMP as a recreation activity which could be expanded on with new trails. This would need to be carried out in con unction with WTMA and QPWs.

none

Review of Draft- Comments received and proposed actions

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan102

Facebook/Your Say Submissions No of Response proposed RMP Change

Use of private sail boats and canoes should be considered. People should not pay commercial operators to use the lake and should be able to bring their own sub ect to environmental controls.

1 RMP addresses this. Water uality and weed management are critical issues and this is why the use of private craft is not supported.

none

No Trail bikes should be permitted 1 RMP does not propose use of site for trail bikes.

none

Advise people that the gates will be locked at 9.00pm or something to ensure that those who have done the right thing are not over run by hoons at night.

1 RMP addresses this. Night use is to be restricted.

none

Space out the camping areas so people can get away from each other a bit and also have a register so those who have already been are not hogging the place.

1 RMP does not address this. This will be up to site managers to address.- not intended for there to be a general camping area- rather camping uses will be associated with other (tour) activities).

none

People who have not been before and Cairns locals should get priority access

1 RMP does not propose access restrictions for general use. Numbers for on water uses will be managed as will tour group numbers. The activity operators will be responsible for addressing any perceived ine uity of access to tours or activities.

none

Keep commercial interests out. This should be run by Council. Charge 20 per night for camping.

1 RMP addresses this. Access to the day use area will remain free and unrestricted. Tours and recreation activities such as on-water uses will be run by a commercial or community based recreation provider. No general camping is proposed. Only camping associated with organised recreation activities.

none

Leave it as is. Due to access/road issues - it will be too costly to improve and maintain to a level for the access re uired.

1 RMP addresses issue of road access. none

Concerns about the amount of infrastructure that would be re uired to create a camping location. We are not sure that Lake Morris and surrounds is a suitable location for camping as no natural, at areas exist. They would have to be created by levelling

1 RMP is proposing that activity related camping facilities could be developed at the current kiosk/ day use precinct and that a paddle in bush camping area be developed on a second site which has suitable access and topography- this would only be a small area and is not intended to have any signi cant infrastructure.

clarify in the RMP what is proposed re camping facilities at the old road reserve and Day use precinct.

Final Report 103

Facebook/Your Say Submissions No of Response proposed RMP Change

Introduction of recreational swimming, sailing and paddling opportunities would be most welcome.

1 RMP addresses this. General swimming and sailing are not promoted. Swimming for events is promoted.

none

Keep road closed to vehicles at night to prevent the range of issues occurring at night on the open part of the road (i.e. loutish behaviour)

1 RMP does intend that road closures at night would continue as per the current management.

clarify in in the RMP

If camping is allowed it should be booked and policed by rangers like other national parks

1 RMP does not propose public camping that would need to be policed by rangers. Camping is only associated with other commercial rec activities.

none

On water activities look good, but how will you stop people swimming.

1 RMP discusses that allowing public swimming is not desirable at this stage - no public access to water/swimming facilities is proposed. Swimming will not be encouraged and much of the in water use will be managed so the operator will be responsible for their participants behaviour.

none

Close Lake Morris road access to Service Vehicles Only and restrict

public access on the road to walking or cycling only

1 RMP does addresses road access. It is not intended to close the road. Opportunity for road closures for walkers and riders is discussed (such as nigh closures and early mornings)

none

Construct a wet weather shelter for over night camping with a booking / permit system

1 RMP explores camping options. Shelter not proposed.

none

Manageable use of the road needs to be determined rst before uses at the lake are

1 RMP acknowledges this is a risk for potential uses/operators at the site.

none

Swimming should be allowed 2 RMP addresses this. Issue with water uality impact of having public

swimming.

none

No reasons in the report as to why additional water treatment would be re uired as a result of additional swimming.

1 Advice from Cairns Water that a treatment plant upgrade is re uired to be sure that public swimming would not risk the drinking water

uality.

none

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan104

Facebook/Your Say Submissions No of Response proposed RMP Change

Doesn’t address motor bike access, including through the site to the Bridle Creek Track.

1 RMP does not support motorised use of trails and does not manage the re trails currently used by 4wd tours. Public access over the dam wall for any motorised vehicles is not suggested - only authorised tour groups will access the dam wall and Bridle Creek track. RMP does not need to list all the things it doesn’t permit as this is dealt with in 8.2 recreation use ones and permitted

activities

none

Swimming should not be allowed at all 1 RMP addresses swimming and does not propose public swimming.

none

Support shing (catch and release) and paddle craft but should be permitted to the general public to bring in rather than have to go with a commercial operator

1 RMP addresses this. Primary reason is water uality.

none

Must strictly limit numbers accessing the site during both day and night.

1 RMP addresses night restrictions but none are proposed in the day in terms of general access (as is the case now). However numbers accessing on-water activity will be restricted through activity management plans.

none

Support short stay overnight camping 1 RMP addresses this. none

Should include shing in the dam from little boats

1 RMP addresses this. Canoeing and shing (catch and release) is proposed.

none

Increased traf c, noise and safety issues a concern for Kanimbla residents.

1 RMP discusses road having ade uate capacity to deal with increased volumes of traf c. Noise is not thought to be signi cant as night closures will still be in place and the road is not being upgraded further.

none

Concern about people getting trapped after landslides and who will pay for emergency services

1 RMP does not speci cally address this risk. This will have to be a matter for consideration by tour operators. Notwithstanding, this issue already exists and need for emergency rescue is rare. Access to the Kennedy highway across the dam wall is an option to remove people if a landslide occurs.

none

Increased use will result in more garbage and waste and water uality implications

1 RMP addresses this. none

Final Report 105

Facebook/Your Say Submissions No of Response proposed RMP Change

LETTER SUBMISSIONS

WTMA

Does not support the translocation of predatory sh/crustaceans or generally any sh into the dam.

1 RMP is not speci cally suggesting this. But it does note that a restocking plan may need to be considered.

Include that consultation with WTMA re uired for any future development of a restocking program.

NPRSR (NATIONAL PARKS

Section 2.1.1 Recommendations pg 7, lists Govt agencies to partnership with. Needs to include Central QLD University

1 RMP does not include CQU. Not sure why CQU would need to be part of this.

none

Understand the need to maintain the uality of the water but there could be some permit based regular use of paddle craft for locals with a checkpoint. Proposed use of the lake seems a bit over controlled and too commercial . Is a turn off for locals.

1 RMP speci cally highlights that the site is sensitive for a range of reasons and hence a high level of control is necessary to preserve water uality and the environment.

none

As Open and closures are linked to the remote controlled (gate)- can or is, advice posted straight to the Council Website or a Mobile App for easy access.

1 RMP does not entertain this detail. Council does advise when the access road is closed outside of normal hours.

Access exibility may need to be considered for operators, but not the public.

none

Lake Tinaroo is a water supply as well but does not have the controlled restrictions that are proposed for Lake Morris. What is the difference

1 RMP addresses this. Issue is current treatment plant not designed to treat water with higher levels of pollutants

none

Concern is raised over the suitability of the Lake Morris road. Build into the management plan a review mechanism for road usage.

1 RMP addresses this. None

Cairns Regional Council - Lake Morris Recreation Management Plan106

Facebook/Your Say Submissions No of Response proposed RMP Change

COUNCIL REVIEW

Cairns Regional Councillors re uested that the RMP consider the inclusion of limited and restricted camping using on-site facilities in the potential infrastructure that an operator may wish to consider.

The RMP did not speci cally recommend this, but did suggest that short stay accommodation may complement other activities and commercial recreation offers if provided in association with the day use and Kiosk infrastructure (on the council reserve). An area that may be suitable is located ad acent to the lower carpark.

Include consideration of this in the possible uses that an operator may wish to consider in the Council reserve area. while acknowledging that there are some planning issues to resolve and that preference is only for short stay (up to 3 days) accommodation to be provided.