Noosa facts that change a job
Its own council
Noosa Shire Council runs building and plumbing approvals here. Unitywater serves the Noosa council area for water and sewerage.
Mostly houses, many paid off
At the 2021 Census, 79.5% of occupied homes in the Noosa council area were separate houses and 43.7% were owned outright. In the suburb of Noosa Heads, 19.2% were flats or apartments and 49.0% were owned outright.
Storm tides and rivers
Noosa Shire Council says flooding from storm tides and waterways is one of the most significant risks across the shire.
Permits for clearing
Noosa's planning scheme requires a permit to clear vegetation on all private land in the shire.
Rainwater tanks plumbed into the house
A tank that only feeds a garden hose needs no plumbing approval in Noosa. Connect it to any plumbing fixture, such as a toilet or washing machine, and it does.
A connected tank must also be able to top up continuously from Unitywater's supply and switch back to it through an approved switching device. A backflow prevention device must be fitted, to reduce the risk of contaminating the Unitywater supply. Our rainwater tanks page and backflow devices page explain the parts.
Trees in the way of a drain
Because a permit is needed to clear vegetation on any private land in the shire, a trench through the garden can raise a permit question. Damaging or removing protected trees and plants without a permit or exemption is an offence. If roots are in the line, ask whether relining avoids taking anything out.
Flood levels and sewer blockages
Council's Flood Overlay maps areas potentially affected in a modelled 1% Annual Exceedance Probability flood for the year 2100, and it describes the maps as indicative only. Its Flood Search Certificates give, where available, a property's latest flood level and the minimum floor level for new habitable rooms.
For a blocked sewer, Unitywater's rule holds here too: a plumber who finds the fault in Unitywater's pipes must report it and must not clear it. House drainage plans come from Noosa Shire Council. See blocked drains or an emergency plumber.
What we would do
Planning to plumb a tank into a Noosa home? Ask the plumber to include the plumbing approval, the switching device and the backflow device in the quote, not as extras later. And if the pipe route crosses garden beds, check with Council about vegetation before the trench is dug.