Council is committed to the protection of rural, landscape and natural areas which underpin the character and lifestyle of the Sunshine Coast. These areas provide important environmental, economic, tourism, recreational and landscape opportunities.

There are trade-offs to be made in managing growth. The more the urban area continues to spread outwards (through the development of new greenfield land), additional pressure will be placed on the rural, natural and landscape areas.

Clear growth management positions need to be continued to protect these areas against pressure from outward urban expansion.There are few areas remaining on the Sunshine Coast which are physically unconstrained or without intrinsic value as agricultural, landscape or ecological resources (refer Figure 2).

The northern coastal parts of the Sunshine Coast (north of the Maroochy River) are particularly constrained by sensitive ecological areas and land with important natural functions, like flood plains and wetlands. As a consequence, new development areas are intended to be concentrated in the southern parts of the coast, such as at Caloundra South and Palmview.

The Sunshine Coast’s settlement pattern is also shaped by various inter-urban breaks. Further outward urban expansion would inevitably reduce the extent of these breaks and their contribution to the Sunshine Coast’s character and identity.

At a regional scale, the most significant inter-urban break is between the Sunshine Coast and the urban parts of the Moreton Bay Regional Council area.

This area supports a wide range of economically significant activities and plays important ecological, scenic and cultural roles, including the protection of water quality in Pumicestone Passage and the cultural heritage values of the Glass House Mountains.

landsacpe plan

The city has a diversity of landscape characteristics that influence the area's identify and amenity.

Council is committed to the protection of rural, landscape and natural areas which underpin the character and lifestyle of the Sunshine Coast. These areas provide important environmental, economic, tourism, recreational and landscape opportunities.

There are trade-offs to be made in managing growth. The more the urban area continues to spread outwards (through the development of new greenfield land), additional pressure will be placed on the rural, natural and landscape areas.

Clear growth management positions need to be continued to protect these areas against pressure from outward urban expansion.There are few areas remaining on the Sunshine Coast which are physically unconstrained or without intrinsic value as agricultural, landscape or ecological resources (refer Figure 2).

The northern coastal parts of the Sunshine Coast (north of the Maroochy River) are particularly constrained by sensitive ecological areas and land with important natural functions, like flood plains and wetlands. As a consequence, new development areas are intended to be concentrated in the southern parts of the coast, such as at Caloundra South and Palmview.

The Sunshine Coast’s settlement pattern is also shaped by various inter-urban breaks. Further outward urban expansion would inevitably reduce the extent of these breaks and their contribution to the Sunshine Coast’s character and identity.

At a regional scale, the most significant inter-urban break is between the Sunshine Coast and the urban parts of the Moreton Bay Regional Council area.

This area supports a wide range of economically significant activities and plays important ecological, scenic and cultural roles, including the protection of water quality in Pumicestone Passage and the cultural heritage values of the Glass House Mountains.