About us

Coolum and North Shore Coast Care is a not for profit community group formed in 2000 to protect the coastal environment and its flora and fauna and to maintain the biodiversity of the area for future generations.

Our volunteers work from Noosa North Shore to Maroochy River with our Dune and Bush Restoration groups concentrating on areas from from Stumers Creek, Coolum Beach, Yaroomba, Town of Seaside/Boardwalk, Marcoola and Mudjimba.

Join in a group - casual drop ins welcome!

Whether you want to volunteer or just be a supporter, join us now by becoming a member.

It has been a long hard journey getting to where we are; a respected and valued reference group for advocacy, education and partnerships with private, council and government organisations to work collaboratively in maintaining our diverse environment and staying on top of local issues and threats to the environment. In recent years we have received much-needed financial support from Sunshine Coast Council to maintain our administration and bookkeeping functions, to ensure accountability to our members and funding bodies.

We are proud of our achievements, having won a number of environmental and local recognition awards over the years.  Most of all we pride ourselves in the community spirit of the majority of locals and visitors dedicated to preserving our natural shoreline and keeping it a safe place for all living creatures to thrive.

The Association

In March 2001 we became an Incorporated Association  known as Coolum District Coast Care Group Inc. In mid 2014, in recognition of the expansion of our organisation south the the Maroochy River North Shore, we established a trading name, Coolum and North Shore Coast Care. Both names are used - CDCCG Inc for legal matters and CaNSCC for daily use.

Click to view our policies.

The Association is run by a core committee elected by its members.  The projects are run by our many dedicated and passionate  volunteers.

Achievements

Our achievements have all been brought about by the hardwork and dedication of our volunteers, both past and present.

Winner 2023 Coolum Beach Lions Club Australia day Award; Volunteer of the Year

Winner 2019 Coolum Beach Lions Club Australia day Award; Community

Winner 2018 Sunshine Coast Council Australia day Award; Junior Eco Leaders Environment

Finalist HLW Env. Education Category; Highly Recommended

Winner  2016 National Landcare Award for Coastcare

Finalist 2016 Queensland Premiers Sustainability Awards

Ongoing achievements:-

• Ongoing dune and bush restoration and tree planting since 1997
• Coolum dune planting - 2000 - 2007 planted over 45,500 plants in the dunal system and involved hundreds of community groups and students
• Produced the popular coast plant ID booklet "Our Locals are Beauties"
• Continues to install and monitor nesting boxes from Stumers to Mudjimba and to draw attention to wildlife habitats, wildlife rescue, feral animals and pest management
• Marine research that identified the unique shells, animals and geology of the rocky foreshores in 2000 and 2011
• Created three brochures featuring the conservation of rocky foreshore species and installed educational signs at Point Perry and Point Arkwright
• In 2007 established a turtle protection program that continues to this day
• Successfully influenced decision makers to add fragile ecosystems to National Parks. In 2000 added sections north of the airport and in 2004 added Mt Emu wallum to Noosa National Park
• In 2007 successfully lobbied against inappropriate building on coastal and parabolic dunes
• Initiated a not-for-profit community enterprise, the Coolum Community Native Nursery on Warran Rd in 2008, which became and incorporated association in 2020
• 2009 Coolum Coast Care was awarded the Sunshine Coast Regional Council's Australia Day Environment Award and was named the Coolum Community Group of the Year
• Recovery efforts for wallum wildflowers and the endangered Mount Emu She-Oak, Allocasuarina emuina
• Lead role with other community groups to sign a Deed of Agreement in 2001 with the Department of Main Roads and Maroochy Shire Council to protect, enhance and maintain the area from Yinneburra Bushland Conservation Reserve (Yaroomba) to the Coolum Beach Surf Club which continues today
• Coolum and North Shore Coast Care was one of two 2005 runner-ups for a National Coastal Custodians Minister's award.
• In 2008, President Leigh Warnaminde received a SCEC Froggie Award in recognition of her ten years work in biodiversity preservation with the Coolum District Coast Care Group.

Our constant and intense work in these areas illustrates our firm belief of the importance and protection of our local environment