Minister rejects Toondah unit development in draft decision; Walker Group to respond

The controversial Toondah Harbour mega unit project on the bayside appears to be doomed after Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek made a shock announcement today. | VIDEO

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek announced she proposed to reject a development project for Cleveland’s Toondah Harbour.

The federal government has announced a draft decision to refuse allowing a 3600-unit development to be built at one of the state’s largest ferry terminals, Toondah Harbour.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek made her announcement this morning, April 9, saying it was to protect Moreton Bay from “unacceptable impacts from a proposed development”.

Development company Walker Group applied to redevelop the Toondah Harbour port, which is at Cleveland and services North Stradbroke Island.

“I have made my proposed decision, which is to protect Moreton Bay,” Ms Plibersek said.

“These wetlands are rare, unique and important to prevent the extinction of animals like the eastern curlew and loggerhead turtle.

“My proposed decision says that we can’t destroy portions of this internationally important wetland.

“I made my proposed decision after considering the relevant assessment material, visiting the site and meeting with the company as well as local residents, businesses, representatives of the Quandamooka people and environmentalists.

“I am making my proposed decision public so that the tens of thousands of people who have made public comments on this have a chance to respond. I want to hear from them before I make my final decision.”

Toondah Harbour is part of the Moreton Bay Ramsar Site, which is recognised as a wetland of international importance.

More than 75,000 signatures are on a petition against the project. Picture: Redlands2030

More than 26,000 comments were made on the development when its Draft Environmental Impact Statement was released to the public.

Walker Corporation is proposing to develop a mixed use residential, commercial, retail and tourism precinct.

Construction was proposed to occur through dredging of the wetland.

Sediment from dredging would be used for a process of land reclamation over a 15-to-20-year period.

Walker Group said it respected the Minister’s proposed decision notice and would now take the time to carefully review and understand the reasons behind it.

“The proposal by the proponents, including the Queensland state government, Redland City Council and Walker Group to deliver critical housing, public domain and state infrastructure requires a complex environmental approval process,” Walker Group said in a statement.

“We will look to work with our consultant team and joint venture partners to see what opportunities might exist to mitigate or ameliorate the environmental concerns that the department has raised to ensure we provide the best opportunity for this important project to proceed to deliver housing, jobs and new State Government infrastructure whilst ensuring world’s best environmental practice.”

Ms Plibersek’s proposed decision finds that the removal of 59ha from the internationally protected wetland was an unacceptable impact.

It also found that the development would have an unacceptable impact on a range of threatened and migratory species including loggerhead and green turtles, the eastern curlew and the grey-tailed tattler.

It would also have a significant impact on dugongs, dolphins and other shorebirds.

The Minister has formally advised Walker Corporation which has 10 business days to respond to the proposed decision.

Minister Tanya Plibersek met with local residents and environment groups in Cleveland last month to discuss the Toondah Harbour project. Picture: Redlands2030

Sectors of the Redland community rejoiced at today’s decision.

Redlands2030 president Steve MacDonald said the decision showed the power of people to “effectively sink” the project after more than 75,000 people signed a petition opposing it.

“This decision under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act stands as a testament to a decade of unwavering community action by thousands of concerned citizens across Australia,” Mr MacDonald said.

“I thank the thousands of people who have supported the Save Toondah Harbour campaign through petitions, letter writing campaigns, artwork, rallies, street marches, community events, surveys, technical advice and submissions to government.

“More than 26,000 people sent responses to the Walker Group’s Environment Impact Statement opposing the real estate project and pointing out its omissions and deficiencies.

“Many technical experts volunteered their time to meticulously scrutinise the proponents 5600-page Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), exposing its deficiencies and misleading assertions.”

The Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area at Cleveland. Picture: Redland City Council.

The Australian Conservation Foundation also welcomed the draft decision.

“This is a landmark decision for nature and people,” said ACF’s CEO Kelly O’Shanassy.

“Moreton Bay, on Brisbane’s doorstep, is an essential feeding site for eastern curlews, a critically endangered migratory bird that flies from Australia to Russia and back every year.

“Every summer eastern curlews, grey-tailed tattlers and other shorebirds recuperate at Toondah Harbour following their epic flight back from the northern hemisphere.”

In campaigning to Save Toondah Harbour, Redlands2030 was part of the Toondah Alliance which includes national organisations, Birdlife Australia and the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) together with other local groups BirdLife Southern Queensland, ACF Community Bayside, Koala Action Group, Qld Wader Study Group, Australian Marine Conservation Foundation, and Stradbroke (Terrangeri) Environmental and Cultural Protection Association.

Initially conceived in 2014 as an 800-unit project along the foreshore at Toondah Harbour, the real estate project evolved into 3600 apartments in 60 towers up to 10 storeys high.

They would have been built on more than 40ha of ecologically-sensitive Ramsar wetlands in the Moreton Bay Marine Park.

“The proposed new Toondah suburb with at least 7000 residents would have become the most densely populated suburb in Queensland, in an area poorly serviced with transport and other infrastructure” Mr MacDonald said.

“The Ramsar agreement clearly states that only matters of ‘urgent national interest’ can change the agreed boundaries – and a new real estate development hardly meets that criterion.

An artist impression of the Walker Group proposal to develop 3600 units at Toondah Harbour.

“The minister’s rejection of the Toondah real estate scheme stands as a testament to the power of community mobilisation and serves as positive boost for environmental preservation efforts nationwide.

“Shortcomings within the Toondah Environmental Impact Statement raises broader questions about the integrity of environmental impact assessments generally, given that most development proposals get much less community scrutiny.

“As we celebrate this victory, it is imperative to advocate for legislative reform to prevent inappropriate development in environmentally protected areas such as Ramsar wetlands.’’

Redlands2030 also called on the State Government to amend the Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area to prevent real estate development on tidal waters in the Moreton Bay Ramsar site.

State Development Minister Grace Grace said the state government had always maintained they wanted the “highest standards of environmental conditions” placed on the Toondah Harbour project.

“There’s 10 days now for the proponent and for the community to make submissions in relation to the decision, and we will wait for the outcome of those submissions,” she said.

Originally published as Minister rejects Toondah unit development in draft decision; Walker Group to respond