Toondah Harbour 2.0 revealed with new waterfront attractions

Plans to overhaul one of the state’s busiest passenger ferry terminals are back on the table just weeks after the federal government canned the project.

Capalaba MP Don Brown has backed plans for a revamp of the Cleveland passenger ferry terminal and port but without reclaimed Ramsar wetlands included but still with high-rise units. Image: Wikiwand

Plans to overhaul one of the state’s busiest passenger ferry terminals have been put back on the table less than a month after the federal government canned the development on environmental grounds.

State parliament has discussed the new plans for Cleveland’s port and passenger ferry terminal, with a “Toondah Harbour 2.0” vision unveiled featuring waterfront restaurants and shopping boutiques.

The new vision, believed to have been circulating among leaders in the bayside community, were raised a month after federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek ruled out allowing developer Walker Group to build 3600 units at the port.

Ms Plibersek ruled that the project would adversely affect the local wetlands environment.

Capalaba MP Don Brown has thrown his support behind the updated version of the port development – this time completely on land with no reclaimed Ramsar wetlands.

It would still including high-rise unit blocks.

Capalaba MP Don Brown backs plans for a Toondah 2.0 proposal, which will not include reclaiming dredged land at the port to be used for units.

Mr Brown told parliament he was disappointed with the federal government decision and said he wanted to kick start the project after Walker Group, one of the country’s largest construction giants, walked away from its controversial $1.4 billion plans.

“It is important that we do not throw the baby out with the bathwater and ensure that this Priority Development Area can still deliver a great public outcome,” he told parliament.

“I think the next iteration needs to be entirely on the land, not touching GJ Walter Park, and have no connection to the Ramsar area.

“We could also utilise this area to upgrade the port and provide more formalised car parks down there with CCTV, which is much needed, and still have space for retail and dining.

“It could also provide valuable housing in this housing crisis.

“This is a chance to have a Priority development Area with a partnership between the private and public sectors where we are getting not only housing but also a valuable uplift to Toondah Harbour.”

It is still unknown whether walker Group will commit to the new, revised plans for the port.

Mr Brown’s call for the port and housing priority project followed calls by a community alliance for the state government to revoke the Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area.

A community alliance wants the state government to scrap the PDA designation at Cleveland and to safeguard the nearby GJ Walter Park. Picture: Redlands2030

The alliance, including community organisation Redlands2030, launched a petition and sent letters to all state MPs asking them to investigate options for upgrading the Cleveland and Dunwich ferry terminals but ditch the state government PDA development designation.

Community alliance Redlands2030 chair Steve MacDonald said the community group also wanted the Queensland Heritage Council to consider listing the nearby GJ Walter Park on the Queensland Heritage Register.

He said it should amend the Economic Development Act 2012 to ensure Ramsar wetlands and other protected places were not included in priority development areas.

“As chair of the Toondah Alliance, I seek support in having the Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area (PDA) revoked, to facilitate better community-based development planning around the Toondah Harbour ferry terminal which is the gateway to North Stradbroke Island, also known as Minjerribah, Terangeri or Straddie,” Mr MacDonald said.

The Toondah Harbour priority development area.

“The federal Environment Minister announced in April that she proposed to refuse Walker Group’s Toondah Harbour application because of its unacceptable impacts on Ramsar wetlands, migratory shorebirds, and migratory species.

“Subsequently, Walker announced that it was withdrawing its Toondah Harbour plans from the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act assessment.

“These significant decisions mean that a new approach is required to define suitable plans for development in this sensitive coastal area.

“We believe that planning should now focus on ensuring that the ferry terminal is upgraded to a standard suitable for Straddie’s residents and its many visitors, while avoiding any adverse impacts on wetlands and koala habitat within or near to the PDA.”

The Toondah Harbour PDA was declared by the State Government in 2013, at the request of Redland City Council.

The total area of this PDA is 67.4 hectares which includes 49.5 hectares of marine and tidal environments.

Nearly 42ha of the Toondah Harbour PDA is inside the Moreton Bay Ramsar site, which covers a large part of Moreton Bay.

Originally published as Toondah Harbour 2.0 revealed with new waterfront attractions