Concern as environmental protection order placed on Sailfish on Fraser

A resort on K’gari has been ordered to look at its sewage treatment plant after not complying with strict environmental responsibilities and risking damage to the World Heritage island.

Official documents published online show the EPO was issued to Sailfish on Fraser, in a letter addressed to Graham and Christine Porter, on January 15, 2024.

An environmental protection order has been issued to a resort on World Heritage-listed K’gari amid claims it is failing to comply with wastewater and effluent regulations, risking damage to part of the iconic island.

Official documents published online show the EPO was issued to Sailfish on Fraser, in a letter addressed to Graham and Christine Porter, on January 15, 2024.

The documents state on August 23, 2022, authorised officers of the department carried out a compliance inspection of activities at Sailfish on Fraser at Happy Valley Dr on K’gari.

Sailfish is required to comply with a number of regulations over the release of wastewater to land, which include not exceeding certain limits, monitoring results and making daily records of effluent disposed directly to land and the amount reused.

The monitoring results identified that the wastewater released to land did not comply with the prescribed release limits in Schedule E Table 1 Release Quality Characteristic Limits (non-compliant results in red below).

Following a request for information and monitoring results, the Environment Department found the readings showed daily quantities of effluent disposed and reused had not been recorded.

The business had also failed to submit written notification of the monitoring results which exceeded any approval limit within 28 days of analysis.

The department also stated during the period of 2021-2022, final effluent monitoring was not conducted at the required frequency.

This meant insufficient information was available to demonstrate the final effluent released to land was not impacting groundwater.

An environmental protection order has been issued to a resort on World Heritage-listed K’gari amid claims it is failing to comply with wastewater and effluent regulations, risking damage to part of the iconic island.

The noncompliance was of a “recurring and ongoing nature”, according to the document.

The EPO was originally issued on February 20, 2023, and was amended on December 15, 2023, and January 15, 2024.

The business was ordered to engage an appropriately qualified person to carry out a performance of the sewage treatment plant and irrigation area and start monthly monitoring of the treated effluent until it achieved four consecutive monitoring results which complied with all water quality requirements and start monthly groundwater monitoring for a period of one year.

The business was also required to prepare a completion report that verified all works had been completed by January 29, 2024.

Sailfish on Fraser issued a response to questions sent by the Chronicle in relation to the EPO.

“Sailfish on Fraser have worked closely with industry experts and the DES to rectify inconsistencies with the original EA licence, as with other sites on the island facing similar scrutiny,” the response read.

“Sailfish has stringent guidelines which are above industry standards for treatment.

“These guidelines were issued when the development was originally approved.

“Our aim and commitment is to ensure long term positive solutions and continue to offer a world-class experience to our guests in this unique semi-remote community.”

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Originally published as Concern as environmental protection order placed on Sailfish on Fraser