More than 300 concerned residents attended a community rally about Toondah Harbour development plans
More than 300 people, supported by a local koala, gathered in G.J. Walter Park on Saturday to voice concerns about plans for 3,600 apartments to be developed on dredged Ramsar wetlands.
Aboriginal elder Norm Enoch was the first person to speak. He explained the importance of this area and its cultural heritage to Traditional Owners the Quandamooka people. He said that many of his people were opposed to the proposed project.
Project details were then discussed by a range of speakers including local residents and conservation group representatives.
From Redlands2030 Chris Walker spoke about the overwhelming opposition to the project recently conveyed to the Federal Government with 1,411 opposing submissions and just eight supporting submissions, mainly from vested interests.
A petition was launched at the Rally calling on Redland City Council to withdraw support from a project which the community finds “clearly unacceptable”. More details about the petition are provided below.
Protests songs were performed by local environmentalist Troy Robins and songster John Rush.
Rally chairperson and Redlands2030 President Steve MacDonald officially launched the Toondah Action Group.
Activities concluded with residents starting the wall of Toondah Defenders on a fence in the park.
The Toondah Rally in pictures
Politicians at the Rally
Attending the rally to meet with residents and hear community concerns were State MP Mark Robinson (LNP), Deputy Mayor Wendy Boglary and local councillor Peter Mitchell.
At a recent Redlands2030 public meeting, Mark Robinson expressed his concerns about the size and scale of the proposed development.
Local councillor Peter Mitchell (Division 2), a member of Mayor Karen Williams’ team, is one of the Toondah project’s strong supporters. It’s a stance likely to put him further offside with voters – many are already upset about him voting for Council to cut funding for the Donald Simpson Community Centre.
Deputy Mayor Wendy Boglary spoke briefly at the end of the Rally. She commended the crowd for attending the rally. It’s understood that clauses in Council’s secret agreements with the Walker Group prevent councillors from making comments which object to the proposed Toondah project.
Community petition about Toondah
A petition was launched at the Rally calling on Redland City Council to withdraw support from a project which the community finds “clearly unacceptable”.
In response to Redland City Council’s petition procedures, Redlands2030 is collecting old fashioned signatures on paper forms. Two different versions of the form are available:
One is for Redland City Residents
The second form is for anyone else, the City’s past present and future Visitors
The petition requests Redland City Council to:
- Withdraw its support for Walker Group’s proposed Toondah Harbour residential development which the community considers to be clearly unacceptable
- Work with the State Government on a new plan to upgrade the ferry terminals and associated car parking areas at both Cleveland and Dunwich which:
- Avoids dredging or other environmental harm in the Moreton Bay Marine Park and Ramsar Site
- Protects the local koalas from any loss of habitat and major increase in traffic
- Ensures any development near Toondah Harbour is consistent with the Redland City Plan
Any questions about the petition including how to obtain forms and what to do with signed forms can be addressed to thereporter@redlands2030.net
Toondah Defenders
Redlands2030 – 1 October 2017
Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net
4 Comments
Why don’t our councillors speak out against the Toondah Harbour project. The council, and our councillors speak out about saving Redland koalas, upgrading of parks and new facilities, Law and Order…………but nothing on the most important issue Redland faces, the building of this monstrous multi units at Toondah Harbour and the dredging of Moreton Bay. I have listened to our councillors speak at public gatherings but never do they speak of this project. They talk of jobs and industry and yet we all know that most people commute and work outside this area; Capalaba being the main industrial centre.
Two questions:
(i) Why don’t the people we place in positions of power speak up and defend the Redlands?
(ii) Why do we need all these units when they will clog up the streets with extra traffic, and go against all the evidence of climate change?
As a newly arrived resident I have been amazed at the number of high rise developments already under way here and cannot see any need for more – especially at GJ Walter park where my partner and I regularly enjoy an afternoon walk. This park is both people and pet friendly and is a natural habitat for wildlife which we as a community need to protect. Council obviously only sees dollar signs as does the local publican and other businesses in the area. Perhaps if enough voters told the councillors at the polls what they think of the proposed development and its potential to destroy the environment, they may listen or risk becoming an ex-council.
Re Rally at GJ Walker Park to petition against Redland City Council building 3,600 apartments on reclaimed land at Toondah Harbour, Cleveland.
It doesn’t matter, in my view, how many signatures are on a petition, they will all find their way into the bin as experienced in Capalaba in past years when then Mayor paid no attention to the over 300 signatures I had collected on a petition to prevent selling to commercial developer Peter Endacott the specially protected wetland site under Koala Coast Policy at 29-37 Moreton Bay Rd Capalaba, that led to a Council officer transferring out of Council who was angry that no one listened to him, who knew value of the site.
Loyal AWU Labor Cr for Capalaba lied, telling me the site would be purchased with our environmental levy, who was normally absent from Council when the issue was raised. At meeting prior to final one, our Capalaba representative was led in like a dog to pin point on a map over a decade old, that greenspace was left to local residents and agreed to the destruction of the site. Our Cr was absent at final meeting and I was prevented from entry as one councillor had his foot on seat in front of the door so when finally the door opened, (changed from 3rd on Agenda to 1st) the Cr for Wellington Pt looked up at me and said “it’s all over Amy”….only 3, if I recall correctly, were on hand at the time, so you see folks, no matter how many signatures you have, like my late husband Paul said many times “they will do what they want to do anyhow”. I wept tears of anger and sadness as I drove home to the site and took photo of a young koala reaching over to the neighbouring tree to chew on new leaf. This destruction of a beautiful small oasis was a loss felt by many in the area between Coolnwynpin Ck Crotona Rd & Finucane Rd supported by AWU Labor State government members in Capalaba, that today is off limits to locals from units at 19 Crotona Rd through to bridge at Old Cleveland Rd Capalaba.
Div 7 Cr Gleeson put icing on the cake so to speak by… on request by Central Mgt to fix metal fence built when Leda bulldozed tonnes of earth into waterway in order to build a tavern and bottle shop on man made bank… erecting a tall, timber non-see through fence, driving locals away, who, like my neighbour who loved running his 2 dogs along the Crotona Rd walkway through to Old Cleveland Rd able to view what was left of a green view, now having to run his pet dogs elsewhere. Tall concrete graffiti filled towering walls adorn the once lovely creek bank that paved the way for Mr Endacott to build an apartment bldg. in Cleveland with water views. We, in turn, lost our quality of life because environment, koala corridors, well being of local residents, didn’t matter when politicians local & State, made deals behind closed doors with wealthy developer where all those involved got a piece of the action….and no petition no matter how destructive to the community, will change that. As a Birkdale Cr, who stopped me in mid-sentence, on hearing the word ‘tree’ said: “It’s a done deal, Amy”. From that day on, I gave up trying to speak up for our now extinct local creek corridor koalas, in Redland City Council.
It is my understanding five councillors were kept in the dark for many years as Mayor and associates made deals with Walker Corp heads on how the Toondah Harbour surrounds should be developed. It is to be supposed, since Lang Walker boasted of being able to buy politicians, that those involved in the deals, have been well compensated…thereby rendering petitions of objection to this gross over-development, useless…the way I see it.
Why can I not sign on line please? I dont know how to download 🙁 I am very opposed to this action from present council :*
Regards Rondah Zonruiter,,,
Former Redlander, born & bread 4th. generation to Samual Walter & Kate Ellen Burns, my Mother Noela Burns & My Father, Ron Morris. Dads Uncle was Albert Morris who the pavilion in the show grounds was named after <3
Our fore-fathers didn't work the lands diligently to have the likes of this council bringing it to irreparable destruction :*
Please withdraw their proposal*