Put an end to the Toondah proposal says Redlands2030

The federal Environment Minister the Hon. Tanya Plibersek must put an end to a proposed $3 billion Toondah real estate and marina project that will destroy 48 ha of Ramsar wetlands in the Moreton Bay Marine Park in Cleveland, said Chris Walker, of Redlands2030.

‘The developer, Walker Group, says it has now submitted its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a 40-day departmental review and final decision by the Hon. Tanya Plibersek. A record 25,000 opposing submissions from the community and technical experts were lodged during public consultation nearly a year ago.

“We are very hopeful this Minister will make the right decision to save Toondah Harbour because of its irreplaceable environmental values – and also show that she has listened since she took on the portfolio to the strong community opposition to such an inappropriate real estate project .

“We remind Minister Plibersek of her 2022 commitment to threatened species in a 10-year action plan to no new extinctions. It targets 119 priority species, such as the Eastern Curlew which is critically endangered. As well, the Australian government has many international agreements, including the Ramsar accord, aimed at preventing human induced extinctions and restoration of ecosystems.

The Ramsar wetlands area proposed for development of 3,600 apartments is feeding grounds for birdlife including various protected migratory shorebirds. The proposed development area is close to long established shorebird roosting areas.

If these apartments were built, they would generate a huge amount of local vehicular traffic that would wipe out Cleveland’s koala population.

“Redlands2030 and other members of the Toondah Alliance will be studying the developer’s final EIS carefully to see how they have tried to address the many areas of deficiency in its original draft.

No amount of glossy brochures can disguise the impact a development of this size will have on such a sensitive area of Moreton Bay Marine Park. While there is usually no capacity for further input from the community, the environment minister does have the right to invite further community comments. We would welcome this.

“We also urge Ms Plibersek to make sure the EIS is assessed robustly against the Federal Government’s own published guidelines.

“This project has been going on for over 10 years with much opposition from locals and environmental groups. In 2018 the Federal Environment Department recommended refusal because it did not meet its own criteria to protect internationally significant (Ramsar) wetlands and its role in migratory bird flight movements.”

Then Environment Minister, Josh Frydenberg, overruled his own Department’s experts and allowed the developer to proceed to an EIS despite its non-compliance. He was encouraged to make a controlled action decision by the Palaszcsuk Government.

“It’s been over ten years since Redland City Council and the Campbell Newman state government dreamt up this nightmare coastal project – under the guise of improving the North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah ferry terminal and parking precinct at Toondah Harbour.

“And it has been eight years since the Palaszcsuk Government gave the project its green light. Without explanation or consultation, it expanded the proposed number of apartments from 800 to 3,600 and signed a secret development agreement with Walker Group. This development will likely set the record for Queensland’s most intensely developed suburb if it’s built, rivalling Hong Kong.

“We all agree the Toondah ferry terminal and parking precinct for North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah is very seriously in need of an upgrade. We urge a faster, more appropriate solution be found now. Ten years is a ridiculous amount of time to wait for basic infrastructure”.

Walker Group’s proposed real estate and marina project would see towers up to 10 storeys high containing 3,600 units. It will be built on 48 ha (100 acres) of reclaimed sensitive wetlands and be located in the Bay between the Grand View Hotel and Toondah Harbour ferry terminal in Cleveland. It would house about 7,000 residents and take around 20 years to build.

“Toondah Alliance members have put in an amazing amount of volunteer effort and technical expertise to campaign against this unwanted development for over ten years. We look forward to the time when this volunteer effort could be used in other areas of positive community benefit,”

Now that Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has received the document, we hope she will act quickly to meet Australia’s international environmental commitments and issue a firm and final rejection of the Toondah proposal.

The Toondah Alliance includes: Redlands2030 Inc, Australian Conservation Foundation, ACF Community Bayside, BirdLife Australia, Birdlife Southern Qld, the Wilderness Society, Koala Action Group, Qld Wader Study Group, and the Stradbroke (Terrangeri) Environmental and Cultural Protection Association

Chris Walker

Secretary
Redlands2030

Redlands2030 – 28 November 2023