Walker Group’s latest plan for development of housing on dredged Ramsar wetlands
Walker Group surprised every one with its third attempt to obtain Federal Government environmental approvals for proposed residential development on internationally protected wetlands next to Toondah Harbour.
Community perspectives flowed to Redlands2030 after people were required to once again mount up to lodge more submissions, with no guarantee that all their previous efforts would count for anything. Here’s what some residents had to say.
The Bay – our greatest asset
G.J. Walter Park on the shores of Moreton Bay
Imagine having a barbecue, relaxing with family and friends in a peaceful park overlooking a beautiful bay with a cool breeze blowing. Now, change that image to the same barbecue, same park, but no cool breeze because you are now looking at potentially 36 or more ten storey apartment blocks rising up from the bay on reclaimed land.
Think of the cost to the Council, State Government and Community of these blocks including:
- Repairs to the roads damaged by ten to twenty years of heavy construction vehicles lugging dredging spoil from the bay to be cleaned because its acid sulphate content as well as by other vehicles bringing construction materials and appliances for 3,600 dwellings;
- The loss of quality of life caused by physical and mental health problems of residents from noise and air pollution, loss of blue/green space and frustration from even more traffic congestion;
- Dredging forever for not only a ferry channel but also a marina;
- The maintenance and repairs of seawalls (will it be another Raby Bay debacle?);
- Depreciation in land values to those who have paid significantly for water views and are now looking at apartment blocks;
- The loss of tourism because the healthy urban koalas, migratory birds and marine creatures have been displaced through the destruction of their habitats; and
- The loss of tourism because the nature-loving tourists who come to Stradbroke Island are repulsed by the destruction of the bay.
Who would have ever considered that a publically owned Bay which includes a migratory birds site covered by the international RAMSAR agreement, a State Marine Park, wetlands, mangroves (nature’s natural cyclone protection barrier), and a koala habitat could be handed over to a developer?
This could very likely happen if the Walker Group Proposal for “Residential Development” in the Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area goes ahead.
Any one of the above matters should have been enough to say NO!
Please, just upgrade the Ferry Port.
JD
Cleveland
This is a full copy of the letter published in The Redland City Bulletin
Toondah Harbour EPBC coments
Critically endangered Eastern curlew
In my view this Toondah development is wrong for the following reasons:
The development will increase impacts on wildlife and ecosystems in Moreton Bay, in particular in a RAMSAR listed area. It will do this by increasing pollutants such as sewage discharges and throw-away plastics into this environment, as well as wastes from increasing use of fossil fuel by boating. These actions will reduce water quality and be a threat to marine animals, further degrading environmental functions and exceeding planetary boundaries, on which all life depends. Research by Rockstrom et al demonstrates that humanity has already exceeded global boundaries, including from global warming, nutrient pollution and atmospheric aerosols levels.
The development does not address global warming, a major existential threat. There appears to be no mention of this in either government or developer literature. The development will be a major energy user, particularly as it will appeal to wealthier people whose environmental footprint is invariably larger. Most energy in Australia is still supplied from fossil fuels, and there is no requirement in this development for the use of renewable energy to fully-offset greenhouse gas emissions from all energy use, including transport. This should be a key requirement of any new development if humanity has any chance of reducing greenhouse emissions, and impacts, to safe levels, as set out by the best scientific evidence – for example, addressing coastal impacts.
The development is situated in a very exposed environment that will be subjected to increasing sea level rise and increasing the number of extreme weather events, including cyclones, as ocean temperatures rise. Cyclones Tasha, Oswald and Marcia are three such recent events. This will increase the likelihood of costs to maintain and protect this development. We are already paying for these impacts. But it will be future generations who will bear the full cost. This is ethically wrong and economically unsustainable. Any short term gains are likely to be offset by long term costs to society (see IPCC reports).
TB
Wellington Point
Doing the maths on Toondah
Artist’s impression of the Toondah development
I am sure no one has done the maths for the Toondah because if they had they would surely see that 3,600 dwellings is far too many.
With 3,600 units, do you realise what the population density of the Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area (PDA) will be (if the current Walker Group Proposal is allowed to proceed)?
- Cleveland currently has a population density of 13 persons per hectare.
- Brisbane has a population density of 3 persons (and some say “making it quite congested”).
- Beijing in China has a population density of 235 persons per hectare.
Toondah Harbour PDA would have a population density between 100 and 200 persons per hectare. It could be higher!
This would rival Beijing where the pollution is so bad people have to wear masks much of the time and people can only take their car out every second day.
With Toondah being a “dead end” it is hard to even begin to imagine the problems it will cause. Having such a high density in so small an area for traffic, roads, the environment etc can only lead to the slums of the future.
Please stop this development before any irreparable damage is done and do some sensible planning to upgrade the ferry port facilities and parking and build modestly on the land. All this could be done in 1 – 2 years.
BW
Cleveland
Have your say
Letters published by Redlands2030 – 4 July 2018
Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net
5 Comments
Jackie Cooper is right in what she says here. Imagine the traffic chaos if thousands of apartments were built around the harbor driving back and forth to Cleveland rail station. For years have noted driving by there doesn’t seem to be room for any more cars. Perhaps a multi storey car park can be considered there in addition to one by the harbour as the population in Redland continues to soar. Shuttle buses at peak times would help alleviate traffic, and should be in operation now from various major housing estates to connect with trains/bus terminals. Since I’m retired am not involved with commuting but sympathize with those who do on a weekly basis who travel outside the Redlands. When I arrived in Capalaba in mid-1986, I could catch a bus called ‘the bullet’ from outside K-Mart at Capalaba Park shopping centre, with no stops along the way, was in Bne city centre in a 1/2 hour. Soon there were stops at Chandler and Carindale picking up passengers so it seems to me that fast, affordable, public transport won’t be available in Redlands in the near, or distant future, either since the State govt has no money to fast track the Eastern Busway we have heard about for years from Coorparoo to Capalaba. But…do we hear politicians talking about ways and means of alleviating the traffic dilemma that continues to worsen as more housing estates are completed bringing more cars onto already congested Redland roads?
If we are to embrace tourism, priority has got to be, as Jackie says, ‘upgrading the port’. ..with a multi storey car park alongside. No time like the present to start the ball rolling…
Toondah Harbour is the wrong place for a development because it is a dead-end: it’s a traffic bottleneck. The port area already struggles with traffic. It cannot cope with lots more.
It’s the wrong place because it’s too far to walk to the railway station. Imagine the many commuters driving back and forth every day to the railway station – and where do they park at the station? A cardinal rule of planning is to co-locate development and public transport.
It’s the wrong place because it has the worst orientation. It faces into the prevailing south-easterlies that blow stiffly 300 days/year. You need a north-facing location. And deeper water. And expansive parkland. Near the station.
There is a far better waterfront site in Cleveland that neither RCC nor state government scoped before slapping a Priority Development Area on Toondah Harbour. The PDA is the problem.. It removes red and green tape and locks out public objections. It also ties the developer to this Marie Celeste of a location, this albatross, this woebegotten complex mess that can never be made whole because everything is stacked against successful development here. It just can’t ever work, even putting lipstick on the pig.
Scrap the PDA.
Upgrade the port. The responsibility for maintaining this essential public infrastructure lies with the government. The government should step up and fix the port without further delay. We don’t need anything fancy. No hotels or convention centres or boutique shopping. Just a rational transport interchange and some parking.
So don’t develop Toondah Harbour. Instead, let’s go for something where everyone wins: islanders and tourists, residents, council, government, developer – and our environment. If Cleveland needs something to put it on the map, where’s the better site for a signature waterfront destination attraction brimming with job opportunities? There is a wonderful place and it’s not at Toondah Harbour.
Could history repeat?
I lived in Townsville some 30 years ago, and frequently return for short holidays on nearby Magnetic Island.
In the late 80’s there was a strong push by developers to build a marina at Nelly Bay.
For me,the parralels with the proposed Toondah monstrosity are quite worrisome.
At Magnetic Quays the original developer, having blasted a nearby headland for retaining wall material went belly up and the resultant moonscape scarred the once beautiful area for several decades.
If your readers have time to read it (it is quite comprehensive), I would recommend the following article;
http://www.rag.org.au/phildickiestories/Walkden.htm
Phil Dickie was ,of course, the prominent brisbane Journalist who played a major role in exposing the corruption which eventually lead to the Fitzgerald Commission.
The proposed Toondah development is much bigger than that ever envisaged for Magnetic Island.
The potential downside is therefore much more concerning , if not frightening.
I read some people, the pro-Walker Plan set, (mainly on social media, because that’s the only place they seem to be saying it) claiming ‘Redlands needs this development’, or ‘Bring it on’, or ‘ This development will ensure the future of the Redlands’, or ‘This will put Redlands on the map’. The critical thing missing from their claims is some kind of justification, some figures, some facts which might lend credibility to their statements. But we never get any, do we?
On the other hand, the pro-environment camp (Stop the Rort, just fix the Port, etc.), as well as being vocal in the public arena, with rallies, meetings, information sessions, addresses to Council, handouts, petitions and so on, presents evidence-based arguments, reminds us of our obligations under the RAMSAR Convention, expresses genuine community concerns based on real future impacts, the voices of our First Peoples against the PDA plans and the destruction of Country.
So, which side do you sit on?
For me it’s a no-brainer! I’m with the latter. There’s no room for fence-sitters in this debate!
I am so angry that any councillor could support a proposal that is not in the best interests of the future of the Redlands. Stop the Rort and just fix the Port. The Council even appears incapable of installing CCTV. Police are telling us that cars are broken into every weekend. They recommend leaving your car at home until the day cameras are installed.