Walker Group's Draft EIS for Toondah Harbour

Walker Group has published a Draft Environment Impact Statement (EIS) for plans to construct 3,600 dwellings in the Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area (PDA) in Cleveland and Moreton Bay.

There are 17.9 ha of existing land and 49.5 ha of marine and tidal environments in the area which the State Government and Redland City Council want developed.

The proposed development area extends from the Grand View Hotel to mangroves south of the current Sealink ferry terminal and car park. The western boundary is Wharf Street in Cleveland and the eastern boundary is close to Cassim Island.

Because the proposed Toondah Harbour project would impact on various matters of national environmental significance (MNES), the Federal Government decided in 2018 that this project would be assessed by way of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be prepared by Walker Group.

On 12 October 2022 Walker Group published a draft EIS for public consultation.

The consultation period is 40 business days so the deadline for making submissions is 6th December 2022.

Electronic submissions about the draft EIS should be emailed to Walker Group at: engage@toondah.com.au

Anyone making a submission is welcome to also email a cc copy to Redlands2030 at: thereporter@redlands2030.net

Redlands2030 has previously published some background to the Toondah Harbour project in: Toondah Harbour – The Illustrated History

Guidelines for the Draft EIS

Guidelines for the Toondah Harbour Draft EIS were published by the Federal Government in April 2019. These guidelines describe in detail the information to be included in the EIS and the way that the EIS is to be written and presented.

Here is a link to the guidelines published by the Federal Government:

GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF A DRAFT ENVIRONMENT IMPACT STATEMENT

The Guidelines are included in Walker Group’s draft EIS as:

Appendix 1-B Final EIS Guidelines.

If you think that the Guidelines did not include a matter that should have been considered in the Draft EIS, then make a submission about this deficiency.

Reading and reviewing the Draft EIS

Draft EIS for Toondah Harbour in the Cleveland Library
Draft EIS for Toondah Harbour in the Cleveland Library

The Draft Toondah Harbour EIS is more than 5,000 pages in length, including many appendicies.

A single hard copy of the complete document in 15 volumes is available to view at the following locations:

  • Cleveland Library
  • Victoria Point Library
  • Capalaba Library
  • State Library of Queensland (at South Bank)
  • Department of Environment and Water in Canberra (by appointment)

The Draft EIS is published online by Walker Group as a series of pdf documents which can be accessed through Walker Group’s webpage:

Toondah Harbour | EIS Documents

The file size of the Draft EIS as 15 separate pdf documents is 2.3 GB.

Redlands2030 compiled a single pdf document version of the Draft EIS, to make it easier to search for key words. The file size of our single pdf version of the Draft EIS is 948 MB.

To navigate the Draft EIS more easily, here is the document structure together with links back to separate pdf documents on Walker Group’s website.

Executive Summary

The Executive Summary is a 50 page document. This is the best place to start.

Executive Summary

Table of contents

The Table of Contents is a 20 page document. You should peruse the table of contents to see what is included in the whole of the Draft EIS (and what has not been included).

Table of Contents

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Three pages of acronymns and abbreviations are defined here:

Abbreviations and Acronyms

Volume 1: Project Information

Volume 1 describes what Walker Group is proposing to do and why they think it is allowable.

Chapter 1 Project Details

Chapter 2 Detailed Description of the Site and Action

Chapter 3 Operations and Uses

Chapter 4 Assessment Framework

Chapter 5 Stakeholder and Community Engagement

Appendix 1-A Tender Documents Released by the State Government
Appendix 1-B Final EIS Guidelines
Appendix 1-C EIS Guideline Cross Reference Table
Appendix 1-D Extracts from SMBIs Water Transport Alternate Route Strategy
Appendix 1-E Alternate Options Assessment
Appendix 1-F EIS Project Team
Appendix 1-G IAP Final Recommendations Letter
Appendix 1-H Construction and Project Sequencing Drawings
Appendix 1-I Dredging and Reclamation Options Assessment and Design Report
Appendix 1-J Geotechnical Report
Appendix 1-K Concept Bulk Earthworks and Civil Infrastructure Report
Appendix 1-L Marine Infrastructure Design Report
Appendix 1-M RCC Boat Ramp Data
Appendix 1-N Traffic Generation Report
Appendix 1-O Summary of Relevant Legislation
Appendix 1-P Community and Stakeholder Engagement Report

Volume 2: Existing Environment and Potential Impacts

Volume 2 is Walker Group’s description of the environment that would be impacted if its Toondah Harbour proposal were to be approved.

Chapter 6 The Impact Assessment Process

Chapter 7 Soils, Sediments, and Contaminated Land

Chapter 8 Coastal Processes and Dredge Plumes

Chapter 9 Surface Water Quality

Chapter 10 Groundwater

Chapter 11 Air Quality

Chapter 12 Terrestrial and Underwater Noise and Vibration

Chapter 13 Lighting Assessment and Strategy

Chapter 14 Waste Management

Chapter 15 Terrestrial Ecology

Chapter 16 Marine Ecology

Chapter 17 Migratory Shorebirds

Chapter 18 Commercial and Recreational Fisheries

Chapter 19 Cultural Heritage

Chapter 20 Social Environment

Chapter 21 Economic Environment

Chapter 22 Sustainability

Appendix 2-A Sediment Sampling and Analysis Technical Report

Appendix 2-B Sediment Sampling and Analysis Report – Contaminated Land Comparison

Appendix 2-C Toondah Harbour Contaminated Land Preliminary Site Investigation

Appendix 2-D Toondah Harbour Historical Contaminated Land Reports

Appendix 2-E Coastal Processes, Stormwater and Dredge Plume Modelling

Appendix 2-F Coastal Processes Peer Review Summary

Appendix 2-G Water Quality Technical Report

Appendix 2-H Groundwater Technical Report

Appendix 2-I Air Quality Technical Report

Appendix 2-J Terrestrial and Underwater Noise and Vibration Technical Report

Appendix 2-K Lighting Technical Report

Appendix 2-L Terrestrial Ecology Technical Report

Appendix 2-M Marine Ecology Technical Report

Appendix 2-N Migratory and Threatened Shorebirds Technical Report

Appendix 2-O Commercial and Recreational Fisheries Marine Zoning Data Commercial Fishing Catch and Effort Data

Appendix 2-P Non-Indigenous Cultural Heritage Technical Report

Appendix 2-Q Social Matters Technical Report

Appendix 2-R Economic Matters Technical Report

Volume 3: MNES Significant Impact Assessment

Volume 3 is Walker Group’s assessment of Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES).

Chapter 23 Summary of Direct and Indirect Impact Assessment

Chapter 24 Threatened Species Significant Impact Assessment

Chapter 25 Migratory Species Significant Impact Assessment

Chapter 26 Cumulative and Consequential Impacts

Chapter 27 Moreton Bay Ramsar Site Impact Assessment

Chapter 28 Environmental Management Framework

Chapter 29 Environmental Offsets Strategy

Chapter 30 Conclusion

Appendix 3-A Migratory Species Significant Impact Assessment Tables

Appendix 3-B Moreton Bar Ramsar Site Assessment

Appendix 3-C Draft MNES MP Sub-plans

Appendix 3-D Offset Calculator Outputs

6 December 2022 is the deadline for making submissions about the Draft EIS.

Redlands2030 – 18 October 2022

6 Comments

Ruth Gabriel, Jan 03, 2023

I have already submitted a letter to the Reporter etc, but I just wanted to say again, how disappointed I am that this has been allowed to go on for so long. If approval had been categorically denied in the beginning, there would be no need for such acrimonious dispute. If the Government and Redlands Council cannot see how ridiculous this development is and deny approval immediately and irrevocably – then I would like to know who is getting the kickback to keep this up and running. The more I hear, the more cynical and untrusting I become.

Monika Doepgen, Dec 04, 2022

Hi, I am a signatory to the petition ‘Save Moreton Bay – Stop Toondah Harbour development’. Now I am trying to put in submissions to the Walker EIS and was looking forward to have ‘Redlands2030 compiled a single pdf document version of the Draft EIS, to make it easier to search for key words. The file size of our single pdf version of the Draft EIS is 948 MB.’ But I couldn’t find it, could you please put a link on the website ‘Unboxing the Toondah harbour draft EIS’ thank you. I know I am a bit late, but wouldn’t have expected to be such a chore.

Barbara Walsh, Nov 29, 2022

Thank you for summarising the EIS. 50 pages was enough for me to realise my long term view that this project should not go ahead has not changed. Why the original EIS wasn’t submitted / passed before Josh Frydenberg lost his seat? Now the fox is in the hen house. Apart from the environmental damage this development will no doubt lead to how much will the local population have to bear over the twenty year development? The city is grid locked now how is this going to improve on that? The promised infrastructure isn’t going to happen overnight. It’s been on the books for many years already. This development is planned for people with money to enjoy. Not the locals or visitors believing that another South Bank will appear to be enjoyed by all. This is the wrong place for such a development and in going ahead it will destroy more of what was good about the Redlands not improve it.

KLM, Oct 25, 2022

I strongly oppose this development.
I am wondering how ,as a lay person , with no ecological or engineering background can successfully comment on this voluminous difficult document

Vick Salisbury, Oct 23, 2022

Thank you for the EIS unboxing – the online Walker version is difficult to get my head around. Advise I have regarding submissions that are written by individuals ( like me) – focus on what they don’t like about the particular plan or topic of concern. They include many statements about the submitter’s concerns, fears or worries. However, is it correct that these statements will be very unlikely to influence decision makers? My reading s about Submissions is it is more likely to be conveyed to the powerholder if they are written as actionable recommendations. I will keep this in mind when writing my submissions, even if my recommendation is find another location for 10 storey towers, marina, and lagoon pool. Don’t build a city in Toondah Harbour Ramsar Wetlands.

Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net

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