Toondah Harbour Environmental Impact Statement – Plan withdrawn
The Federal Government released the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area (PDA) project for public consultation.
The consultation period ran from 12 October 2022 to 6 December 2022.
Walker Group submitted the final EIS to the Federal Department of Environment and Water for assessment. Following the announcement on 9 April 2024 of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek's proposed decision to refuse the application for the Toondah Harbour redevelopment, Walker Group have chosen to withdraw the application.
Walker will take the time to review the feedback received from the Federal Department and consider if alternative options may be viable.
Council has long advocated for an upgrade to the ferry terminal at Toondah Harbour, which serves as the main transport link to North Stradbroke Island/Minjerribah and supports private investment as a means of redeveloping the area.
Council will continue to work with its partners to progress vital upgrades to the area.
What is an Environmental Impact Statement?
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a document required by the Federal Government and is developed following the delivery of a comprehensive environmental assessment of a project.
The EIS is prepared in accordance with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and ensures the project’s potential social, economic, and environmental impacts have been considered. This includes direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts resulting from the construction and operation of the project.
In October 2019, Walker Group engaged a panel of independent experts to compile the Toondah Harbour PDA draft EIS. This independent panel included experts with experience in areas such as marine ecology, water quality, wetland ecology and Ramsar sites.
The EIS includes the following components:
- geotechnical studies and marine sediment analysis
- dredging and marine engineering studies and modelling
- surface water quality and groundwater sampling and analysis
- marine habitats and wetland ecology studies
- flora and fauna studies, including migratory shorebirds and koalas
- air quality, noise, and vibration modelling
- lighting design and modelling
- social and economic impacts analysis
- cultural heritage studies.
Next steps
Walker Group will take an appropriate amount of time to understand and address the concerns received by the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and consider whether an alternative scheme may be viable for all project partners.
Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area
In June 2013, Toondah Harbour was declared a Priority Development Area (PDA) under the Economic Development Act 2012, which was in response to a Queensland Government and Council commitment to reinforce Toondah Harbour as the regional gateway to Moreton Bay and the islands.
The Toondah Harbour PDA Development Scheme was adopted by the Queensland Government in May 2014.
In late 2014, following a rigorous expression of interest process, Walker Group was selected by the Queensland Government and Council as the preferred development partner for the PDA project.
In June 2018, Walker Group lodged a new referral with the Federal Government. The referral included an amended master plan, which incorporated several new initiatives, ecological improvements, and other changes based on the feedback provided by the Federal Government and environmental and wetland scientists and community submissions.
Following this, in July 2018, the Federal Government confirmed that the proposed Toondah Harbour PDA is a ‘controlled action’, which meant the project was required to be assessed against the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and could proceed to the Environmental Impact Statement stage.
In April 2019, the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water issued the EIS guidelines, which determined the scope of the environmental assessment.