Draft Environmental Impact Statement – Released for public notification
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.
Details on Walker Group’s community engagement activities can be found on Walker Group’s Toondah Harbour PDA project page.
The final EIS and supplementary report has been submitted to the Federal Government for approval.
The EIS and supplementary report are available for public notification and can be viewed at the Toondah Harbour Virtual Information Centre or within one of Council’s library’s at either Cleveland, Capalaba, Victoria Point or Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island).
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
The Federal Minister for the Environment and Water has 40-business-days to review the final EIS and supplementary report and will then decide to either approve, approve with conditions or not approve the project.
If approved under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, State Government approvals are also required before the project can commence.
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 masterplan, 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.
To view the amended masterplan and for information on the proposal, visit the Walker Group’s Toondah Harbour PDA project page.
Register your interest
To receive project updates, community members can register their details on Walker Group’s Toondah Harbour PDA project page.