Toondah Harbour FAQs
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The cost of upgrading the public infrastructure at Toondah Harbour, including the ferry terminal and deepening and widening the navigation channel, is $116 million. This was too great for Council to independently fund, therefore in late 2014, Council undertook a rigorous expression of interest process for delivery of the PDA project. As a PDA and under the infrastructure agreement, ratepayers and the community reap the benefits of much-needed infrastructure in the area, at minimal cost to Council and with no impact to their rates over the long-term.
In early 2016, Council, Walker Group and Economic Development Queensland entered into a Development Agreement and an Infrastructure Agreement. As with many commercial agreements, the Development Agreement contains confidential commercial information and is therefore a confidential agreement.
The Infrastructure Agreement is available at https://www.redland.qld.gov.au/info/20271/priority_development_areas/850/toondah_harbour_infrastructure_agreement
While Council endeavours to operate with as much transparency and accountability as possible, this needs to be balanced with the benefits of contracting with the private sector and cost-effective outcomes.
If Council contracts with the private sector and hopes to negotiate competitively, it will need to keep details in contracts confidential to ensure that it does not give away valuable financial information to competitors and to third parties who may gain a financial advantage from the information and prejudice the financial interests of Council and the contractor.
There are many avenues of accountability for Council especially Council contracting activities, with the opportunity for most Council decisions to be scrutinised by independent authorities including the Council audit committee, the Queensland Audit Office, the Crime and Corruption Commission, the Minister for Local Government, the Office of the Information Commissioner, the Integrity Commissioner and the Courts. These bodies are able to scrutinise and review the minutiae of contracts and the contracting process without the contracts being disclosed and Council's financial interests being prejudiced.
Council has considered a petition around making public the Development Agreement, with a report available at https://www.redland.qld.gov.au/meetings/meeting/159/2019_council_meeting_minutes_and_agendas
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Council is aware that Walker Corporation has withdrawn its application for the Toondah Harbour development. 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.
Council supports a means of progressing vital upgrades to the Toondah Harbour port, creating new jobs, and boosting the local economy through tourism, residential and retail opportunities, and private investment.
Council will continue to work with the partners of the Toondah Harbour redevelopment project to progress vital upgrades to the area.
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The status of Toondah Harbour Development Agreement has not changed and Council continues to work closely with Walker Corporation and the Queensland State Government to deliver the much-needed revitalization of Toondah Harbour.
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Walker Corporation is currently reviewing the reasons for Minister Plibersek’s proposed refusal and considering if an alternative plan would be viable. If a new masterplan were proposed, there will be opportunity for public comment during that process.
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Toondah Harbour was declared a Priority Development Area (PDA) in May 2013.
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Toondah Harbour was the second area in the state to be granted PDA status under the Economic Development Act 2012.
As a PDA, it will facilitate economic development and inject much-needed investment into the Redlands Coast economy, while also delivering social benefits through increased public open space.
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Toondah Harbour is the regional gateway to Moreton Bay and Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). It accommodates more than 1 million passengers and 200,000 vehicle movements each year. The site has had no capital investment since the 1970’s, is dilapidated and lacks capacity in peak periods.
The harbour and channel are in urgent need of upgrading to ensure safety, minimise user conflicts and future-proof the terminal and public navigation channel to cater for expected tourism growth.
To provide the needed infrastructure at the site, would be at a cost of approximately $200 million. This is too great for Council to independently fund and would in turn come at a cost to ratepayers.
The ownership for the area is complex. As a PDA and under the infrastructure agreement, ratepayers and the community reap the benefits of the much-needed infrastructure in the area, with no impact to their rates over the long-term. -
Matters of national environmental significance
Matters of national environmental significance will be assessed by the Federal Government under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Walker Group has referred the project to the Commonwealth Environment Minister as a controlled action, requiring further assessment under the EPBC Act. Subject to the Minister's decision, the assessment under the EPBC Act will involve an environmental impact statement in which the impacts of the project on matters of national environmental significance will be assessed. Once the environmental impacts of the project have been assessed, the Minister will decide whether to approve the project.
Matters of state and local environmental significance
In June 2013, the Toondah Harbour PDA was declared under the Economic Development Act 2012. Declaration of the PDA removes the affected land from the standard planning and development assessment processes prescribed under the Planning Act 2016.
Walker will be required to submit a development application under the Economic Development Act for a Material Change of Use (MCU) with a Plan of Development (POD) over the project land within the PDA. This will be assessed against the Toondah Harbour PDA Development Scheme by a Local Representative Committee comprising representatives of the State Government and Council.
Walker will also be required to seek approval under the Marine Parks Act 2004 and the Planning Act 2016.
For information on State Government environmental assessment and development approval processes visit the FAQs on the Toondah Harbour website.
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The proposed master plan for the Toondah Harbour PDA was published by Walker Group in late 2015. Walker Group's master plan is consistent with the Toondah Harbour PDA Development Scheme [PDF, 1.0MB].
The Development Scheme itself was subject to extensive public consultation with the public notification and submission period held from 10 January to 24 February 2014.
The Toondah Harbour PDA Development Scheme submissions report [PDF, 1.0MB] dated May 2014, summarises the community engagement undertaken.
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The Toondah Harbour PDA Development Scheme submissions report [PDF, 1.0MB] dated May 2014, summarises the community engagement undertaken.
The report states that the community engagement undertaken included:
- Redland City Council and State Government officers undertook engagement on the PDAs from May 2013, including speaking directly with stakeholders and holding engagement sessions on the mainland and islands.
- Both the Council and Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDMIP) websites and a dedicated developer's website Redlands Open for Business and Investment included frequently asked questions and information about the project. The DSDMIP website also provided an online submission portal and the proposed Development Scheme for download.
- Hundreds of online comments were received via the DSDMIP online portal, Council's Your say Redland City website and through the interest register, which was established in May 2013.
- More than 20 meetings have been held with key stakeholders for both Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek to discuss issues, concerns and opportunities since June 2013.
Other community consultation included:
- 10 community forums;
- website information;
- online submissions;
- ongoing interest register;
- five community mail-outs;
- advertisements in local and state-wide media;
- posters and other advertising at ferry terminals, on ferries and at stakeholder meetings;
- articles in city-wide Council magazines and e-newsletters using Australia-first technology that allows a 3D view of the potential development in each PDA;
- telephone survey of 300 people regarding the Planning Scheme;
- radio interviews (Bay FM and ABC);
- display of the proposed development schemes throughout the statutory consultation period at 14 local libraries and three major Redlands Coast shopping centres;
- Three community information forums were held for the Toondah Harbour PDA Proposed Development Scheme, which were well attended. Details follow:
- Saturday, 1 February 2014, 1pm - 3pm at Island View Cafe, Toondah Harbour Ferry Terminal.
- Friday, 7 February 2014, 3.30pm - 5.30pm at Island View Cafe, Toondah Harbour Ferry Terminal.
- Saturday, 8 February 2014, 1pm - 3pm at Dunwich Community Hall, Dunwich, North Stradbroke Island.
- Other speaking engagements and presentations to key stakeholders were also provided to explain the development scheme.
The Walker Group proposal was subject to public notification during the EPBC referral process in 2015 and 2017. The master plan will also be available for public consultation during the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and development application process.
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No. No variations have been made to the PDA boundary. The initial PDA boundary was declared on 21 June 2013 by the Queensland Government. The PDA boundary was included in the Development Scheme and was subject to extensive public consultation.
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The preparation of the Development Scheme was informed by specialist consultant advice, including economic advice.
The PDA specialist background reports are publicly available on Council's website.
In addition, an environmental impact assessment process, which has not yet commenced, will be undertaken by Walker Group and assessed by the Federal Government. This process will entail an examination of all expected, likely and potential environmental, social and economic impacts of the proposal during pre-construction activities and construction, operational and post-operational phases.
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The preparation of the Development Scheme was informed by specialist consultant advice including economic advice. The PDA specialist background reports are publicly available on our website.
Walker Group's proposal is consistent with the Development Scheme. Further due diligence on Walker Group's proposal was undertaken by independent experts and endorsed at the Council General Meeting on 25 March 2015. The due diligence reports are confidential as they contain commercial in confidence information.
Council is satisfied that the necessary care and diligence has been undertaken on the proposal.
It is important to note that, as yet, approval for the project has not been granted. There is still an extensive public EIS process examining all social, environmental, and economic impacts of the proposal to be undertaken. This assessment will be undertaken by the Federal
Updated 23 April 2024