Why is a major development being considered for Toondah Harbour?

    The Queensland Government and Redland City Council have a shared vision for the revitalisation of Toondah Harbour and the existing marine facility area.

    The redevelopment of Toondah Harbour will attract private sector investment to improve harbour facilities and other public and private infrastructure, which will stimulate economic development and improve amenity for both the local community and visitors to the area.

    Will the local community benefit from this project?

    Yes. This project will deliver significant new and upgraded infrastructure for the local community, which will enhance the lifestyle of the community and improve facilities and access to the bay, including improvements to the foreshore area, significant public open space, transport and community facilities. These will include:

    • a new waterfront plaza
    • ferry terminals
    • ticketing and information centre
    • capital dredging of the Fison Channel and swing basin
    • contiguous waterfront boardwalk promenade
    • improvements to GJ Walter Park
    • car parks associated with the ferry terminals
    • a new bus interchange.

    It will also create and support employment opportunities and new business opportunities, including more than one thousand jobs during construction and 500 ongoing jobs based on the proposed scale and mix of uses. Opportunities for a range of new cultural and tourism products and services will also help to facilitate establishment of local businesses, particularly small to medium enterprises.

    The community values its parks and open space in the area, will these be retained?

    Yes. The PDA development scheme protects existing parks and ensures there is no net loss of public open space.

    The Queensland Government and Council will also ensure that significant additional public parks will be included in the PDA, ranging from residential pocket parks, to major new foreshore parks and environmental reserves.

    Was the community consulted about the plans for Toondah Harbour?

    Yes. Led by Redland City Council, in partnership with the Queensland Government, comprehensive public consultation on the development scheme was undertaken in two separate phases. The first phase occurred in August 2013 and the second consultative phase occurred between 10 January and 24 February 2014. In total, there were 10 community forums, an online submission process, distribution of five community mail-outs, advertisements and public displays.

    Over 3,000 people participated in these engagement activities and 583 submissions were received and were carefully assessed in a submissions report.

    Was the community feedback taken into consideration?

    Yes. Following feedback from the public during the consultation on the draft development scheme, elements of the development scheme for Toondah Harbour were amended. This included reducing maximum building heights from 15 to 10 storeys, no net loss of public open space within the PDA, greater protection for the recreational function of GJ Walter Park, and reducing the size of the proposed marina from 800 to 400 berths.

    The development scheme was also amended to reflect establishment of a vegetated corridor for wildlife habitat for koalas and their safe movement.


    Are further assessments and approvals necessary for this project?

    Yes. Before development can commence, the project will require development approval under the Economic Development Act 2012 and a range of local, state and federal environmental approvals under various Acts.

    What are the main steps of the project approval process?

    Will I have an opportunity to have my say about the project in regards to these approvals?

    Yes. The approval process will provide a number of formal opportunities for community input.

    How will I know when I can have a say?

    Public notice advertisements will be placed in local and/or national media and on state and federal government websites. If you have registered on the Queensland Government’s Have Your Say website, we will advise you when there is a formal opportunity to provide input into the project.


    What will the environmental assessment and approval process consider?

    Toondah Harbour is located in an area of environmental significance and the proposed development will require a number of federal and state environment approvals.

    Areas of interest to be considered include, but may not be limited to, impacts on the marine park, RAMSAR wetlands, ecological and fisheries values, protected species and their habitats, and social impacts of the proposed development.

    The community will have an opportunity to provide input into what should be considered in the Terms of Reference for an environmental impact assessment, which will inform the way the assessment is conducted and what it will cover.

    Throughout the environmental impact assessment process there will be a minimum of three formal public notifications with opportunity for public comment.

    Walker Group will be the applicant for the environment impact assessment. The project environmental assessment and approval process is projected to take approximately 12-18 months but the duration will ultimately be determined by how long it takes the developer to gather the data necessary to address the regulatory requirements.

    Can development occur without the environmental approvals?

    No. The proposed development at Toondah Harbour cannot be undertaken without the required State and Federal environmental approvals. 

    Can I still have a say about the project design?

    Yes. The development application will be assessed against the Toondah Harbour PDA Development Scheme. The developer will be required to publicly notify the major development application once lodged.

    What about native title?

    Native title may exist over some unallocated state land within the Toondah Harbour development footprint, mostly below high water mark. A thorough native title investigation is currently underway.

    Where native title exists, the State Government and council will liaise with all relevant stakeholders with a view to negotiating an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA).

    What is an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA)?

    ILUAs are voluntary agreements on the use and management of an area of land or water between the native title party and other parties. Once an ILUA has been registered with the National Native Title Tribunal, it is binding between a native title group and the other parties.

    A native title public notification process will be undertaken to identify the respective native title holders.

    What about cultural heritage?

    The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 binds all persons to provide effective recognition, protection and conservation of Aboriginal cultural heritage. For this project, cultural heritage matters will be addressed as part of an ILUA for the project.


    How will this project address the additional roads and transport infrastructure needed to keep up with the pace of development?

    Council estimates that approximately $80 million in community infrastructure is currently needed at Toondah Harbour, including upgrades to ferry terminals and passenger facilities, better transport interchange and parking, enhancements to parkland and improved pedestrian and cycle links to the bay.

    This project will see this infrastructure provided through private development by the preferred development partner Walker Group, meaning ratepayers and taxpayers will not incur infrastructure costs.


    Will dredging be addressed?

    The timing and delivery of any marina or dredging will be subject to detailed assessment and approvals for development under the Marine Parks Act 2004.

    The current swing basin and channel at Toondah Harbour are already subject to periodic maintenance dredging, which requires a Marine Park Permit under the Marine Parks Act 2004.