A DECISION on a referral of the controversial $1.39 billion Toondah Harbour project has been extended until July 7 next year, its sixth delay.
A spokesman for federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg said the referral had been held over at the request of proponent Walker Corp.
Walker Group executive chairman Lang Walker said his company and the department had come to a mutual agreement.
“We are happy to keep working with the federal and state agencies to identify the best approach for assessment,’’ Mr Walker said.
“Once an approach and terms of reference are agreed, Walker will commence a rigorous assessment of the project’s potential environmental, economic and social impacts, which will include an extensive community consultation process.’’
Mr Walker said his company was trying to enhance the ecological character of Moreton Bay by identifying new conservation areas, remediation and rehabilitation projects and a pilot migratory shorebird offset in the Yellow Sea with an international wetlands organisation.
Mayor Karen Williams said the delay was frustrating for residents who were keen to see details of the project and how the federal government would assess it.
“It is important to point out that the decision we are waiting on ... is not an approval,’’ she said. “It is a decision on how the environmental impacts of the project will be assessed.’’
Koala Action Group president Debbie Pointing said the delay was a positive.
“This is only because we can now gather more data about koalas in the area,’’ she said.
Ms Pointing said the project was too large and put too many people into too small an area due to limited road access.
“The impacts from this development … will be the end of those koalas,’’ she said.
Cr Williams said with North Stradbroke Island transitioning away from sandmining, the economic return the project would deliver was critical.
“The community has been waiting for this project for more than 50 years,’’ she said. “...This project will deliver $116 million of community infrastructure at no cost to ratepayers and provide safe and reliable access to one of our region’s greatest assets, Moreton Bay.
“...This project has the potential to give the Redlands something it sorely misses – a tourism product different to what the Gold and Sunshine Coasts can offer — a publicly accessible, world class marina and plaza with promenade parks and cycling paths hugging beautiful Moreton Bay,’’ she said.
Cr Williams said the redevelopment represented an unrivalled tourism, cultural and economic growth opportunity.
Mr Walker said the phasing out of sand mining triggered an urgent need to transition the North Stradbroke Island and Redland City economies and workforces to industries like tourism.
“The proposed footprint represents less than 0.05 per cent of the Moreton Bay Ramsar Wetland, which has a total area of 113,314 hectares,’’ he said.
“The affected land is not of uniform value for shorebirds and includes the existing dredged swing basin and public navigation channel.’’
Key features of the project include a hotel/convention centre, 71 per cent increase in public car parking, a retail and dining precinct and up to 3600 dwellings.
“In 20 years’ time these will be home to an estimated 6300 residents,’’ he said.
