THE Australian Conservation Foundation has renewed calls for the government to step in to prevent the Toondah Harbour development as World Wetlands Day throws Moreton Bay into focus.
This year's World Wetland Day, held on Tuesday, marked 50 years since the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was signed in Ramsar, Iran.
ACF nature campaigner Tarquin Moon said wetlands were worth celebrating and protecting.
"Wetlands improve the quality of water that goes into rivers, they provide a buffer against storms and flooding, they are important cultural heritage sites and vital breeding and feeding grounds for birds, fish and other animals," Ms Moon said.
"Australia signed the Ramsar treaty to halt the loss of wetlands and to protect special places like the Moreton Bay Ramsar wetland that is important to the local community, threatened species and the environment.
"Wetlands are under pressure like never before. The Walker Corporation must not be allowed to destroy around 40 hectares of the Moreton Bay Ramsar."
Walker Corporation's plans for Toondah Harbour include 3600 dwellings, as well as a longer and deeper shipping channel, a ferry terminal and marina, swimming lagoon, conservation areas, waterfront retail and commercial space.
The call from the ACF comes ahead of the release of the draft Environmental Impact Statement, which is set to be submitted to the federal government in the next few weeks.
Toondah Harbour project lead Rabieh Krayem said the EIS had gone beyond regulatory guidelines by engaging a panel of 12 scientific experts to guide the process.
He said Walker Corp supported an open and transparent approach that managed all the project's potential impacts on the bay.
"The Toondah Harbour independent panel included experts with significant experience in areas such as migratory bird species and the protection of Ramsar sites," he said.
"We are required to show that all significant impacts on the natural environment are either avoided, minimised or offset. The project will not be approved otherwise."
Specific components of EIS process have included geotechnical studies, dredging and marine engineering studies, coastal process modelling, water quality and marine ecology studies, flora and fauna studies, including migratory shorebirds and koalas, and cultural heritage studies.
Moreton Bay is a feeding ground for migratory birds and a home for animals including turtles, dugongs and dolphins.