A long-awaited environmental impact statement (EIS) for a controversial $1.4 billion proposed development in Moreton Bay that covers land and water used by critically endangered shorebirds has been released. 

Walker Group released the documents today, saying the EIS proved the proposed development of 3,000 apartments, a 400-berth marina, hotel and retail outlets would benefit the region with little impact on endangered species.

The final decision on whether to approve the development will rest with federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek following two months of public consultation.

The proposal to redevelop Toondah Harbour — the gateway to Moreton Bay and its islands — was first mooted by the state government in 2013, with the region declared a priority development area (PDA) within Redland City Council's bounds.

Developer Walker Group was selected by the state and council in 2014 to lead the proposal, and in 2018 then-federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg ordered the company complete a full EIS in 2018, after his department informed him the development was "clearly unacceptable". 

The PDA edges onto the Moreton Bay Ramsar internationally important wetland, home to several species of critically endangered shorebirds including the migratory eastern curlew.

Environmental results

Walker Group's Toondah Harbour spokesman Dolan Hayes released a statement saying the EIS was "based on the indisputable evidence of 11 independent scientists giving their tick of approval to the new Toondah Harbour".

"Toondah Harbour is one of Australia's busiest mainland passenger ports but is barely functional despite more than 1 million passenger movements a year," he said.

"Good design, best practice environmental management and smart mitigation measures are all outlined in the EIS."

Mr Hayes said "scaremongering" about environmental impacts on koalas, bird life and marine ecology was disproven in the statement.

The 50-page executive summary of the EIS said a "small area" of the Ramsar wetland would be "substantially modified" under the proposed development, representing less than 0.02 per cent of the entire 120,000-hectare wetlands.

The project was also assessed as having a "minor contribution" to threatened marine fauna, a "minor contribution to threatened and migratory bird feeding habitat" and a "major contribution to threatened and migratory bird roosting habitat".

The EIS also concluded impacts to seagrass would not seriously impact dugongs or marine turtles.

Dredging for the project through the harbour would result in a "permanent direct impact" on 25.6 hectares of tidal flat habitat within the Ramsar wetland that feeds migratory shorebird species, which the EIS noted was 0.18 per cent of the Ramsar habitat.

Ornithologist Penn Lloyd, who worked on the EIS for Walker Group, said the development would not reduce critically endangered Eastern Curlew numbers.

"We predict the project won't have any impact on the Eastern Curlew feed sites or their use of roost sites, adjacent to the project area," he said in a statement.

"Roost sites that Eastern Curlew use are located at least 400m away from the project site."

Toondah Harbour is a critical link to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island).

The 67.4-hectare site was constructed in the 1970s as an industrial barge terminal for sand mining on the island, and is regularly dredged due to its shallowness.

Conservation group disputes findings

Australian Conservation Fund chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy, however, said Walker Group's claims there would be little environmental impact were "fantasy".

"It bears no relation to reality to say 3,600 high-rise apartments built at a world-renowned feeding ground for migratory birds will have no impact on those birds," she said.

"Every summer for hundreds – probably thousands – of years, eastern curlews and grey-tailed tattlers have recuperated at the site after their epic journey to the northern hemisphere.

"This is an internationally protected significant wetland. Walker must not be allowed to pave over any part of it.

"ACF will closely examine Walker's environmental impact statement and will make a submission to Minister Plibersek, urging her to reject this proposal."

A spokesperson for the federal environment department said in a statement the draft EIS would be available for public consultation for 40 days.

"Once the final EIS is received, the minister will carefully consider all public comments, relevant statutory and policy documents, and Australia's obligations under the Ramsar Convention, before making a decision on whether the proposed development can proceed," the spokesperson said.

"The Australian government is strongly committed to the protection of its internationally important wetlands."