Toondah Harbour

Toondah Harbour
Redland City, Queensland

Toondah Harbour

Toondah Harbour, located in Redland City at Cleveland in southern Moreton Bay, is the location of the Stradbroke Island Ferry Terminal used by water taxis and vehicular ferries to provide access to North Stradbroke Island.

History

Toondah Harbour is named after a vessel, the steamer "Toondah", which was used to survey and beacon channels in Moreton Bay.[1]

Vehicular ferry at Toondah Harbour
Dredging at Toondah Harbour
Bar-tailed godwit feeding near Toondah Harbour

Geography

The harbour is situated south of Cleveland Point in an area of coastal wetlands featuring sandbanks, mudflats and mangroves. The area is naturally shallow but the Fison Channel has been dredged to provide access for vehicular ferries which connect Cleveland to Dunwich on North Stradbroke Island.

Cassim Island viewed from G.J. Walter Park, Cleveland

Cassim Island, an area of sandbanks and mangroves located to the north of Toondah Harbour, provides shelter from northerly winds. The island is named after William Cassim, an early Cleveland hotel keeper.[2] Cassim Island provides a high value habitat for wading birds and other mangrove fauna.[3]

Environment

The marine and coastal area around the harbour is situated within internationally significant wetlands which form part of the Moreton Bay Ramsar site. Tidal flats, mangroves and seagrass beds provide important habitats for fish, crustaceans and:

Southern right whales have been observed visiting this area each year since 2002.[7] This species is listed as endangered under Australia's EPBC Act.[8]

Development

Protest against plans to develop marina and high rise buildings in area around G.J. Walter Park, Cleveland, Queensland

Secret plans for a 400 berth marina, foreshore development and multi-level residential, retail and commercial developments were discussed by the Redland City Council in 2007 under former Mayor Don Secombe.[9]

On 10 January 2014 the Queensland Government released a proposed development scheme for the Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area in Cleveland which would allow development of a large marina up to 800 berths in southern Moreton Bay between Toondah Harbour, G.J. Walter Park and Cassim Island.[10] This proposal has been opposed by marine planning experts[11] and various environmentally concerned community groups including the Bay Wilderness Society.[12]

A number of Queensland architects and planners reviewed the scheme at an Urban Design Workshop. The workshop Convenor said the group found the current Toondah scheme "too large, unfeasible and risky". [13] He said the workshop recommended smaller developments across the city linking Raby Bay with Cleveland's CBD and the ferry terminal.[14] Inclement prevailing winds, traffic bottlenecking, flooding, site pollution, significant environmental complications and native title uncertainty are some of the risks identified for any real estate development in the Toondah Harbour area.[15]

On 23 February approximately 300 people attended a rally to protest against the Government's plans to "carve up" the G.J. Walter Park as part of its Toondah Harbour redevelopment proposal.[16] On 4 March 2014 a petition with 1,211 signatures calling for the Government's plans to be withdrawn was tabled in the Queensland Parliament.[17]

On 19 March the Council decided to ask the Queensland Government to make some changes to the plan which include reducing building heights from 15 storeys to 10 and a 400-berth marina at Toondah Harbour instead of 800 berths.[18] In March 2014 the Government indicated that it was preparing an amended development scheme.[19]

In April 2014 the Redland City Council released copies of various "expert reports" used to prepare the proposed development scheme together with revised artists impressions of the proposed development.[20]

On 31 May 2014 an approved development scheme was released[21] together with a lengthy report on the 583 submissions received during the consultation period.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Joshua Peter Bell, "Moreton Bay And How To Fathom It", Queensland Newspapers, 1984, p 52
  2. ↑ Joshua Peter Bell, "Moreton Bay And How To Fathom It", Queensland Newspapers, 1984, p 52
  3. ↑ Peter Davie et al, "Wild Guide To Moreton Bay", Queensland Museum, 1998, p 376
  4. ↑ Moreton Bay (Ramsar Site) Overview, Australian Government, Department of The Environment. Retrieved on 5 February 2014
  5. ↑ Migratory waterbirds. Australian Government. Department of The Environment. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  6. ↑ BAAM Ecological Consultants and FRC Environmental, "Expert Advice in Ecology (Marine and Terrestrial)and Coastal Processes for Input to the preparation of a Structure Plan and Development Scheme for Toondah Harbour and Weinam Creek Priority Development Areas":, Retrieved 5 May 2014
  7. ↑ Anne-Louise Brown, "Whale dead after horror boat strike", Brisbane Times, 17 August 2014:http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/whale-dead-after-horror-boat-strike-20140817-1051nm.html, Retrieved 18 August 2014
  8. ↑ Eubalaena australis — Southern Right Whale, Biodiversity - Species Profile and Threats Database, Australian Government Department of the Environment: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=40, Retrieved 18 August 2014
  9. ↑ Daniel Hurst, "Secret council plan for Cleveland marina", Brisbane Times, 20 November 2007: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/secret-council-plan-for-cleveland-marina/2007/11/20/1195321743201.html, Retrieved 4 March 2014
  10. ↑ "Marina plan for Cleveland revamp", Brian Hurst, Bayside Bulletin, 13 January 2014 http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2017300/marina-plan-for-cleveland-revamp/, Retrieved 15 February 2014
  11. ↑ Judith Kerr, "Toondah proposals unviable say experts", Bayside Bulletin, 17 February 2014: http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2093169/toondah-proposalsunviable-say-experts/?cs=213, Retrieved 19 February 2014
  12. ↑ http://wildlifebayside.wordpress.com/category/wildlife-queensland-bayside-branch/
  13. ↑ Judith Kerr, "Toondah think tank opts for Raby Bay", Bayside Bulletin, 3 March 2014: http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2123903/toondah-think-tank-opts-for-raby-bay-video/, Retrieved 10 June 2014
  14. ↑ Judith Kerr, "Crucial council vote on Toondah", Bayside Bulletin, 3 March 2014: http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2154986/crucial-council-vote-on-toondah/, Retrieved 10 June 2014
  15. ↑ Jackie Cooper, "Doris Day and the mudflats", Redlands2030 blog, 16 August 2014: http://redlands2030.net/?p=3303, Retrieved 16 August 2014
  16. ↑ "Future of GJ Walter Park defines Toondah debate", Bayside Bulletin, 24 February 2014, http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2106953/future-of-gj-walter-park-defines-toondah-debate/?cs=213, Retrieved on 25 February 2014
  17. ↑ Judith Kerr, "Petition calls on state to can Toondah scheme", Bayside Bulletin, 4 March 2014: http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2127473/petition-calls-on-state-to-can-toondah-scheme/?cs=213, Retrieved on 4 March 2014
  18. ↑ Judith Kerr, "Council limits Toondah building heights, marina", Bayside Bulletin, 19 March 2014: http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2161339/council-limits-toondah-building-heights-marina/ , Retrieved 3 April 2014
  19. ↑ Judith Kerr, "Toondah views to be considered", Bayside Bulletin, 31 March 2014: http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2186856/toondah-views-to-be-considered/?cs=213 , Retrieved 7 April 2014
  20. ↑ Judith Kerr, "Toondah and Weinam Creek expert reports released", Bayside Bulletin, 30 April 2014: http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/2249797/toondah-and-weinam-creek-expert-reports-released/?cs=213, Retrieved 5 May 2014
  21. ↑ Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area Development Scheme May 2014: http://www.edq.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/pda/development-scheme-toondah-harbour.pdf, Retrieved 1 June 2014
  22. ↑ Toondah Harbour Priority Development Area Development Scheme Submissions Report, May 2014: http://www.edq.qld.gov.au/resources/plan/pda/submissions-report-toondah-harbour.pdf, Retrieved 1 June 2014

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Coordinates: 27°32′S 153°17′E / 27.533°S 153.283°E / -27.533; 153.283

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