Dugongs and Curlews Don’t Sleep in Beds—Save Toondah Harbour Wetlands

*Eastern Curlew image : Dan Weller and ABCTV*

Here is my email with additions made to a draft copy received from Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown and sent to The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water:

My email heading “Dugongs and Curlews Don’t Sleep in Beds—Stop Harbour Development”

Dear Minister Plibersek,

I urge you to use your powers as the Environment Minister to reject Walker Corporation’s Toondah Harbour project which will destroy globally important wetlands and a refuge for some of Australia’s most unique and threatened wildlife.

A Ramsar-listed wetland is no place to build 3600 luxury residences including high-rise apartments, commercial strips and a 220-berth marina. It is beyond belief that this project is even being considered in the twenty-first century. We have already lost so much biodiversity due to corporate greed.

This project will have significant impacts on matters of national environmental significance: an internationally listed wetland (Moreton Bay), nationally threatened shorebirds including the critically endangered Eastern Curlew, migratory marine species (dugongs and turtles) and the locally threatened koala.

The Eastern Curlew is one of the 22 priority species in the Federal Government’s new 10-year Threatened Species Action Plan. Approving this project would be completely at odds with the Albanese Government’s goal of ‘No new extinctions’. I say save and preserve because there is no rebirth after extinction.

Failing to uphold Australia’s international obligations under the Ramsar Convention to protect this wetland and the species that rely on it, would set a dangerous precedent that could allow damaging developments in other important wetlands in Australia and worldwide.

*Critically endangered – How long will this small shorebird be able to continue to fly between Australasia and far-flung countries. A thousand years, a hundred years, or maybe just a few years?*

Walker Corp’s claims that a vast high-rise apartment complex on sensitive wetlands would result in ‘No expected reduction in migratory bird numbers’ and ‘Deliver a positive outcome for koalas’ are beyond belief! The construction materials, vehicles and building cement run-off alone could pollute the entire bay area.

Toondah Harbour is in the Redland Bay Cleveland area of southern Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. There is significant opposition to this building project from the Redlands community and Australia-wide and rightly so. Once that wetland biodiversity goes, everyone and everything suffers—and it won’t grow back.

The health of local residents is already affected, they are upset and deeply concerned about the loss of already threatened wildlife; the impact on local businesses and tourism; and increased road traffic. Every single millimetre of Toondah wetlands must be preserved for a healthy future.

Thank you for reading this letter and considering my views.

Yours sincerely,
Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Brisbane 2024

Postscript: After I emailed my thoughts regarding saving Toondah Harbour wetlands from massive tourism over-development, I saw this on our Australian Parliamentary website and The Guardian:

https://minister.dcceew.gov.au/plibersek/media-releases/proposed-decision-refuse-development-toondah-harbour
and
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/09/tanya-plibersek-rejects-toondah-harbour-project-over-impact-on-globally-significant-wetlands

THEN—TOONDAH HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT STOPPED! 18/4/24 It’s official! The iconic Toondah Harbour has been saved after Walker Corporation withdrew their application to build a $1.4 billion real estate project on the internationally protected wetland site. This momentous news comes after Environment Minster Tanya Plibersek announced last week that she intended to reject the nature-wrecking project on the basis that removing 58.7 hectares was unacceptable and would affect threatened flora, fauna and migratory birds. Also thanks to the groundswell of communities throughout Queensland and Australia with close to 200,000 people having called on our Government to save Toondah. View Tanya Plibersek’s announcement:

https://www.acf.org.au/toondah-harbour-saved-a-historic-moment-for-nature-and-people-power#:~:text=It’s%20official!,the%20internationally%20protected%20wetland%20site.

Please keep our waterways clean because…

*ReUse ReCycle Bag © image Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2024*

Let’s Have Lunch Up Mt Coot-tha

It’s a sunny, springtime day in subtropical Brisbane and we are heading towards Mt Coot-tha, the ‘mountain’ which is really a hill. The temperature is balmy and the drive is easy, out along a flat highway which decimated countless trees and native bushland.

Mt Coot-tha “Summit” Restaurant & Bar.

Ascending the steps…

We cruise by the Botanical Gardens, the Planetarium, the quarry (!), the cop with a radar speed gun, the tourists in an overheating VDub Kombi-van and climb towards the summit lookout which sits atop what was colloquially known as ‘One Tree Hill’.

Plenty more trees now, well, there is at the moment but Brisbane City Council may revert to one. The council is keen to upgrade the area, adding tourist lures like a zipline and tree-top canopy walk. Bye-bye quiet little harmless native animals and birds who take sanctuary there from the six-lane highway below.

Lunch in the shade of Kuta Café atop Mt Coot-tha, Brisbane.

Hardy plants in the sun all day.

We reach the carpark of our destination, fluke a spot, and notice the air smells eucalyptus fresh. It’s an interesting walk through various nationalities of smiling, picture-taking tourists. We join the milling crowd and peruse the Summit Restaurant & Bar menu before deciding the dollars signs are for high class meals. It is easier to tag onto the lunchtime queue at Kuta Café with its two-tiered eating decks.

Old natural stone from the surrounding area.

View from almost the top tier of the lookout.

I enjoy a delicious chicken salad wrap and share a huge bowl of baked potato wedges with heaps of sour cream and sweet chill sauce. After keenly snapping views towards the river and western suburbs, Brisbane CBD, and Moreton Bay with Moreton Island sandhills way in the distance, we detour the gift shop and head back to the car.

A friendly magpie lands on the car mirror, enquiring about food, but we have none to give, so it takes off—see below for this gripping encounter.

The Xanthorrhoea plant is uniquely Australian. It grows in the South East of Australia thriving in well-drained, aerated soils with low nutrient content.

Sticky-beak Magpie looking for food.

We agree not to drive the long way, the full circuit around Sir Samuel Griffith Drive which passes leafy barbecue areas, transmission towers and headquarters of local television stations.

Heading down the hillside, the city views and far-reaching scenery becomes less and less until ground level, then the highway roundabout appears, perfectly positioned opposite Toowong Cemetery.

The City of Brisbane is growing, the traffic is growing, the drivers are getting faster. Or am I turning into a grumpy older person? Time for a nap!

♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward