Toondah Harbour: save the bay

Once it’s gone, it’s gone! Why BirdLife Australia vehemently opposes Walker Corporation’s proposal:

• Walker Corporation’s Toondah Harbour project proposal disregards the sanctity of one of the oldest and most respected international conservation treaties, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Significance. Walker Corporation’s project proposes to permanently destroy over 40 hectares, or the equivalent of about 10 MCGs, of the treaty-listed Moreton Bay Ramsar Site.
• The project area is an important feeding habitat for the Critically Endangered Eastern Curlew. Adults migrate to the site from the Arctic and back, every year, while juveniles live at Toondah Harbour year round.
• Eastern Curlews are a priority bird identified in the Federal Government’s new 10 year Threatened Species Action Plan. The destruction of their habitat for a private company’s gain is unacceptable.
• The population of Eastern Curlews has declined by over 80% in the past 30 years, largely due to similar coastal development projects across their range.
• This level of private development within a Ramsar site would be unprecedented. It could literally pave the way for similar projects within Moreton Bay, Australia and the world.

The Critically Endangered Eastern Curlew depends on Toondah Harbour

Moreton Bay, in which Toondah Harbour is located, is internationally significant for Eastern Curlew. These birds exclusively roost and feed in coastal environments. Based on BirdLife Australia’s historical counting data, Moreton Bay is the single most important site for Eastern Curlew in Australia, supporting up to 6.5% of the world’s population.

Over the past 30 years, the population of Eastern Curlew has declined by over 80%, resulting in their uplisting to Critically Endangered.

Politicians have an obligation to protect Toondah Harbour

The Proposal area and the species that inhabit it are protected under numerous international conventions and agreements including:

• The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
• The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
• Bi-lateral migratory bird agreements with Japan (JAMBA), China (CAMBA) and the Republic of Korea (ROKAMBA).
• These agreements also afford the site and species protection under the EPBC Act 1999 as Matters of National Environmental Significance.
• If approved this development will set a dangerous precedent for future development proposals within the 66 Australian and 2,339 other globally Ramsar-listed wetlands.

Together, we can Save Toondah Harbour, forever!

This is the home stretch of our campaign to save the wetlands and birds of Toondah Harbour.

“We know that environmentalists and bird scientists across the world are keenly watching the outcome of this process with grave concerns for the potential impact in other nations, as well as to species in Australia.” says BirdLife Australia’s CEO Kate Millar.

We will have a final decision within weeks. Add your voice: email Minister Plibersek today!