ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Responses to Further Information Request by SEWPaC to Finalise EIS Proposed Great Keppel Island Research Centre December 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 2. EDITING AMENDMENTS TO THE EIS .................................................................. 2 3. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING VISITOR FORECASTS .................... 4 4. MARINA DESIGN ................................................................................................... 7 5. LIGHTING IMPACTS ............................................................................................ 11 6. WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................. 16 7. UTILITIES SERVICES CONNECTION TO THE MAINLAND................................ 20 8. TENURE ............................................................................................................... 27 9. SETBACK FROM LEEKE‟S ESTUARY ................................................................ 28 Responses to Further Information Request by SEWPaC to Finalise EIS for the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan 1. Introduction In response to a request from SEWPaC, the Proponent has now prepared additional information / clarification of the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan EIS. This information has been structured as follows; Editing Amendments to the EIS; Additional Information Regarding Visitor Forecasts; Marina Design; Lighting Impacts; Water Quality; Utilities Services Connection to the Mainland; Tenure; & Setback from Leeke‟s Estuary. Responses to Further Information Request by SEWPaC to Finalise EIS for the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan - 1 - 2. Editing Amendments to the EIS The following minor amendments to the Great Keppel Island EIS document are to be noted: # EIS Section EIS Page Current Description Amended Description Mr Morris & his brothers Alan Morris & his brothers constructed a jetty at constructed a jetty at Executive Fisherman‟s Beach around Fisherman‟s Beach 1 ES.27 Summary 1960, which was later around 1960, which was destroyed by a cyclone and later destroyed by a never rebuilt. cyclone and never rebuilt. Statistics on the wave Statistics on the wave climate climate in the vicinity of in the vicinity of the Island the Island can be inferred can be inferred from a wave from a wave rider buoy rider buoy that is deployed Chapter 1 that is deployed approximately 20 kilometres 1.6.2.2 (b) (i) approximately 20 2 39 to the south-east of the Island Wave kilometres to the south- and operated by the Exposure east of the Island and Queensland Department of operated by the Environment & Resource Queensland Department Management (DERM) (now of Environment & Heritage known as DNRM). Protection (EHP). Chapter 1 1.6.2.2 (b) (i) Refer Appendix Y – Refer Appendix Z– Coastal Coastal Coastal Environment 3 43 Environment Technical Processes Technical Report for Report for further details and further details. Dredging Further information Chapter 2 Further information regarding regarding the justification 2.2.3.5 the justification and location and location of the Marine 4 Marine 122 of the Marine Services Services Precinct is Services Precinct is provided in provided in Section 1.6.2 Precinct Section 1.5.2 of the EIS… of the EIS… # EIS Section EIS Page Current Description Amended Description Responses to Further Information Request by SEWPaC to Finalise EIS for the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan - 2 - The sources of water The sources of water 5 2.4.5.2 (e) 180 proposed this demand are proposed this demand are listed in Section 2.5.5.6 listed in Section 2.4.5.3 The predicted increase in The predicted increase in the the volume of water volume of water required from required from the the mainland water supply mainland water supply and the volume of recycled and the volume of 6 2.4.5.2(a) 177 water available for irrigation recycled water available based on the proposed for irrigation based on the staging is provided in Table proposed staging is 2.14 of Appendix AN provided in Table 8.8 of Appendix AN Lead Values: Lead Values: Mean: 12mg/kg Appendix W Mean: 2014.29mg/kg SD: 0.32mg/kg Page 33 of 7 Aquatic SD: 2083.21mg/kg 95% UCL: 1.36mg/kg Appendix D. Ecology 95% UCL: 3105.52mg/kg These amendments will not effect the balance of the report. Photograph 3.6 – Beach Photograph 3.6 - Bush 8 3.3 339 Stone-Curlew Stone-Curlew 9 Table 3.26 375-376 Refer Table 3.27 Refer Table 3.28 10 Table 3.27 377 Refer Table 3.27 Refer Table 3.28 11 Table 3.34 412-413 Refer Table 3.34 Refer Table 3.35 Replace Capricorn Appendix K Capricorn Conservation Conservation Commission Community Council is referred to as the with Capricorn 12 Appendix A Consultation Capricorn Conservation Conservation Council Report Commission (CCC) (CCC). Responses to Further Information Request by SEWPaC to Finalise EIS for the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan - 3 - 3. Additional Information Regarding Visitor Forecasts Appendix AC of the EIS contains a Forecast Economic Impacts report prepared by Foresight Partners. Table 1 of Appendix AC contains the average annual occupancy rate forecasts for the resort. This table indicates that an average of around 2,274 visitors, staff and guests will be on the Island each day. This is comparable to the peak daily visitation of the Island in the early 1990‟s. As stated in the Great Keppel Island Development Control Plan (Livingstone Shire Council – December 1993), the peak daily Island population at the time was 2,577 persons comprising 2,298 guests and 279 staff. It is also noteworthy that in the early 1990‟s the Island infrastructure including access, water, power and sewer were far inferior to what is proposed in the GKI Revitalisation Plan. The following table and graphs provide the monthly vacancy rates and population forecasts for the proposed new resort which takes into account the seasonal variations. The forecasts have been derived from an assessment of the ABS statistics on occupancy rates of comparable Queensland tourism markets and also an analysis of actual occupancy rates archived by the Great Keppel Island resort in the years prior to its closure. Responses to Further Information Request by SEWPaC to Finalise EIS for the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan - 4 - Responsesto Further InformationRequest SEWPaCby to Finalise EIS for Greatthe Keppel Island Day Commuting Month Hotel Rooms Villas and Apartments Marina Berths Staff Accommodation Totals Totals Trippers Staff 250 1,050 250 200 36,500 48,000 Monthly Daily Persons Persons Persons Persons Persons Occupancy Persons Occupancy Persons Occupancy Persons Occupancy Persons Persons per per per per per per Rate per Unit Rate per Unit Rate per Unit Rate per Unit month month month month month month 65% 2.2 50% 2.5 20% 2.2 95% 1.5 January 85% 468 14,496 85% 2,237 69,332 60% 330 10,230 95% 285 8,155 3,979 5,232 111,423 3,594 February 58% 318 8,896 37% 983 27,518 22% 119 3,326 95% 285 7,366 2,703 3,555 53,365 1,906 March 58% 321 9,954 44% 1,147 35,545 12% 66 2,046 95% 285 8,155 2,732 3,593 62,025 2,001 April 68% 377 11,297 53% 1,392 41,769 12% 66 1,980 95% 285 7,892 3,204 4,213 70,355 2,345 May 43% 236 7,330 19% 491 15,233 7% 40 1,228 95% 285 8,155 2,012 2,646 36,604 1,181 June 42% 232 6,960 22% 573 17,199 10% 53 1,584 95% 284 7,876 1,974 2,596 38,189 1,273 July 57% 311 9,640 37% 983 30,467 7% 40 1,228 95% 284 8,112 2,646 3,479 55,572 1,793 August 52% 287 8,906 34% 901 27,928 10% 53 1,637 95% 284 8,112 2,444 3,215 52,242 1,685 September 85% 468 14,028 78% 2,048 61,425 26% 142 4,273 95% 284 7,851 3,979 5,232 96,787 3,226 October 79% 433 13,412 54% 1,415 43,876 14% 79 2,455 95% 284 8,112 3,681 4,841 76,377 2,464 RevitalisationPlan November 68% 372 11,154 50% 1,315 39,440 12% 66 1,980 95% 284 7,851 3,163 4,197 67,785 2,259 December 85% 465 14,415 85% 2,237 69,332 48% 264 8,184 95% 284 8,121 3,984 5,203 109,238 3,524 95,760 36,500 48,000 829,963 2,274 Total 130,488 497,063 40,150 - 5 - Responses to Further Information Request by SEWPaC to Finalise EIS for the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan - 6 - 4. Marina Design Following discussions with GBRMPA, the marina design has been altered to ensure that the area required by the marina is not required to be removed from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. In order to achieve this outcome, the marina design has been slightly altered as follows: - All reclamation areas have been brought back to ensure that they do not extend beyond the Mean Low Water Mark; & - Separations have been incorporated into both breakwalls having the effect of creating two „artificial islands‟. Importantly, the location of the breakwalls and entrance channel has not been altered from the previous design. A plan of the revised marina design is shown below: Responses to Further Information Request by SEWPaC to Finalise EIS for the Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan - 7 - The revised marina design will result in a reduced reclamation area. The construction & operation of the revised marina design is expected to result in only minor alterations to the current coastal engineering assessment contained in Appendix Y of the EIS. Nonetheless, the Proponent has committed to revising the report contained in Appendix Y to demonstrate the construction and operational impacts of the revised design. A copy of this revised report will be provided under separate cover. Sediment Core Samples As outlined in Section 3.6.4.2 (page 698) of the EIS and in detail in Appendix W, sediment sampling was undertaken in the proposed marina and channel footprint at Putney Beach from 15 to 18 June 2011.