COORDINATOR-GENERAL’S EVALUATION REPORT on the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT for the DENT ISLAND GOLF COURSE RESORT, THE WHITSUNDAYS August 2004 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................... 1 2 PROJECT DETAILS................................................................................ 2 2.1 The Proponent ..................................................................................................................2 2.2 Project Description ..........................................................................................................2 2.1.1 Golf Course ....................................................................................................................2 2.2.2 Accommodation .............................................................................................................3 2.2.3 Maintenance Facility ......................................................................................................3 2.2.4 Irrigation Pump Shed .....................................................................................................3 2.2.5 Transport & Jetty Facilities ............................................................................................3 2.2.6 Domestic Refuse Collection ..........................................................................................4 2.2.7 Liquid Petroleum Gas ....................................................................................................4 2.2.8 Electrical Power .............................................................................................................4 2.2.9 Telecommunications......................................................................................................4 2.2.10 Potable Water ................................................................................................................4 2.2.11 Irrigation Water...............................................................................................................4 2.2.13 Service Pipeline .............................................................................................................5 2.3 Site Location .....................................................................................................................5 2.3.1 Lot 5 on CP 855596, Parish of Whitsunday..................................................................5 2.3.2 Lot 4 on HR 2019, Parish of Whitsunday......................................................................6 2.3.3 Existing Land Use ..........................................................................................................6 2.4 Rationale for the Dent Island Golf Resort Proposal....................................................6 2.4.1 Need ...............................................................................................................................6 2.4.2 Economic Benefits .........................................................................................................6 2.4.3 Site Benefits ...................................................................................................................7 2.5 Alternatives .......................................................................................................................7 3 THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROCESS ............................................... 8 3.1 Controlled Action & Significant Project Declarations ................................................8 3.2 Review and Refinement of the EIS Terms of Reference.............................................8 3.3 Review of the EIS..............................................................................................................9 3.4 Review of the Supplementary EIS..................................................................................9 3.5 Further Response to Submissions..............................................................................10 3.6 Coordinator-General’s Report ......................................................................................10 3.7 Commonwealth Impact Assessment...........................................................................10 4 ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS............................... 11 4.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................11 4.2 Evidence or Other Material Relied Upon.....................................................................12 4.3 Project Justification.......................................................................................................13 4.4 Conflict with Whitsunday Shire Council Statutory Planning Scheme....................14 4.5 Long-term Phased Development .................................................................................16 4.6 Acid Sulphate Soils........................................................................................................17 4.7 Vegetation Clearance and Disturbance of ‘Of Concern’ Vegetation ......................18 4.8 Whitsunday Shire Council Issues................................................................................19 4.9 Construction Timing ......................................................................................................23 4.10 Marine Landing Facility .................................................................................................23 4.11 Service Pipeline ..............................................................................................................24 4.12 Marine Construction Monitoring Program..................................................................25 4.13 Nutrient Management Issues........................................................................................26 4.14 Issues of Concern to the Mackay Conservation Group............................................26 4.14.1 Economic Justification .................................................................................................26 4.14.2 Alternatives...................................................................................................................27 4.14.3 Weed and Pathogen Control .......................................................................................27 4.14.4 Effluent Pipeline ...........................................................................................................28 4.14.5 Irrigation Water.............................................................................................................28 4.14.6 Visual Impact................................................................................................................28 4.14.7 Non-urban vs Urban concept ......................................................................................28 Dent Island Golf Course Resort EIS – Coordinator-General’s Report – August 2004 ii CONTENTS 4.15 Issues of Concern to Whitsunday Wildlife .................................................................29 4.15.1 Statement of Opposition ..............................................................................................29 4.15.2 The Tourism Threat .....................................................................................................29 4.15.3 Seagrasses, Dugongs & other threatened species....................................................30 4.15.4 Precautionary Principle................................................................................................30 4.15.5 World Heritage Area values.........................................................................................31 4.15.6 Loss of Habitat .............................................................................................................31 5 ASSESSMENT OF THE RELEVANT IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT ON MATTERS OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE................. 32 5.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................32 5.2 The Project ......................................................................................................................32 5.3 Places Affected by the Project .....................................................................................32 5.4 Controlling Provisions for the Project ........................................................................32 5.5 Summary of the Project’s Relevant Impacts..............................................................33 5.5.1 World Heritage Values.................................................................................................33 5.5.2 Listed Threatened Species and Communities............................................................41 5.5.3 Listed Migratory Species .............................................................................................44 5.5.4 Protection of the Environment from Actions Involving Commonwealth Land ...........44 5.6 Project Alternatives........................................................................................................45 5.6.1 “No Development” Alternative .....................................................................................46 5.6.2 Alternative Locations for the Proposed Development................................................46 5.6.3 Alternative Development Layouts ...............................................................................46 5.6.3 Alternatives for Site Services Infrastructure ...............................................................46