Master planning for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay – Public consultation insights summary – May 2023

In accordance with the Sustainable Ports Development Act 2015 (Ports Act), the Queensland Government released a draft master plan and draft port overlay for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay for public consultation.

The public consultation commenced on 17 October 2022 and continued for an eight-week period to 12 December 2022. Following community requests for additional time to make submissions, the consultation period was extended to 20 January 2023, for a total consultation period of more than 13 weeks.

Submissions

In total, there were 160 submissions relating to the draft master planning documents for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay from a range of stakeholders.

• 134 submissions from community members
• 12 submissions from local school students
• 3 submissions from Queensland Government agencies
• 3 submissions from environmental groups
• 2 submissions from community groups
• 2 submissions from local organisations
• 1 submission from a port authority
• 1 submission from a local government
• 1 submission from a Member of Parliament
• 1 submission from industry

About master planning for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay

The Queensland Government is advancing master planning for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay under the Ports Act.

Master planning provides a strategic and coordinated approach, considering issues beyond strategic port land, including potential marine and land-based impacts, port and supply chain infrastructure capacity and connectivity, and economic, community and environmental interests.

Master planning aims to strike a balance for the sustainable development of the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay and the long-term protection of environmental and cultural values, including the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

Master planning complements the existing regulatory system and does not remove regulatory processes required for planning and assessing proposals associated with port-related development.

Priority port master planning is a Queensland Government port-related commitment of the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan). The Reef 2050 Plan is a joint Australian and Queensland Government strategy for securing the long-term health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.

Communications approach

From the commencement of public consultation, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) utilised a range of communication methods to support the community in having their say on the draft master planning documents.

• Public notices - in local, state and national newspapers and the Queensland Government Gazette.
• An electronic community newsletter - to subscribers for master planning updates.
• A newsletter - letterbox drop issued through Australia Post to areas close to the ports.
• Social media posts - on Facebook.
• Public displays - of the draft documents at the local TMR office and 3 local libraries (Mackay, Sarina and Mount Pleasant).
• TMR hosted 4 public information sessions - held in Hay Point and Mackay enabling local community members to talk to TMR project officers about master planning and the draft documents. 29 community members attended in total.
• Webpages with links - to draft documents and fact sheets on master planning. There were 487 downloads of the draft master plan and draft port overlay.
• Project email - and a 1300 hotline number for direct enquires.
• Presentations - to private sector organisations with interests in the proposed master planned area.

Submission themes

TMR has reviewed the submissions to identify 11 key themes from the matters raised.

Overarching

• Length of the consultation period and scope of communication activities.
• Refinements of the draft master plan, draft port overlay and evidence base report—content and mapping.

Port of Hay Point

• Protection of turtle nesting areas on Hay Point beaches.
• Potential development issues with Dudgeon Point or with further coal terminal development.
• Louisa Creek community matters, including the designation of a Port Industry and Commerce Precinct in the area.
• Hay Point Road traffic and capacity issues.

Port of Mackay

• Protection of North Harbour Beach (including turtle nesting areas).
• Protection of parabolic dunes and wetlands in the Mackay northern port lands.
• Protection of habitat in the western port area.
• The need for port expansion and potential resulting impacts.
• Sporting, recreation or new industry opportunities (sailing, fishing and cruise ship facilities).

Outcomes

The public consultation process for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay has provided considerable insight for the master planning process, in particular the importance and value placed on the North Harbour Beach and surrounds by the community. In response to submissions, the final master planning documents are being reviewed.

The review considers:

• editorial changes to improve the information presented in the master planning documents
• additional environmental information to enhance the level of detail in the documents
• updates to figures for environmental values and the associated data references for the mapping to ensure the latest information is presented in the final documents
• precinct refinements to safeguard the long-term protection of the local environmental and social values in and surrounding the Port of Hay Point and Port of Mackay
• additional priority port management measure at the Port of Mackay to address environmental and social values.

In response to the submissions, the draft master planning documents are being reviewed to ensure the long-term protection of environmental and social values.

For the Port of Hay Point, reviews to the documents will take into consideration the importance of wildlife in the southern section of Dudgeon Point and turtle nesting on Hay Point beaches.

For the Port of Mackay, reviews to the documents will take into consideration the importance of protecting North Harbour Beach for turtle nesting and recreation; parabolic dunes in the northern port land; wetland areas; and the habitat in the western port area.

The objective of changes will be to ensure the master plan and port overlay achieves the balance of sustainable port development and the protection of environmental and social values in the master planned area.

Next steps

TMR is preparing the final master plan and final port overlay for consideration by the Queensland Government. The final master planning documents are anticipated for release in late 2023. A final report on the public consultation will be published on the TMR website when the final master planning documents are released.

Early 2021

Draft document preparation.

Late 2022 - early 2023

Public consultation and key stakeholder review.

Early - mid 2023

Submission analysis and final document preparation.

Late 2023

Final master plan and final port overlay completed.

TMR thanks the community for the valuable input into master planning for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay provided during public consultation. TMR also acknowledges the community’s strong interest in the local environment and the recreational amenities of the natural landscape in Hay Point and Mackay.

You can download the Master planning for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay – Public consultation insights summary – May 2023.

For more information

Website: Master planning for the priority Port of Hay Point/Mackay

Email: HayPointMackayPortMasterPlan@tmr.qld.gov.au

Phone: 1300 576 744