Description

The Keswick Island Development is a primarily land based residential development of Keswick Island. Keswick and St Bees Islands are approximately 35 kilometres north east of Mackay, they are narrowly separated by a fast flowing tidal channel with Keswick Island located to the west of St Bees (refer to figure 1). Much of Keswick Island is a National Park and the surrounding waters are within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Marine Works

Figure 1: Keswick and St Bees Islands, Mackay

The Keswick Island Development has been the subject of joint Commonwealth/State approval following an EIS process completed, under the Environmental Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act in the mid 1990’s. Whilst the majority of the development is land-based, considerable marine works are planned. These include development of two marinas and foreshore development in four bays. The Marine Works are to be staged with Stage One in Horseshoe Bay, currently inclusive of a 20 berth marina, a barge ramp and land reclamation to extend the existing airstrip. Those marine works have been the subject of a joint Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and GBRMPA permission since 1998 and to date, none of the permitted marine works has been completed.

The Developer is required to cover the costs of environmental site supervision and environmental monitoring programs related to all marine works. They must also provide a bond to be used to stabilise or rehabilitate the Marine Parks if the development fails. These requirements provide a reasonable safeguard for the environmental protection of the Marine Park without imposing those costs on the community.

Ownership of the development company, Keswick Island Pty Ltd., changed hands in 2002. The new owners are in the process of refining the designs for the marine works to reduce impacts to the marine environment and to reduce the total construction costs.