Gladstone’s port master plan is open for public input in the latest milestone for an initiative that will drive economic development in and around the port and protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Minister for State Development, Dr Anthony Lynham, said that the draft master plan sets out growth opportunities and an environmental management framework to ensure job-generating sustainable development.
Gladstone is the first of Queensland’s four priority ports to subject to master planning under laws introduced by the Palaszczuk Government in 2015. Those laws put into effect the Government’s key port-related commitments in the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan.
Master planning has started at Townsville, and preliminary processes are underway for Abbot Point and Hay Point/Mackay.
“ Master planning will ensure our priority ports—critical transport nodes for our economic strength—will support development of essentials for future growth including shipping channels, swing basins and berth pockets, as well as roads, rail lines, gas and water pipelines and power lines ,” Dr Lynham said.
Submissions on the draft master plan close on Monday, 9 October, 2017 with the final master plan and final master planned area to be finalized by mid-2018.