Toondah Harbour developer says curlew numbers unlikely to be affected, as species already in decline

The Ramsar wetland at Toondah Harbour in Queensland, where Walker Group wants to build 3,600 dwellings. Photograph: Judy Leitch

The property developer Walker Group says its proposed Toondah Harbour development is unlikely to have a significant impact on the size of eastern curlew populations due to a substantial decline in the number of birds migrating to Australia.

The analysis is contained in a long-awaited draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the apartment and retail project, which would see up to 3,600 dwellings constructed at the Ramsar-listed Moreton Bay wetlands in Queensland.