The Port of Townsville is applying for a new 10 year permit to continue dumping the slurry from its maintenance dredging program at its current dump site. The current dump site allows dredge spoil to be actively re-suspended and the photo above shows a plume of dredge spoil heading towards Magnetic Island in 2025. This has obvious implications for Magnetic Island and MINCA urges everyone to write to the relevant authorities asking instead for a maximum of a two year extension of the existing permit to enable an independent comprehensive environmental assessment of alternative dump sites to be undertaken.
Background Information
MINCA recently (Nov and Dec 2025) gave a series of presentations to the communities of Magnetic Island and Townsville (with NQCC) on the problems that have arisen from the dumping of dredge spoil by the Port in Cleveland Bay. The presentations consisted of:
- a film and photos with narration by Kaspa Blewett and Lawrence Scheele
- a passionate presentation by Chad Bertram of Pleasure Divers on the island on the impact of the dredge spoil on tourism and recreational snorkellers and divers
- a detailed presentation on the history and impacts of the dumping of the dredge spoil by Gethin Morgan.
This presentation is below and provides extensive information.
MINCA recently (Nov and Dec 2025) gave a series of presentations to the communities of Magnetic Island and Townsville (with NQCC) on the problems that have arisen from the dumping of dredge spoil by the Port in Cleveland Bay. The presentations consisted of:
- a film and photos with narration by Kaspa Blewett and Lawrence Scheele
- a passionate presentation by Chad Bertram of Pleasure Divers on the island on the impact of the dredge spoil on tourism and recreational snorkellers and divers
- a detailed presentation on the history and impacts of the dumping of the dredge spoil by Gethin Morgan.
This presentation is below and provides extensive information.
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Are you concerned about dredge spoil harming Magnetic Island and the Great Barrier Reef? Please do something about it!
Send an email to the State and Federal Environment Ministers and the Port, or ring their offices - let them know what the sea dumping of dredge spoil is doing to our island, Cleveland Bay and the Great Barrier Reef!
Ranee Crosby, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Townsville Ltd
Phone: (07) 4781 1500; Email: [email protected]
Andrew Powell MP, Queensland Minister for the Environment & Tourism
Phone: (07) 3719 7300; Email: [email protected]
Brent Mickleberg MP, Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads
Phone: (07) 3719 7110; Email: [email protected]
Rosslyn Bates MP, Queensland Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training
Phone: (07) 3719 7560; Email: [email protected]
Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Federal Minister for the Environment & Water
Phone: (07) 5531 1033; Email: [email protected]
Adam Baillie MP - State MP for Townsville
Phone: (07) 4766 4100; Email: [email protected]
Possible points for your emails and/or calls:
Please include your name, suburb and postcode, and your email or mobile number
Are you concerned about dredge spoil harming Magnetic Island and the Great Barrier Reef? Please do something about it!
Send an email to the State and Federal Environment Ministers and the Port, or ring their offices - let them know what the sea dumping of dredge spoil is doing to our island, Cleveland Bay and the Great Barrier Reef!
Ranee Crosby, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Townsville Ltd
Phone: (07) 4781 1500; Email: [email protected]
Andrew Powell MP, Queensland Minister for the Environment & Tourism
Phone: (07) 3719 7300; Email: [email protected]
Brent Mickleberg MP, Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads
Phone: (07) 3719 7110; Email: [email protected]
Rosslyn Bates MP, Queensland Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training
Phone: (07) 3719 7560; Email: [email protected]
Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Federal Minister for the Environment & Water
Phone: (07) 5531 1033; Email: [email protected]
Adam Baillie MP - State MP for Townsville
Phone: (07) 4766 4100; Email: [email protected]
Possible points for your emails and/or calls:
- I have serious concerns about the current sea dumping of dredge spoil by the Port of Townsville because these activities are damaging the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area including the reefs around Magnetic Island.
- The current dump site for maintenance dredge spoil is too shallow, so spoil is easily resuspended. It ends up back in the port access channel, contributes to poor inshore water quality, and adds to the cumulative pressures on our marine ecosystems.
- The volumes of maintenance dredge spoil will increase due to wider and deeper access channels, more frequent and intense wind, and more intense cyclones and rainfall events, all currently forecast.
- I urgently request the Queensland and Federal Governments to work with Port of Townsville Ltd to:
- Undertake a comprehensive environmental assessment of alternative dump sites for the Port of Townsville, including an assessment of the total benefits and costs to the environment and to all stakeholders of the sea dumping of dredge spoil.
- Extend the existing sea dumping permit for the Port of Townsville for up to two years to allow this proper assessment of alternative dump sites.
Please include your name, suburb and postcode, and your email or mobile number
Responsibilities
The responsibility for dumping the maintenance dredge material lies between the Port of Townsville, the Queensland State Government and the Federal Government as follows:
Port of Townsville
- Overseen by an independent Board accountable to the State Government
- Initiates the application to the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) for a Sea Dumping permit
- Provides advice to DCCEEW about impacts of its past and proposed sea dumping
- Operates within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA)
State Government
- Owns the Port of Townsville through two shares held by the Transport and Finance Ministers
- Sets the overall strategic direction for the Port
- Co-manages the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA)
- Is responsible for waters within the GBRWHA that are seaward of low water but are not a Federal responsibility (this includes port areas)
Federal Government
- DCCEEW oversees the approval of Sea Dumping Permits
- DCCEEW is responsible for reporting on the state of the World Heritage Area
- GBRMPA is responsible for the protection and management of the GBRMP
The responsibility for dumping the maintenance dredge material lies between the Port of Townsville, the Queensland State Government and the Federal Government as follows:
Port of Townsville
- Overseen by an independent Board accountable to the State Government
- Initiates the application to the Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) for a Sea Dumping permit
- Provides advice to DCCEEW about impacts of its past and proposed sea dumping
- Operates within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA)
State Government
- Owns the Port of Townsville through two shares held by the Transport and Finance Ministers
- Sets the overall strategic direction for the Port
- Co-manages the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA)
- Is responsible for waters within the GBRWHA that are seaward of low water but are not a Federal responsibility (this includes port areas)
Federal Government
- DCCEEW oversees the approval of Sea Dumping Permits
- DCCEEW is responsible for reporting on the state of the World Heritage Area
- GBRMPA is responsible for the protection and management of the GBRMP
MINCA has been active for many years in relation to the Ports dredging activity. More information on earlier actions can be found on other of our pages, eg click here for our Clearwater information (note that some of the links from this old page may no longer be available).
