Legacy Way permitted clearing of vegetation along the Western Freeway

The clearing along the north side of the Western Freeway is now complete. Clearing was undertaken for the realignment of the city bound lanes (two new lanes will be constructed) to allow for the construction of the tunnel portal in the centre of the Western Freeway. For a diagram visit:

Interactive Legacy Way Alignment Map

This clearing was proposed in the Brisbane City Council (BCC) Application for Project Change October 2010 document and approved in December 2010 by the Coordinator-General. Also contained in this BCC document was the proposal for the construction workforce car park to be located within ANZAC Park and the proposal for the tunnel control centre to be built on Ada Park. The tunnel control centre proposal was retracted by BCC in November 2010, and the car park prosposal for ANZAC Park was not approved by the State Government's Coordinator-General in December 2010, however, as you would remember BCC returned in February 2011 with two options for the car park within ANZAC Park, and in April 2011 then decided not to continue to pursue this site.

In regards to vegetation removal, the Application for Project Change October 2010 at 4.3.5 Ecology states:

The impact on vegetation will be further assessed during detailed design and the undertaking of more detailed surveys. Current information suggests that the Changed Project would impact a total of approximately up to 15 hectares of Vegetation Management Act protected vegetation to accommodate the realignment of the Centenary Motorway and construction activities. This total includes:

• Approximately 9 hectares of 'least concern' RE (12.11.3 and 12.11.5)

• Less than 6 hectares of regulated regrowth.

The Changed Project would not impact upon fragmented RE to the south of the Centenary Highway, compared to the loss of approximately less than 2 ha that would occur under the Reference Design.

For the western worksite, the Changed Project would require an expansion of the Reference Design worksite by approximately 2.1Ha. The additional worksite area would encompass two categories of vegetation:

• An area of approximately 1.8Ha containing a sparse landscaped Eucalypt community; and

• An area of approximately 0.3Ha affecting the Botanic Gardens.

Therefore, the western worksite is around 6 hectares in size.

The Application for Project Change October 2010 also states: The alignment for the spoil conveyor would have a footprint of approximately 2Ha. Vegetation covering approximately 1.3Ha of this area is mapped under the VM Act as ‘of least concern’ remnant regional ecosystems. With Transcity adopting the tunnel conveyor option, the original area required for the spoil conveyor alignment is no longer required to be cleared, thereby reducing the clearing area by approximately 1.3Ha.

Thank you to Transcity for clarifying this enquiry.


Vegetation Management Act 1999

Clearing for two new exit flyover lanes. Image: Transcity