Welcome to a greener way of life

January 5, 2021

If you value connecting with wide, green open spaces and waterways, then you’ll enjoy the North Harbour way of life.

With a long list of awards and achievements already backing its reputation, North Harbour’s commitment to environmental excellence is only just beginning.

Close to the water and parkland

There’s no doubt that being able to connect with greenery and water works wonders for our wellbeing.

At North Harbour, you can immerse yourself in the great outdoors – with almost half the entire site dedicated to open, green space and parkland.

Incredibly, every house is within 325 metres of being able of spaces large enough for families to gather, picnic, play ball, meet and make new friends.

Five parks have been completed, with facilities ranging from kayaking and canoeing to playgrounds, barbecue areas, exercise equipment, and dog off-leash zones.

With 420 hectares of parklands and public open spaces planned – the equivalent of 600 football fields – North Harbour has been designed to provide a wide range of recreational opportunities for residents and the region.

Each park connects with bike and walking trails to offer a unique experience. Six kilometres of mountain bike trails have also been created, allowing visitors to enjoy the landscape in a low-impact way.

And it’s set to get even better with the upcoming declaration of the community as a Priority Development Area (PDA) by the State Government, with a 400-berth marina providing a direct connection to Moreton Bay.

The waterfront way of life allows boating enthusiasts to explore the many wonders of the region, including a magnificent array of marine life such as dugongs, dolphins and whales as well as more than 350 species of birds.

Plans also include a landmark 319-hectare riverside recreational precinct. The precinct will include wetland-based environmental offset areas.

It all adds to an impressive record of caring for the environment.

60,000 trees planted – and counting

Did you know we have planted 60,000 trees at North Harbour?  And by the time we’re finished, we’ll have planted hundreds of thousands more.

Before North Harbour, the site has had many previous uses including land for farming and as a sugar plantation.

In order to reforest and rehabilitate the area, we’re planting native trees and shrubs to encourage a sustainable wildlife habitat.

We’ve even held several Tree Planting Days to involve our community in reforesting an area along the Caboolture River – giving local families have the opportunity to plant trees they’ll be able to come back and see for years to come.

Twenty-five hectares of land has been replanted in a massive revegetation program along Caboolture River and Raff Creek.

Preserving links to the past

At North Harbour, we recognise the importance of preserving links to the site’s rich history for the benefit of future generations.

Protected under the Queensland Heritage Register, preserving the historical remnants of the site has been a priority. Signage and photographs throughout the park offer a fascinating window to the past.

One of the most exciting aspects of the North Harbour master plan is our Heritage Park along the banks of Caboolture River.

Originally North Harbour was developed as a cotton farm in the 1860s, with a company of business partners including George Raff. Raff later developed the land as a sugar cane plantation and processing works.

Naming the site “Moray Fields’’ – a reference to his origins in Morayshire in Scotland – Raff’s plantation incorporated stockyards, a sawmill, stables and sheds, as well as shops for carpenters, butchers, bakers and more.

The North Harbour team has worked with heritage experts and archaeologists at the remains of “Moray Fields”, uncovering building foundations that were not previously known.

The history of the site is showcased in a dedicated “interpretive centre” in our $3 million Heritage Park that delivers a ‘mind map’ of the site before it is experienced first-hand by visitors. The centre offers historic photographs, sketches and displays allowing visitors to appreciate the stories and significant developments from the past up to the present day.