A PEOPLE-powered campaign against new aircraft routes over the Southern Moreton Bay Islands has scored a major win, with Airservices Australia confirming two proposed arrival flight paths over the islands will not proceed.
SMBI Community Voice and SMBI Flight Path Action Group spokesperson Eve Newsome said the decision followed strong opposition from island residents about aircraft noise, pollution and the social, environmental and cultural heritage impact of additional flights.
“In 2025, we were looking at a possible impact of around an extra 100 flights per day on the small population of SMBI, so it is a massive relief that we have avoided that,” Ms Newsome said.
She thanked the SMBI community for their strong support for the 2025 “No Flights over SMBI” campaign, as 659 petition signatures and more than 215 survey responses were sent in to Airservices Australia.
Total responses from SMBI residents represented about 17 per cent of all submissions received by AsA during consultation.
However, campaigners say the fight is not over, with concerns remaining about an approved change to the south-east departure route that would direct aircraft over the middle of Russell Island from west to east both day and night.
Division 5 Councillor Shane Rendalls said the proposed route failed to account for the islands’ growing population.
“This proposed flight path is based on flawed population data and ignores the rapid growth occurring across Redlands and the Southern Moreton Bay Islands,” he said.
“With SMBI projected to exceed 20,000 residents within the next decade, and more than 363 dwellings approved on Russell Island alone last year, our island communities should not be treated as empty space on a map.”
The SMBI Flight Path Action Group fears the busy departure route with its wide, two-kilometre leeway corridor, would expose thousands of island residents to additional aircraft noise and pollution.
Ms Newsome said moving the route south of Russell Island was the outcome overwhelmingly sought by islanders during the 2025 community engagement period.
She said a small alteration to the design would avoid populated areas, direct more flights over water and reduce the number of island residents affected, benefiting the SMBI community while supporting Airservices’ objective of reducing population overflown.
The SMBI Flight Path Action Group is seeking further community consultation with Airservices about the Russell Island route.
