Calls for Abbot Point to be paused

Environmentalists are calling for the Abbot Point project to be paused after documents revealed the Queensland government's plan to build a "secret" harbour to assist with the transit of coal through the Great Barrier Reef.

The North Queensland Conservation Council (NQCC) has revealed the hidden plans for the tugboat harbour that weren't included in an Environmental Impact Statement provided to Greg Hunt by the Queensland Department of State Development, the group and 350.org said on Thursday night.

The documents, obtained under Right to Information legislation, reveal the harbour would be paid for by the government at an estimated cost to the public of $90-$125 million, NQCC said.

Several different plans for the harbour were included in the documents, including a "preferred option" previously rejected due to possible impacts on endangered turtle nesting sites.