Rev Fauna Flora Assessment

                                                                                Native Foresters




3.4      Assessment of breeding places and fauna habitat quality

The results of the fauna habitat assessment are provided in Table 4. The fauna habitat
assessment is important in determining species that may be in the area but whose presence was
not able to be detected.

The vegetation in the survey area possesses good habitat values for native fauna, although the
habitat is narrow in extent and surrounded by urban residential areas. There is potential for
species dispersal and recruitment along the drainage lines and the narrow vegetation corridor
that traverses Lomandra Park and Heritage Park. This vegetation corridor is locally significant as
it connects Harry Springs Conservation Park to the north across Golf Course Drive with Tewantin
National Park to the south across the Cooroy Noosa Road.

The mature Eucalypt trees in the survey area are considered “habitat trees” as they are of
significant size (up to 500 millimetres dbh). These trees provide roosting, perching and foraging
resources as well as breeding habitat for a number of arboreal mammal, reptile and avian fauna
species and should be retained wherever possible.

Although a number of preferred primary and secondary Koala food trees are present, given the
narrow extent of the vegetation on site and the dense near-impenetrable understorey, the area is
considered to provide suboptimal Koala habitat. Koalas may potentially traverse the survey area
or use it as a dry season refugia as they disperse from high quality habitat in Harry Springs
Conservation Park to the north and Tewantin National Park to the south and west. There are a
significant number of Koala sightings (live and dead) in the surrounding one kilometre area.

One disused stick nest and an excavated hole in an arboreal termite nest that would once have
been used by a Laughing kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) or one of the Forest kingfisher
species were observed in the canopy (Figure 10, Tree No 245, Detailed Survey and Contour
Plan). No significant hollows were observed in any of the larger trunks or limbs. The trees provide
abundant food for honeyeaters and other nectarivorous species, while some of the rainforest trees
and shrubs on site could provide food for frugivorous bird and mammals, including bats. The
weed-dominated dense understorey provides cover and nesting habitat for small birds such as
Variegated fairy-wren (Malurus assimilis) and Brown thornbill (Acanthiza pusilla), and also
provides breeding and foraging opportunities for small mammals and reptiles.

Around the drainage lines and stormwater outlets in the central and southern parts of the site, the
ground was saturated and surface water accumulations were noted beneath the dense
understorey (Figure 11). Following heavy rainfall in autumn 2017 and 2018, these areas became
inundated, giving rise to ephemeral ponds, although the inundation was of short duration. Such
habitats may provide breeding habitat for EVNT listed frog species during periods of prolonged
inundation, however no individuals were detected during targeted species surveys conducted in
optimal survey conditions. The presence of a large population of Beeping Froglet (Crinia
parinsignifera) and Eastern Sedge Frog (Litoria fallax) as well as native fish species e.g. Empire
gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa) may exclude Wallum Froglets and/or detract from the area’s
suitability for the species.




Carramar Extension – Fauna and Flora Assessment – Revision 2                                       26