210055 - 327 Kinmond Creek Road, COOTHARABA - Ecological Assessment Report

                                                                             Ecological Assessment Report
                                                                        327 Kinmond Creek Rd, Cootharaba



4. Ecological Values Assessment

        Ground-truthed Vegetation Communities

The site assessment determined that the proposed development site supports a single vegetation community,
Gympie messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana) open forest (Plate 1). Canopy and subcanopy species present also
include pink bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia), brush box (Lophostemon confertus), small-fruited grey gum
(E. propinqua), turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera), tallowwood (E. microcorys), hoop pine (Araucaria
cunninghamii var. cunninghamii), black she-oak (Allocasuarina littoralis), blueberry ash (Elaeocarpus
reticulatus), scentless rosewood (Synoum glandulosum), green wattle (A. irrorata),        foambark (Jagera
pseudorhus) and a range of rainforest and dry rainforest species. The average canopy height is 21 – 25 m
with an estimated canopy cover of 70%. This community is mapped as Category B (remnant) listed as
endangered regional ecosystems under the DNRME mapping. The Regional ecosystem is analogous to RE
12.11.16 described as Eucalyptus cloeziana open forest on metamorphics +/- interbedded volcanics. The
accuracy of this mapped by the site assessment.

The shrub layer is generally absent with some small patches of hickory wattle (Acacia disparrima var.
disparrima), red ash (Alphitonia excelsa) and some native vines including monkey rope vine (Parsonsia
straminea) and five-leaf water vine (Cissus hypoglauca). The ground stratum is dominated by native species
including forest grasstree (Xanthorrhoea johnsonii), blue flax lily (Dianella caerulea) and bracken fern
(Pteridium esculentum).

A complete species list is provided in Appendix 6. This species list was also completed with species recorded
by Phillip Moran who undertook a site inspection for Noosa Landcare.




                            Plate 1: Gympie messmate (E. cloeziana) open forest.




PR20257_EA_327 Kinmond Creek Rd, Cootharaba                                                      Page 13