Attachment 7C - Flora and Fauna Survey Assessment_Noosa Landfill - Revision 3

                                                                                      Native Foresters



3.4      Assessment of breeding places and fauna habitat quality
3.4.1 Proposed Clearing Area

The proposed clearing area of the landfill, including mulch and timber piles, provide habitat
for small mammals (e.g. rodents) and snakes, which in turn attracts populations of birds of
prey (e.g. raptors and owls). The ponds, bioretention basins and sediment retention basins,
constructed rock chutes and drainage lines on the eastern edge of the landfill provide
suitable habitat for a range of waterbirds, waders, frogs and aquatic invertebrates (Figure
16). The southern stormwater drainage area contains large remnant trees which provide
important habitat for a range of arboreal fauna species.

The amphibian community in the areas that receive surface runoff e.g. the ponds and
drainage line that run parallel to the eastern landfill boundary, is dominated by common
species that are tolerant of disturbance. This community includes Beeping Froglet (Crinia
parinsignifera), Striped Rocketfrog (Litoria nasuta) and Eastern Sedgefrog (Litoria fallax),
as well as introduced Cane Toads. These species are considered the main competitors of
Wallum frogs and are generally excluded from the more acidic and ephemeral ponds in
coastal heathlands as their aquatic life stages would not endure in low pH environments.
Conversely, Vulnerable-listed Wallum frogs are likely to be excluded from the areas on the
edge of the landfill where large populations of the competitor species occur.

3.4.2 Land Zone 3 ecosystems – Wetland areas

Land Zone 3 – Recent Quaternary alluvial systems occurring along the drainage lines
supports wet heath (RE12.3.13) and wetland (RE12.3.5) areas east of the landfill. These
areas possesses high ecological value for a range of fauna, including Endangered Swamp
Crayfish (Tenuibranchiurus glypticus) and Vulnerable-listed Wallum frogs (Refer to Figure
15). Breeding habitat for Swamp Crayfish occurs in the Potential Impact Area and 100m
buffer areas. Breeding habitat for Wallum Froglet is known to occur in the buffer, with core
breeding habitat confirmed at 200 to 600 metres east north-east of the landfill. Core
breeding habitat potentially extends into the impact area under very wet conditions.

Breeding habitat for Wallum Froglet and Wallum Rocketfrog occurs where water persists
for six to eight weeks in summer and eight or more weeks in winter, and is typically,
although not exclusively, associated with heath vegetation and sedges where water collects
above organic hardpan layers forming acidic (pH <6.0) ‘perched’ swamps and lakes. The
surrounding woodland and wetland habitats in the Potential Impact Area also provide
suitable habitat for dispersing Wallum frog individuals.

Wallum Sedgefrog (Litoria olongburensis) were not detected during the survey and are
considered unlikely to occur in the Potential Impact Area given the absence of suitable
core habitat or breeding habitat i.e. ephemeral ponds with emergent sedges and rushes.
There is however potential for Wallum Sedgefrogs to occur in the 100 metre buffer given
the presence of mapped non-core habitat as shown in Figure 5 and the presence of a
ground-truthed area of core sedgeland habitat centred on -26.4355, 153.03155 as shown
in Figure 15.




Noosa Landfill & Resource Recovery Centre – Fauna and Flora Assessment – Revision 3
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