Attachment 6 - Ecological Assessment

Ecological Assessment Report v1                                                                      NCES REF: J000542
Lot 9 on RP225312 – 100 Cooyar Street, Noosa Heads



Plate 13 depicts recent drone imagery captured post fire break clearing which illustrates the extent
of vegetation remaining in the southern portion of the site.




                                                                         NSC firebreak external of
                                                                         site (NTS)
                                           Retained vegetation band
                                           within the site




                                     Plate 13 – Post fire break clearing conditions

5.1.2    Mitigation Measures
The vegetation expected to be impacted by the proposal could currently be cleared under numerous
local government and state government exemptions including Schedule 6 of the Planning Regulation
for bushfire protection measures (i.e., firebreak up to 1.5m tallest adjacent tree height). Ozcare
elected to retain the scattering of she-oaks in the south of the site during the recent fire break
management clearing to preserve potential Glossy black-cockatoo food trees along with a linear
band of woodland habitat along its southern boundary. The boundary vegetation could be cleared
under the boundary clearing and maintenance exempt clearing provisions of the Planning Regulation
2017. The extent of she-oaks in the Council firebreak were also retained via agreement between
Ozcare and NSC. These measures demonstrate the balance sought by Ozcare between ensuring
reasonable human safety and environmental stewardship on the site.
The proposal will potentially impact a small number Allocasuarina trees. However, evidence of
Calyptorhynchus lathami lathami (glossy black-cockatoo (eastern)) feeding* was not observed
during the site inspection. Evidence of feeding* has previously been observed on she-oaks located
along the western boundary of the site. Therefore, the impacted trees are not expected to be critically
important to the species.
*determined via presence of chewed orts at the base of she-oaks.
The impacts to any native vegetation in the clearing footprint are expected to be compensated via
site landscaping utilising appropriate suitable native species primarily found on or adjacent to the
site.
The presence of the cleared NSC firebreak immediately adjacent to the site infers the development
represents low risk of impact to any native bushland present within the adjacent Council land
National Park land. Nonetheless a Vegetation and Fauna Management Plan will be prepared with
the future OPW application to direct clearing activities and minimise the potential for any unforeseen
impact to native flora and fauna.




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