2016-06-07 - P&E Agenda - Item 3, Attachment 1 - Noosa Parklands Draft Management Plan

3.2      Waterbodies
The park is within the lower Noosa River Catchment and the Wooroi Creek sub-catchment
which is a tributary of the lower Noosa River. The headwaters of Wooroi Creek begin
approximately 2 km south-west, draining sections of the Tewantin National Park prior to
entering the park on its southern and western borders. Within the park, the main branch of
Wooroi Creek runs from west to east, with three minor tributaries adjoining from the south.

Wooroi Creek and its tributaries only flow and hold water for a limited period following
rainfall, with some natural ponding of water occurring throughout the year. There are two
semi-permanent instream water bodies: (i) a small lagoon situated at the southern end of
Parkview Court, and (ii) a dam situated north of Lomandra Place. Both waterbodies are likely
to provide habitat for various common native (and exotic) small bodied fish species, and
utilised by amphibians, small reptiles and avifauna (Section 3.3). Additionally, they are
known to contain salvinia (Salvinia molesta), a declared class two aquatic pest plant (Section
4.1).

Vegetation along the creek banks and instream is critical to help absorb the force of the
water and therefore reduce its capacity to erode the banks. This vegetation (especially
native grasses and other groundcover plants within the instream section) also helps to
maintain good water quality by filtering sediments, nutrients and pollutants from run-off
before it enters the park’s waterbodies and flows downstream to Noosa River. Conversely,
vegetation also limits the amount of debris and sediment which flows into grassed
recreational areas during heavy rainfall events. Bank vegetation and submerged logs
provide food and habitat for fish and other aquatic life (Department of Natural Resources and
Water [DNRM] 2006; Section 3.3 below).


3.3      Native plants and animals
The majority of the park supports remnant vegetation and is dominated by vegetated swamp
and open forest. Within the park, 301 native plant species and 294 native animal species
(including nine mammals, 18 reptiles, 13 frogs, 99 birds, 23 spiders, 131 insects, two snails
and six fish and crustaceans) have been recorded (Appendix 6 and 7). This includes ten
threatened species of State and/or Commonwealth significance, including migratory species
such as the rainbow bee-eater (Merops ornatus).

The park supports essential habitat for a number of legislatively significant fauna including
koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), Richmond birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera richmondia),
wallum froglet (Crinia tinnula), wallum rocket frog (Litoria freycineti) and wallum sedge frog
(Litoria olongburensis) (DNRM 2015). Over the last two years, there have been koala
sightings along the pathway towards Billabong Way. The wallum froglet has been recorded
in a known frog breeding area, which is a low and mostly waterlogged area along the
walkway from Palmer Crescent. Richmond birdwing butterflies have been sighted at a
number of locations within the park, including near Honeywell Court entrance, behind
Cedarleigh Drive and behind Palmer Crescent.

The park is mapped as low to medium value bushland under the State Planning Policy


Final draft Noosa Parklands Park Management Plan                                     page | 14