2022-12-12 General Committee Meeting Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   12 DECEMBER 2022




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GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                        12 DECEMBER 2022

              ATTACHMENT 3
              Department of Environment and Science
              [Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service]

              Summary of natural values and risks of Lot 7 MCH456: Noosa North Shore-
              Landing Ground for Aircraft Reserve

              e   Lot 7 MCH4562 (The Lot) is a 428-hectare Reserve under the Land Act 1994 (R967),
                  gazetted in 1948 as a Landing Ground for Aircraft.
              e   The Lot is essentially an inholding of conservation area surrounded by the Cooloola section
                  of the Great Sandy National Park and is predominantly natural closed heath and melaleuca
                  open forest, with an internal network of mowed airstrips.
              e   Noosa Shire Council is Trustee of the reserve.
              e   Access to the reserve is via a formal agreement between Noosa Shire Council (NSC) and
                  Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS).
              e   In 1992, the Goss Government earmarked the lot for addition to the ‘Cooloola National
                  Park’.
              e   The Lot has been recognised by successive parliaments since 1992, and multiple
                  community representations, as being of significant value for inclusion in the protected area
                  estate to both enhance natural values benefits of the area and preclude future land uses
                  incompatible with community expectations and protected area management requirements.
              e   The Lot is within the Kabi Kabi First Nations Peoples Native Title registered claim
                  QC2018/007.
              e   The Department of Environment and Science (DES) has requested NSC’s consideration of
                  relinquishment of the trusteeship, to enable DES management the Lot.
              e   World Heritage - the Great Sandy Region, Cooloola section was added to the World
                  Heritage Tentative List in 2010, nomination is on hold at this stage.
              e   The reserve is largely intact 406ha (95%) remnant regional ecosystem providing strong
                  connectivity to the adjoining Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park.
              e   The regional ecosystem consists of largely closed heath on seasonally waterlogged sand
                  plains RE12.2.12 and Melaleuca quinquenervia open forest on sand plains RE12.2.7
              e   The subject area falls within Matters of State Environmental Significance including:
                         o  363ha (84.7%) of subject area is listed as High Ecological Significance wetlands
                             on the map of referable Wetlands
                         o   401ha (94%) of subject area is recognised essential for Threatened (endangered
                            or vulnerable) wildlife (over a dozen endangered, vulnerable and near threatened
                             species are known to be found in the area)
                         o   188ha (44%) of subject area is listed Koala habitat - core (SEQ)
                         ©  an additional 191ha (45%) of subject area is listed Koala habitat — locally refined
                             (SEQ)
                         o   380ha (89%) is listed as Regulated Vegetation -Essential Habitat
              e   The Lot contains a significant portion (380 hectares) having state conservation significance
                  and critical habitat value for the Eastern Ground Parrot (Pezoporus wallicus wallicus) which
                  is classed as ‘vulnerable’ under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
              e   The Lot is recognised as “priority area” for offset investment for Core Ground Parrot Habitat
                  in response to the significant loss of habitat due to coastal development.
              e   The Ground Parrot Habitat is a key value of the national park including due to provision of
                  Core habitat to the Eastern round Parrot as well as several significant species, migratory
                  wader’s species, wallum frogs species, which rely on RE 12.2.12 being closed heath on
                  seasonally waterlogged sand plains.
              e   Managing the reserve consistent with the adjoining national park allows for the strategic
                  management of habitat at the landscape level and inclusion in the draft Cooloola
                   Recreation Area Management Plan aimed at long term management of the area.
              e   Managing the area consistent with the adjoining national park provides a significant
                  contribution to the key value identified in the draft Cooloola Recreation Area Management
                   Plan - Habitat for significant species - Ground Parrot Habitat.
               ~ Contact: Stirling Macdonald, A/Principal Ranger ~~—~—«* Endorsed: Stephen Price, A/Regional Director =”
                Business unit: Coastal and Islands Region     Business area: Coastal and Islands Region
                Telephone: 0429059014                         Telephone: 0421053246
                                                              Date Endorsed: 15/08/2022
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