Development Application part 2 OF 2 All of CD, Information in notes - MCU12/0216

CSR West Ridge Quarry
Ecological Assessment Report




4                  Ecological Values
The West Ridge Quarry site (Lot 3) is located on gently undulating hills and generally has an easterly aspect.
The quarry pit itself and its associated stockpiling areas support steeper slopes owing to the nature of such
extraction works. Plate 1 below shows the existing quarry pit. Elevation at the site ranges from 114m AHD
in the south-west corner of Lot 3 to approximately 99m AHD at Six Mile Creek. The quarry drains towards
Six Mile Creek, which also forms the eastern boundary of Lot 3. From here, Six Mile Creek generally flows in
a northerly direction. Six Mile Creek is a permanent watercourse and is recognised by DERM as a stream
order 4 watercourse (pursuant to regrowth mapping). The inspection occurred after recent rainfall and Six
mile Creek was flowing heavily through the causeway which provides vehicle access between Lots 2 and 3.
Lot 3 and its surrounds are designated as ‘Rural’ pursuant to The Noosa Plan’s Cooroy & Lake Macdonald
Zone Map (ZM3). The proposed disturbance areas (and the existing quarry pit and surrounds) are contained
within a ‘Local Resource/Processing Area’ which is also recognised as having a ‘Mining Lease’ (refer
excerpt below). A ‘Resource Separation Area’ of approximately 200m extends from the boundaries of the
Mining Lease beyond Six Mile Creek.




                                 Excerpt from Cooroy & Lake Macdonald Natural Resources Overlay (Map OM3.5)



4.1                Flora and Vegetation Community Assessment
The two proposed disturbance areas (refer Figure 2) have been subject to past clearance and other
disturbances which are evidenced by:
> cleared open areas where vegetation has been removed and maintained as such;
> a young vegetation community with a low number of large, mature trees;
> modified ground levels and large areas of stockpiled fill; and
> the presence of weed species, notably Slash pine (Pinus sp.) which is present throughout the disturbance
  areas, but is particularly prevalent on the eastern side of the eastern proposed disturbance area.
The eastern proposed disturbance area is the largest of the two, comprising approximately 2.23ha. It is
comprised of two communities: ‘Open Grassland Community’ and ‘Regenerating Open Forest’, described
below. The division between the two communities is evident on aerial photography and shown on Figure 2.
The western proposed disturbance area is 0.43ha in area and is comprised of the same Regenerating Open
Forest as per the eastern area.

4.1.1              Open Grassland Community
This open, cleared area has been used for grazing until recent years. It is dominated by the exotic pasture
grass Setaria (Setaria sphacelata var. sericea) but also supports sparsely scattered native tree and shrub
species which have a relatively consistent maximum height of approximately 2m, indicating the area is likely
to have been slashed in the past 1 – 2 years. The emergent native species are indicative of those

CSR Building Products Ltd                                       Version 3                                     4 December 2012
Ecological Assessment Report V3.docx                      Commercial in Confidence                                    Page 7