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

CSR West Ridge Quarry
Ecological Assessment Report



               Species                    Status*          Likelihood                                 Justification
                                                               of
                                                           Occurrence
  (Minute Orchid)
  Triunia robusta (Glossy              V (EPBC Act)           Unlikely        Suitable habitat (notophyll vine forest or mixed tall
  spice bush)                          E (NC Act)                             open forest often with rainforest understory on well
                                                                              drained soils and generally within 25m of streams)
                                                                              absent from the disturbance areas.
  Austromyrtus gonoclada               E (EPBC Act)           Unlikely        Suitable habitat absent from the disturbance areas.
  (Angle-stemmed myrtle)               E (NC Act)                             Found growing on sloping or flat alluvial terraces of
                                                                              permanent waterways, which experience some
                                                                              degree of tidal influence and are at an elevation of 5-
                                                                              50m ASL. May be found growing in lowland riparian
                                                                              rainforest or in association with notophyll vine forest
                                                                              species, in the subtropical areas of south-east
                                                                              Queensland.
* Where CE is Critically Endangered, E is Endangered and V is Vulnerable.

The remnant vegetation associated with Six Mile Creek, outside of but downhill from the proposed
disturbance areas, provides a narrow band suitable habitat for Southern penda and Glossy spice bush. No
individuals were observed during a survey along the creek.

4.2.4              Koala Habitat Trees
The areas of Regenerating Open Forest support numerous Koala Habitat Trees (KHTs), namely
Lophostemon confertus), Swamp box (Lophostemon suaveolens), Pink bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia)
and the occasional Flooded gum (Euclayptus grandis) and Red mahogany (Eucalyptus resinifera). These
areas of Regenerating Open Forest have been present for approximately 10-15 years (with occasional
patches of younger vegetation) and as a result the KHT species have established to height and formed a
                                                                               1
trunk diameter width which achieves the definition of a non-juvenile KHT pursuant to DERMs Koala
regulations (i.e. the SEQ Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provisions 2010). Trunk
circumference (at 1.3m height) generally range from 10-20cm. Patches of vegetation support narrower trunk
diameters but generally these trees were still able to achieve the 4m height requirement to constitute a non-
juvenile KHT. Under DERMs Koala regulations the areas of Regenerating Open Forest are considered to
provide Koalas with usable resources.
The areas of Open Grassland do not generally support KHT species of a size to achieve the definition of a
non-juvenile KHT because of past slashing in this area.

4.2.5              Declared Pest Plants
Groundsel (Baccharis halimifolia), which is found sparsely scattered through the Open grassland community,
is a Class 2 Declared Pest Plant pursuant to the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act
2003. CSR are aware of the pest and have included management measures within their weed management
program to control them. Lantana (Lantana camara) and Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), which
are found in the Regenerating Open Forest areas, are Class 3 Pest Plants under the Act.

4.3                Fauna Assessment
4.3.1              Overview
Fauna species opportunistically sighted during the field survey included Red backed fairy wren (Malurus
melanocephalus), Corvus orru (Torresian Crow), Pheasant coucal (Centropus phasianinus), Noisy Miner
(Manorina melanocephala), Psophodes olivaceus (Eastern Whipbird), Blue-faced honeyeater (Entomyzon
cyanotis), and Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles). A variety of other disturbance-adapted fauna species
within the region are likely to frequent the proposed disturbance areas and surrounding landscape.


1 Non-juvenile KHT is a KHT (food tree of the Corymbia, Melaleuca or Lophostemon or Eucalyptus genera and a preferred shelter species such as

Angophora) that has a height of more than 4m or a trunk with a circumference of more than 31.5cm at 1.3m above ground level, or both.


CSR Building Products Ltd                                       Version 3                                                    4 December 2012
Ecological Assessment Report V3.docx                      Commercial in Confidence                                                  Page 11