Attachment 4 - Terrestrial Ecology Report_RACV_2022 June

Of conservation significance the following species have been recorded within or immediately adjacent
to the subject land:

     •    Koala (vulnerable – Queensland and Commonwealth)
     •    Grey-headed Flying-fox (vulnerable – Commonwealth)

Koala is known from the local area and evidence of presence (scats) were recorded along the edge of
the subject land and the Council (associated with swamp mahogany) and along Weyba Esplanade.
Habitat for this species is associated with the eucalypts and allied species for feeding and other tree
species for resting/shelter. It is known that koala move between the bushland to the south of Weyba
Esplanade and the corridor along the western side of Noosa Drive, east of the subject land. This area
has been identified (O2 Ecology, 2019) 24 as a critical “pinch-point crossing location”. This report also
notes only two koala sightings for the locality (on the Weyba Bridge) since 2014, with the majority of
records (i.e. on Weyba Road, Sanctuary Drive and west of Noosa Drive) from 2010 and 2014 25.

As noted previously, the swamp mahogany on the subject land are, at present, providing limited (if
any) habitat value for koala due to the vine encroachment. Regular use, as a corridor, of the heath-
woodland to the north should not be discounted although the area has a dense understorey of wet
heath with some swamp mahogany. The Council land (to the west of the subject land) provides
accessible feed and shelter habitat for the koala.

Grey-headed flying-fox was recorded foraging in tallowwood, paperbark and swamp mahogany within
the subject land and surrounding area (included in gardens and landscaped areas). This species is
highly mobile and migrates in search for food. The subject land and surrounding landscape
(throughout Noosa) would be considered to provide forage habitat. No day roosts for this or other
flying-fox species occurs within or adjacent to the subject land. Flying-foxes were noted flying from
the northeast at dusk (although historical roost sites occur to the west).

Migratory Species and Council locally significant species are discussed separately below.




24 O2 Ecology (2019) Koala Infrastructure Project. Noosa Shire Council.
25 It is noted that a koala and joey fatality occurred west of the roundabout in August 2019.

Terrestrial Ecology Assessment – RACV Noosa                                                           23