J - Gondwana Ecology Report (28.08.2019)

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The approved development retained covenant areas along Eenie Creek Road and along Hofmann Drive as
follows:

    •   Covenant Y (Ref: 714119228) - in favour of Council (753m2). Purpose - preserve native vegetation.
    •   Covenant AA (Ref: 713330303) - in favour of Council (1172m2). Purpose - preserve native vegetation.
    •   Covenant AB (Ref: 713330303) - in favour of Council (2000m2). Purpose - preserve native vegetation.

The ecological conditions for the approval were generally limited to “retention of existing trees within the
covenant areas” (Condition 24), the “lodgement and approval by Council of a Fauna Management Plan prior
to the commencement of any works” (Conditions 25 & 26) and “the lodgement of a Vegetation Management
Plan (VMP) prior to the commencement of any works” (Condition 27).


3.0 Proposed Development
As per the plan in Attachment B, with respect to ecology matters, the proposed plan provides the same
environmental outcome as that which has been approved by the Court (refer Attachment C), in that:

    •   Three covenant areas (i.e. Covenant Y, Covenant AA and Covenant AB) are retained;
    •   The balance land is development as built form; and
    •   The developed part of the land includes cleared grassed areas and vegetated areas.


4.0 Koala and Acid Frog Habitat
Although the proposed development (ecological) outcome is no different to the approved development,
Council have requested comment on the habitat value for koala and acid frogs.

4.1 Site Vegetation

The vegetation comprises mostly a regrowth community with isolated emergent canopy trees. Edge effects,
fragmentation and surrounding land-uses have compromised the ecological values. However, native
vegetation, including groundcovers, mid-storey and canopy trees occurs. The vegetation would be
considered to provide (albeit isolated and limited) habitat for some fauna.

Vegetation in the north is characterised by she-oak (Allocasuarina) and wattle (Acacia) regrowth with some
paperbarks (Melaleuca quinquenervia), swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta) and a few stags (dead trees).
The area associated with Covenant AA and Covenant Y is to be retained. Groundcover includes grasses,
sedges (sword-rush) with cleared disturbed areas. The vegetation in the east of this patch (refer
Attachment A) is to be removed for the development. A constructed swale (drain) runs along the southern
boundary of the covenant area and to the west of the “eastern” patch of bush.

Vegetation in the south is within an existing “swale” and includes specimens of flooded gum (Eucalyptus
grandis), swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta) and paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia). Understorey
and midstorey appears to be mostly native species and there is evidence of a planting exercise along the
eastern boundary with Hofmann Drive. The vegetated area associated with Covenant AB is to be retained.

A series of PHOTO PLATES is provided as Attachment D.

The subject land is generally isolated from surrounding bushland with the exception of the vegetated screen
(open space) associated with Noosa Civic to the east (along Eenie Creek Road) and a tenuous connection to
open space patches (open space/drain covenants associated with Noosa Civic) south along Hofmann Drive.
The land to the south and west comprises industrial uses, to the north is the road and residential/retail uses
while the Noosa Civic centre and road occurs to the east.




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There is no “regulated vegetation” (or remnant regional ecosystem) on the subject land (i.e. all mapped
category X under the Vegetation Management Act 1999) nor immediate surrounds (refer Extract A). Remnant
vegetation occurs some distance to the south (>200m) 1.

There is no “essential habitat” (for threatened fauna) on the subject land or immediate surrounds (refer
hatched areas in Extract A). Essential habitat for koala and wallum frogs occurs to the south and southwest.




    Extract A – regulated vegetation (shaded areas) and essential habitat (hatching)


With the exception of Covenant AB, the subject land and surrounds are zoned (Zone Map ZM8) 2 as Shire
Business Centre. Covenant AB is zoned as Open Space Conservation.

Council’s Biodiversity mapping 3 identifies the subject land and Noosa Civic centre as environment
enhancement (refer Extract B). Environment protection and riparian buffer area areas are mapped to the
south and part of a larger open space/green space network.




1 Vegetation Management Report. Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, 2019. (Accessed 16 August 2019).
2 Noosa Plan. Part 11 Zone Map.
3 Noosaville Biodiversity Overlay Map OM8.1.




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            Extract B – Noosaville Biodiversity Overlay
            (Light green = environmental enhancement; Dark green = environmental protection)


4.2 Koala

The koala Phascolarctus cinereus is listed as vulnerable under the Commonwealth Environment Protection
and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the State Nature Conservation Act 1992.

Koala habitat trees (including forage and refuge) include eucalypt and allied species (Eucalyptus, Corymbia,
Angophora, Lophostemon and Melaleuca).

Within 2km of the subject land there are three records (DISITIA 2019) for the koala 4. There is no essential
habitat for koala on the subject land (Extract A).

A recent (Gondwana 2019) 5 report in the locality (east Noosa Civic site) considered the following regarding
habitat and occurrence for the koala – “Unlikely due to the habitat not being particularly favourable. It is
possible the koala occurs in surrounding more suitable habitat and could occasionally wander onto the subject
land”.

The State (Department Environment & Science) koala mapping 6 includes the subject land surrounding land
as Koala Assessable Development Areas (KADA), no Bushland Habitat and as Low Value Rehabilitation and as
Generally Not Suitable (refer Extract C). As per the extract (and aerial photograph in Attachment A) the
subject land is isolated from surrounding bushland and is within a developed landscape.




4 DISITIA 2019. Wildnet Wildlife Records since 1980. 2km. Latitude: -26.4138; Longitude: 153.0466. (Accessed 16 August 2019).
5 Gondwana Ecology Group. 2019. Ecology Report – Lot 3 SP 246584 Noosa Civic. Stockwell.
6 DES 2019. Koala conservation in SEQ SPRP. (Accessed 16 August 2019).




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 Extract C – State koala habitat mapping


Council’s Koala Habitat Areas mapping 7 does not map the subject land or surrounds as remnant habitat or
habitat regrowth (refer Extract D).




 Extract D – Council koala habitat mapping


No koalas (or koala evidence) was identified during the recent site inspections.

By definition, “koala habitat trees” do occur within the subject land. For the most part these would be
retained within the covenant areas. However, some trees (koala feed trees) would be removed as part of
the balance development area.

Retained vegetation within the covenant areas will allow for koala refuge (as would other open space areas
associated with the Noosa Civic centre) in the event that koalas traverse the area.

A Fauna Management Plan, to be prepared as a condition of approval, and appropriately implemented would
allow for appropriate (expected best practice) management prior to and during vegetation clearing. This
would ensure no harm to koalas.

7 Schedule 7 Map – Koala Habitat Areas.




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4.3 Wallum Frogs

Wallum-dependent frog species of coastal south-east Queensland and eastern New South Wales include the
wallum sedgefrog Litoria olongburensis, Cooloola sedgefrog L. cooloolensis, wallum rocketfrog L. freycineti
and wallum froglet Crinia tinnula.

The information in Table 1 regarding suitable frog habitat is sourced from Meyer et al. (2006) 8 and supported
by personal observations (in the locality and throughout SEQ and northern NSW).
Table 1. Wallum Frog Habitat

 Species        Habitat
 wallum         Ephemeral and semi-permanent swamps with emergent reeds, ferns and/or sedges, in undisturbed
 sedgefrog      coastal wallum. While most common in swamps, L. olongburensis may also be found around creeks and
                freshwater lakes in coastal wallum. Rarely found sympatric with the common sedgefrog Litoria fallax.
 Cooloola       Oligotrophic (deficient of nutrients), acidic freshwater lakes (pH < 5.5) in coastal wallum; adults usually
 sedgefrog      found amongst reeds near water. L. cooloolensis may also occasionally be found in wallum swamps in
                sympatry with L. olongburensis. While commonly found near water, L. cooloolensis have been recorded
                some distance from water both in rainforest and dry sclerophyll forest. Rarely found sympatric with the
                common sedgefrog Litoria fallax.
 wallum         Associated with coastal wet heath. Found around sedge swamps, drainage lines and perched lakes in
 rocketfrog     areas of sandstone and sandy soil. May also be found some distance from water in eucalypt forest near
                areas of wet heath. Rarely found together with the related striped rocketfrog (L. nasuta), except at
                disturbed site.
 wallum         Found along drainage lines in sub-coastal wet heath, in acid paperbark (Melaleuca) swamps, and sedge
 froglet        swamps in areas of sandy soil and sandstone; rarely encountered around coastal lakes. Crinia tinnula
                has also been recorded from disturbed wallum habitat, including recently burnt heath, 4WD-impacted
                sites, an old quarry site, and exotic pine plantations. Animals have also been recorded in eucalypt
                woodland/forest and dry heath, some distance from water. Broadly sympatric with other Crinia species
                and is rarely found together with C. parinsignifera, except in disturbed habitat.


There are no known records for Cooloola sedgefrog in the immediate locality.

Wallum sedgefrog, wallum rocketfrog and wallum froglet are listed as vulnerable under the State Nature
Conservation Act 1992. Wallum sedgefrog and wallum rocketfrog area also listed as vulnerable under the
Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

While no wallum frogs were recorded during the two recent site inspection, a wallum froglet was recorded
in a drain to the south of the Noosa Civic centre some years ago 9. Within 2km of the subject land there are
single records for the wallum rocketfrog and wallum sedgefrog and two records for wallum froglet (DISITIA
2019).

A recent (Gondwana 2019) report also considered the following regarding habitat and occurrence for the
three wallum frogs – “Unlikely. No suitable habitat within subject land. Potential habitat occurs in paperbark
areas to the south/southwest”. Further Litoria fallax was recorded in the area during those surveys which is
an indicator that the habitat is not particularly suitable for Wallum frogs.

There is no “essential habitat” for wallum frogs on the subject land (refer Extract A).

It is highly unlikely the subject land is suitable habitat for wallum rocketfrog and wallum sedgefrog. However,
the local record of wallum froglet (and personal experience) would suggest that Covenant AB cannot be
discounted as potential habitat for this species. It is noted that the vegetation associated with this area is to




8 Meyer, E., Hero, J-M., Shoo, L. & Lewis, B. 2006. National recovery plan for the wallum sedgefrog and other wallum-dependent

frog species . Report to Department of the Environment & Water Resources, Canberra. Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service.
9 Record by the author - >10 years ago.




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be retained. Best practice stormwater and erosion measures would be expected to ensure no adverse
impacts on the habitat and water quality of the covenant area.

5.0 Fauna Management Plan
Condition 25 and 26 of the previous approval P&E Judgement (dated 15 July 2014) by His Honour Judge
Rackemann requires a FMP to be prepared (Extract E).




 Extract E – FMP conditions


It would be my recommendation that the same condition of approval applies to the proposed
development, i.e. that a FMP be prepared by an appropriately qualified person and is approved by Council
prior to any clearing works on the subject land. I would also suggest that the FMP consider including the
following components:

    •    Clear demarcation of the area to be retained/protected (e.g. suitable fencing) – to avoid
         inadvertent vegetation clearing/disturbance;
    •    Establishment of sediment control fencing around retained vegetation (e.g. west of covenant AB
         and south of covenant AA and covenant Y);
    •    Identification of any habitat trees (e.g. trees with hollows or potential hollows);
    •    Fauna spotter on site prior to and during clearing operations;
    •    The clearing direction to be generally westwards/southwards to discourage any fauna from moving
         into the trafficked area beyond Eenie Creek and Hofmann Drive; and
    •    Installation10 of nest boxes for parrots into the covenant areas (e.g. one per nest hollow lost).

Please do not hesitate to give me a call on 0407 410 099 if you need to discuss further.
Kind regards




Justin Watson (Assoc.Prof.; PhD; CEnvP.)
Director/Principal Ecologist
Gondwana Ecology Group

Encl.
Attachment A – Subject Land
Attachment B1 & B2 - Proposed Development
Attachment C – Approved Development
Attachment D – Photo Plates

10 Assuming acceptable to Council noting land tenure for open space areas.




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Attachment A – Subject Land




Gondwana Ecology Group Pty Ltd
M: 0407 410 099                  8


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Attachment B1 - Proposed Development




Gondwana Ecology Group Pty Ltd
M: 0407 410 099                        9


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Attachment B2 - Proposed Development




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M: 0407 410 099                        10


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Attachment C – Previous (Masters) Approval




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Attachment D – Photo Plates




 Plate 1. Vegetation of the northern part of the subject land (Hofmann Drive to the right).




 Plate 2. Vegetation within the vegetation patch (north) fishbone fern in foreground as ground cover.




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Plate 3. View north towards Covenant AA. All vegetation in distance (north) to be retained.




Plate 4. View southwards of Covenant AB. All vegetation to be retained.




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Plate 5. View northwards along Covenant AB. Hofmann Drive to the right. All vegetation to be retained. Area could
conservatively by considered “potential” wallum froglet habitat.




Plate 6. Swale in the north (outside covenant area). Covenant vegetation to be retained beyond swale (left).




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