Council Report - 132005.638.03 - OTHER CHANGE TO AN EXISTING APPROVAL FOR MATERIAL CHANGE OF USE - EXPANSION OF SPECIAL PURPOSE (WASTE DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING FACILITY) & ONGOING CLEARING PURPOSES AT 561 EUMUNDI NOOSA ROAD, DOONAN - Finale

demand, it is considered that PO6 and PO16 of the Driveway and Parking Code are adequately
addressed and complied with.
ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
Matters of National Environmental significance (MNES)
Australia’s key national environment law is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999, also known as the EPBC Act. This legislation regulates activities that are
likely to have a significant impact on nationally protected matters including Koala and Threatened
Ecological Communities (TEC).
Koala
For impacts to MNES – koala habitat, the self-assessment process outlined in the Significant
Impact Guidelines 1.1 EPBC Act 1999 (DoE, 2013) has being completed and it is considered
unlikely that the prescribed activity will have a significant impact on Habitat for Koala
(Phascolarctos cinereus) within the Noosa Landfill and RRC expansion area for the following
reasons:
• Although the area of interest contains suitable koala habitat, and the area does contain koala
food and habitat tree species ( Melaleuca quinquenervia), the total area to be cleared of 1.02ha is
not considered likely to significantly reduce the area of occupancy, fragment or decrease the local
population of koala,
• Clearing of an area of koala habitat smaller that 2ha which is bounded on three sides by existing
landfill area and already moderately disturbed will not significantly impact the quality of the
remaining habitat, and is not likely to adversely affect habitat critical to the survival of the koala,
• Breeding cycle and essential life processes are unlikely to be significantly impacted by the
proposed clearing works, and
• Clearing the impact area is considered unlikely to interfere substantially with the recovery of the
koala through the introduction or exacerbation of key threats in areas of habitat critical to the
survival of the koala as the proposed clearing is considered small enough that threats including
edge effects and invasive species encroachment to adjoining suitable habitat will be relatively
minimal and mitigated through appropriate management.
Council’s external ecology consultant agrees with this determination and rationale provided.
Threatened Ecological Community
The applicant’s ecology consultant, Native Foresters, have considered the subject paperbark
wetland vegetation against the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC
Act) and determined that the paperbark wetland does not meet the criteria for an Endangered
Threatened and Ecological Community (TEC), and as such, does not trigger referral to the
Department of Climate Change, Energy and Environment and Water (DCCEEW) for assessment
against the EPBC Act. Council’s external independent consultant accepts this assessment and no
further action is required in this regard.
Matters of State Environmental significance (MSES)
Koala Habitat
The applicant’s ecological consultant, Native Foresters, acknowledges that a local koala population
may exist, and koalas may move through the local vegetation on the subject site. The State
Assessment & Referral Agency (SARA) confirmed that the proposed development constitutes
“exempted development” as defined under schedule 24 of the Planning Regulation 2017.
Notwithstanding this exemption, the applicant’s consultant, Native Foresters, have advised that
given the proponent is a public sector entity, the proposal must be assessed against the State
Government Supported Infrastructure Koala Conservation Policy 2017.
The applicant’s consultant has confirmed that the clearing would result in a significant residual
impact which triggers the need for an environmental offset. Council’s independent external
ecologist assessing the application has advised that the policy sets the rate for significant residual
impact offset as 6 to 1.