2014-03-25 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda Pages 81-167

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                  25 MARCH 2014




                            Figure 13 – Koala SPRP Habitat Mapping

The land adjacent Lake Weyba contains mature and old growth scattered Blue Gums within a
grazed paddock. These lands are bordered by vegetated lands to the south, west and north, with
Lake Weyba on the eastern boundary. The land to the west of Walter Hay Drive contains mainly
a mix of Melaleuca forests and Scribbly Gum forests with scattered patches of Bloodwoods and
Ironbarks in grazed paddocks.

All lands contain primary and secondary koala food trees with the most important food trees
located close to water sources and within areas lacking dense understorey. Notably, some
important koala food trees are not within the mapped bushland areas or mapped as remnant
vegetation under the Vegetation Management Act but exist as scattered trees in paddocks or are
located within road reserves.

It is apparent from the surrounding Nature Refuges, current low intensity land uses and existing
vegetation that the site provides a koala habitat area.

Net Benefits / Impacts
The application material proposes the use of body corporate structures and associated levies to
regulate and fund on-going koala safety provisions such as fauna fencing. The body corporate
structure, in association with the dedication of the northern lands for National Parks and provision
of fauna fencing, is the justification for claiming a net benefit to koalas in the area.

The applicant submitted an overview/assessment of the net benefit posed by the development
undertaken by Professor Carrick, a recognised Koala expert. Mr Carrick’s full assessment was
not provided and it’s unclear whether he considered the existing land use protections and
constraints over the site or contemplated whether lesser development would provide better
outcomes. His brief overview provided by the applicant states:


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