Ecological Assessment Letter Report · MCU26/0104

The Noosa River Basin Environmental Values and Water Quality Objectives (section 3.5) references State
Code 9: Great Barrier Reef wetland protection areas for any applicable requirements for the waterbody.
Lake Cootharaba is not mapped as a Wetland Protection Area and therefore the requirements of State
Code 9 are not applicable.
Referral to the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) will NOT be
required in relation to wetland management.
6.2.4 Nature Conservation Act 1992
The Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan 2017 divides the State into 3 Koala Districts based on
the management strategies to be applied and prescribes requirements for clearing vegetation in
particular areas. The proposed development is situated in Koala District A. The sequential clearing
requirements under Part 3 Section 10 and the koala-spotter requirements under Part 3 Section 11 would
only apply if any further clearing of koala habitat trees (KHTs) is undertaken. As no additional clearing is
proposed, these provisions are NOT triggered.
6.3     Local Legislation
Council’s mappings relevant to the lot under the Noosa Plan can be found in APPENDIX B.
Zone
The Site is zoned Rural (refer FIGURE 5). The purpose of the Rural zone code is to provide for “rural uses
and activities” and to “maintain the capacity of land for rural uses and activities by protecting and
managing significant natural resources and processes”. The overall outcomes for the zone include the
provision for housing for permanent residents.
The proposed development (dwelling house) is consistent with the purpose and outcomes of the zone.
Biodiversity, Waterways and Wetlands overlay
Approx. 35,719m2 of the property is mapped as an Area of biodiversity significance (refer FIGURE 6). The
proposed development will encroach into the mapped area, noting that pre-emptive clearing has taken
place to facilitate these works.
A response to the Biodiversity areas overlay code IS required and provided in APPENDIX C.
Other overlays
The Bushfire, Flood and Land subject to acid sulfate soils overlays also apply to the Site (refer FIGURE 7,
FIGURE 8 and FIGURE 9).

A response to these matters is outside the scope of this report.


7       Impact Assessment and Mitigations
7.1     Flora and Vegetation Communities
As outlined in SECTION 5.1, the vegetation across the field-surveyed Site does not contain any unique or
significant biodiversity values.
Direct impacts
An area of approx. 4,509m2 has been cleared of all vegetation in preparation for the construction of the
proposed dwelling house and ancillary structures (identified as VC1 in FIGURE 3). No additional clearing
is anticipated and the remainder of the property will be retained in its current state (refer to detailed Tree
Protection Plan at APPENDIX F).




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