Town Planning Report - Expansion to Noosa Landfill

“Specialist services and practical solutions”



           •    Koala Habitat Area – Core & Locally refined (SEQ) and Priority Koala Habitat Area.

       In terms of MNES, the ecologist has advised that subject to the mitigation measures being
       implemented, the proposed development will not have a significant impact on habitat for
       Koala for the following reasons:

           •    Although the area of interest contains suitable koala habitat, and the area does contain
                koala food and habitat tree species, the total area to be cleared 1.02ha and will not
                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 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
                management7.

       In terms of the MSES, the assessment undertake has revealed the clearing of regulated
       vegetation is unlikely to have an SRI on the Endangered Regional Ecosystem RE12.5.3 for the
       following reasons:

           •    The vegetation clearing is less than 5ha.
           •    The clearing does not reduce remaining ‘Endangered’ vegetation to less than 5 ha when
                the overall area including vegetation located on adjacent lots is considered.
           •    Vegetation clearing will not further separate or fragment regional ecosystem
                communities onsite.
           •    The clearing constitutes less than 10% of the total mapped area of ‘Endangered’ RE12.5.3
                that intersects the property boundary of the expansion area, and an equivalent area to
                that being cleared (0.21ha) will be rehabilitated within Lot 77 to reinstate RE12.5.3.8

       In terms of the impact upon koala habitat, the ecologist has advised that:

       The prescribed activity is likely to have an SRI unless mitigation measures can avoid significant
       impacts occurring, and that environmental offsets under the Environmental Offsets Act 2014,
       may be required for prescribed activity on the following matters:

           •    1.02 ha of Koala Habitat within a Koala Priority Habitat Area on Lot 77 SP298776.


       7 Noosa Landfill & RRC Expansion – MNES & MSES Significant Impact Assessment, page 11
       8 Noosa Landfill & RRC Expansion – MNES & MSES Significant Impact Assessment, page 29




       22019 – Noosa Council Expansion of Landfill, November 2023                              Page 26