Response to Information Request - April 2019 Final

Response


The Flora Survey Report concludes that … this survey provides notification to DEHP that the
activity is exempt under Section 261ZA and there will be no impacts on threatened species.
Thereare no threatened plants occurring within the subject land (clearing area). The threatened
plants outside the clearing area are not at risk from the project activities. Nevertheless,
management measures during clearing operations will be in place as part of the development
approval conditions to ensure no inadvertent clearing by site contractors. In accordance with the
Guidelines, a protected plant clearing permit is not required from DEHP.

Consequently, the ecologist has confirmed that the requirements under the NCA in terms of
undertaking a specific flora survey for the site have been met, which is to be submitted to the
DEHP under separate cover.

9. Provide an up to date flora and fauna assessment of the habitat values which will be
   impacted upon by the development.

Response

As above Gondwana Ecology Group have prepared a Flora Survey Report which also responds to Item
9 of the Information Request.

In summary, Gondwana Ecology advise:

     •   the State Wildnet database identifies no known records for plants or animals (listed as
         threatened under the regulations of the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and/or
         Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) within 5km of the
         subject land. Further, that the majority of these species would either be restricted to
         habitats that do not occur within or adjacent to the subject land. Further, the likelihood
         of occurrence threatened plants or animals have also been considered;

     •   under part 4.4 of the Ecology Report, Table 3 provides for the habitat for threatened
         flora and an assessment of the likelihood of their occurrence on the subject land. The
         report states that of the species identified under Table 3, most of these are unlikely to
         be found on the site but a few of the species could possibly be found; however, no
         actual threatened flora species have been recorded on the site;

     •   under part 4.5, it is stated that a … single Grey-headed Flying-fox (vulnerable under
         the Commonwealth EPBC Act 1999) was recorded feeding in a bloodwood during the
         evening survey. The habitat for threatened fauna and an assessment of the likelihood
         of their occurrence on the subject land is provided in Table 4;

     •   Table 4 considers the threatened fauna habitat and likelihood of occurrence, with the
         majority of the species considered unlikely to be found on the subject land with the
         exception of the grey-headed flying fox, discussed above. It is noted that no koala was
         found on the subject land, but it is advised that they could occasionally traverse the
         land;