Regional Rail Link – Section 1: Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Net Gain Analysis, Southern Cross Station to Deer Park, Victoria
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FINAL REPORT: Regional Rail Link – Section 1: Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Net Gain Analysis, Southern Cross Station to Deer Park, Victoria ON BEHALF OF: Department of Transport August 2010 Ecology Partners Pty Ltd Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................ 6 1 Introduction ............................................................................................ 10 1.1 Background .............................................................................................. 10 1.2 Scope of Assessment............................................................................... 10 1.3 Study Area ............................................................................................... 11 2 Methods .................................................................................................. 12 2.1 Nomenclature ........................................................................................... 12 2.2 Literature Review ..................................................................................... 12 2.3 Database Searches .................................................................................. 12 2.4 Vegetation Assessment ............................................................................ 13 2.5 Net Gain Analysis ..................................................................................... 13 2.6 Fauna Survey ........................................................................................... 15 2.7 Aquatic Survey ......................................................................................... 16 2.8 Targeted Flora and Fauna Surveys .......................................................... 17 2.8.1 Targeted Flora Surveys ...................................................................................................17 2.8.2 Targeted Fauna Surveys .................................................................................................18 2.9 Assessment Qualifications and Limitations .............................................. 25 3 Results .................................................................................................... 27 3.1 Flora Species ........................................................................................... 27 3.2 Ecological Vegetation Classes ................................................................. 27 3.2.1 Vegetation condition .......................................................................................................28 3.3 Significant Flora Species and Communities ............................................. 32 3.3.1 National .............................................................................................................................33 3.3.2 State ..................................................................................................................................36 3.3.3 Regional and local ...........................................................................................................36 3.3.4 Significant communities .................................................................................................36 3.3.5 Best or remaining 50% habitat for rare and threatened flora species .......................37 3.4 Terrestrial Fauna Species ........................................................................ 39 3.5 Aquatic Fauna Species ............................................................................ 40 3.6 Fauna Habitat ........................................................................................... 41 2 Regional Rail Link – Section 1: Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Net Gain Analysis 3.7 Significant Fauna ..................................................................................... 44 3.7.1 National .............................................................................................................................44 3.7.2 State ..................................................................................................................................45 3.7.3 Regional and local ...........................................................................................................46 3.7.4 Best or remaining 50% habitat for threatened fauna species .....................................47 3.8 Ecological Significance of Study Area ...................................................... 48 3.9 Reasons for Significance .......................................................................... 48 3.10 Previous Assessments ............................................................................. 49 3.11 Adjacent Areas of Ecological Significance ............................................... 49 3.12 BioSites .................................................................................................... 50 4 Implications of the Findings .................................................................. 51 4.1 Legislative and Policy Implications ........................................................... 51 4.1.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwth) ................51 4.1.2 Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Vic) ...................................................................54 4.1.3 Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 ....................................................................55 4.1.4 Planning and Environment Act 1987 .............................................................................56 4.1.5 Wildlife Act 1975 and Wildlife Regulations 2002 ..........................................................57 5 Net Gain Analysis ................................................................................... 59 5.1 Habitat Hectare Calculations .................................................................... 59 Summary of Net Gain Habitat Hectare and Tree Assessments ...............................................65 5.2 Avoidance and Minimisation (First two steps) .......................................... 65 5.3 Offset Calculations (Step three) ............................................................... 66 6 Ecological Values and Management Measures ................................... 67 6.1 Ecological Values ..................................................................................... 67 6.1.1 Maribyrnong River ...........................................................................................................67 6.1.2 Tottenham to Sunshine ...................................................................................................69 6.1.3 Kororoit Creek ..................................................................................................................71 6.1.4 Kororoit Creek to Robinsons Road, Deer Park ............................................................73 7 Conclusion .............................................................................................. 74 Figures ............................................................................................................... 76 Appendices ...................................................................................................... 144 3 Regional Rail Link – Section 1: Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Net Gain Analysis References....................................................................................................... 183 Plates Plate 1. Striped Legless Lizard (Source: Ecology Partners Pty. Ltd.) ............................. 18 Plate 2. Golden Sun Moth (Source: Ecology Partners Pty. Ltd.) ..................................... 20 Plate 3. Growling Grass Frog (Source: Ecology Partners Pty. Ltd.) ................................ 22 Plate 4. Fat-tailed Dunnart (Ecology Partners Pty. Ltd.) .................................................. 24 Plate 5: Spiny Rice-flower. ................................................................................................ 34 Plate 6: Sunshine Diuris. .................................................................................................. 35 Tables Table 1. Habitat zones and their threatened species rating within the study area. ......... 37 Table 1. Aquatic species recorded at waterways within the study area. ......................... 40 Table 2. Habitat zones and their threatened species rating within the study area. ......... 47 Table 3. Threatening processes under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 applicable to the proposed construction works. ....................................................... 55 Table 4. Quantity and significance of native vegetation patches. ................................... 60 Table 5. Quantity and significance of native vegetation patches. ................................... 61 Table 6. Quantity and significance of native vegetation patches. ................................... 62 Table 7. Quantity and significance of native vegetation patches. ................................... 63 Table 8. Quantity and significance of native vegetation patches. ................................... 64 Table A1.1. Rare or Threatened categories for listed Victorian taxa. ............................ 145 Table A1.2. Defining Ecological Significance. ................................................................ 147 Table A1.3. Defining Site Significance. .......................................................................... 149 Table A1.4. Defining Vegetation Condition. ................................................................... 151 Table