Earthworks Environmental Services Pty Ltd ACN 082 707 533

Specialist Biological Consultants

Survey of hill slope and hill crest vegetation

in Townsville City Council Reserve

at Stirling Drive, Yarrawonga

Earthworks Report 00c01c

to Townsville City Council

October 2000

Prepared by

Dr Con Lokkers

for Earthworks Environmental Services Pty Ltd

© Earthworks Environmental Services Pty Ltd & Townsville City Council. Apart from fair dealings for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced without written permission of Earthworks Environmental Services or Townsville City Council.

Suite 104-105, T&G Building, 102 Stanley St, Townsville. Email: [email protected] PO Box 5225, Townsville Mail Centre. Qld. 4810. Phone: (07) 4771 4623. Fax: (07) 4771 4624

Yarrawonga Reserve flora survey 2

Methodology A field survey of vegetation was conducted on 10 May, 2000, at the Townsville City Council Reserve at Stirling Drive, Yarrawonga. Landforms include hill slope and hill crest. The site was surveyed to identify vegetation types and species composition. Species classification follows Henderson (1997). Naturalised species are identified by an asterisk (*) symbol.

The vegetation type is described, and relationships to the mapping of Skull (1996) and the Regional Ecosystem (RE) model (Sattler & Williams 1999) are discussed. The species recorded during the survey are listed in Table 1. The conservation significance of vegetation communities and species are discussed, and some general recommendations are given.

General information A total of 81 plant species were recorded during the survey. Vegetation community descriptions

1. Mixed eucalypt open woodland/woodland

Landform: Hill slope and hill crest. Structure and composition: Mostly open canopy of eucalypts, with mid storey of wattles, striata and numerous other species. Diverse ground storey. Less than 10% bare ground. In some areas, the canopy and mid storey are becoming more dense, probably due to reduced fire frequency. Upper stratum: Corymbia clarksoniana and crebra are common. Av. height: 5m % cover: <5% Mid stratum: Various shrubs (Acacia flavescens, A. holosericea, A. simsii, , falcata) and tree saplings (Alphitonia excelsa, Eucalyptus species). Av. height: 3m % cover: 5-10%, with patches up to 50% Ground stratum: Dominated by Themeda triandra. Numerous grasses (Aristida holathera, Heteropogon species, Panicum maximum*, Melinis repens*,) and herbs (Hyptis suaveolens*, Pterocaulon serrulatum, coccineum, Dianella caerulea) are common. Lomandra longifolia is common in rocky areas, which often have more dense upper and mid storeys. Av. height: 1m % cover: 95%

Earthworks report 00c01c October 2000

Yarrawonga Reserve flora survey 3

Conservation significance:

• No rare and threatened flora species were recorded during this survey.

• In the Castle Hill Management Plan (Bill Carter & Associates 1994), the existing vegetation of Castle Hill and adjacent reserves was considered to be regionally significant. The hill was noted to have an extremely diverse grass and herb flora, and is the type locality for a number of plant species. Type localities are highly important for future interpretation and reassessment of taxonomic relationships and biodiversity. The report recommended numerous actions, including revegetation of strategic areas with locally propagated species, control of major weeds and fire management.

• Mixed eucalypt open woodland/woodland is equivalent to eucalyptus woodland on shallow soils, as mapped by Skull (1996). This vegetation type was assigned a high conservation value in the nearby Castle Hill Reserve.

• The site is classified as mixed eucalypt woodland on igneous rocks of coastal hills (RE 11.12.13) by Sattler & Williams (1999). This regional ecosystem was considered of no concern at present, as more than 30% of the original extent remained.

• The site appears to have been protected from fire by surrounding roads and urban development, allowing tree and shrub density to rise in patches. If fire exclusion continues, some of the site will probably develop into open forest to closed forest. This is in marked contrast to the majority of the nearby Castle Hill Reserve, which has a history of frequent fires, and is covered predominantly by very open woodlands and grasslands.

• The reserve is relatively weed-free, although a number of invasive weed species are found on the edges and/or in small patches of the site. The weeds of most concern include guinea grass*, leucaena*, stinking passionfruit*, lantana and chinee apple. At the present level of infestation, these weeds could be relatively easily controlled.

• Hill crests are important sites for some animal species, which use them for courtship and mating – a behaviour known as “hill-topping”.

Earthworks report 00c01c October 2000

Yarrawonga Reserve flora survey 4

Recommendations:

• The surveyed area supports mixed eucalypt woodland, which is floristically diverse and relatively weed-free. Given its present healthy state, the protection from fire and the value of hill crests to some wildlife, it is recommended that the site is conserved and managed for these conservation values.

• A number of invasive weeds have the potential to degrade the area, including Panicum maximum*, Leucena leucocephala*, Passiflora foetida*, Lantana camara* and Zizyphus mauritiana*. It is recommended that a weed management plan be developed and implemented for strategic control of these species. References:

Bill Carter & Associates. 1994. Castle Hill, Townsville: Management Plan. Report to Townsville City Council. Henderson, R.J.F. (ed.) 1997. Queensland : Names and Distribution. Queensland Herbarium, Department of Environment. Sattler, P. & Williams, R. (eds) 1999. The Conservation Status of Queensland’s Bioregional Ecosystems. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane. Skull, S. 1996. Townsville City Council Region: Vegetation communities and conservation priorities. ACTFR report to Townsville City Council.

Legislation:

Queensland Nature Conservation Act, 1992. Queensland Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation, 1994. Queensland Nature Conservation (Protected plants in trade) Conservation Plan, 1995.

Earthworks report 00c01c October 2000

Yarrawonga Reserve flora survey 5

Table 1: Plant species recorded during Stirling Drive Reserve survey. * denotes naturalised species.

Family Species name Common name Growth form Agavaceae * Agave americana agave succulent

Amaranthaceae * Alternanthera bettzickiana alternanthera herb Apocynaceae * Allamanda cathartica yellow allamanda, golden shrub/vine trumpet vine Apocynaceae * Catharanthus roseus pink periwinkle herb Apocynaceae Wrightia saligna - shrub/tree Asteraceae * Emilia sonchifolia purple emilia herb Asteraceae Pterocaulon serrulatum ragwort herb Asteraceae * Tridax procumbens tridax daisy herb Asteraceae Vernonia cinerea purple top herb Bignoniaceae Pandorea pandorana wonga vine vine Bignoniaceae * Tecoma stans tecoma shrub Boraginaceae Trichodesma zeylanicum camel bush herb Caesalpiniaceae * Bauhinia variegata bauhinia shrub/tree Caesalpiniaceae * Chamaecrista absus hairy cassia herb

Commelinaceae Commelina ensifolia native wandering jew herb Convolvulaceae * Merremia quinquefolia mile-a-minute vine Cyperaceae Scleria brownii sedge Euphorbiaceae Breynia oblongifolia coffee bush shrub Euphorbiaceae Phyllanthus virgatus - herb * Alysicarpus ovalifolius alyce clover herb Fabaceae * Clitoria ternatea butterfly pea vine Fabaceae Crotalaria calycina rattle pod herb Fabaceae * Crotalaria goreensis rattle pod herb Fabaceae * Desmodium tortuosum Florida beggar weed herb Fabaceae Indigofera pratensis indigo shrub Fabaceae Glycine tomentella woolly glycine vine Fabaceae * Macroptilium atropurpureum siratro vine

Fabaceae * Stylosanthes hamata verano stylo herb Fabaceae Tephrosia filipes tephrosia herb Fabaceae Uraria lagopodioides purple clover weed herb Fabaceae Vigna lanceolata maloga bean vine Haemodorum coccineum bloodroot grass-like herb

Lamiaceae Clerodendrum floribundum lolly bush shrub/tree

Lamiaceae * Hyptis suaveolens mint weed herb Lecythidaceae Planchonia careya cocky apple shrub/tree Malvaceae Hibiscus meraukensis white hibiscus shrub Malvaceae * Sida acuta spiny-headed sida herb Malvaceae * Sida cordifolia flannel weed herb Malvaceae Sida subspicata spiked sida herb Mimosaceae crassicarpa beach wattle tree Mimosaceae Acacia flavescens wattle tree

Earthworks report 00c01c October 2000

Yarrawonga Reserve flora survey 6

Mimosaceae Acacia holosericea silver-leafed wattle shrub Mimosaceae Acacia leptostachya Townsville wattle shrub/tree Mimosaceae Acacia simsii Sim's wattle shrub Mimosaceae * Albizia lebbeck Indian siris tree Mimosaceae * Leucaena leucocephala leucaena shrub/tree Moraceae Ficus opposita sandpaper fig shrub/tree Myrtaceae Corymbia clarksoniana bloodwood tree Myrtaceae Eucalyptus crebra narrow-leafed ironbark tree Myrtaceae Eucalyptus exserta Qld peppermint tree Myrtaceae Eucalyptus platyphylla poplar gum tree Nyctaginaceae * Bougainvillea glabra bougainvillea shrub/vine Oleaceae Jasminum didymum native jasmine vine Pandanaceae Pandanus whitei pandanus, screw pine palm-like tree Passifloraceae * Passiflora foetida stinking passionfruit vine Phormiaceae Dianella caerulea blue flax lily herb Pittosporaceae Bursaria spinosa prickly pine shrub Aristida holathera wire grass grass Poaceae Cymbopogon bombycinus silky oil-grass, native lemon grass grass Poaceae Eragrostris sororia woodland lovegrass grass Poaceae Heteropogon contortus black speargrass grass Poaceae Heteropogon triticeus giant speargrass grass Poaceae * Melinis repens red Natal grass grass Poaceae Mnesithea formosa silkytop grass grass Poaceae Mnesithea rottboellioides northern cane grass grass Poaceae * Panicum maximum var. maximum guinea grass grass

Poaceae Setaria surgens pigeon grass grass Poaceae Themeda triandra kangaroo grass grass golden grevillea shrub/tree Proteaceae Grevillea striata beefwood shrub/tree Proteaceae geebung shrub/tree Proteaceae scottianum woody pear, peg tree tree Rhamnaceae Alphitonia excelsa red ash tree Rhamnaceae * Ziziphus mauritiana chinee apple shrub/tree Rubiaceae Canthium attenuatum myrtle shrub/tree Rubiaceae Pogonolobus reticulatus dye bush shrub Rubiaceae Spermacoce brachystema herb

Scrophulariaceae Buchnera linearis herb Verbenaceae * Lantana camara var. camara lantana shrub

Verbenaceae * Stachytarpheta jamaicensis snakeweed herb

Violaceae Hybanthus enneaspermus spade flower herb

Earthworks report 00c01c October 2000