Eliwana and Flying Fish Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Survey (Phase 2) Vol

Eliwana and Flying Fish Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Survey (Phase 2) Vol. 1 Fortescue Metals Group Ltd

science+design

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT FOR: Eliwana and Flying Fish Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Survey (Phase 2) Our Reference: 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 Copyright © 1987-2015 Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd ABN 70 070 128 675 Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), the whole or any part of this report may not be reproduced by any process, electronic or otherwise, without the specific written permission of the copyright owner, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. This includes microcopying, photocopying or recording of any parts of the report.

Neither may the information contained in this report be reproduced, transmitted or stored electronically in any form, such as in a retrieval system, without the specific written permission of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd.

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An internal quality review process has been applied to each project task undertaken by us. Each document is carefully reviewed by senior members of the consultancy team and signed off prior to issue to the client. Draft documents are submitted to the client for comment and acceptance prior to final production.

Limitations Statement This report has been exclusively drafted for the needs of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd . No express or implied warranties are made by Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd regarding the research findings and data contained in this report. All of the information details included in this report are based upon the existent land area conditions, research provided and obtained, and so forth at the time Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd conducted its analysis into the area. Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd will not be responsible for the application of its recommended strategies by Fortescue Metals Group Ltd

Please note that the strategies devised in this report may not be directly applicable towards another company’s needs or any other specific land area requiring management strategies. We would also warn against the environmental dangers of adapting this report’s strategies to another land area which has not been researched and analysed by Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd. Instead, please contact Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd to provide a tailored report for your area’s needs. Otherwise, Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd accepts no liability whatsoever for a third party’s use of, or reliance upon, this specific report.

Direct all inquiries to: Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 9 Stirling Highway • PO Box 50 North Fremantle WA 6159 Ph: (08) 9430 8955 Fax: (08) 9430 8977

Rev No. Author Approved for Issue Date Draft_rev0 LA, SK LA June 2013 Final LA LA January 2015

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ...... 7

Acronyms and Abbreviations ...... 8

Executive Summary ...... 10 _rev0

1.0 Introduction ...... 13 final

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1.1 Project Overview ...... 13 - 984

1.2 Project Objectives ...... 15 2 -

1.3 Previous Botanical Surveys ...... 16 967

2.0 Existing Environment ...... 19

2.1 Physical Environment ...... 19 2.2 Biological Environment ...... 23

3.0 Methods ...... 33

3.1 Flora and Vegetation Assessment ...... 33

3.2 Flora and Vegetation Significance ...... 40

3.3 Adequacy of Sampling ...... 40

4.0 Results ...... 41

4.1 Flora Survey ...... 41 4.2 Vegetation Assessment ...... 57 4.3 Study Area Floristic Analysis ...... 86 4.4 Adequacy of Sampling ...... 86

4.5 Botanical Limitations ...... 90 © Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd (Australia) ©Ecoscape

5.0 Discussion ...... 92

5.1 Flora ...... 92 5.2 Vegetation ...... 94 5.3 Vegetation Condition ...... 98 6.0 Conclusion ...... 99

References ...... 100

Maps ...... 107

Appendix One: Definitions and Criteria ...... 120

Appendix Two: DEC Database Search Results ...... 128

Appendix Three: EPBC Act Protected Matters Report ...... 132

Appendix Five: Floristic Quadrat Data ...... 143

Appendix Six: Flora Data ...... 432

Appendix Seven: Threatened and Priority Flora Report Forms ...... 463

Appendix Eight: Floristic Analysis Dendrogram ...... 484

Appendix Nine: Correspondence ...... 490

Appendix Ten: Report Review Summary ...... 496 List of Figures

Figure 1: Study area regional location ...... 14 Figure 2: EFF study area extents over the three survey periods ...... 16 Figure 3: Monthly rainfall and daily maxima and minima for Wittenoom BoM station (1950-2013) (BoM 2013a) ...... 20 Figure 4: Rainfall data for Wittenoom BoM station 2011-2013 (BoM 2013a) ...... 39 Figure 5: Western Australian rainfall deciles November 2012-April 2013 (BoM 2013b) ...... 39 Figure 6: Species accumulation curve ...... 87 Figure 7: Taxa area plot ...... 88 Figure 8: NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) search area ...... 139 List of Tables

Table 1: Geological units within the study area ...... 21 Table 2: Descriptions of land types and systems occurring in the EFF study area (Van Vreeswyk et al. 2004) ...... 22 Table 3: Extent of land systems within the EFF study area and regional representation ...... 22 Table 4: Vegetation associations ...... 27 Table 5: DEC (2012) rankings ...... 49 Table 6: Vegetation types and their extents within the study area ...... 57 Table 7: Vegetation type AaAbTe ...... 60 Table 8: vegetation type AaEfTe ...... 61 Table 9: Vegetation type AaTe ...... 62 Table 10: Vegetation type AaTw ...... 63 Table 11: Vegetation type AaTwEl ...... 64 Table 12: Vegetation type AbTe ...... 65 Table 13: Vegetation type AbTwCh ...... 66 Table 14: Vegetation type AcTwEl ...... 67

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 4 Table 15: Vegetation type AeTw ...... 68 Table 16: Vegetation type AiEfTw ...... 69 Table 17: Vegetation type AiTlAb ...... 70 Table 18: Vegetation type AiTw ...... 71 Table 19: Vegetation type AiTwCh / AiTlAb ...... 72 Table 20: Vegetation type AxEcTe ...... 73 Table 21: Vegetation type EcAcCv ...... 74 Table 22: Vegetation type EgAaTe ...... 75 Table 23: Vegetation type EgAmTw ...... 76 Table 24: Vegetation type ElAaTw ...... 77 Table 25: Vegetation type ElAmTw ...... 78 Table 26: Vegetation type EvAcCc ...... 79 Table 27: Vegetation type ExAbTw ...... 80 Table 28: Vegetation type ExAcTe ...... 81 Table 29: Vegetation type TmAt ...... 82 Table 30: Vegetation type Tw ...... 83 Table 31: Vegetation condition in the EFF study area (Trudgen 1991) ...... 86 Table 32: Taxa recorded from various Pilbara surveys ...... 89 Table 33: Botanical limitations ...... 90 Table 34: EPBC Act categories for flora and fauna (Commonwealth of Australia 1999)...... 120 Table 35: DEC conservation codes for flora and fauna (DEC 2011) ...... 121 Table 36: DEC definitions and criteria for TECs and PECs (DEC 2010) ...... 122 Table 37: EPBC Act categories for TECs (DSEWPaC 2009) ...... 125 Table 38: NVIS structural formation terminology (terrestrial vegetation) (National Hertiage Trust 2003)...... 126 Table 39: Vegetation Condition Scale (Trudgen 1991) ...... 127 Table 40: DEC database search results (DEC reference 04-0711FL) ...... 128 Table 41: Flora inventory...... 432 Table 42: Species by site matrix ...... 441 Table 43: Priority Flora species locations (GDA 94, Zone 50) ...... 458 Table 44: Coordinates of introduced flora species (GDA 94, Zone 50) ...... 461 Table 47: Reports reviewed for vegetation significance and summary of findings relevant to the EFF study area ...... 496 List of Maps

Map 1: Land Systems ...... 108 Map 2: DEC Database Search Results ...... 109 Map 3: Pre-European Vegetation Associations ...... 110

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 5 Map 4: Priority Flora ...... 111 Map 5: Introduced Flora ...... 113 Map 6: Vegetation Types ...... 115 Map 7: Vegetation Condition ...... 118 List of Plates

Plate 1: Acacia bromilowiana flowers ...... 43 Plate 2: Acacia bromilowiana habit ...... 43 Plate 3: Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica flowers and foliage ...... 44 Plate 4: Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica form ...... 44 Plate 5: Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina flowers and foliage ...... 44 Plate 6: Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina form ...... 44 Plate 7: Goodenia nuda flower (Ecoscape 2012b) ...... 45 Plate 8: Goodenia nuda form ...... 45 Plate 9: Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen 4301) flowers and foliage ...... 46 Plate 10: Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen 4301) form ...... 46 Plate 11: Ptilotus mollis flowers ...... 46 Plate 12: Ptilotus mollis form ...... 46 Plate 13: Triodia sp. Robe River (M.E. Trudgen et al MET 12367) seed heads ...... 47 Plate 14: Triodia sp. Robe River (M.E. Trudgen et al MET 12367) form ...... 47 Plate 15: Acacia aff. maitlandii form ...... 48 Plate 16: Acacia aff. maitlandii ...... 48 Plate 17: *Aerva javanica flowers ...... 50 Plate 18: *Aerva javanica form ...... 50 Plate 19: *Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca flower ...... 51 Plate 20: *Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca form ...... 51 Plate 21: *Bidens bipinnata achenes...... 52 Plate 22: *Bidens bipinnata form ...... 52 Plate 23: *Bothriochloa pertusa specimen ...... 52 Plate 24: *Cenchrus ciliaris flower...... 53 Plate 25: *Cenchrus ciliaris form ...... 53 Plate 26: *Datura leichhardtii fruit ...... 54 Plate 27: *Flaveria trinervia leaves ...... 55 Plate 28: *Flaveria trinervia form ...... 55 Plate 29: *Malvastrum americanum flower heads ...... 55 Plate 30: *Malvastrum americanum form ...... 55 Plate 31: *Setaria verticillata ...... 56 Plate 32: Sonchus oleraceus flower and form ...... 56 Plate 33: *Vachellia farnesiana ...... 57

Acknowledgements Ecoscape wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the following Fortescue Metals Group Limited

personnel in relation to the Western Hub surveys:

 Todd Edwards, for coordinating the field survey logistics

 Shaun Grein, project manager

 the Eliwana camp crew for accommodation and meals, and helping out with the myriad day-

to-day issues that occur during field surveys. _rev0

final

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Malcolm Trudgen is thanked for identifying the more taxonomically ‘difficult’ plants collected during 1 -

the field surveys. 984

967 8 Editorial review was undertaken by Sonya Bateman.

Christina Cox is thanked for undertaking the technical review.

Acronyms and Abbreviations aff. Affinity (most closely related to)

ARRP Act 1976 Western Australian Agriculture and Related Resource Protection

Act 1976 (superseded by the BAM Act 1997) BAM Act 2007 Western Australian Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act

2007

BoM Bureau of Meteorology

C C1, C2, C3; Declared Pest categories under the BAM Act 2007 _rev0 final

CALM Department of Conservation and Land Management (now DEC) _

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DEC Department of Environment and Conservation - 984

DEFL DEC Threatened Flora Database 2 -

DoE Department of the Environment (formerly DSEWPaC) 967

DPaW Department of Parks and Wildlife (formerly, in part, DEC) DSEWPaC Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water,

Populations and Communities (now DoE) Ecoscape Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd

EFF Eliwana and Flying Fish study area EPA Environmental Protection Authority

EPBC Act 1999 Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity

Conservation Act 1999

EWSWA Environmental Weed Strategy for Western Australia Fl Flowering/flowers in FMG Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (used where space does not permit use of ‘Fortescue’) Fortescue Fortescue Metals Group Ltd GDA 94 Geographic Datum of Australia 1994 GDE Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem

GPS Global Positioning System Pty Ltd (Australia) ©Ecoscape

GWA Government of Western Australia ibid. (Latin) ibidem, meaning ‘the same place’ (refers to the previously quoted reference) IBRA Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia MGA Map Grid of Australia NRP New record for the Pilbara NVIS National Vegetation Inventory System OEPA Office of the Environmental Protection Authority PEC Priority Ecological Community PF Priority Flora, also known as Priority Listed Flora PIL3 Hamersley IBRA subregion P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 Priority Flora rankings (see Table 35) RE Range edge (n = northern, e = eastern, s = southern, w = western)

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 8 RX Range extension (n = northern, e = eastern, s = southern, w = western) sens. lat. (Latin) sensu lato, meaning ‘in the broad sense’ SFDV Sheet Flow Dependent Vegetation sp. Species (generally referring to an unidentified taxon or when a phrase name has been applied) subsp. Subspecies (infrataxon) TEC Threatened Ecological Community TF Threatened Flora (formerly termed Declared Rare Flora, DRF) var. Variety (infrataxon) WAH Western Australian Herbarium WAHERB Western Australian Herbarium specimen WAOL Western Australian Organism List WC Act 1950 Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 WONS Weeds of National Significance * Introduced species

Executive Summary Ecoscape was commissioned by Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (Fortescue) to undertake flora and

vegetation assessments of its Eliwana and Flying Fish tenements, located approximately 80 km

northwest of Tom Price in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. The study area intersects, at least

partially, the following tenements: exploration licences E47/1195, E47/1196, E47/1300, E47/1301,

E471302, E47/1373, E47/1500, E47/1533, E47/1762, E47/1861 and E47/2037, prospecting licences

P47/1179, P47/1270, P47/1398, P47/1399, P47/1400, P47/1401 and P47/1402, and mining lease _rev0 final

M47/1404. _

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The Level 2 assessment was conducted in April 17-26, 2012 (Phase 1) and April 10-21 2013 (Phase 2)

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by six botanists for each survey, and followed a Level 1 assessment in July 2011. The extent of the -

967 8 study area differed over the three years of survey; the combined extent was 50 485 ha. This report

presents the cumulative results of the assessments.

The assessments included a background ‘desktop’ and a Level 2 quadrat-based field survey,

incorporating targeted and opportunistic searches for conservation significant flora and vegetation.

The desktop assessment identified 65 conservation significant flora species (including two Threatened Flora) as having been previously recorded from the larger Western Hub area that

includes the study area and 15 km buffer (Department of Environment and Conservation [DEC, now, in part, Department of Parks and Wildlife] database search request), and one additional species recorded nearby by Ecoscape. Prior to the Level 1 survey, one species (Ptilotus subspinescens, P3) had been recorded from the study area.

The DEC database search identified one Threatened Ecological Community occurring within the

Hamersley subregion (‘Themeda grasslands on cracking clays (Hamersley Station, Pilbara)’). The © Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd (Australia) ©Ecoscape

desktop assessment also identified 29 Priority Ecological Communities in the Pilbara Region, with the most likely to occur in the vicinity being the P1 ‘Brockman Iron cracking clay communities of the Hamersley Range’ and P3 ‘Triodia sp. Robe River assemblages of mesas of the West Pilbara’. . The Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities (now Department of the Environment) database search did not identify an additional conservation significant flora or communities.

FLORA

The field survey results are from 161, 50 m x 50 m floristic quadrats; 128 of these were established and scored over two seasons (2012 and 2013) and 33 were established and scored in 2013 in areas that were considered under-represented or required additional information following the 2012 assessment.

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 10 A total of 429 vascular flora taxa were recorded from the quadrats, opportunistic observations and targeted searches; 19 of these could not be identified to species level due to lack of reproductive material. The species accumulation curve generated using the quadrat data indicates that most species were likely to have been recorded from the study area. The taxa-area plot indicates species richness of the study area to be low-average in comparison with other nearby Pilbara survey areas.

Of the total taxa recorded, none were Threatened Flora and seven were Priority Flora species; Acacia bromilowiana (P4), Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica (P4), Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina (P3), Goodenia nuda (P4), Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen 4301) (P3), Ptilotus mollis (P4) and Triodia sp. Robe River (M.E. Trudgen et al MET 12367) (P3). Two taxa were considered to represent a significant range extension of 100 km or greater; Acacia monticola x tumida var. pilbarensis (although the closest records are approximately 380 km distance, this hybrid has the potential to occur anywhere across distribution the parent taxa) and Spermacoce brachystema, with a western range extension of approximately 100 km. Both were also recorded from the nearby Mt Farquhar tenements. One taxon referred to as Acacia aff. maitlandii may represent an undescribed (new to science) species.

The vascular flora total includes 11 introduced species. No introduced species from the study area is listed under the BAM Act 2007 as a Declared Pest in the Shire of Ashburton. None are Weeds of National Significance. Most were pastoral weeds associated with riparian areas and one is a new record for the Pilbara (*Bothriochloa pertusa).

VEGETATION

The vegetation of the study area was determined by field mapping based on dominant and characteristic species, and refined by floristic analysis.

The assessment identified 24 vegetation types within the study area. Of these, none are considered to represent any currently identified Threatened Ecological Community.

Vegetation type AcTwEl, described as Acacia citrinoviridis and A. pruinocarpa tall open-sparse shrubland over Triodia wiseana and T. sp. Robe River mid open hummock grassland with Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia low scattered trees, was determined by the Department of Environment and Conservation Species and Communities Branch (in 2012) as marginally representing the P3 ‘Triodia sp. Robe River assemblages of mesas of the West Pilbara’ Priority Ecological Community. The extent of this vegetation type was refined during the 2013 survey and it is considered to occupy 146.64 ha (0.29% of the study area).

Other significant vegetation types were:  1.38 ha (0.003% of the study area) of vegetation considered to represent a Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem (vegetation type EcAcCv, described as Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp.

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 11 refulgens mid woodland over Acacia citrinoviridis and Melaleuca glomerata tall shrubland over Cyperus vaginatus mid sparse sedgeland)  455.69 ha (0.90% of the study area) of vegetation considered to represent a potential Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem (vegetation type EvAcCc, described as Eucalyptus victrix low-mid open woodland over Acacia citrinoviridis and Melaleuca glomerata tall open shrubland over *Cenchrus ciliaris, Pluchea dentax and Eriachne tenuiculmis mid open tussock grassland/low sparse herbs).

The vegetation condition of the study area, assessed using the adapted Keighery (1994) Vegetation Condition Scale for the Eremaean and Northern Botanical Provinces, was considered to be Excellent over 95.23% of the study area, 4.66% Very Good, 0.10% Good and 0.02% Poor.

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Project Overview

Ecoscape was commissioned by Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (Fortescue) to undertake a second phase

of a Level 2 flora and vegetation survey of the Eliwana and Flying Fish (EFF) exploration tenements

within Fortescue’s Western Hub area. This was to complement preliminary surveys of EFF including

Phase 1 Level 2 flora and vegetation surveys conducted in 2012 (Ecoscape 2012d) and Level 1 _rev0

reconnaissance surveys conducted in 2011 (Ecoscape 2012g; 2012h). This report documents the final

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combined results of these surveys. -

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1.1.1 STUDY AREA LOCATION -

967 8 The 50 485 ha EFF study area (Figure 1) is located in the western Hamersley Range within the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. It intersects, at least partially, the following tenements that Fortescue

either hold or have mineral rights over:  exploration licences E47/1195, E47/1196, E47/1300, E47/1301, E471302, E47/1373, E47/1500,

E47/1533, E47/1762, E47/1861 and E47/2037  prospecting licences P47/1179, P47/1270, P47/1398, P47/1399, P47/1400, P47/1401 and

P47/1402

 mining lease M47/1404.

The nearest towns to the study area are Tom Price, located approximately 80 km to the southeast, and Pannawonica, located approximately 95 km to the north-north-west, in the Shire of Ashburton.

HEDLAND !!

A E

R D E G R E Y R I V E R

O E P V N E I KARRATHA A G W R A T N A Y U ! ROEBOURNE H ! E R ! PERTH ! R I ! ! R Y L

V ! U N I L V E E L E E R R E R R R T R I S V

R R I V E

E E R V E V I R I R R E S R E TA L G A R I V E R

A N

Y A Y O

W N J H MARBLE A G ! I Y ! H BAR L A T S A O C T

S R E MILLSTREAM CHICHESTER E W V I H NATIONAL PARK

T R R

O W N

ONSLOW C PANNAWONICA A H

S ! N !! ! F E O R R

I T V E S E C R U R E R I V E R O ON B S E LO W R R I V O E AD R SOLOMON

A WEST YULE RIVER [ W i H

G I CLOUD-

N BREAK M U R CHRISTMAS NJ E ELIWANA & IN H A T i[ CREEK W ITTE R N O FLYING FISH OO M N F O R T E S C U E M A R S H

T i[

R O A

RE G

R E TOM Y I V A NAN R PRICE

N UTA N R Y RA E W L A IT ! TE S ! R N A I O E E O

M B R R

OAD KARIJINI I

V NATIONAL

E H A R D E PARK R Y R I V E R

H E PARABURDOO ! N ! R

V E NEWMAN !! R

LEGEND REGIONAL LOCATION FMG Rail Rivers Scale 1:2,000,000 @ A4 i[ FMG Mine Other Rail FMG Tenements 0 20 40 60 80 100 km !! Populated Places Dual Carriageway Principal Road Secondary Road FIGURE 1 1.2 Project Objectives

The flora and vegetation assessment and targeted conservation significant flora searches must be compliant with an Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Level 2 survey, provide sufficient information to allow for an assessment of potential impacts and follow:  Guidance Statement No. 51: Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation Surveys for Environmental Impact Assessments in Western Australia (Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) 2004a)  Terrestrial Biological Surveys as an Element of Biodiversity Protection Position Statement No. 3 (EPA 2002).

The assessment consisted of:  background research or ‘desktop’ study at the locality scale involving a literature search and search of data and map-based information, much of which was conducted in 2011 as part of a Level 1 flora and vegetation assessment of much of the area (Ecoscape 2012g; 2012h)  reconnaissance field surveys (Level 1) conducted in 2011 (Ecoscape 2012g; 2012h) involving low intensity sampling of flora and vegetation and targeted conservation significant flora searches  an initial Phase 1 of a Level 2 flora and vegetation field survey (Ecoscape 2012d), resulting in an understanding of flora species and vegetation types present, and their representation over a broader area  a second Phase 2 Level 2 flora and vegetation field survey (this report) to further characterise the flora and vegetation types and address knowledge gaps (including re-sampling of existing quadrats, establishment of new quadrats and targeted conservation significant flora searches)  targeted searches for significant flora species and vegetation, including Threatened Ecological Communities (TECs), Threatened Flora (TF), Priority Ecological Communities (PECs), Priority- listed Flora (PF) and botanical Declared Pests, formerly known as Declared Plants  a report that includes figures and maps showing quadrat locations, significant flora species, introduced flora species, vegetation assemblages/communities and vegetation condition.

The extent of the EFF study area has altered between surveys; it was smallest in 2011 (27 982 ha) and has increased from 48 644 ha in 2012 to 49 720 ha in 2013. The total extent was 50 485.4 ha. The changing extents are indicated in Figure 2.

Figure 2: EFF study area extents over the three survey periods

1.3 Previous Botanical Surveys

Flora and vegetation surveys within Fortescue’s Western Hub area that have been conducted in 2011 and 2012 are:  Ecoscape (2012c) Delphine Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Survey, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Ecoscape (2012d) Eliwana and Flying Fish Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Survey, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Ecoscape (2012e) Mt Farquhar Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Survey, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Ecoscape (2012f), Vegetation, Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Targeted Conservation Significant Flora and Fauna Survey: Delphine, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Ecoscape (2012g), Vegetation, Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Targeted Conservation Significant Flora and Fauna Survey: Eliwana, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 16  Ecoscape (2012h), Vegetation, Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Targeted Conservation Significant Flora and Fauna Survey: Flying Fish, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Ecoscape (2012i), Vegetation, Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Targeted Conservation Significant Flora and Fauna Survey: Mt Farquhar, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Ecoscape (2012j), Vegetation, Flora and Fauna Assessment, and Targeted Conservation Significant Flora and Fauna Survey: Raven, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd.

Other relevant botanical surveys conducted in the vicinity of the Eliwana and Flying Fish study area include:  Biota Environmental Sciences (2013), West Turner Syncline Phase 2 Vegetation and Flora Report  Astron Environmental Services (2012a) Hardey Rail Corridor and Borrow Pits Vegetation and Flora Survey (Phase 2)  Astron Environmental Services (2012b) Hardey Resource Area and Gas Pipeline Vegetation and Flora Survey (Phase 2)  Ecoscape (2012a), ‘Themeda Grasslands on Cracking Clay’ TEC Assessment, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Ecoscape (2012b), Central Pilbara Project Level 2 Flora and Vegetation Assessment, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Ecoscape (2011), Pilbara Iron Ore Project – Blacksmith Flora and Vegetation Survey, Unpublished report for Flinders Mines Ltd  Astron Environmental Services (2010), West Pilbara Iron Ore Project Reconciliation of Vegetation Descriptions and Associated Vegetation Mapping, Unpublished report for API Management Pty Ltd.  Ecoscape (2010), Level Two Flora and Vegetation Assessment, Firetail Mining Area, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  ENV Australia (2010), Solomon Project: Kings Flora and Vegetation Assessment, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Coffey Environments (2010a), Flora and Vegetation Assessment, Solomon Project and Investigator – Volume One, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Coffey Environments (2010b), Flora and Vegetation Assessment, Solomon Rail Project Volume 1, Unpublished report for Fortescue Metals Group Ltd  Western Botanical (2009a), Flora and vegetation of the proposed Cape Preston Rail Corridor West Pilbara Iron Ore Project 2007-2008, Report for API Management  Western Botanical (2009b), Flora and vegetation of the proposed mine and associated infrastructure areas West Pilbara Iron Ore Project, Unpublished report for API Management

A more complete list of botanical surveys consulted for information is included in Table 45 in Appendix Ten.

2.0 Existing Environment

2.1 Physical Environment

2.1.1 CLIMATE

The Pilbara region experiences an arid climate, which is influenced by two air masses, the Indian

tropical maritime air moving in from the west or north-west, and the tropical continental air from the

inland. During the warmer part of the year, there is a hot low-pressure system over the region _rev0

resulting in clear skies and very high temperatures from November to February with average final

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maximum temperatures generally between 35°C and 40°C. During the winter months the average -

maximum temperature generally falls to between 22°C and 30°C, the range of which is generally 984

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greater in inland areas away from the moderating effects of onshore winds common in coastal areas 967

(Australian Natural Resources Atlas 2009).

The Pilbara lies south of the area normally penetrated by the northwest monsoon in the summer months, and is only occasionally influenced by weather systems of the westerly circulation in the

winter months. Rainfall is therefore low and variable. The majority of rainfall occurs between December and March, as the result of moist tropical storms and cyclones originating in the north,

with a pronounced dry period between August and November (Australian Natural Resources Atlas

2009).

Figure 3 outlines the monthly rainfall and temperature averages for the Wittenoom Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) station, approximately 120 km to the east, derived from data collected between 1950 and 2013. Wittenoom is the BoM station closest to the study area that has long-term and current rainfall and temperature data (BoM 2013a).

50 100

40 80

30 60 Rainfall Rainfall (mm)

20 40 Temperature(degreesC)

10 20

0 0 Jan-11 Feb-11 Mar-11 Apr-11 May-11 Jun-11 Jul-11 Aug-11 Sep-11 Oct-11 Nov-11 Dec-11 Month Wittenoom monthly mean rainfall (1950-2013) Wittenoom monthly mean maximum temperature (1951-2013) Wittenoom monthly mean minimum temperature (1951-2013)

Figure 3: Monthly rainfall and daily maxima and minima for Wittenoom BoM station (1950-2013) (BoM 2013a)

2.1.2 GEOLOGY Table 1 shows the geological units within the EFF study area (Seymour et al. 1988; Thorne et al. 1996). Digital data is only available for the eastern half of the study area included within the Mt Bruce 1:250,000 Map Sheet. Determination of units in the western half the study area is based on interpretation of a geo-referenced image of the Wyloo 1:250,000 map sheet.

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 20 Table 1: Geological units within the study area Unit Description Mt Bruce 1:250,000 map sheet (Thorne et al. 1996; eastern half of study area) AFd Medium- to coarse-grained metadolerite sills intruded into Fortescue Group Jeerinah Formation: pelite, metasandstone, chert, metabasaltic pillow lava and breccias, and AFj metamorphorphosed felsic volcanic rock; intruded by numerous metadolerite sills AFjl Pillowed and massive metabasaltic flows metabasaltic breccia Bunjinah Formation: pillowed and massive metabasaltic flows, metabasaltic breccia, AFu metamorphosed volcanic sandstone, and minor chert; amygdaloidal metabasaltic flows occur in upper parts of the formation Wittenoom Formation: metamorphosed thin- to medium-bedded dolomite, dolomitic pelite, AHd chert, and volcanic sandstone AHm Marra Mamba Formation: chert, banded iron-formation, and pelite. AHs Mount McRae Shale and Mount Sylvia Formation: pelite, chert, and banded iron formation Colluvium - partly consolidated quartz and rock fragments in silt and sand matris; old valley-fill Czc deposits, locally derived Czk Calcrete – sheet carbonate, found along major drainage lines. Czp Robe Pisolite: pisolitic limonite deposits developed along river channels Czr Hematite-goethite deposits on banded iron-formation and adjacent scree deposits PLHb Brockman Iron Formation: banded iron-formation, chert, and pelite Weeli Wolli: banded iron-formation (commonly jaspilitic), pelite, and numerous metadolerite PLHj sills. PLHo Boolgeeda Iron Formation: fine-grained, finely laminated iron-formation; pelite and chert PLHt Medium to coarse-grained metadolerite sills in Hamersley Group Woongarra Rhyolite: metamorphosed rhyolite, rhyodarite, rhyolitic breccias, and banded iron- PLHw formation. Qa Alluvium - unconsolidated silt, sand, and gravel; in drainage channels and adjacent floodplains Qc Colluvium –unconsolidated quartz and rock fragments in soil Qw Alluvium and colluvium – red-brown sandy and clayey soil; on low slope and sheetwash areas Wyloo 1:250,000 map sheet (Seymour et al. 1988; western half of study area) Mount Jope Volcanics: undifferentiated; mainly pillow basalt with some pyroclastics. Fb Commonly schistose in the south-western half of the WYLOO DOME Jeerinah Formation: mudstone, shale, chert, banded iron-formation and basalt. Intruded by Fj abundant dolerite sills Hb Brockman Iron Formation: banded iron-formation, chert and shale. Contains hematite. Hd Wittenoom Dolomite: grey, thin-bedded dolomite with some shale, chert and iron-formation Hj Weeli Wolli Formation: banded iron-formation and some shale. Intruded by dolerite sills Marra Mamba Iron Formation: chert and banded iron-formation with some shale. Contains Hm crocidolite and hematite Mount McRae Shale: shale, siltstone, dolomitic mudstone with banded iron-formation and Hs chert; and Mount Sylvia Formation: three thin banded iron-formation units and dolomitic mudstone Woongarra Volcanics: rhyolitic and dacitic volcanic, commonly prophyritic, some tuff. Some Hw phases are intrusive Tc Colluvium – partly consolidated valley-fill deposits Robe Pisolite: pisolitic limonite deposits with fossil wood fragments. Occurs along old river Tp channels. Contains iron ore.

2.1.3 LAND SYSTEMS As part of the rangeland resource surveys, the then Department of Agriculture comprehensively described and mapped the biophysical resources of the Pilbara, together with an evaluation of the condition of the soils and vegetation (from an agricultural perspective) throughout (Van Vreeswyk et

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 21 al. 2004). As part of this process an inventory of land types, land systems and land units with particular use capabilities, habitats or conservation values were established to assist in land use planning. According to this mapping, the following land systems (grouped according to land type on the basis of a combination of landform, soil, vegetation, and drainage characteristics) occur within the study area (Table 2). Map 1 shows the land systems occurring in the EFF study area.

Table 2: Descriptions of land types and systems occurring in the EFF study area (Van Vreeswyk et al. 2004) Unit Description Land type 1 Hills and ranges with spinifex grasslands Rugged jaspilite plateaux, ridges and mountains supporting hard spinifex Newman land system grasslands. Basalt hills, plateaux, lower slopes and minor stony plains supporting hard Rocklea land system spinifex (and occasionally soft spinifex) grasslands. Land type 3 Plateaux, mesas and breakaways with spinifex grasslands Low limonite mesas and buttes supporting soft spinifex (and occasionally Robe land system hard spinifex) grasslands. Land type 5 Dissected plains with spinifex grasslands Platform land system Dissected slopes and raised plains supporting hard spinifex grasslands. Land type 8 Stony plains with spinifex grasslands Stony lower slopes and plains below hill systems supporting hard and soft Boolgeeda land system spinifex grasslands and mulga shrublands.

The extent of the land systems outlined above within the EFF study area are indicated in Table 3.

Table 3: Extent of land systems within the EFF study area and regional representation Representation Extent within Proportion of Pilbara extent Land System (%) within the study area (km2) study area (%) (km2)) study area Boolgeeda 55.05 10.90% 7,748 0.71% Newman 161.99 32.09% 14,580 1.08% Platform 20.25 4.01% 1,570 1.29% Robe 13.28 2.63% 865 1.54% Rocklea 254.29 50.37% 22,993 1.11%

2.1.4 DRAINAGE There are several minor to mid-order drainage lines within the study area Map 1. The creeks within the southern portion of the study area are tributaries of Boolgeeda Creek; these flow in a westerly direction (in the western portion of the study area) and easterly or southerly direction (in the eastern portion of the study area). The creeks within the northern portion of the study area are tributaries of Duck Creek and generally flow in a north-westerly direction.

Both Boolgeeda and Duck Creeks are tributaries of the Ashburton River.

2.2.1 BIOGEOGRAPHIC REGION The EFF study area is located within the Pilbara biogeographic region as defined in the Interim Biogeographical Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) (Department of Sustainability Environment Water Population and Communities (DSEWPaC) 2011, now Department of the Environment [DoE]). Biogeographic regions are delineated on the basis of similar climate, geology, landforms, vegetation and fauna. The Pilbara biogeographic region includes four major components; the Hamersley, Fortescue Plains, Chichester and Roebourne subregions (Thackway & Cresswell 1995). The study area is located entirely within the Hamersley (PIL3) subregion described in the 2002 Biodiversity Audit of Western Australia’s 53 Biogeographical Subregions (McKenzie et al. 2003) as: Mountainous area of Proterozoic sedimentary ranges and plateaux, dissected by gorges (basalt, shale and dolerite). Mulga low woodland over bunch grasses on fine textured soils in valley floors, and Eucalyptus leucophloia over Triodia brizoides on skeletal soils of the ranges. The climate is semi-desert tropical, average 300 mm rainfall, usually in summer cyclonic or thunderstorm events. Winter rain is not uncommon. Drainage into either the Fortescue to the north, the Ashburton to the south, or the Robe to the west.

2.2.2 FLORA

2.2.2.1 Conservation Significant Flora Species

For the purposes of this report, conservation significant flora species are those that are listed by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), now Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) as Threatened Flora (TF) and Priority Flora (PF). Flora species are classified as TF or listed as Priority Flora (PF) where populations are geographically restricted or threatened by local processes.

TF species (previously known in Western Australian as Declared Rare Flora (DRF)) are listed by the DEC and are protected under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act (WC Act) (1950). Rare flora species, as they are termed in the WC Act, are gazetted under Sub-section 2 of Section 23F, thereby making it an offence to remove or damage rare flora without Ministerial approval.

Some TF species have additional legislative protection by being listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) (Commonwealth of Australia 1999).

Definitions of the Commonwealth (DSEWPaC/DoE) categories are provided in Table 34 in Appendix One.

Six categories cover State-listed TF and PF species (DEC 2011); these are outlined in Table 35 in Appendix One. PF for Western Australia are regularly reviewed by the DPaW whenever new

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 23 information becomes available, with species status altered or removed from the list when data indicates that they no longer meet the requirements outlined in Table 35.

DEC Database Search

The DEC (now DPaW) Threatened Flora database search (DEC reference 04-0711FL, conducted for the Western Hub area and 40 km buffer in 2011) identifies TF and PF data from validated populations of TF and some PF from the Threatened Flora Database (DEFL), specimens in the Western Australian Herbarium (WAHERB). Combined, TF and PF species are referred to as conservation significant flora species. The results of the database search request are provided on CD.

Sixty five conservation significant vascular flora taxa (species, subspecies and varieties) were identified from the DEC Threatened Flora database search and Ecoscape’s recent surveys nearby (Ecoscape 2012b) (Appendix Two).

Two TF taxa, Lepidium catapycnon and Thryptomene wittweri, were identified by the DEC database search and nearby surveys, along with 15 P1 taxa, 11 P2 taxa, 31 P3 taxa and six P4 taxa as occurring within the database search area.

Map 2 illustrates the locations of nearby species identified by the DEC database search request.

The DEC Threatened Flora database search does not identify other significant flora species, described in Guidance Statement No. 51 (EPA 2004a) as including keystone or relictual species, those having anomalous features, range extremities, range extensions, population outliers, restricted subtaxa and hybrids, local endemics or poorly reserved species.

Commonwealth Protected Matters Search A review of the DSEWPaC/DoE online databases (Protected Matters Search Tool and Species Profile and Threats Database) was also conducted to identify any additional threatened flora with Commonwealth protection nearby (Australian Government and DSEWPaC 2013). The results of the Protected Matters Search, conducted on 5 April 2013, are reproduced in Appendix Three.

NatureMap Search

NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) was reviewed to identify conservation significant flora species that have been recorded from within and near the study area using a simplified version of the study area (a rectangle encompassing most northern, southern, western and eastern extents). The NatureMap search, re-created in June 2013, identified 146 vascular flora taxa and included no additional conservation significant species that had not been identified by other searches.

The results of a NatureMap search are presented in Appendix Four.

The Western Australian Organism List (WAOL; Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia 2013) details organisms listed as Declared Pests under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Act 2007 that replaces the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection (ARRP) Act 1976. Under the BAM Act 2007, Declared Pests are listed as one of three categories:  C1 (exclusion), that applies to pests not established in Western Australia; control measures are to be taken to prevent their entry and establishment  C2 (eradication), that applies to pests that are present in Western Australia but in low numbers or in limited areas where eradication is still a possibility  C3 (management), that applies to established pests where it is not feasible or desirable to manage them in order to limit their damage.

Some of the more invasive introduced species are also included in a number of other weed lists maintained by DSEWPaC and Weeds Australia, including Weeds of National Significance (WONS, Weeds Australia 2012b), the National Environmental Alert List (DSEWPaC 2012a), Sleeper Weeds (DSEWPaC 2012b), Species Targeted for Eradication (DSEWPaC 2012c) and Target Species for Biological Control (Weeds Australia 2012a).

Introduced species (weeds) are commonly recorded, particularly in disturbed areas including those targeted for grazing by introduced species, including cattle. Plants are regarded as introduced if they are listed as ‘alien’ on FloraBase (Western Australian Herbarium [WAH] 1998).

FloraBase (WAH 1998-2013) lists 107 introduced species as having been collected within the Pilbara bioregion, 57 within the Hamersley (PIL3) subregion and 76 within the Shire of Ashburton.

2.2.2.3 Recent Taxonomic Changes

Recent name changes applicable to flora species recorded previously by Ecoscape within the study area and DEC database searches are:  Acacia aneura, formerly Acacia aneura var. intermedia  Androcalva luteiflora, formerly Rulingia  Indigofera sp. Fractiflexa, formerly Indigofera fractiflexa  Indigofera sp. Gilesii, formerly Indigofera gilesii subsp. gilesii (identified by the DEC database searches)  Pentalepis trichodesmoides, recently divided into several subspecies  Pleurocarpaea gracilis, formerly Genus sp. Hamersley Range hilltops (S. van Leeuwen 4345) (identified by the DEC database searches)  Polygala glaucifolia, now likely to be the correct taxon name in the Pilbara, formerly Polygala isingii

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 25  several newly described species formerly known as Solanum sturtianum (true S. sturtianum is now considered predominantly a South Australian species; Pilbara species are S. elatius, S. morrisonii and S. kentrocaule)  Swainsona thompsoniana, formerly Swainsona sp. Hamersley Station (A.A. Mitchel 196) (identified by the DEC database searches)  Tephrosia rosea var. Fortescue Creeks (M.I.H. Brooker 2816), formerly Tephrosia rosea var. glabrior.

Cucumis maderaspatanus has been recently changed to C. althaeoides (Telford et al. 2011), however this is not currently recognised on FloraBase.

FloraBase (WAH 1998-2013) indicates that the specimens of the genus Bonamia held in the WAH have been reviewed in recent times. Bonamia rosea (referred to in previous Ecoscape reports) is now considered to occur only in the Geraldton region, and B. erecta is the correct name to apply in the Pilbara.

2.2.3 VEGETATION AND ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES

2.2.3.1 Vegetation Association Mapping

During the 1970s, John Beard and associates conducted a systematic survey of native vegetation, describing the vegetation systems in Western Australia and mapped at a scale of 1:250 000 in the south-west and at a scale of 1:1 000 000 in less developed areas. The vegetation survey of Western Australia maps and explanatory memoirs (1974-1981) are credited to J.S. Beard (or Beard with various co-authors).

Beard’s vegetation maps attempted to depict the native vegetation as it was presumed to be at the time of settlement, and is known as the pre-European vegetation type and extent and has since been developed in digital form by Shepherd et al. (2002).

The pre-European vegetation associations identified from the EFF study area (Shepherd et al. 2002) and their pre-European and current extents within the Hamersley (PIL3) subregion (Government of Western Australia 2013) are shown in Table 4. The total extent of the Hamersley subregion is 5 634 727 ha.

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 26 Table 4: Vegetation associations Extent within EFF Hamersley (PIL3) Subregion study area Vegetation Association Pre- European Current % Extent Proportion Extent Extent (ha) Remaining (ha) (%) (ha) 18 - Low woodland; Mulga 581,246 577,123 99.29 1044.44 2.07 (Acacia aneura) 82 - Hummock grasslands, low tree steppe; snappy gum 2,177,574 2,165,235 99.43 20268.68 40.15 over Triodia wiseana 175 - Short bunch grassland - 93,040 92,751 99.69 3277.68 6.49 savanna/grass plain (Pilbara) 567 - Hummock grasslands, shrub steppe; mulga & kanji 776,824 774,213 99.66 25894.60 51.29 over soft spinifex and Triodia basedowii

The extent of the pre-European vegetation associations within the study area are displayed in Map 3.

Kendrick (2002) considers pre-European vegetation association 175 to be high priority, vegetation association 18 to be medium priority and vegetation associations 82 and 567 to be low priority for reservation.

2.2.3.2 Existing Vegetation Type Mapping

Ecoscape (2012g; 2012h) conducted Level 1 surveys of part of the current EFF study area in July 2011, then Phase 1 of a Level 2 survey in 2012 (Ecoscape 2012d). During these surveys, 21 vegetation types were mapped, based on field observation of dominant and characteristic species, using relevé sites for additional information. Mapping and vegetation descriptions were refined in 2013 (this report).

2.2.3.3 Threatened and Priority Ecological Communities

TECs are categorised at both State level (DEC 2010) and Commonwealth level (Commonwealth of Australia 1999), while PECs are classed at State level (DEC 2010). The status of the State and Commonwealth ratings are summarised in Table 36 and Table 37 in Appendix One.

According to the TECs listed on the DEC database endorsed by the Minister for the Environment (DEC Species & Communities Branch 2013a), there are two State-listed TECs within the Pilbara bioregion:  the vulnerable ‘Themeda grasslands on cracking clays (Hamersley Station, Pilbara)’. This TEC is described as grassland plains dominated by the perennial Themeda (kangaroo grass) and many annual herbs and grasses  the endangered ‘Ethel Gorge aquifer stygobiont community’.

No Commonwealth-listed TECs occur within the Pilbara bioregion (DSEWPaC 2009).

DEC Ecological Communities Database Search

Thirty PECs are listed as occurring in the Pilbara bioregion (Species & Communities Branch, DEC 2013b).

The DEC Ecological Communities database search (search reference number 04-0711EC, conducted for the 2011 Level 1 survey) identified the following PEC within approximately 15km of the EFF study area: P3 PEC ‘Triodia sp. Robe River assemblages of mesas of the Pilbara’, now known as ‘Triodia sp. Robe River assemblages of mesas of the West Pilbara’.

The description of this PEC (Species & Communities Branch, DEC 2013b) is: The P3 ‘Triodia sp. Robe River assemblages of mesas of the West Pilbara’ (previously named ‘Triodia sp. Robe River assemblages of mesas of the Robe Valley’). This community is typically restricted to mesas and cordillo landforms where the plant assemblages are dominated by or contain Triodia sp. Robe River and are indicative of inverted landscapes; that is, where Triodia sp. Robe River occurs in combination with species that are considered ‘out-of-context’ from their normal habitat. The community is a combination of Triodia sp. Robe River with Acacia pruinocarpa, A. citrinoviridis on slopes or peaks of mesas. These two Acacias are generally found associated with Pilbara creeklines, and their occurrence is probably indicative of the genesis of the mesa surfaces in wetlands, then erosion of the landscape and ‘inversion of the landscape’ such that the mesa slopes and peaks that were previously low in the landscape become high points.

Based on preliminary advice from the DEC, there are areas of the study area that are considered to represent the PEC; these were targeted for a more detailed assessment during the Phase 2 survey.

The DEC Ecological Communities database search does not identify other significant vegetation described in Guidance Statement No. 51 (EPA 2004a), including scare vegetation types, communities including unusual species or a novel combination of species, vegetation acting as a refuge or key habitat for threatened species, vegetation representative of a range of a unit, or vegetation having a restricted distribution.

Map 2 displays the locations of the TECs identified from the DEC database search.

GDE Definition

Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) have been defined as ecosystems that are dependent on groundwater for their survival at some stage or stages of their lifecycle, however groundwater use cannot be equated with groundwater dependence (Eamus 2009b).

Hatton and Evans (1998) identified four types of GDEs based on their geographic setting: 1. Terrestrial vegetation – vegetation communities and dependent fauna that have seasonal or episodic dependence on groundwater 2. River base flow systems – aquatic and riparian ecosystems that exist in or adjacent to streams that are fed by groundwater base flow 3. Aquifer and cave ecosystems 4. Wetlands.

Eamus et al. (2006) identified three primary classes based on type of groundwater reliance: 1. Aquifer and cave ecosystems 2. All ecosystems dependent on the surface expression of groundwater; a) river base flows b) wetlands, swamplands c) seagrass beds in estuaries d) floodplains e) mound springs f) riparian vegetation g) saline discharge to lakes h) low lying forests 3. All ecosystems dependent on the subsurface presence of groundwater, often accessed via the capillary fringe (non-saturated zone above the water table) when roots penetrate this zone; a) River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forests b) Banksia woodlands c) Riparian vegetation in the wet/dry tropics.

In the Pilbara, riparian vegetation is generally determined to be vegetation associated with major or mid-sized drainage lines, and dominated most commonly by Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. refulgens and E. victrix.

Phreatophytic Species

Phreatophytic species rely on groundwater sources for water intake (e.g. Maunsell Australia Pty Ltd 2006); essentially the water requirements of phreatophytes are greater than can be provided from the surface soil profile (e.g. riparian vegetation) or they are dependent on free water availability (e.g.

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 29 wetland species). They frequently show low tolerance to extended water stress due to a lack of physiological and/or morphological adaptation to drought, and respond to significant water deficit by a decline in health and eventual death (ibid.).

Phreatophytic species known to occur in or close to the study area include:  Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. refulgens, which is regarded as a facultative phreatophyte that is dependent on groundwater for part of its lifecycle and/or in times of drought. This species has been reported to be tolerant of groundwater falls of up to 4 m per year (Maunsell Australia Pty Ltd 2006), has both lateral and sinker roots and is tolerant of waterlogging (Grierson 2010).  Eucalyptus victrix, which may be regarded as a facultative phreatophyte (Froend 2009). It is considered to be relatively drought tolerant and likely to be tolerant of gradual declines to the watertable (to a degree) (Batini 2008; EPA & Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd 2010; Maunsell Australia Pty Ltd 2006). Eucalyptus victrix has lateral and sinker roots (i.e. a dimorphic root system) but is not tolerant of waterlogging (Grierson 2010). There is some conjecture that this species is actually a vadophyte (i.e. relies on water from within the soil surface profile, and is independent of groundwater) or weakly phreatophytic (Resource and Environmental Management Pty Ltd 2007). However, Eamus (2009a, point 3.2.2i) presents evidence that at least one E. victrix population has been considered to be an obligate phreatophyte. Froend (2009) considers that there is likely to be variability in water sources used depending on hydrological habitat. Despite a lack of consensus in relation to the water use of this species, the EPA has required monitoring of E. victrix populations in Karijini National Park that may be impacted by groundwater drawdown as a result of activities in the nearby Marandoo Mine (EPA & Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd 2010).  wetland species including Melaleuca argentea.

Facultative phreatophytes can switch their water source from groundwater in times of drought to water in the soil surface profile in times of rain (Grierson 2010). Obligate phreatophytes are dependent on groundwater for their survival.

It is uncertain which, if any, of other species commonly associated with riparian areas are facultative phreatophytes or vadophytes (i.e. the plant’s water requirements are entirely accessed from the soil surface profile). Acacia citrinoviridis and Corymbia hamersleyana are considered to be vadophytes (Astron Environmental Services 2008b), however Eucalyptus xerothermica and other Melaleuca species require research to determine their water use processes. Until there is evidence that these species access groundwater, they are not considered to be indicative of GDEs.

The definition of GDE includes wetlands fed by groundwater (i.e. surface expression of groundwater, Hatton & Evans (1998)) in which the dependent plants require freely available water.

For the purposes of this report, only species that have the ability to access groundwater (not surface expression of groundwater) are considered to be indicative of GDEs.

Vegetation containing Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. refulgens is considered to be indicative of a GDE. Vegetation containing E. victrix is considered to be potentially indicative of a GDE. Neither species is entirely dependent on groundwater for their survival.

2.2.3.5 Sheet Flow Dependent Communities

Mulga (Acacia aneura sens. lat.) often occurs as a grove – intergrove formation on valley floors and floodplains. Regeneration of these groves are generally considered to be dependent on sheet flow in times of heavy rain (e.g. Muller 2005).

Mulga was previously considered the common name for Acacia aneura. Until recently there were 12 varieties of Acacia aneura in Western Australia. Following a revision of this group (Maslin & Reid 2012), a number of new taxa have been identified. The common name ‘Mulga’ includes the closely- related Acacia aneura, A. aptaneura, A. ayersiana, A. caesaneura, A. craspedocarpa, A. fuscaneura, A. incurvaneura, A. macraneura, A. minyura, A. mulganeura, A. paraneura and A. pteraneura, although not all of these taxa are present in the Pilbara.

2.2.3.6 Ecosystems at Risk

‘Ecosystems at Risk’ were identified by regional ecologists and others as part of the then Department of Conservation and Land Management’s (CALM, now DEC) Biodiversity Audit of Western Australia's 53 Biogeographical Subregions in 2002 (CALM 2002), however they do not have any formal legislative protection.

‘Ecosystems at Risk’ identified from the Hamersley subregion (PIL3) of the Pilbara bioregion that may occur in or near the study area include:  the vulnerable ‘Grove/inter-grove Mulga, eastern Hamersley Range’ ecosystem, threatened by grazing, weeds and hydrological change  the vulnerable ‘Valley floor Mulga’ ecosystem, threatened by grazing, weeds, fire and hydrological change  the endangered ‘Lower-slope mulga’ ecosystem, threatened by fire  the vulnerable ‘Hill-top floras, Hamersley Range’ ecosystem, threatened by fire  the vulnerable ‘All major ephemeral water courses’ ecosystem, threatened by grazing and weeds

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 31  the ‘Other stygofauna associated with aquifers near mining below water table’ ecosystem, threatened by mine dewatering; not included in a flora and vegetation assessment.

2.2.3.7 Existing Vegetation Type Mapping

Ecoscape (Ecoscape 2012g; 2012h) conducted a Level 1 survey of part of the current EFF study area in July 2011 then Phase 1 of a Level 2 survey in 2012 (Ecoscape 2012d). During the 2012 survey, 19 vegetation types were mapped, based on field observation of dominant and characteristic species, using quadrat and relevé sites for additional information. Mapping and vegetation descriptions were refined in 2013 (this report).

2.2.3.8 Protected Matters Search

The DSEWPaC (2013) online databases (Protected Matters Search Tool and Species Profile and Threats Database, Appendix Three) identified no other protected matters from the study area.

3.0 Methods

3.1 Flora and Vegetation Assessment

This survey was conducted as a Level 2 flora and vegetation assessment, undertaken to be compliant

with:

 Guidance Statement No. 51: Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation Surveys for Environmental Impact

Assessments in Western Australia (EPA 2004a) _rev0 final

 Terrestrial Biological Surveys as an Element of Biodiversity Protection Position Statement No. 3 _

3 1

(EPA 2002) - 984

 Flora and Vegetation Assessment Guidelines 100-GU-EN-0005, 17 January 2011 (Fortescue 2 -

Metals Group Ltd 2011a). 967

Based on information in Guidance Statement No. 51, a Level 2 flora survey will be required if

Fortescue develop the Western Hub tenements for mining, as the extent of native vegetation loss or

habitat loss would be considered high impact if mining proceeds.

Level 2 surveys incorporate background research and a reconnaissance survey as preparation for a

more intensive and detailed survey. Much of the study area was the subject of Level 1

reconnaissance surveys in 2011 (Ecoscape 2012g; 2012h).

Level 2 surveys require one or more visits in the main flowering season and followed by visit(s) in other seasons in accordance with Guidance Statement No. 51 (EPA 2004a). Level 2 surveys also involve replication of the survey, greater coverage than a Level 1 survey and displacement of plots over the target areas.

In order to determine the overall value of the vegetation and flora of the study area, data collected © Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd (Australia) ©Ecoscape

during the field survey was used to:  describe and map the vegetation types of the EFF tenements to indicate the distribution and relative abundance of each vegetation type  document the vascular flora of the area and provide a measure of the overall floristic richness  identify species and vegetation types of particular conservation significance  identify significant infestations of introduced plant species and occurrence of botanical Declared Pests, formerly known as Declared Plants.

In addition, a regional assessment of flora and vegetation is to be undertaken to determine regional significance.

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 33 3.1.1 FIELD SURVEYS Three periods of field survey have been conducted within the EFF study area:  July 2011 – Level 1 flora and vegetation reconnaissance survey  April 2012 – Phase 1 of Level 2 flora and vegetation survey  April 2013 – Phase 2 of Level 2 flora and vegetation survey.

The Level 1 surveys were undertaken by Stephen Kern and Richard Daniel over five days, during July 2011. During these surveys, vegetation types were mapped and described using 49 reference relevé sites, and targeted conservation significant flora searches were conducted. The Level 1 survey results are presented in separate reports for ‘Eliwana’ and ‘Flying Fish’; Ecoscape (2012g; 2012h).

The Level 2 Phase 1 field survey was conducted by Lyn Atkins (flora collecting permit SL009823), Stephen Kern (SL009825), Jared Nelson (SL009820), Hayley Hughes (SL009824), Richard Daniel (SL009822) and Matt Coyne, during April 17-26, 2012 (Ecoscape 2012d). During these surveys, vegetation types were mapped and described using 128 floristic quadrats, and further targeted conservation significant flora searches were conducted. The results have been incorporated into this report.

The second (Phase 2) field survey was conducted by Lyn Atkins (flora collecting permit SL010339), Jared Nelson (SL010330), Natalie Randall (SL010331), Richard Daniel (SL010340), Claudia McHarrie (SL010326) and Andrew Fry (SL010337), during April 10-21, 2013. The results of the Phase 2 field survey are presented in this report, in combination with the previous field surveys. Specifically the scope of works for the Phase 2 field survey was to:  re-sample 128 permanent quadrats established during Phase 1 2012 surveys  establish additional quadrats in areas where intensity of quadrats was low, or access was restricted during previous surveys  continue conducting targeted flora survey to map, estimate population extent, describe and determine regional significance of conservation significant flora and undescribed flora recorded in the survey area  verify and refine the existing vegetation mapping  accurately delineate and confirm status of vegetation units considered representative or potentially representative of TECs or PECs  conduct a regional assessment of flora and vegetation to determine regional significance (but not floristic analysis).

3.1.1.1 Floristic Survey

The vegetation and floristic data were collected and described from 161 floristic quadrats (abbreviated to ‘quadrats’), 50 m x 50 m in dimension or equivalent area if linear (e.g. along a drainage line), which is in line with the DEC’s Draft Botanical Survey Requirements for the Pilbara Region (CALM 2003), EPA Guidance Statement No. 51 Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation Surveys for

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 34 Environmental Impact Assessment in Western Australia (2004a) and Fortescue’s Flora and Vegetation Assessment Guidelines (2011a). Of the 161 quadrats, 128 were originally established in 2012 and rescored in 2013 whilst 33 were newly established in 2013.

Floristic, biological and physical data was collected and recorded from each of these quadrats. The flora records provided the names used in the vegetation descriptions and contributed to the flora species lists and frequency of occurrence data. Various parameters relating to the individual quadrats were used to assist in both the description of vegetation types and the determination of flora distribution, particularly in terms of defining associated landforms.

The quadrats were spatially distributed as widely as possible over the study area, however there were extensive areas, particularly in the northern portion of the study area that were largely inaccessible as there were no nearby tracks. Quadrats were located up to 3 km from tracks. As the northern area is relatively uniform (in comparison to the southern area), it is considered that this area has been surveyed adequately to describe the vegetation and determine if conservation significant flora species are likely to occur, however without groundtruthing it is not possible to determine if GDEs characterised by Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. refulgens are present.

Quadrats were marked with a fence dropper on the north-western corner (or nearest equivalent for linear quadrats/transects), except in identified but unmarked Indigenous Heritage areas. Other corners were marked with blue and white striped flagging tape tied to rocks, sticks or vegetation.

Quadrats were oriented in a north-south and east-west direction, except where they were located in linear vegetation types (e.g. drainage lines). The corner fence dropper was marked with the quadrat number (WH12xxx, where WH = Western Hub, 12 = 2012, 13 = 2013 and xxx represents the three digit quadrat number), and had blue and white flagging tape tied to it.

The following parameters were recorded at each quadrat:  MGA coordinates recorded in GDA 94 datum using a hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS), to an accuracy usually within 5 m  National Vegetation Inventory System (NVIS) vegetation description based on the height and estimated cover of dominant species  an inventory of all species, with estimated maximum height, percent foliage cover and presence of reproductive material (phenology)  description of landform and habitat  broad description of surface soil type and stony surface mantle  percentage of litter cover and depth  percentage of bare ground

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 35  evidence of grazing, mining exploration activities, weed invasion, frequent fires etc. Fire effects were only considered a negative impact if they were caused by repeated burning (e.g. for pastoral purposes).

Quadrat rescoring in 2013 involved recording floristic data (presence, height, cover and phenology of newly recorded species), unless other parameters had changed considerably.

Photographs of the vegetation at each site were taken from the north-west corner (or nearest equivalent for linear quadrats) of each quadrat using a digital camera. In many cases, photographs were taken from both ends of linear quadrats (transects).

Flora species were also opportunistically recorded on traverses between quadrat locations. To supplement the list of species recorded from the flora survey sites, specific searches of habitats likely to support flora species with sporadic or restricted distributions were also undertaken.

3.1.1.2 Flora Identification and Data Entry

Voucher specimens of all species were collected, assigned a unique number to facilitate tracking of data, and pressed in the field. Specimens collected were dried and treated in accordance with the requirements of the WAH.

These voucher specimens were identified by Ecoscape (mostly Stephen Kern) and ME Trudgen to infrataxa (subspecies, variety, affinity or hybrid) level where possible, using appropriate publications, and/or comparison with pressed specimens housed at the WAH or Trudgen’s herbarium.

Nomenclature was checked against the current listing of scientific names recognised by the WAH and listed on FloraBase (WAH 1998-2013) and updated as necessary.

All raw site data was entered into a Microsoft Access database, with species names entered following formal identification of the collected specimens.

3.1.1.3 Conservation Significant Flora Searches

Due to the size of the study area, no systematic grid search of the study area for conservation significant flora was undertaken. However, when traversing between sites, every opportunity was taken to search for conservation significant flora species, especially where preferred habitats were encountered. The search spacing between surveyors was approximately 20-30 m (i.e. when walking between sites, the two surveyors walked parallel lines, searching either side of the walked line for species identified by the DEC database search), but varied largely due to topographic features.

Targeted searches were also conducted within habitat considered likely to support conservation significant flora such as hilltops, slopes, in gorges and rocky areas, around rock piles and on the

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 36 interface between different land forms. These targeted habitat areas were identified as being potentially significant during the desktop assessment (see Table 40 in Appendix Two).

In order to assist with identification in the field, survey teams as a minimum had access to herbarium scans and Florabase (WAH 1998) descriptions and images of conservation significant species identified by the DEC database search.

3.1.1.4 Introduced Species

Botanical Declared Pests listed under the BAM Act 2007 and significant infestations of other introduced species were recorded if observed in the study area.

Flora species were considered to be introduced if they are listed as ‘alien’ on FloraBase (WAH 1998- 2013).

3.1.1.5 Vegetation Descriptions

Vegetation was described from each of the quadrats using the height and estimated cover of dominant and characteristic species of each stratum, based on the NVIS (National Hertiage Trust 2003) (Table 38), recorded at Level V. Up to three species per stratum from each stratum (upper, mid and ground) were used to formulate vegetation descriptions for each quadrat and each vegetation type.

Vegetation codes are formulated using initials for dominant and characteristic species in each strata, following Fortescue’s Flora and Vegetation Guidelines (2011a) and subsequent instructions.

3.1.1.6 Vegetation Mapping

Vegetation was mapped in the field by groundtruthing changes in vegetation identified on printed 1:25 000 aerial imagery supplied by Fortescue; imagery dates vary over the study area and range from 2008 to 2012.

3.1.1.7 Vegetation Condition

Vegetation condition of the quadrats was assessed using the Trudgen (1991) Vegetation Condition Scale. This rating scale is outlined in Table 39 in Appendix One.

The vegetation condition of the study area was assessed by extrapolating the value recorded for each quadrat and applying the condition to the vegetation type in the vicinity and from ‘spot’ evaluations recorded during traverses through the study area. Note that tracks, drill pads, laydown areas and camps that would have been assessed as Completely Degraded condition occurred at a scale too small for inclusion in the mapping.

Whilst having no formal statutory protection, Guidance Statement No. 51 (EPA 2004a) lists several reasons why vegetation may be considered to be significant in addition to its listing as a TEC or PEC or because the extent is below a minimum threshold. These reasons, which may apply at a number of scales but are not defined in detail, include:  scarcity  unusual species  novel combinations of species  role as a refuge  role as a key habitat for threatened species or large populations representing a significant proportion of the local to regional total population of a species  being representative of the range of a unit (particularly a good local and/or regional example of a unit in ’prime’ habitat, at the extremes of range, recently discovered range extension or isolated outliers of the main range)  restricted distribution.

Vegetation displaying any of the above attributes can be considered to be ‘locally significant’.

3.1.2 FIELD SURVEY TIMING The Level 1 reconnaissance survey was conducted in July 2011. The field survey component of Phase 1 of the Level 2 survey was undertaken in April 2012, which is in line with EPA requirements of field survey being conducted in the season following rain, as outlined in Guidance Statement No. 51 (EPA 2004a). The Phase 2 field survey was undertaken in April 2013.

Seasonal conditions in April 2012 (Phase 1 field survey) were considered by Ecoscape to be average for plant germination and growth based on rainfall records in the Western Pilbara during the preceding summer ‘wet’ season, however due to the above average rainfall during the previous (2011) season, Ecoscape considered there were no botanical constraints in relation to the Phase 1 survey.

Seasonal conditions in April 2013 (Phase 2 field survey) were considered to be good for plant growth and germination due to the above average rainfall during the preceding summer season. Ecoscape therefore considers there were negligible botanical constraints in terms of the species recorded, the ability to identify them and the occurrence of conservation significant flora (see Table 33, Section 4.5). Figure 4 outlines the recent and mean rainfall from the Wittenoom BoM station (BoM 2013a), located approximately 120 km to the east of the study area. The data is from January 2011 – April 2013. . The only BoM station located closer to the study area is Hamersley Station, however there is little difference in rainfall between this and Wittenoom during the recording period, thus Wittenoom is shown as it also records temperatures.

500

450

400

350

300

250 Rainfall Rainfall (mm) 200

150

Level Level Phase 2 survey 2 Level Level reconnaissance 1 survey

100 Level Phase 2 survey 1

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Jul-11 Jul-12

Jan-11 Jan-12 Jan-13

Jun-11 Jun-12

Oct-11 Oct-12

Apr-12 Apr-11 Apr-13

Feb-11 Sep-11 Feb-12 Sep-12 Feb-13

Dec-11 Dec-12

Aug-11 Aug-12

Nov-11 Nov-12

Mar-13 Mar-11 Mar-12

May-11 May-12 Month Wittenoom monthly mean rainfall (1950-2013) Wittenoom monthly rainfall 2011-2013

Figure 4: Rainfall data for Wittenoom BoM station 2011-2013 (BoM 2013a)

EFF

Figure 5: Western Australian rainfall deciles November 2012-April 2013 (BoM 2013b)

3.2.1 STUDY AREA FLORISTIC ANALYSIS AND VEGETATION TYPES PATN© software (Belbin & Collins 2006) was used to undertake statistical analysis and generate floristic groups using the data collected from the floristic quadrats, in order to better understand local and regional significance of floristic units. PATN analysis has been used for several local floristic analyses including Gibson et al. (1994) for the Swan Coastal Plain, and is routinely used for regional floristic analysis in the Pilbara by ME Trudgen and E Griffin (e.g. Ecoscape 2010; 2011).

PATN is a multivariate analysis tool that generates estimates of association (resemblance, affinity, distance) between sets of objects described by a suite of variables (attributes), and classifies the objects into groups and condenses the information and displays the patterns in the data graphically.

PATN offers a choice of data transformations prior to multivariate analysis. In this case, because the analysis used presence / absence data, the Kulczynski similarity coefficient was the appropriate association to use as it has proven to be a good estimation of association for ecological applications (Belbin & Collins 2006). This was followed by Flexible UPMGA (Un-weighted Pair Group Using Arithmetic Averaging) fusion to produce clusters of related objects (species); these are the floristic groups that are displayed as a dendrogram.

Interpretation of these purely floristic groups into recognisable and mappable on-ground units is a tool used to identify vegetation types and is largely based on dominant species from each stratum. Generally, quadrats that are closely floristically related on the dendrogram form identifiable vegetation units, however, as presence-absence data is used in the analysis and there is no weighting given to dominant species, at times the floristic groups are not easily related to on-ground vegetation types. Vegetation types are therefore determined as a combination of floristic analysis and on- ground interpretation.

Floristic analysis was used as a tool to inform vegetation types in the EFF study area.

3.3 Adequacy of Sampling

In order to demonstrate adequacy of sampling, a species accumulation curve was generated by the computer programme Species Diversity and Richness (Pisces Conservation Ltd 2007) using five random selections of sample order, and using only quadrat data (424 taxa, not including opportunistic observations; from 161 quadrats).

4.0 Results

4.1 Flora Survey

4.1.1 FLORA INVENTORY

Floristic quadrat details are included in Appendix Five, and the complete flora inventory in Table 41

in Appendix Six. _rev0

A total of 429 vascular flora taxa (including species, subspecies, varieties, hybrids, affinities and

final

_ R

forms, including introduced species) were recorded from floristic quadrats, opportunistic 3

1 -

observations and conservation significant flora searches (Table 41, site by species matrix in Table 42).

984 2

Of these, seven were of conservation significance (locations shown in Table 43) and 12 were -

967 8 introduced (Table 44). Due to lack of reproductive material, three taxa were only identified to family level and 16 only to genus level, totalling approximately 4.5% of taxa. It is likely that several of the

unidentified taxa are represented in the flora inventory (e.g. ‘Poaceae sp.’ is likely to be a sterile specimen of a taxon already listed in the inventory, ?Eulalia aurea may be this species but may

equally represent a similar species). None are likely to represent TF or PF from the region.

There were 5,460 plant records from the quadrats, with 1,178 specimens of these collected (plus 39

opportunistic collections). Due to lack of reproductive material, seven specimens could only be

identified to family level (0.13%) and 36 specimens could only be identified to genus level (0.65%). This represents only 0.79% of taxa records from the survey not able to be identified to at least species level.

Forty seven identified families and 159 identified genera are represented in the study area. The most commonly represented families are:

 Fabaceae (including the former Mimosaceae, Caesalpiniaceae and Papilionaceae); 90 taxa (one © Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd (Australia) ©Ecoscape

introduced)  Poaceae; 65 taxa (although three unidentified taxa may already be represented in the list; three introduced)  Malvaceae; 59 taxa (although four unidentified taxa may already be represented in the list; one introduced)  Amaranthaceae; 23 taxa (although two unidentified taxa may already be represented in the list; one introduced)  Asteraceae; 19 taxa (although one unidentified taxon may already be represented in the list; three introduced)  Goodeniaceae; 14 taxa.

The most commonly represented genera are Acacia (39 taxa, including infrataxa and hybrids; one unidentified), Senna (21 taxa, most of which were identified to subspecies and hybrid level), Sida (16

The most commonly encountered species were Triodia wiseana (recorded from 140 quadrats), Senna glutinosa subsp. glutinosa (126 quadrats), Ptilotus calostachyus (95 quadrats), Paraneurachne muelleri (88 quadrats), Acacia bivenosa (85 quadrats), Senna glutinosa subsp. pruinosa (from 85 quadrats) and Eriachne mucronata (81 quadrats).

Species’ Range Extents

Based on the records included on NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013), the following taxa, none of which are TF species, are considered as being a significant range extension of 100 km or greater:  Acacia monticola x tumida var. pilbarensis: the closest records are approximately 380 km to the north-east. However, this hybrid has the potential to occur anywhere across distribution the parent taxa, it was also located within the nearby Mt Farquhar study area  Spermacoce brachystema: a western range extension of approximately 100 km, also located within the Mt Farquhar study area.

Taxa ranges and range extensions were assessed using the NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) distance measuring tool.

4.1.2 CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANT FLORA

4.1.2.1 Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

No plant taxon recorded in the study area is listed as Threatened pursuant to Schedule 1 of the EPBC Act 1999.

4.1.2.2 Wildlife Conservation Act 1950

No plant taxon recorded from the study area is gazetted as a TF pursuant to Subsection 2 of Section 23F of the WC Act 1950.

4.1.2.3 Priority Flora

The seven PF recorded from the study area are all P3 or P4 species, described below. Their locations are included in Table 43 and shown on Map 4. The number of co-ordinates in Table 43 may not match the number of populations where points are close together (i.e. a group of plants is considered as a population where they are less than 500 m apart). Threatened and Priority Flora Report Forms are included in Appendix Seven.

The PF recorded from the study area are:  Acacia bromilowiana (P4)  Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica (P4)

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 42  Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina (P3)  Goodenia nuda (P4)  Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen 4301) (P3)  Ptilotus mollis (P4)  Triodia sp. Robe River (M.E. Trudgen et al MET 12367) (P3).

Acacia bromilowiana (P4)

Acacia bromilowiana is a tree or shrub to 12 m high (Plate 1 (Ecoscape 2012g) and Plate 2). It is known only from the Pilbara bioregion with 37 NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) records from the Hamersley Range and Balfour Downs Station. Acacia bromilowiana was recorded from five populations (including one quadrat) totalling approximately 140 individual plants within the EFF study area from high hillcrests and steep rocky slopes, most commonly south-facing, at lower elevations on rocky skeletal soil.

Plate 1: Acacia bromilowiana Plate 2: Acacia bromilowiana habit flowers

Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica (P4)

Eremophila magnifica is a very distinctive species to 1.5 m tall with purple flowers, its leaves smell of nutmeg when crushed. Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica (Plate 3 and Plate 4 (Ecoscape 2012g)) has glabrous leaves (with ciliate leaf margins) whilst E. magnifica subsp. velutina has a velvety leaf surface.

There are 28 NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) records of Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica all of which come from the Hamersley or Opthalmia Ranges. There were 15 populations of Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica recorded across the study area (including one quadrat) associated with rocky habitats, totalling approximately 100 individual plants.

Plate 3: Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica Plate 4: Eremophila magnifica subsp. magnifica flowers and foliage form

Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina (P3)

Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina (Plate 5 and Plate 6) has a velvety leaf surface and is known from 23 NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) records, most of which come from the Hamersley Range. There were 10 populations, totalling approximately 50 individual plants, recorded across the study area (including three quadrats) associated with rocky habitats.

Plate 5: Eremophila magnifica subsp. Plate 6: Eremophila magnifica subsp. velutina form velutina flowers and foliage

Goodenia nuda (P4)

Goodenia nuda is an annual or short-lived herb with yellow flowers (Plate 7 and Plate 8 (both Ecoscape 2012b)). There are 82 records listed on NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013), mostly from the Pilbara bioregion where it is considered to be sparsely distributed. Ecoscape (2012b) recorded Goodenia nuda from 73 locations during its 2011 survey of Fortescue’s Central Pilbara Project area,

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 44 northeast of the EFF study area. Goodenia nuda was recorded from four populations (including three quadrats), totalling five individual plants, within the study area.

Plate 7: Goodenia nuda flower (Ecoscape Plate 8: Goodenia nuda form 2012b)

Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen 4301) (P3)

Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen 4301) is an upright shrub to 2.5 m tall with red flowers (Plate 9 (Ecoscape 2013) and Plate 10). It is known from drainage lines and gorges of the Hamersley Range, with 21 NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) records. Within the study area Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen 4301) was recorded from 26 populations (including 12 quadrats). It was typically a dominant species of the shrub stratum from some drainage lines across the study area, and is occasionally recorded from rocky hillslopes. It is not possible to estimate the total population of this species, however it is likely that there are several thousand associated with drainage lines and several hundred individual plants associated with hillslopes.

Plate 9: Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek Plate 10: Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen (S. van Leeuwen 4301) flowers and 4301) form foliage

Ptilotus mollis (P4)

Ptilotus mollis is a compact shrub to 0.5 m tall with pink flowers (Plate 11 (Ecoscape 2012g) and Plate 12). It has a disjunct distribution across the Pilbara and Little Sandy Desert Bioregions with 15 NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) records. The populations within the study area are at the westernmost range of the species (a population shown on NatureMap near Exmouth is actually described from Nullagine). Five populations (including one quadrat) were recorded towards the western end of the study area from steep rocky hillslopes. One of these populations was associated with a drainage line, where it occurred on a steep rocky cliff face. No population estimate is available for this species, however the total number of plants would be below 50.

Plate 11: Ptilotus mollis flowers Plate 12: Ptilotus mollis form

Triodia sp. Robe River (M.E. Trudgen et al MET 12367) is a hummock grass with soft leaves (Plate 13 and Plate 14). It is known from 38 NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) records, all in the vicinity of the western Hamersley Range. Populations from the EFF study area represent a small (5-10 km) eastern range extension. Triodia sp. Robe River (M.E. Trudgen et al MET 12367) is abundant at the western end of the study area where it is a dominant and characteristic species of two vegetation types and was recorded in 24 quadrats. There would be several thousand plants within the study area.

Plate 13: Triodia sp. Robe River (M.E. Trudgen et Plate 14: Triodia sp. Robe River (M.E. Trudgen al MET 12367) seed heads et al MET 12367) form

4.1.3 UNDESCRIBED (NEW) SPECIES An Acacia similar to A. maitlandii (Plate 15) but with incurved phyllode tips (compared with straight tips) and a spindly habit was recorded as a dominant and characteristic species from two quadrats (WH12018 and WH12019) in 2012 (Ecoscape 2012d). B Maslin, acknowledged as an expert on this genus, viewed the voucher specimen (Plate 16) on 17 September 2012. His opinion, provided in Appendix Nine, is that a genetic study would be required to determine its taxonomic status. Maslin did not provide any guidance as to its conservation significance, however did comment that wispy plants are known to occur in A. maitlandii.

For the purposes of this report, this species is referred to as ‘Acacia aff. maitlandii’.

Plate 15: Acacia aff. maitlandii form

Plate 16: Acacia aff. maitlandii

4.1.4 INTRODUCED FLORA Introduced species identified from the study area are *Aerva javanica (Kapok Bush), *Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca (Mexican Poppy), *Bidens bipinnata (Bipinnate Beggartick), *Bothriochloa pertusa (Indian Burrgrass), *Cenchrus ciliaris (Buffel Grass), *Datura leichhardtii (Native Thornapple), *Flaveria trinervia (Speedy Weed), *Malvastrum americanum (Spike Malvastrum), *Setaria verticillata (Whorled Pigeon Grass), *Sonchus oleraceus (Common Sowthistle) and *Vachellia farnesiana (Mimosa Bush), shown in Map 5. Locations of all introduced flora records are listed in Table 44 and shown on Map 5, and the species are described in Section 4.1.4.1 below.

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 48 *Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca and *Datura leichhardtii are C3 organisms for a number of Western Australian local government areas but not the Shire of Ashburton. No other introduced species recorded from the EFF study area is listed on WAOL.

No WONS (Weeds Australia 2012b), plants listed on the National Environmental Alert List (DSEWPaC 2012a), listed as Sleeper Weeds (DSEWPaC 2012b), listed as Species Targeted for Eradication (DSEWPaC 2012c) or listed as a Target Species for Biological Control (Weeds Australia 2012a) were recorded from the study area.

Table 5 lists the introduced species (‘*’; weeds) recorded for the study area, with their Invasive Plant Prioritisation Process for the DEC (DEC 2012) rankings.

Table 5: DEC (2012) rankings

Potential Current Ecological Feasibility of Species Abundance Invasiveness Status Dist. Dist. Impact control *Aerva javanica L M A H R H-M EST *Argemone ochroleuca L H - L R L - *Bothriochloa pertusa Not listed for the Pilbara *Bidens bipinnata H H - U R L - *Cenchrus ciliaris H H A H R L EST *Datura leichhardtii L M - L S U - *Flaveria trinervia Not listed for the Pilbara *Malvastrum L H A H R L EST americanum *Setaria verticillata L M A H R L EST *Sonchus oleraceus L H - L R L - *Vachellia farnesiana L H C H R L EST

Table codes:  H = high, M= moderate, L = low (impact or feasibility of control)  C = common (medium – scattered patches), A = abundant (isolated plants interspersed)  R= rapid, S = slow, U = unknown  EST = established

Table column headings:  Potential distribution = area of potential habitat in the region that could be occupied or the area at risk of invasion by the weed  Current distribution = area of habitat in the region currently occupied by the weed  Abundance = density class across one or more IBRA regions in the DEC Region  Ecological impact = impact of species within the Region, from low impact (causes minimal disruption to ecological processes or loss of biodiversity) to high (causes acute disruption of ecological processes, dominates and/or significantly alters vegetation structure, composition and function of ecosystems)  Invasiveness = rate of spread of a weed in native vegetation, encompassing factors of establishment, reproduction (time to seeding, seed production, vegetative reproduction) and

© Ecoscape (Australia) Pty Ltd 8967-2984-13R_final_rev0 49 dispersal (wind, water, flying animals, ground animals, deliberate human spread, accidental human spread, vehicles, produce contaminant)  Feasibility of control = the longer a coordinated control program takes to achieve its desired goal, the more expensive and less feasible it becomes. Key factors to consider include how widespread a weed is, ease of finding infestations, cost of controlling infestations, difficulty of limiting the weed's dispersal, willingness of landholders and governments to control the weed, and commercial use of the plant  Status = defines whether the species is outside the region, considered emerging (density class of occasional), established (density class of common or abundant) or unknown.

4.1.4.1 Introduced Flora Descriptions

Descriptions of introduced species are based on field observations, supplemented with information from Hussey et al. (2007) and FloraBase (WAH 1998-2013). Locations of introduced species within the study area are shown in Map 5.

*Aerva javanica (Kapok Bush)

*Aerva javanica is a perennial herb to 1.6 m high (approximately 1 m high in the study area) with greyish white flowers throughout much of the year. It is usually associated with disturbed areas and drainage lines, and is found throughout much of northern Western Australia. It was recorded in two quadrats in the EFF study area, one on a river bank, and the other in the northwestern portion of the study area (on the Rocklea land system) within a quadrat and observed as a scattered occurrence in the vicinity.

Plate 17 and Plate 18 illustrate this species.

Plate 17: *Aerva javanica flowers Plate 18: *Aerva javanica form

*Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca is a prickly grey annual herb to 1 m high, although generally lower. It is found occasionally in and near drainage lines, and occurred on loamy soil within the study area, where it was recorded from one quadrat and an opportunistic observation. It was not recorded as a living presence in 2013.

It is found throughout much of Western Australia. Plate 19 and Plate 20 (both from the Delphine study area) illustrate this species.

Plate 19: *Argemone ochroleuca subsp. Plate 20: *Argemone ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca form ochroleuca flower

*Bidens bipinnata (Bipinnate Beggartick)

*Bidens bipinnata is an annual herb to 1.5 m high, although usually approximately 0.5 m high in the study area. Within the study area it is associated with drainage lines and, in other nearby areas, Mulga groves, both on loamy soil. It was recorded from 11 quadrats. *Bidens bipinnata is found throughout much of the north of Western Australia. Plate 21 and Plate 22 illustrate this species.

Plate 21: *Bidens bipinnata achenes Plate 22: *Bidens bipinnata form

*Bothriochloa pertusa (Indian Burrgrass)

*Bothriochloa pertusa is a perennial grass to 0.7 m high. NatureMap (DPaW 2007-2013) indicates it has been recorded in the Kimberley and northern Wheatbelt (Three Springs) regions of Western Australia.

*Bothriochloa pertusa specimen (Plate 23) was identified by M. Trudgen from one quadrat within the study area.

Plate 23: *Bothriochloa pertusa specimen

*Cenchrus ciliaris (Buffel Grass)

*Cenchrus ciliaris is a perennial tussock-forming grass to 1 m high, although usually approximately 0.5 m high in the study area. It is generally associated with clay loam soil of drainage lines and floodplains, and is more common in grazed areas. *Cenchrus ciliaris was either deliberately planted for pasture or accidently introduced (Van Vreeswyk et al. 2004), and has been known from the Pilbara bioregion since the early 1900s (Keighery 2010).

*Cenchrus ciliaris was recorded from 13 quadrats within the study area, and recorded as forming significant infestations along the main drainage line in the study area. Plate 24 and Plate 25 illustrate this species.

Plate 24: *Cenchrus ciliaris flower Plate 25: *Cenchrus ciliaris form

*Datura leichhardtii (Native Thornapple)

*Datura leichhardtii is an annual herb to 1 m high with distinctive spiny fruits. It is typically associated with drainage lines of the Pilbara, Gascoyne and Carnarvon IBRA regions. *Datura leichhardtii was recorded from one quadrat within the study area along a main drainage line (Map 5). Plate 26 (Ecoscape 2012c) illustrates this species. *Datura leichhardtii is listed as a C3 Pest Organism in the southwest of Western Australia, but not in the Shire of Ashburton.

Plate 26: *Datura leichhardtii fruit

*Flaveria trinervia (Speedy Weed)

*Flaveria trinervia is an annual herb with distinctive red stems and three-veined leaves. North of the study area it forms dense stands to approximately 1.5 m high in the drainage line, however within the study area *Flaveria trinervia occurred as a small herb less than 0.5 m high, and occurred sporadically rather than forming significant infestations. It was recorded from five quadrats and four opportunistic records in the study area.

This species is found throughout much of northern Western Australia. It is listed on FloraBase (WAH 1998-2013) as ‘alien’ (introduced), however Hussey et al. (2007), DEC’s Invasive Plant Prioritisation Process for the DEC (2012) and Environmental Weed Strategy for Western Australia (CALM 1999) do not list this species, indicating there is debate in relation to *Flaveria trinervia being native or introduced. Plate 27 and Plate 28 illustrate *Flaveria trinervia.

Plate 27: *Flaveria trinervia leaves Plate 28: *Flaveria trinervia form

*Malvastrum americanum (Spike Malvastrum)

*Malvastrum americanum is a perennial herb or shrub to 1.3 m high, although within the study area it has generally been recorded at less than 0.5 m high. It is usually, but not always, associated with drainage lines and floodplains and has a wide distribution through northern and arid Western Australia. It was recorded from 15 quadrats in the study area. Plate 29 and Plate 30 illustrate this species.

Plate 29: *Malvastrum americanum flower Plate 30: *Malvastrum americanum form heads

*Setaria verticillata (Whorled Pigeon Grass)

*Setaria verticillata is an annual grass to 1 m high, but usually approximately 0.5 m. It is widely distributed within Western Australia, and, within the Pilbara region, is mostly associated with drainage lines. Within the study area it is sparsely distributed, and was recorded from two quadrats. Plate 31 illustrates this species.

Plate 31: *Setaria verticillata

*Sonchus oleraceus (Common Sowthistle)

*Sonchus oleraceus is an erect annual herb to 1.5 m high with yellow flowers. This species is widely distributed across Western Australia, typically associated with disturbed sites. *Sonchus oleraceus was recorded from one quadrat within the study area along a drainage line. Plate 32 illustrates this species.

Plate 32: Sonchus oleraceus flower and form

*Vachellia farnesiana is an erect spinescent tree or, more often, a shrub to 4 m high. It is widely distributed through the north of Western Australia, however it occurs sporadically in areas closer to Perth. Hussey et al. (2007) consider it to have been introduced to Australia prior to European settlement. Within the study area it is associated with drainage lines and was recorded from four quadrats, but elsewhere in the Pilbara it is also found on floodplains. Plate 33 illustrates the dense shrubby form of this species in the study area.

Plate 33: *Vachellia farnesiana

4.2 Vegetation Assessment

4.2.1 VEGETATION TYPES Twenty four vegetation types, including one mosaic in which one component is also a stand-alone vegetation type, were recorded and mapped from within the EFF study area. They are described and their extents within the EFF study area are listed in Table 6 and shown on Map 6.

Table 6: Vegetation types and their extents within the study area

Proportion of Code Vegetation Type Area (ha) study area

Acacia aptaneura and Eucalyptus xerothermica low woodland/mallee woodland over Acacia bivenosa and A. exilis mid sparse shrubland over AaAbTe 28.00 0.06% Triodia epactia, Chrysopogon fallax and Digitaria brownii mid hummock grassland/tall tussock grassland

Acacia aptaneura and A. pruinocarpa low open woodland/tall sparse AaEfTe shrubland over Eremophila forrestii subsp. forrestii mid sparse shrubland over 79.54 0.16% Triodia epactia low open hummock grassland

Acacia aptaneura low open woodland over Triodia epactia and Enneapogon AaTe 134.53 0.27% polyphyllus low sparse hummock grassland/low isolated grasses Acacia ancistrocarpa, A. pruinocarpa and A. aptaneura tall open shrubland AaTw 46.07 0.09% over Triodia wiseana mid open hummock grassland Acacia arida mid open shrubland over Triodia wiseana and T. sp. Robe River AaTwEl mid hummock grassland with Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia 1,863.65 3.69% scattered trees Acacia bivenosa mid sparse shrubland over Triodia epactia mid open AbTe 124.00 0.25% hummock grassland Acacia bivenosa, A. synchronicia and A. ancistrocarpa mid-tall sparse shrubland over Triodia wiseana low open hummock grassland with Corymbia AbTwCh 1,462.57 2.90% hamersleyana and Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia mid scattered trees

Acacia citrinoviridis and A. pruinocarpa tall open-sparse shrubland over AcTwEl Triodia wiseana and T. sp. Robe River mid open hummock grassland with 146.64 0.29% Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia low scattered trees

Acacia exilis, A. bivenosa and A. marramamba mid sparse shrubland over AeTw 2,338.82 4.70% Triodia wiseana and T. epactia low open hummock grassland

Acacia inaequilatera and Eremophila fraseri subsp. fraseri mid-tall open AiEfTw shrubland over Triodia wiseana, T. epactia and Enneapogon polyphyllus low 57.04 0.11% open hummock grassland/grassland

Triodia longiceps and T. wiseana mid open hummock grassland with AiTlAb Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia low scattered trees over Acacia 41.20 0.08% bivenosa and A. ancistrocarpa mid scattered shrubs

Acacia inaequilatera, A. exilis and Senna glutinosa subsp. glutinosa mid sparse AiTw shrubland over Triodia wiseana and T. aff. melvillei low open hummock 540.42 1.07% grassland Mosaic of: Acacia inaequilatera and A. bivenosa mid-tall sparse shrubland over Triodia wiseana low hummock grassland with Corymbia hamersleyana low isolated Mosaic AiTwCh trees 25,341.51 50.20% / AiTlAb and Triodia longiceps and T. wiseana mid open hummock grassland with Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia low scattered trees over Acacia bivenosa and A. ancistrocarpa mid scattered shrubs Acacia xiphophylla and A. aptaneura low woodland over Eremophila cuneifolia AxEcTe and Ptilotus obovatus mid sparse shrubland over Triodia epactia and T. 49.59 0.10% wiseana mid sparse hummock grassland

Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. refulgens mid woodland over Acacia EcAcCv citrinoviridis and Melaleuca glomerata tall shrubland over Cyperus vaginatus 1.38 0.003% mid sparse sedgeland

Eucalyptus gamophylla mid sparse mallee shrubland over Acacia atkinsiana, EgAaTe A. bivenosa and A. exilis tall sparse shrubland over Triodia epactia and T. 3,025.93 5.99% wiseana mid hummock grassland

Eucalyptus gamophylla and Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia mid open mallee shrubland/mid open woodland over Acacia maitlandii, EgAmTw 392.94 0.78% Petalostylis labicheoides and Acacia pyrifolia var. pyrifolia tall sparse shrubland over Triodia wiseana low hummock grassland

Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia low open woodland over Acacia ElAaTw atkinsiana and A. exilis tall open shrubland over Triodia wiseana low open 503.07 1.00% hummock grassland

Eucalyptus leucophloia subsp. leucophloia low open woodland over Acacia ElAmTw maitlandii, A. marramamba and Senna glutinosa subsp. glutinosa mid-tall 11,997.97 23.77% sparse shrubland over Triodia wiseana mid hummock grassland

Eucalyptus victrix low-mid open woodland over Acacia citrinoviridis and EvAcCc Melaleuca glomerata tall open shrubland over *Cenchrus ciliaris, Pluchea 455.69 0.90% dentax and Eriachne tenuiculmis mid open tussock grassland/low sparse herbs

Eucalyptus xerothermica and E. socialis subsp. eucentrica low open mallee ExAbTw woodland over Acacia bivenosa and A. synchronicia tall sparse shrubland over 413.88 0.82% Triodia wiseana low hummock grassland

Eucalyptus xerothermica mid-low open woodland over Acacia citrinoviridis, A. bivenosa and A. pyrifolia var. pyrifolia tall open shrubland over Triodia ExAcTe 575.45 1.14% epactia, Themeda triandra and Chrysopogon fallax mid hummock grassland/mid tussock grassland Triodia aff. melvillei and T. wiseana low open hummock grassland with Acacia TmAt 187.11 0.37% trudgeniana low scattered trees

Tw Triodia wiseana low open hummock grassland 678.40 1.34%

TOTAL 50,485.40 100.00%

Vegetation types identified from the study area are described below. Vegetation types identified in during the Phase 1 survey (Ecoscape 2012d) have been refined based on additional information gathered during the Phase 2 survey in 2013. Changes in vegetation codes since the Phase 1 report (Ecoscape 2012d) are given to assist comparison between reports.

The floristics dendrogram that was used to inform vegetation type groupings is included in Appendix Eight.

Table 7: Vegetation type AaAbTe Proportion Other Species / Code Vegetation Type Quadrats Landform Condition PF Area (ha) of study Notes area (%)

Acacia cowleana, Abutilon otocarpum, *Bidens bipinnata, Boerhavia coccinea, *Cenchrus ciliaris, Duperreya commixta, Eragrostis cumingii, Eulalia Acacia aptaneura and Eucalyptus aurea, Euphorbia biconvexa, xerothermica low Evolvulus alsinoides var. woodland/mallee woodland over Flat villosicalyx, Jasminum Acacia bivenosa and A. exilis mid WH12003, WH12162, valley Good - AaAbTe didymum subsp. lineare, None 28.00 0.06 sparse shrubland over Triodia WH12282 floor Excellent *Malvastrum americanum, epactia, Chrysopogon fallax and drainage Perotis rara, Pterocaulon Digitaria brownii mid hummock sphacelatum, Rhyncharrhena grassland/tall tussock grassland linearis, Senna notabilis, Sida sp. verrucose glands (F.H. Mollemans 2423), Sporobolus australasicus, Themeda triandra

Vegetation type AaAbTe was identified as being a distinct vegetation type following the 2013 survey and floristic analysis.

AaAbTe is most similar to other valley floor drainage vegetation types ExAcTe and EvAcCc, however it occurs in the flatter areas with no distinctive drainage channel. In Ecoscape (2012d), quadrats included in AaAbTe were previously included in vegetation type ExAcTe.

Quadrat photo: WH12282