BOUNDARY HILL SOUTH PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Volume 5 – Appendices February 2014 BOUNDARY HILL SOUTH PROJECT P2 Terrestrial Fauna Assessment NOTE: At the time of preparation of this technical assessment, the Project site included a larger footprint of 1,069 hectares. In June 2013, a decision was made to reduce the size of the Project site by removing a portion of the Mining Lease Application (MLA) area. This portion of the site, otherwise known as the Timber Reserve area, has been removed from the Project MLA and will not be subject to mining activity as part of the Project. This amendment to the MLA boundary reduces the size of the Project site from 1,069 hectares to 630 hectares. As such, the terrestrial fauna assessment has been undertaken within a broader survey area and included the Timber Reserve area. Whilst the terrestrial fauna survey was undertaken over the broader study area to include the originally proposed MLA, the impact assessment contained in Chapter 12A Terrestrial Ecology considers the revised Project area of 630 hectares. Boundary Hill South Environmental Impact Statement Boundary Hill South Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd 01-Nov-2012 Doc No. 60238883 Terrestrial Fauna Technical Report AECOM Boundary Hill South Terrestrial Fauna Technical Report Terrestrial Fauna Technical Report Client: Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd ABN: 75 009 666 200 Prepared by AECOM Australia Pty Ltd 21 Stokes Street, PO Box 5423, Townsville QLD 4810, Australia T +61 7 4729 5500 F +61 7 4729 5599 www.aecom.com ABN 20 093 846 925 01-Nov-2012 Job No.: 60238883 AECOM in Australia and New Zealand is certified to the latest version of ISO9001, ISO14001, AS/NZS4801 and OHSAS18001. © AECOM Australia Pty Ltd (AECOM). All rights reserved. AECOM has prepared this document for the sole use of the Client and for a specific purpose, each as expressly stated in the document. No other party should rely on this document without the prior written consent of AECOM. AECOM undertakes no duty, nor accepts any responsibility, to any third party who may rely upon or use this document. This document has been prepared based on the Client’s description of its requirements and AECOM’s experience, having regard to assumptions that AECOM can reasonably be expected to make in accordance with sound professional principles. AECOM may also have relied upon information provided by the Client and other third parties to prepare this document, some of which may not have been verified. Subject to the above conditions, this document may be transmitted, reproduced or disseminated only in its entirety. \\autsv1fp001\Jobs\MMPL\60238883\6. Draft Docs\6.1 Reports\Rev 02 Issue\Appendices\Appendix P2 - Terrestrial Fauna.docx Revision 01 – 01-Nov-2012 Prepared for – Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd – ABN: 75 009 666 200 AECOM Boundary Hill South Terrestrial Fauna Technical Report Quality Information Document Terrestrial Fauna Technical Report Ref 60238883 Date 01-Nov-2012 Prepared by Annemarie van Doorn Reviewed by Joss Bentley Revision History Authorised Revision Revision Details Date Name/Position Signature 1 23-Oct-2012 Draft for Review Joss Bentley A 9-Nov-2012 Final Copy Rouven Lau Associate Director - Environment 01 25-Oct-2013 Final Andrew Walsh Project Manager \\autsv1fp001\Jobs\MMPL\60238883\6. Draft Docs\6.1 Reports\Rev 02 Issue\Appendices\Appendix P2 - Terrestrial Fauna.docx Revision 01 – 01-Nov-2012 Prepared for – Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd – ABN: 75 009 666 200 AECOM Boundary Hill South Terrestrial Fauna Technical Report Table of Contents Executive Summary i 1.0 Introduction 2 1.1 Scope of Works 2 1.2 Project Site 2 1.3 Commonwealth Legislation 5 1.4 Queensland Legislation 5 1.5 Ecological Offsets 8 2.0 Methodology 11 2.1 Taxonomic Nomenclature 11 2.2 Determination of Significance Level for Fauna 11 2.3 Fauna Desktop Assessment 11 2.4 Fauna Field Survey 11 2.4.1 Detailed Survey Sites 11 2.4.2 Secondary Survey Sites 14 2.4.3 Fauna Habitat Assessments 14 2.4.4 Incidental Observations 15 2.4.5 Survey Locations 15 2.4.6 Survey Timing 15 2.4.7 Analyses 15 2.4.8 Threatened Species 15 2.5 Assumptions and Limitations 16 3.0 Existing Ecological Environment 18 3.1 Available Habitat Types 18 3.2 Essential Habitat 24 3.3 Environmentally Sensitive Areas 24 3.4 Bioregional Corridors and Habitat Connectivity 24 3.5 Species Diversity 30 3.6 Edge of Range Species 30 3.7 Threatened Fauna 30 3.8 Migratory Fauna 43 3.9 Breeding Sites 48 3.10 Culturally Significant Fauna 48 3.11 Introduced Pest Species 50 4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 52 5.0 References 53 Appendix A Desktop Searches A Appendix B Fauna Habitat Assessments B Appendix C Terrestrial Fauna Recorded during Field Surveys C Appendix D Fauna Analyses Results D \\autsv1fp001\Jobs\MMPL\60238883\6. Draft Docs\6.1 Reports\Rev 02 Issue\Appendices\Appendix P2 - Terrestrial Fauna.docx Revision 01 – 01-Nov-2012 Prepared for – Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd – ABN: 75 009 666 200 AECOM Boundary Hill South i Terrestrial Fauna Technical Report Executive Summary AECOM was commissioned by Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd to determine the terrestrial fauna values for the Boundary Hill South Lease Extension (BHSLE) project. The EPBC referral for the BHSLE project (the Project) was lodged on 16 March 2012 as Commonwealth database searches indicate that the project may impact on some matters of national environmental significance. This technical report will guide the fauna component of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) fauna and flora chapter measuring potential impacts and instating adequate mitigation measures to reduce the environmental impact of the Project on the existing fauna assemblage with particular emphasis on Endangered, Vulnerable, and Near Threatened (EVNT) species. Four regional ecosystems (RE’s) are mapped by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP) in the Study Area, all of which have a Vegetation Management Act 1992 status of Least Concern. However, RE 11.3.25 (Eucalyptus tereticornis or E. camaldulensis woodland fringing drainage lines) has ‘Of Concern’ biodiversity status. Two RE’s restricted in distribution in the Project area that may support a high number of EVNT species include RE 11.3.25 (blue gum Eucalyptus tereticornis along creeks) and RE 11.10.13 (brown bloodwood Corymbia trachyphloia and ironbark Eucalyptus suffulgens on upper sandstone slopes). In addition, large connected areas of woodland, such as RE 11.9.9 and 11.10.1 also provide habitat for a diversity of terrestrial fauna species. Disturbances recorded in the Project site included weeds, introduced pests, erosion, fire and grazing. All sites had some form of disturbance with weeds and introduced pest species being present throughout the Project site. The effects of a hot fire was evident at all sites located east of the power line easement and may have impacted the diversity of terrestrial fauna recorded during surveys. No essential fauna habitat was recorded within the Project site. The project is affected by a Category C Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) which consists of the Callide Timber Reserve. As a Category C ESA, the Callide Timber Reserve falls under the Forestry Act 1959. Within the Project site, remnant vegetation is mapped as medium State ecosystem diversity, with the exception of one small area of high diversity located in the far south west section. Larger areas of high biodiversity are located to the east of the Project boundary. There are no regional corridors mapped, however, the boundary of the mapped State biodiversity corridor is located in the north east of the Project site. Field surveys recorded a total of 107 fauna species, comprising 68 bird species, 3 amphibians, 10 reptiles and 26 mammals with five additional mammal species being possibly present. Of these, three EVNT species were recorded: - Black-chinned honeyeater Melithreptus gularis Near Threatened under the NC Act. - Squatter pigeon Geophaps scripta scripta, Vulnerable under the EPBC Act and the NC Act; - Little pied bat Chalinolobus picatus Near Threatened under the NC Act. In addition to the species recorded, the field survey also recovered a scat that could possibly be attributed to a northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus). The northern quoll, listed as ‘Endangered’ under the EPBC Act is assumed to be present within the Project sit as it is within the mapped distribution, suitable habitat is present, and it has recently been recorded in close vicinity. Although not recorded during surveys, multiple threatened Brigalow Belt reptiles are highly likely to occur in the Project site as suitable habitat is present based on distribution maps and fauna habitat assessments. Suitable habitat for the koala Phascolarctus cinereus (Vulnerable, EPBC ACT) was also found to be present in the Project site. One migratory species, rainbow bee-eater Merops ornatus, was recorded during the survey and additional species are either possible or likely to occur. The echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus, is a culturally significant species found to be widespread during surveys. Six introduced pest species, not including domestic animals, were recorded during field surveys, of which five are considered as a key threatening process. Pest species were found throughout the Project site with European foxes Vulpes vulpes and cane toads Bufo marinus being the most widely distributed. \\autsv1fp001\Jobs\MMPL\60238883\6. Draft Docs\6.1 Reports\Rev 02 Issue\Appendices\Appendix P2 - Terrestrial Fauna.docx Revision 01 – 01-Nov-2012 Prepared for – Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd – ABN: 75 009 666 200 AECOM Boundary Hill South 2 Terrestrial Fauna Technical Report 1.0 Introduction Anglo Coal (Callide Management) Pty Ltd operates the Callide Mine, which is located in the Callide Basin of Central Queensland, approximately 20 km northeast of the rural town of Biloela and 85 km south west of the port of Gladstone (Figure 1).