BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd Jimblebar East and Caramulla Fauna Survey August 2019 Executive summary Introduction BHP Western Australian Iron Ore (BHP) engaged GHD to undertake a Level 2 single season vertebrate fauna survey covering the Jimblebar East and Caramulla areas (the survey area). The survey area is positioned directly east of the current Jimblebar mining operation, approximately 60 kilometres (km) east of Newman. The results of the fauna survey will be used to inform future environmental approvals across the area. This report is subject to, and must be read in conjunction with, the limitations set out in section 1.2.1 and the assumptions and qualifications contained throughout the report. Survey effort Field survey consisted a twelve day single season Level 2 assessment from 29 April to 10 May 2019. Habitat assessment was conducted in accordance with the BHP fauna survey guidelines. Trapping for terrestrial vertebrate fauna was undertaken using a series of standardised systematic trapping quadrat sites, remote sensor cameras, acoustic recorders and non- systematic survey methods. Eight trapping sites were sampled for 7 to 9 consecutive trap-nights and included buckets, pipes, cages, funnels and Elliott traps. Additionally at least 1 night was sampled for bat acoustics (12 nights total), 60 to 120 minutes of night search, 60 to 120 minutes of active search and 60 to 140 minutes of bird assessments undertaken at each site. The total trapping effort consisted of 2520 trap-nights (total trap effort), 820 minutes of bird assessments, 540 minutes of active searches, 510 minutes of night searches, 16 nights of Night Parrot acoustic assessment, 28 nights of Bat detection, 143 camera nights, 1000 minute of additional active search effort and 840 minutes of Bilby plot assessments. Key results Seven broad fauna habitat types (excluding disturbed areas) were recorded during the field survey from the survey area. These habitat types closely align with the different vegetation types and landforms within the survey area. The fauna habitat present include Major Drainage lines, Hillcrest/ Hillslope, Sand Plain, Mulga Woodland, Minor Drainage lines, Stony Plain and Claypan. Some disturbed areas are also present The survey area is largely intact, contiguous with cattle grazing, existing exploration areas and fire the main disturbances observed The post wet season fauna surveys recorded 144 vertebrate fauna species utilising the survey area, including 28 mammals, 66 birds, 46 reptiles and four amphibians Four conservation significant fauna species were recorded within (or close to within) the survey area during the field survey, this included: – Ghost Bat (Macroderma gigas) – listed Vulnerable (Vulnerable) under the BC Act and Vulnerable under the EPBC Act – Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) – listed as Other Special Protection under the BC Act – Western Pebble-mound Mouse (Pseudomys chapmani) – Listed as Priority 4 under DBCA fauna listings – Brush-tailed Mulgara (Dasycercus blythi) – Listed as Priority 4 under DBCA fauna listings. GHD | Report for BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd - Jimblebar East and Caramulla, 6138152 | i Table of contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Project background .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Propose of this report ........................................................................................... 1 1.3 Scope of works .................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Study area location............................................................................................... 2 1.5 Environment ........................................................................................................ 2 2. Methodology ................................................................................................................ 5 2.1 BHP requirements ................................................................................................ 5 2.2 Relevant legislation and background information....................................................... 5 2.3 Desktop assessment ............................................................................................ 5 2.4 Field survey......................................................................................................... 6 2.5 Survey effort and sampling locations ..................................................................... 11 2.6 Data analysis..................................................................................................... 17 2.7 Seasonal conditions ........................................................................................... 17 3. Desktop assessment ................................................................................................... 19 3.1 Fauna database searches ................................................................................... 19 3.2 Fauna diversity .................................................................................................. 19 3.3 Conservation significant fauna.............................................................................. 19 3.4 Literature review ................................................................................................ 19 4. Results ...................................................................................................................... 23 4.1 Fauna habitats................................................................................................... 23 4.2 Fauna diversity .................................................................................................. 32 4.3 Conservation significant fauna.............................................................................. 35 4.4 Fauna survey limitations...................................................................................... 47 5. Discussion and Conclusion ........................................................................................... 49 6. References ................................................................................................................ 50 Table index Table 1 Land systems within the survey area ............................................................................. 3 Table 2 Personnel experience.................................................................................................. 6 Table 3 Fauna references ....................................................................................................... 7 Table 4 Survey effort and location at systematic trap sites.......................................................... 13 Table 5 Remote camera trap locations .................................................................................... 14 Table 6 Additional bat detector locations.................................................................................. 15 Table 7 Night Parrot Detector locations ................................................................................... 15 GHD | Report for BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd - Jimblebar East and Caramulla, 6138152 | ii Table 8 Additional active search locations................................................................................ 15 Table 9 Targeted Greater Bilby plots ....................................................................................... 16 Table 10 Rainfall 6 months prior to the survey month................................................................. 18 Table 11 Weather during survey period (sourced BoM 2019) ...................................................... 18 Table 12 Summary of previous fauna studies ........................................................................... 20 Table 13 Major habitat types within the survey area .................................................................. 25 Table 14 Mammal families recorded during the field surveys ...................................................... 32 Table 15 Bird families recorded during the field surveys ............................................................. 33 Table 16 Reptile families recorded during the field surveys......................................................... 34 Table 17 Amphibian families recorded during the field survey ..................................................... 34 Table 18 Summary of likelihood of occurrence assessment for conservation significant fauna species deemed known or likely to occur ............................................................... 36 Table 19 Western Pebble-mound Mouse mounds recorded in the survey area .............................. 38 Table 20 Brush-tailed Mulgara evidence recorded in the survey area ........................................... 40 Table 21 East Jimblebar Ghost Bat evidence ........................................................................... 41 Table 22 Ghost Bat evidence south of the survey area .............................................................. 43 Table 23 Old Greater Bilby burrow in the survey area ................................................................ 45 Table 24 Fauna survey limitations .......................................................................................... 48 Appendices Appendix A – Map Figures Appendix B – Relevant legislation, background information and conservation codes Appendix C – Desktop