Fauna Assessment Lot 21 Caves Road Hamelin Bay JANUARY 2015 Version 1 On behalf of: TME Town Planning Management Engineering Pty Ltd PO Box 733 BUNBURY WA 6231 T: (08) 9791 4411 Prepared by: Greg Harewood Zoologist PO Box 755 BUNBURY WA 6231 M: 0402 141 197 T/F: (08) 9725 0982 E: [email protected] LOT 21 CAVES ROAD – HAMELIN BAY - FAUNA ASSESSMENT – JANUARY 2015 – V1 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY 1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................1 2. DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL..............................................................................1 3. SCOPE OF WORKS .............................................................................................2 4. METHODS.............................................................................................................3 4.1 POTENTIAL FAUNA INVENTORY - DESKTOP STUDY.........................3 4.1.1 Database Searches...................................................................................3 4.1.2 Previous Fauna Surveys in the Area ........................................................3 4.1.3 Existing Publications..................................................................................4 4.1.4 Fauna of Conservation Significance .........................................................6 4.1.5 Taxonomy and Nomenclature...................................................................7 4.1.6 Likelihood of Occurrence – Fauna of Conservation Significance.............8 4.2 SITE SURVEYS ........................................................................................9 4.2.1 Fauna Habitat Assessment .......................................................................9 4.2.2 Opportunistic Fauna Observations ...........................................................9 4.2.3 Western Ringtail Possum Assessment.....................................................9 4.2.4 Black Cockatoo Habitat Assessment......................................................10 5. SURVEY LIMITATIONS......................................................................................12 6. RESULTS ............................................................................................................13 6.1 POTENTIAL FAUNA INVENTORY - DESKTOP STUDY.......................13 6.2 SITE SURVEYS ......................................................................................14 6.2.1 Fauna Habitat Assessment .....................................................................14 6.2.1.1 Area 3.................................................................................................14 6.2.1.2 Area 2.................................................................................................16 LOT 21 CAVES ROAD – HAMELIN BAY - FAUNA ASSESSMENT – JANUARY 2015 – V1 6.2.1.3 Area 1.................................................................................................19 6.2.2 Opportunistic Fauna Observations .........................................................20 6.2.3 Western Ringtail Possum Assessment...................................................21 6.2.4 Black Cockatoo Habitat Assessment......................................................21 6.3 SUMMARY - VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANCE .......................................................................................22 7. DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................25 7.1 AREA 3 ....................................................................................................25 7.2 AREA 2 ....................................................................................................26 7.3 AREA 1 ....................................................................................................26 8. CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................27 9. BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................................29 TABLES TABLE 1: Summary of Potential Fauna Species (as listed in Appendix B) TABLE 2: Examples of the Main Vegetation Units within Area 3 TABLE 3: Examples of the Main Vegetation Units within Area 2 TABLE 4: Examples of the Main Vegetation Units within Area 1 TABLE 5: Likelihood of Occurrence – Fauna Species of Conservation Significance LOT 21 CAVES ROAD – HAMELIN BAY - FAUNA ASSESSMENT – JANUARY 2015 – V1 FIGURES FIGURE 1: Regional Air Photo FIGURE 2: Lot 21 Air Photo & Assessment Areas FIGURE 3: Vegetation Types, Condition and Complexes – Areas 2 and 3 (Courtesy Eco Logic 2014) FIGURE 4: Vegetation Types, Condition and Complexes – Area 1 (Courtesy Eco Logic 2014) APPENDICES APPENDIX A: Conservation Categories APPENDIX B: Fauna Observed or Potentially in Study Area APPENDIX C: DPaW NatureMap & Protected Matters Search Tool Results LOT 21 CAVES ROAD – HAMELIN BAY - FAUNA ASSESSMENT – JANUARY 2015 – V1 Acronyms/Abbreviations: BA: Birdlife Australia (Formerly RAOU, Birds Australia). °C: Degrees Celsius. CALM: Department of Conservation and Land Management (now DPaW), WA Government. CAMBA: China Australia Migratory Bird Agreement 1998. CBD: Central Business District. DEC: Department of Environment and Conservation (now DPaW), WA Government. DEH: Department of Environment and Heritage (now DotE), Australian Government. DEP: Department of Environment Protection (now DER), WA Government. DER: Department of Environment Regulation (formerly DEC, DoE), WA Government. DEWHA: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (now DotE), Australian Government DMP: Department of Mines and Petroleum (formerly DoIR), WA Government. DoE: Department of Environment (now DER/DPaW), WA Government. DoIR: Department of Industry and Resources (now DMP), WA Government. DotE: Department of the Environment (formerly SEWPaC, DWEHA, DEH), Australian Government. DPaW: Department of Parks and Wildlife (formerly DEC, CALM, DoE), WA Government. EP Act: Environmental Protection Act 1986,WA Government. EPA: Environmental Protection Authority, WA Government. EPBC Act: Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Australian Government. ha: Hectare (10,000 square metres). IBRA: Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia. IUCN: International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources – commonly known as the World Conservation Union. JAMBA: Japan Australia Migratory Bird Agreement 1981. LOT 21 CAVES ROAD – HAMELIN BAY - FAUNA ASSESSMENT – JANUARY 2015 – V1 km: Kilometre. MRWA: Main Roads Western Australia m: Metre. mm: Millimetre. OEPA: Office of the Environmental Protection Authority, WA Government RAOU: Royal Australia Ornithologist Union. ROKAMBA: Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement 2007. SEWPaC: Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (now DotE, formerly DEH, DEWHA), Australian Government. SLK: Straight Line Kilometres. SSC: Species Survival Commission, International. TEC: Threatened ecological community. WA: Western Australia. WAM: Western Australian Museum, WA Government. WC Act: Wildlife Conservation Act 1950,WA Government. WRP: Western Ringtail Possum LOT 21 CAVES ROAD – HAMELIN BAY - FAUNA ASSESSMENT – JANUARY 2015 – V1 SUMMARY The fauna assessment reported on here was undertaken for the purposes of categorising the fauna assemblages and identifying fauna habitats present in Lot 21 so that related constraints on development could be defined. Targeted searches for western ringtail possums and black cockatoo habitat were also carried out Area 3, the main focus of development planning was found to be degraded/highly degraded with very low fauna values. The results of targeted searches for western ringtail possums and black cockatoo habitat indicated that development of the site is also very unlikely to impact on these species. It is therefore concluded that there exists no constraints relating to fauna, and in particular fauna of conservation significance exist with respect to the proposed development of Area 3. This is supported by the fact that the retention of most of the vegetation is planned in any event and existing fauna values will change little if at all, despite development proceeding. Any future development in Area 2 may be constrained by the presence of some areas of fauna habitat in good condition in addition to the likely presence of some species of conservation significance (e.g. quenda). The potential impact of the removal or modification of these species habitat will need to be taken into consideration prior to the development proceeding. It was found that Area 1 has a high ecological value and if considered necessary, would be a valuable addition to the Leeuwin Naturalist National Park. At this stage no additional or more detailed fauna assessment/survey are considered warranted. A significant amount of detailed fauna survey work has been done in the general vicinity of the project area previously. Information from these studies provides a very good indication of what species, in particular species of conservation significance, are present or are likely to be present within or near the study area. It is considered unlikely that additional detailed surveys within the study area would provide information that would alter any decision making processes required to allow an informed assessment of the impact of any proposed development to be made. The result of this assessment should be provided as part of supporting documentation