Mid-West 2 Detailed Flora, Fauna, Native Vegetation & Net Gain
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MID-WEST 2 MURRAY RIVER CROSSING AT ECHUCA–MOAMA DETAILED FLORA, FAUNA, NATIVE VEGETATION AND NET GAIN ASSESSMENT VicRoads 25 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, Vic. 3122 P.O. Box 74, Richmond, Vic. 3121 Ph. (03) 9815 2111 Fax. (03) 9815 2685 April 2013 Report No. 8194 (3.8) Mid-West 2 Murray River Crossing –Flora, Fauna and Native Vegetation Assessment Report No. 8194 (3.8) CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... 1 2. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 8 3. EXISTING INFORMATION ................................................................................................ 11 3.1. National level.......................................................................................................... 11 3.2. State level ............................................................................................................... 11 3.2.1. Victorian portion of the study area ............................................................... 11 3.2.2. NSW portion of the study area ...................................................................... 12 4. FIELD METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................... 13 4.1. General methods ................................................................................................... 13 4.1.1. Initial Flora and Fauna Field Survey ............................................................. 13 4.1.2. Targeted Flora and Fauna Surveys ............................................................... 18 4.2. Limitations of field assessments .......................................................................... 25 5. SITE DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................................... 26 5.1. Study Area .............................................................................................................. 26 5.2. Wildlife Connectivity ............................................................................................... 26 5.3. Description of vegetation in Victoria ..................................................................... 27 5.4. Description of vegetation in New South Wales .................................................... 29 5.5. Description of aquatic habitat ............................................................................... 31 5.5.1. Victorian component of the study area ........................................................ 31 5.5.2. NSW component of the study area ............................................................... 32 6. ASSESSMENT RESULTS ................................................................................................. 38 6.1. Flora and Vegetation assessment ........................................................................ 38 6.1.1. Native Vegetation ........................................................................................... 38 6.1.1.1. Native Vegetation in Victoria ..................................................................... 38 6.1.1.2. Native Vegetation in New South Wales .................................................... 44 6.1.2. Flora ................................................................................................................ 53 6.1.2.1. Threatened flora species ........................................................................... 53 6.1.3. Threatened ecological communities ............................................................. 55 6.2. Fauna ...................................................................................................................... 58 6.2.1. Habitat assessment ....................................................................................... 58 6.2.2. Fauna species ................................................................................................ 61 6.2.3. Listed threatened fauna species .................................................................. 61 Page | i Mid-West 2 Murray River Crossing –Flora, Fauna and Native Vegetation Assessment Report No. 8194 (3.8) 6.2.4. Endangered Ecological Communities ........................................................... 71 6.2.5. Threatened Species targeted Surveys .......................................................... 71 6.2.6. Results of the Bat Survey .............................................................................. 84 6.2.6.1. Results of the First Bat Survey .................................................................. 84 6.2.6.2. Results of the Second Bat Survey............................................................. 88 6.2.6.3. Results for threatened bats recorded within the study area .................. 91 7. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT DETAILS AND IMPACTS ................................................... 93 7.1. Project Background ................................................................................................ 93 7.2. Project Development Details ................................................................................. 93 7.3. Design Response and Recommendations ........................................................... 94 7.4. Project Development Impacts ............................................................................... 96 7.4.1. Impacts to native vegetation ......................................................................... 96 7.4.2. Impacts to habitat for fauna ......................................................................... 96 7.4.3. Potential impacts ........................................................................................... 97 7.4.4. Alignment Rating Comparison ....................................................................... 99 8. COMMONWEALTH IMPACTS AND REGULATORY IMPLICATIONS .............................. 103 8.1. EPBC Act ............................................................................................................... 103 8.1.1. Threatened ecological communities ........................................................... 103 8.1.2. Threatened flora species ............................................................................. 103 8.1.3. Threatened fauna species ........................................................................... 103 8.1.4. Migratory bird species ................................................................................. 104 8.1.5. Key Threatening Processes under the EPBC Act ....................................... 104 8.1.6. Implications .................................................................................................. 104 9. VICTORIAN IMPACTS AND REGULATORY IMPLICATIONS ........................................... 105 9.1. Planning controls ................................................................................................. 105 9.1.1. State provisions ........................................................................................... 105 9.1.2. Local provisions ........................................................................................... 105 9.2. Native Vegetation Management Framework ..................................................... 105 9.2.1. How the Framework operates ..................................................................... 105 9.2.2. Offset targets for removal from habitat zones ........................................... 107 9.2.3. Offset targets for removal of scattered trees ............................................. 111 9.3. FFG Act .................................................................................................................. 112 Page | ii Mid-West 2 Murray River Crossing –Flora, Fauna and Native Vegetation Assessment Report No. 8194 (3.8) 9.3.1. Threatened ecological communities ........................................................... 112 9.3.2. Threatened/protected flora species ........................................................... 112 9.3.3. Threatened fauna species ........................................................................... 113 9.3.4. Key Threatening Processes under the FFG Act .......................................... 114 9.3.5. Implications .................................................................................................. 114 9.4. EE Act .................................................................................................................... 115 9.5. DSE advisory lists ................................................................................................. 115 10. NEW SOUTH WALES IMPACTS & REGULATORY IMPLICATIONS ............................ 117 10.1. Planning Controls ............................................................................................. 117 10.1.1. State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007 ................. 117 10.1.2. State Environmental Planning Policy No. 44 (Koala Habitat) ............... 117 10.1.3. Other State Environmental Planning Policy............................................ 118 10.2. Native Vegetation Act 2003 ............................................................................ 118 10.3. Fisheries Management Act 1994 ................................................................... 118 10.3.1. Threatened fish species .......................................................................... 118 10.3.2. Endangered ecological community ........................................................