Maroochy Shire to Noosa Shire Northern Pipeline Interconnector Stage Two PRELIMINARY TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATE FAUNA HABITAT ASSESSMENT Report prepared For Southern Regional Water Pipeline Alliance FAUNA AND HABITAT SPECIALISTS Document Control Sheet File Number: 0134-003a Version 0 Project Manager: Paula Boosamra Client: Southern Regional Water Pipeline Alliance Project Title: Preliminary Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Habitat Assessment Project Author/s: Paula Boosamra, Adrian Caneris, Adam Abbott Project Summary: This project involved an assessment of significant habitat areas and listed terrestrial vertebrate fauna species that occur or have the potential to occur along Stage Two of the proposed alignment of the Northern Pipeline Interconnector (NPI) including the NPI corridor and the connection to the Image Flat Water Treatment Plant. The proposed NPI corridor runs from Nobels Road in Maroochy Shire to the Noosa Water Treatment Plant in Noosa Shire. The proposed connection to the Image Flat Water Treatment Plant runs west from the NPI corridor 81 km marker to Image Flat Water Treatment Plant north- west of Nambour. Draft Preparation History Draft No. Date draft Reviewed by Issued by completed 0134-003a Draft A 20/11/07 Paulette Jones Paula Boosamra 0134-003a Draft B 28/11/07 Paulette Jones Paula Boosamra Revision/ Checking History Track Version Date of Issue Checked by Issued by Version 0 13/12/07 Paula Boosamra Paula Boosamra Document Distribution Destination Revision 1 Date 2 Date 3 Date Dispatched Dispatched Dispatched Client Copy 1 - A 20/11/07 B 28/11/07 0 13/12/07 digital Client Copy 1 0 13/12/07 - hard copy PDF - server A 20/11/07 B 28/11/07 0 13/12/07 PDF – backup – A 20/11/07 B 28/11/07 0 13/12/07 archived Disk/tape Hard Copy -library 0 13/12/07 BAAM Pty Ltd File No: 0134-003a Version 0 NOTICE TO USERS OF THIS REPORT Copyright and reproduction This report and all indexes, schedules, annexures or appendices are subject to copyright pursuant to the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Subject to statutory defences, no party may reproduce, publish, adapt or communicate to the public, in whole or in part, the content of this report without the express written consent of Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd. Purpose of Report Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd has produced this report in its capacity as {consultants} for and on the request of the Southern Regional Water Pipeline Alliance (the "Client") for the sole purpose of assessing the terrestrial vertebrate fauna habitat values along the proposed alignment for the Northern Pipeline Interconnector: Stage Two including the NPI corridor and the connection to the Image Flat Water Treatment Plant (the "Specified Purpose"). This information and any recommendations in this report are particular to the Specified Purpose and are based on facts, matters and circumstances particular to the subject matter of the report and the Specified Purpose at the time of production. 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Further, Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd does not make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any third party's use in whole or in part of the report or application or use of any other information or process disclosed in this report and to the full extent allowed by law excludes liability in contract, tort or otherwise, for any loss or damage sustained by any person or body corporate arising from or in connection with the supply or use of the whole part of the report through any cause whatsoever. Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd has used information provided to it by the Client and governmental registers, databases, departments and agencies in the preparation of this report. Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd does not know, nor does it have any reason to suspect, that the information provided to it was false, inaccurate, incomplete or misleading at the time of its receipt. This report is supplied on the basis that while Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd believes all the information in it is deemed reliable at the time of publication, it does not warrant its accuracy or completeness and to the full extent allowed by law excludes liability in contract, tort or otherwise, for any loss or damage sustained by any person or body corporate arising from or in connection with the supply or use of the whole or any part of the information in this report through any cause whatsoever. Signed on behalf of Date: 13/12/2007 Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd _____________________ Managing Director BAAM Pty Ltd File No: 0134-003a Version 0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION and/or the NCA. Significant habitat areas along the proposed NPI alignment include: Biodiversity Assessment and Management (BAAM) Pty Ltd have prepared this Preliminary NPI Corridor: Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Habitat Assessment (PTVFHA) for the Southern Vegetation north of Nobels Road (Figure Regional Water Pipeline Alliance (SRWPA) for 4.6: SRWPA Map B1); the sole purpose of assessing terrestrial Vegetation south of Chevallum Road vertebrate fauna, habitat and corridor values (Figure 4.7: SRWPA Map B2a); along the proposed alignment for Stage Two of the Northern Pipeline Interconnector including Vegetation west of Winston Road South the NPI corridor and the connection to the (Figure 4.8: SRWPA Map B2b); Image Flat Water Treatment Plant. The proposed NPI corridor runs from Nobels Road Eudlo Creek crossing west of Bruce in Maroochy Shire to the Noosa Water Highway (Figure 4.8: SRWPA Map B2b); Treatment Plant in Noosa Shire. The proposed connection to the Image Flat Water Treatment Eudlo Creek and large dam between Plant runs west from the NPI corridor 81 km Bruce Highway and the Maroochydore marker to Image Flat north-west of Nambour. Road (Figure 4.9: SRWPA Map B3a) (N.B. no access to vegetated areas The aims of this report are to: between Bruce Highway and 72km mark) This area is mapped as Urban Koala Area Identify ‘Ecological Constraints’ for the under the Koala Plan; proposed NPI alignment; and Alternative route following Eudlo Flats Identify significant habitat areas that will Road (Figure 4.9: SRWPA Map B3a and require further detailed fauna survey work. Figure 4.10: SRWPA Map B3b); METHODOLOGY Vegetation south of Diddillibah Road (Figure 4.11: SRWPA Map B4); The habitat assessments involved site investigations conducted over 6 days and 2 Vegetated areas north of Francis Road nights in October and November 2007 in order (Figure 4.12: SRWPA Map B5d); to assess the extent and quality of wildlife Maroochy River crossing (Figure 4.19: habitat and to determine the presence or likely SRWPA B10); presence of any species of special conservation significance (at-risk species) Vegetation and waterway associated with known from, or predicted to occur, within the Strong Lane (Figure 4.19: SRWPA Map local area. This was undertaken in B10); and accordance with the EPA’s Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service’s Scientific Purposes Vegetation west of Racehorse Lane Permit No. WISP02791605. There was no (HA36, Figure 4.21: SRWPA Map B12). trapping conducted over the study period. Image Flat Connection: SIGNIFICANT HABITAT AREAS Significant vegetation and ephemeral waterway located east of the Bruce The proposed pipeline traverses several Highway (HA42, Figure 4.22: SRWPA waterways and vegetated areas which provide B5c); habitat and/or vegetated linkages for a variety of fauna moving between or within significant Vegetation east of the Bruce Highway habitat areas. represents the southern extent of significant vegetation containing protected These areas support habitat for one or more habitats (i.e. Flying-fox camp). Waterway significant species listed under the EPBC BAAM Pty Ltd Page ii File No: 0134-003a Version 0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Preliminary Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Habitat Assessment Northern Pipeline Interconnector Stage Two for SWRPA on the east of Cooney Road known to 4.22: SRWPA Map B5c, Figure 4.12: have Tusked Frog (HA43, Figure 4.22: SRWPA Map B5d). SRPWA Map B5c); and Following on-site investigations, several other Significant habitat area between the areas along the proposed NPI alignment have Nambour Connection Road and the Bruce been identified as having Regional connectivity Highway (HA44, Figure 4.22: SRWPA as fauna movement corridors including: Map B5c); and NPI Corridor: Significant habitat area in around Tuckers Creek (HA45; Figure 4.22: SRWPA Map Vegetation in the vicinity of Chevallum B5c). Road and Winston Road South (Figure 4.7: SRWPA Map B2a); Specific recommendations for treatment in these areas will be addressed in Section 6.0. Eudlo Creek crossings west of Bruce Highway (Figure 4.8: SRWPA Map B2b); CORRIDOR VALUES Vegetation and dam to the East of Bruce Highway (Figure 4.9: SRWPA Map B3a); Several State and Regional Corridors have and been identified using BAMM mapping for areas along the proposed alignment. Vegetated areas to the east and west of 105km marker (Figure 4.19: SRWPA Map Areas mapped as having BAMM State B10).