ATTACHMENT 3 WORLD AND NATIONAL HERITAGE VALUES ASSESSMENT: Table 1. World and National Heritage Values – Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area Table 2. Key World Heritage values relevant to the Project area (Hunter 2003) Table 3. Significant impact assessment for Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World and National Natural Heritage Values References Attachment 3: World and National Heritage Values Assessment Table 1. World and National Heritage Values – Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Listing Criteria for the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia A portion of the current extent of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1986 and was known as the Australian East Coast Subtropical and Temperate Rainforest Parks World Heritage Site. The listing was extended in 1994 as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves of Australia. In 2007 the name was changed to Gondwana Rainforests of Australia. The current listing includes approximately 50 separate reserves located between Brisbane and Newcastle, and includes Main Range National Park which is the northern- most extent of the WHA. The Gondwana Rainforests were inscribed for their outstanding universal significance in terms of natural heritage. The rainforests satisfied three of the four possible criteria for the listing of a natural property: Criterion (i): 'be outstanding examples representing major stages of Earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features.' Criterion (ii): 'be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals.' Criterion (iv): 'contain the most important and significant habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.’ National Heritage Listing Criteria for the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia The Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (now known as the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia) were included in the National Heritage Listing in 2007 under the Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendment Act (No.1) 2003. The criteria for which the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia were included in the World Heritage List were taken to cause the World Heritage property to meet National Heritage criterion corresponding to each world heritage value. The corresponding National Heritage criteria for the property are: Criterion (a): 'the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place’s importance in the course, or pattern, of Australia’s natural or cultural history.' Criterion (b): ‘the place outstanding heritage value to the national because of the place’s possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Australia’s natural or cultural history.' Criterion (c): ‘the place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place’s potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Australia’s natural or cultural history.’ Criterion (d): ‘the place has outstanding heritage value to the national because of the place’s importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of: (i) a class of Australia’s natural or cultural places; or (ii) a class of Australia’s natural or cultural environments. Page 1 Attachment 3: World and National Heritage Values Assessment Key Values The key values identified for the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area have been identified by Hunter (2003). They include: 1. The World Heritage rainforests are an outstanding example of ecosystems and taxa from which modern biota are derived. These rainforests are exceptionally rich in primitive and relict species, many of which are similar to fossils from Gondwana. Ecosystems demonstrating this value include subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate rainforest types. 2. The World Heritage Area (WHA) includes an outstanding range of ecosystems and taxa which demonstrate the origins and rise to dominance of cold adapted and dry adapted flora. Cool temperate rainforest, dry rainforest and wet sclerophyll ecosystems demonstrate this value. 3. The WHA includes outstanding geological features associated with the erosion of shield volcanoes. 4. The WHA includes significant centres of endemism where ongoing evolution of flora and fauna species is taking place. Ecosystems that are of particularly important as centres of endemism include cool temperate rainforest, subtropical rainforest, warm temperate rainforest, dry rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, montane heathlands and rocky outcrops. The Border Ranges area is particularly important as a centre of endemism. 5. The WHA includes the principal habitats of a large number of threatened species of plants and animals. These species are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science and conservation, including relict and primitive taxa. Page 2 Attachment 3: World and National Heritage Values Assessment Table 2. Key World Heritage values relevant to the Project Area Key Values (Hunter 2003) Key Values relevant to the Project Area 1. The World Heritage rainforests Subtropical and Warm temperate rainforest containing primitive and relictual species belonging to the are an outstanding example of following families were recorded during field assessment and are relevant to the Project area: ecosystems and taxa from which modern biota are derived. Araucariaceae (Hoop Pine Araucaria cunninghamii) These rainforests are exceptionally rich in primitive Atherospermaceae (Socket Wood Daphnandra apetala) and relict species, many of which are similar to fossils from Monimiaceae (Native Mulberry Hedycarya angustifolia) Gondwana. Ecosystems demonstrating this value include Winteraceae (Scrub or Brush Pepperbush Tasmannia insipida) subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate rainforest Lauraceae (Red-barked Sassafras Cinnamomum virens, Pigeonberry Ash Cryptocarya types. erythroxylon, Mountain Walnut Cryptocarya foveolata, Pepperberry Cryptocarya obovata, Bolly Gum Litsea reticulata, Grey Bolly Gum Neolitsea australiensis and White Bolly Gum Neolitsea dealbata). 2. The World Heritage Area Wet sclerophyll forests with Sydney Blue Gum Eucalyptus saligna, Brush Box Lophostemon (WHA) includes an outstanding confertus and New England Blackbutt Eucalyptus campanulata occur within the Project area. range of ecosystems and taxa which demonstrate the origins and rise to dominance of cold adapted and dry adapted flora. Cool temperate rainforest, dry rainforest and wet sclerophyll ecosystems demonstrate this value. 3. The WHA includes outstanding The Scenic Rim is largely formed by Tertiary basalt flows. The Main Range volcano is thought to geological features associated have been at its highest at Spicers Gap with a potential original basalt thickness of 1000 m with the erosion of shield approximately. Today, an estimated 900 m of exposed basalt can still be found in that area. The volcanoes. basalt flows are believed to originally have extended to Kalbar-Boonah in the east and Rosewood in the north-east. Ancient streams eroded large areas of the eastern extent of the basalt flows of the Main Range volcano, leaving behind steep escarpments which are prominent today (Stevens and Willmott, 1996). Evidence of these former drainages is reflected in the serrated landforms along Main Range to the north of Cunningham’s Gap, where valleys of their former headwaters frame the skyline. The scarps traversed in places along the proposed Class 5 walking trail continue to erode rapidly Willmott (2004) and large land slips are common. Page 3 Attachment 3: World and National Heritage Values Assessment Key Values (Hunter 2003) Key Values relevant to the Project Area 4. The WHA includes significant Flora species that are endemic to the northern Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage centres of endemism where Area and were recorded within the Project area during field assessment are Mountain Boobialla, ongoing evolution of flora and Myoporum betcheanum a rainforest pioneer-type species, Spear Lily Doryanthes palmeri which fauna species is taking place. grows on rock pavements and White Malletwood Rhodamnia whiteana which grows in Cool Ecosystems that are of Subtropical Rainforest. particularly important as centres of endemism include cool Fauna species and subspecies that are essentially or largely confined to the Gondwana Rainforests temperate rainforest, of Australia World Heritage Area and known to occur in Main Range National Park are: subtropical rainforest, warm temperate rainforest, dry Albert’s Lyrebird Menura alberti rainforest, wet sclerophyll Rufous Scrub-bird Atrichornis rufescens forest, montane heathlands and Pale-yellow Robin Tregallasia capito capito rocky outcrops. The Border Logrunner Orthonyx temminckii (Hunter 2003 states that this species also occurs in New Guinea Ranges area is particularly but recent taxonomic revision (e.g., Boles 2007) means this species is confined to Gondwana important as a centre of Rainforests) endemism. Three-toed Snake-tooth Skink Coeranoscincus reticulatus Pouched Frog Assa darlingtoni Fletcher’s Frog Lechriodus fletcheri Mountain Frog Philoria kundagungan Brown Turban Pinwheel Snail Ngairea levicostata 5. The WHA includes the principal