Flinders Karawatha Corridor Environmental Values and Land Use Data Report 2013
Prepared by: Environmental Services and Regulation, Southern Region, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
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Flinders Karawatha Corridor Environmental Values and Land Use Data Report 2013
Contents Introduction ...... 1 Summary of environmental values ...... 2 Threatened Ecological Communities ...... 2 Overall biodiversity significance ...... 2 Terrestrial values ...... 2 Aquatic values ...... 3 Corridors ...... 4 Flora and fauna ...... 4 Protected areas ...... 4 Catchment values ...... 4 Biodiversity Planning Assessment (BPA) - biodiversity significance ...... 5 Diagnostic criteria ...... 6 Expert panel criteria ...... 8 Corridors ...... 14 BPA Derived Corridors ...... 14 Terrestrial ...... 14 Riparian ...... 14 State-wide Conservation Corridors ...... 15 Wetlands and waterways ...... 16 Aquatic Conservation Assessment (ACA) – conservation significance ...... 18 Non-riverine wetlands ...... 18 Riverine wetlands ...... 18 Flora and fauna ...... 19 Threatened species ...... 19 Other priority species ...... 22 Other species ...... 24 Regional Ecosystems ...... 25 Protected areas...... 35 State Controlled Protected Estate ...... 35 Other protected areas ...... 36 Nature Refuges ...... 37 Bioregional information ...... 38 Catchment information ...... 38 Ground Cover Disturbance Index (GCDI) ...... 39 Ground Cover Disturbance Index...... 39 Foliage Projective Cover (20 per cent or less) ...... 39 Low change areas ...... 40 Maps ...... 41 References ...... 49 Appendices ...... 50
iii Flinders Karawatha Corridor Environmental Values and Land Use Data Report 2013
Appendix 1 - Biodiversity Planning Assessments ...... 50 1) Diagnostic criteria ...... 50 2) Expert panel criteria ...... 51 Appendix 2 - Acronyms and abbreviations ...... 52 Appendix 3 - Source data versions ...... 54 Appendix 4 - Additional land use data maps ...... 56
Tables Table 1 – Assessment Area’s Level of overall biodiversity significance...... 5 Table 2 – Assessment Area’s Level of biodiversity significance based on diagnostic criteria ...... 6 Table 3 – Assessment Area’s Relative importance of diagnostic criteria used to assess overall biodiversity significance ...... 7 Table 4 – Assessment Area’s Level of biodiversity significance based on expert panel criteria ...... 8 Table 5 – Assessment Area’s Relative importance of expert panel criteria used to assess overall biodiversity significance ...... 9 Table 6 - Expert panel decisions for assigning overall levels of biodiversity significance relevant to the Assessment Area ...... 10 Table 7 - BPA Derived Corridors Relevant to Assessment Area ...... 15 Table 8 - Listed wetlands of national and/or international importance in Assessment Area ...... 16 Table 9 - Wetland system classification and level of modification in Assessment Area ...... 16 Table 10 - Directory of Important Wetlands (DOIW) in Assessment Area ...... 16 Table 11 - Named waterways within the Assessment Area ...... 17 Table 12 - Threatened flora species recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area ...... 19 Table 13 - Threatened fauna species recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area ...... 20 Table 14 - Priority flora species recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area ...... 22 Table 15 - Priority fauna species recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area ...... 22 Table 16 - Biodiversity status of remnant vegetation in the Assessment Area ...... 25 Table 17 - Threatened ecological communities listed under the EBPC Act in the Assessment Area ...... 25 Table 18 - Very High Priority Regional Ecosystems in the Assessment Area ...... 25 Table 19 - Unrepresented Regional Ecosystems in the Assessment Area ...... 26 Table 20 - VMA High Value Regrowth in the Assessment Area ...... 26 Table 21 - Regional Ecosystems in the Assessment Area ...... 27 Table 22 - Proximity of the state controlled protected estate ...... 35 Table 23 - Proximity of other protected areas ...... 37 Table 24 - Proximity of Nature Refuges ...... 37 Table 25 - Bioregional information ...... 38 Table 26 - Catchment information ...... 38 Table 27 - Ground cover disturbance index in the Assessment Area ...... 39 Table 28 - Twenty per cent or less Foliage Projective Cover ...... 40 Table 29 - Low change areas ...... 40
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Maps Map 1 - Location ...... 41 Map 2 - Biodiversity Planning Assessment (BPA) map ...... 42 Map 3 - Corridors ...... 43 Map 4 - Wetlands and waterways ...... 44 Map 5 - Threatened Species ...... 45 Map 6 - Regional Ecosystems (biodiversity status) ...... 46 Map 7 - Regional Ecosystems (Vegetation Management Act status) ...... 47 Map 8 - Ground Cover Disturbance Index (GCDI) ...... 48
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Introduction The Flinders Karawatha Corridor is the largest remaining continuous stretch of open eucalypt forest in South East Queensland (SEQ). The corridor extends from the 1200 hectare Karawatha Forest on the southern edge of Brisbane City, along Oxley Creek, through the Greenbank Military Training Area and south along the Teviot Range to Flinders Peak, Mt Joyce and Wyaralong Dam, north-east of Boonah. Covering an area of over 56,350 hectares, it is recognised as one of SEQ’s most important biodiversity corridors, providing habitat and movement opportunities for a range of species that are of state, regional and local significance. In addition, it supports scenic amenity, outdoor recreation and landscape heritage values of regional significance. In recognition of its significance, and the need for the long term protection of these values, the Flinders Karawatha Corridor Management Strategy has been prepared to articulate a range of practical, coordinated and measurable management actions. These actions combine to achieve the shared vision for the area described by the administrative boundary registered as the Karawatha-Greenbank-Flinders Peak Corridor under Section 57 of the Survey and Mapping Infrastructure Act 2011. The strategy includes a range of actions to ensure the long term protection of these environmental, cultural and social values and should be used in conjunction with the Flinders Karawatha Corridor Management Strategy Environmental Values and Land Use Data (EVaLU). The EVaLU maps have been generated using the best available data to provide a spatial representation of the extent, and in some cases the condition, of values at the time the data was collected. This allows for the calculation of a benchmark (e.g. number of hectares of remnant vegetation) for the purposes of measuring change over time.
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Assessment Area details The Assessment Area is a 56264.4 hectare lease located within the Moreton Basin subregion of the South East Queensland (100%) bioregion. The Assessment Area is known as the Flinders Karawatha Corridor (sometimes abbreviated as “the Corridor”). Map 1 shows the location of the Assessment Area.
Summary of environmental values This assessment of environmental values is collectively based on: a desktop review of available GIS data, published and documented biodiversity and natural resource information, either recorded or acknowledged by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) information provided by EHP professionals with knowledge of the area (pers. comm.). The assessment has identified the following environmental values: Regional ecosystems (RE): The Flinders Karawatha Corridor supports 28786ha of remnant vegetation; this comprises 51.2% of the total Corridor area. The Corridor comprises 3365ha (6%) Endangered REs, 3720ha (7%) Of Concern REs, and 21702ha (39%) No Concern At Present REs. 13991ha (25%) of the Flinders Karawatha Corridor supports Vegetation Management Act 1999 (VMA) High Value Regrowth vegetation. 27 RE types are found in the Flinders Karawatha Corridor. Eight of these REs have an Endangered biodiversity status, eight have an Of Concern biodiversity status, and 11 have a No Concern At Present biodiversity status. Two REs have no representation, and a further 11 REs have low representation in protected estate. 16 of the REs have special values based on SEQ BPA Expert Panel decisions (Table 6) and information from the description from the Regional Ecosystem Description Database (Table ), which include: o habitat for 36 threatened flora species o habitat for 22 near threatened species o habitat for threatened fauna species including the black-breasted button-quail Turnix melanogaster and the wallum froglet Crinia tinnula o wetland habitat for flora and fauna o habitat for plants with restricted or disjunct distributions, i.e. Grevillea whiteana o habitat for many other species with restricted or disjunct distributions o habitat for cool subtropical species at limits of climatic range.
Threatened Ecological Communities 38ha (0.1%) of the Flinders Karawatha Corridor comprises White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland. 6ha (0.01%) of the Corridor comprises Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla dominant and co-dominant). Both of these are threatened ecological communities listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Overall biodiversity significance
Terrestrial values 17602ha (31.3%) of Flinders Karawatha Corridor has State biodiversity significance in the South East Queensland (SEQ) Biodiversity Planning Assessment (BPA). 5804ha (10.3%) of the Assessment Area has regional biodiversity significance, while 1183 ha (2.15%) has Local or other values. In addition to these values, 4488ha (8.0%) of Flinders Karawatha Corridor area is State Habitat for EVR (threatened) taxa.
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Highlights of the BPA diagnostic criteria relative to the SEQ bioregion that contribute to the overall biodiversity significance include: very high tract size very high context and connection very high relative RE size—relative to the subregion very high ecosystem value—relative to the bioregion high habitat for Endangered, Vulnerable and Near Threatened species high ecosystem value—relative to the subregion high ecosystem diversity. The environmental values of significance in the Flinders Karawatha Corridor, according to a panel of experts for the bioregion, are: State Significant Values: o forming a part of a State significant bioregional Terrestrial and Riparian corridor o lowland rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest o Scrubby Creek, Karawatha (southern outskirts of Brisbane), Remnant vegetation on sandstone. The panel identified the area as having a combination of flora, fauna and landscape values, and SEQ endemic taxa. The criteria, identified by an expert panel for the bioregion, contributing towards State significance in the Corridor, and their relative importance, rate: high as wildlife refugia high for core habitat priority taxa high as centres of endemism high for species richness.
Regional Significant Values: o White Rock–Spring Mt, shrubby forest and woodland on sandstone - SEQ endemic taxa o Daly’s Lagoon, wildlife refugia - good representative of one of a very small number of inland SEQ natural lake features o Teviot Range–Flinders Peak centred on a cluster of intrusive volcanic plugs of Tertiary age (Mounts Blaine, Catherine, Goolman, Perry, Welcome, Flinders Peak and Ivorys Rock)—SEQ endemic taxa: Greenbank Military Camp, designated as being of Regional significance for the frilled lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii o Various protected area estates as centres of high species richness as well as areas that are centres rich in priority taxa. In addition, Karawatha Forest is designated as Regional significance as a hotspot in terms of frog and raptor diversity o High and low precision records for priority taxa of Regional significance; remnant contains Core Habitat for Priority taxa.
Aquatic values There are two listed wetlands of national and/or international importance (DOIW) within the Flinders Karawatha Corridor - the Greenbank Army Training Area C and Karawatha Forest Park. There are lacustrine, palustrine and riverine wetland systems in the Assessment Area. No Aquatic Conservation Assessment (ACA) has been completed for mapped riverine or non-riverine wetlands in either the Brisbane or Logan-Albert River catchments.
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Corridors 23291ha (41.4%) of the Assessment Area have been identified as being part of a terrestrial corridor of State significance. All these corridors are BPA derived corridors.
Flora and fauna Nature Conservation Act 1992: There are records of 26 threatened species of flora and fauna on, or within 4km of, the Assessment Area. Of these, five are Endangered, 11 Vulnerable, and 10 Near-Threatened, under the NCA. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: There are 12 species of threatened species, under the EPBC Act, five of which are Endangered, and seven Vulnerable. SEQ Biodiversity Planning Assessment Expert identified Priority Species: There are 25 species of Priority Species, according to the BPA expert panel, identified for the Flinders Karawatha Corridor. Please refer to Table 12 to Table 14 for further information on species.
Protected areas The Flinders Karawatha Corridor is adjacent to three state controlled Conservation Parks - Flinders Peak Conservation Park, Mount Perry Conservation Park, and White Rock Conservation Park. There are a further 41 areas of state controlled protected estate within 25km of the Flinders Karawatha Corridor. There are a further 23 protected areas, including commonwealth and local government reserves and nature refuges, that occur within 25km of the Assessment Area.
Catchment values Numerous creeks, many of which are significant for conservation and recreational values, are located within or bisect the Flinders Karawatha Corridor. Flinders Peak, Mt Perry, Mt Blaine and surrounding areas have high significance to these catchments as they are the headwaters for five waterways and their catchments (Oxley, Flagstone, Bundamba, Purga and Woollaman Creeks).
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Biodiversity Planning Assessment (BPA) - biodiversity significance Biodiversity significance is the ranked significance of an area according to specified biodiversity values to account for ecological concepts such as rarity, diversity, fragmentation, habitat condition, resilience, threats, and ecosystem processes. A Biodiversity Planning Assessment (BPA) assigns three levels of overall biodiversity significance. State significance – areas assessed as being significant for biodiversity at the bioregional or State scales. They also include areas assessed by other studies/processes as being significant at national or international scales. Regional significance – areas assessed as being significant for biodiversity at the subregional scale. Local significance and/or other values – areas assessed as not being significant for biodiversity at state or regional scales. Local values are of significance at the local government scale. Refer to Appendix 1 for further details on Biodiversity Planning Assessments.
Table 1 – Assessment Area’s Level of overall biodiversity significance
Biodiversity Significance Area (ha) Area (%)
State Habitat for EVNT taxa 4488.3 8.0
State 17601.6 31.3
Regional 5803.9 10.3
Local or Other Values 1182.8 2.1
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented. If applicable, refer to Map 2 for areas of the Assessment Area identified as having State, Regional, and/or Local biodiversity significance in an approved BPA.
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Diagnostic criteria Diagnostic criteria used to assess the biodiversity significance of an area include: habitat for endangered, vulnerable and/or near threatened (EVNT) taxa (Criteria A) ecosystem value (Criteria B) tract size (Criteria C) relative size of regional ecosystems (Criteria D) condition (Criteria E) ecosystem diversity (Criteria F) context and connection (Criteria G). EVNT taxa are those scheduled under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and/or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Table 2 – Assessment Area’s Level of biodiversity significance based on diagnostic criteria
Biodiversity Significance Description Area (ha) Area (%)
State remnant contains at least 1 Endangered or 2 4488.3 8.0 Vulnerable or Near Threatened species (CRITERIA A)
State remnant contains at least 1 Endangered RE 1003.2 1.8 (CRITERIA B1)
State remnant contains at least 1 Endangered RE 1868.8 3.3 (CRITERIA B1) & Significant Wetland (CRITERIA B1)
State remnant is part of a Tract that is one of the largest in 4221.8 7.5 the bioregion (CRITERIA C) & remnant contains an RE that is one of the largest of its type in the bioregion (CRITERIA D1) & vegetation condition is natural (CRITERIA E)
State Significant Wetland (CRITERIA B1) 1441.0 2.6
Regional remnant contains at least 1 RE with <10 pc extent 0.1 0.0 remaining or rare in subregion (CRITERIA B2)
Regional remnant contains at least 1 RE with 10-30 percent 2.7 0.0 extent remaining (CRITERIA B2) & remnant is part of moderately large Tract (CRITERIA C) & vegetation condition is natural (CRITERIA E)
Regional remnant contains at least 1 Vulnerable or Near 11935.1 21.2 Threatened species (CRITERIA A)
Regional remnant contains at least one Of Concern RE 245.4 0.4 (CRITERIA B1)
Regional remnant is part of a Tract that is one of the largest in 358.3 0.6 the bioregion (CRITERIA C) & vegetation condition is natural (CRITERIA E) & remnant has Ecosystem diversity in the top quartile (CRITERIA F)
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Biodiversity Significance Description Area (ha) Area (%)
Regional remnant is part of a Tract that is one of the largest in 697.4 1.2 the bioregion (CRITERIA C) & vegetation condition is natural (CRITERIA E) & remnant has high connectivity or buffers an endangered RE or Significant Wetland (CRITERIA G)
Local or Other Values Refer to diagnostic data for additional information 2762.8 4.9
No information 51.8 0.1
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
Table 3 – Assessment Area’s Relative importance of diagnostic criteria used to assess overall biodiversity significance
Rating
Very High High Medium Low
Diagnostic criteria Area % Area % Area % Area %
Habitat for EVNT Taxa 4488.3 8.0 13994.2 24.9 5796.8 10.3 4402.6 7.8
Ecosystem Value (Bioregion) 6229.3 11.1 4664.9 8.3 17411.6 30.9 718.9 1.3
Ecosystem Value (Subregion) 254.8 0.5 10628.2 18.9 17668.7 31.4 130.2 0.2
Tract Size 24079.5 42.8 664.7 1.2 368.1 0.7 3569.6 6.3
Relative RE Size (Bioregion) 5643.1 10.0 3353.3 6.0 5920.8 10.5 13764.7 24.5
Relative RE Size (Subregion) 8229.2 14.6 3668.6 6.5 5784.9 10.3 10999.2 19.5
Ecosystem Diversity 4531.8 8.1 10321.2 18.3 11709.2 20.8 2119.7 3.8
Context and Connection 9296.6 16.5 6462.8 11.5 11363.7 20.2 1627.8 2.9
Area is the number of hectares within the assessment area that is represented. Per cent (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
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Expert panel criteria Criteria used by expert panels to assess the biodiversity significance of an area include: essential and general habitat for priority taxa (Criteria H) special biodiversity values (Criteria I) Ia - centres of endemism Ib - wildlife refugia Ic - concentrations of disjunct populations Id - taxa at the limits of their geographic ranges Ie - high species richness If - concentrations of relictual populations Ig - distinct variation in species composition Ih – ecologically significant artificial/managed wetland Ii - high density of hollow-bearing trees Ij – significant breeding or roosting sites corridors (Criteria J) threatening process/condition (Criteria K). The information used to assess overall biodiversity significance is contained in Tables 4, 5 and 6.
Table 4 – Assessment Area’s Level of biodiversity significance based on expert panel criteria
Biodiversity Significance Description Area (ha) Area (%)
State remnant contains Special Biodiversity Values (view 19681.4 35.0 Expert Panel data for further information) (CRITERIA I) & remnant forms part of a bioregional corridor (CRITERIA J)
No information 5377.9 9.6
Regional remnant forms part of a bioregional corridor 4017.3 7.1 (CRITERIA J)
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
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Table 5 – Assessment Area’s Relative importance of expert panel criteria used to assess overall biodiversity significance
Rating
Very High High Medium Low
Expert panel criteria Area % Area % Area % Area %
Centres of Endemism 4123.9 7.3 5678.7 10.1
Core Habitat Priority Taxa 56.9 0.1 5559.8 9.9 1149.4 2.0
Disjunct Populations 5678.7 10.1
High Species Richness 1279.4 2.3
Limits of Taxa Geographic 4123.9 7.3 Range
Wildlife Refugia 1490.2 2.6 8426.4 15.0
Area is the number of hectares within the assessment area that is represented. Per cent (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
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Table 6 - Expert panel decisions for assigning overall levels of biodiversity significance relevant to the Assessment Area
Panel Decision Description Recommended Values Identified by Panel Criteria Values Number Significance seqs_fl_27 White Rock – Spring Regional SEQ endemic taxa (Criterion Ia): Eucalyptus major, Notelaea Ia (SEQ endemic taxa): MEDIUM Mt shrubby forest and lloydii, Plectranthus habrophyllus, Marsdenia coronata. Ib (wildlife refugia): HIGH woodland on Wildlife refugia (Criterion Ib): close proximity to Brisbane-Ipswich sandstone Ic (disjunct populations): MEDIUM urban corridor. Disjunct taxa (Criterion Ic): Corymbia henryi, Eucalyptus curtisii, Indigofera baileyi, Grahamia australiana. seqs_fl_28 Daly’s Lagoon Regional Wildlife refugia (Criterion Ib): good representative of one of a very Ib (wildlife refugia): VERY HIGH small number of inland south-east Queensland natural lake
features, containing significant wildlife value and habitat refugia provided for birds including migratory species. seqs_fl_30 Teviot Range – Regional SEQ endemic taxa (Criterion Ia): Arundinella montana, Ia (SEQ endemic taxa): HIGH Flinders Peak centred Cupaniopsis tomentella, Eucalyptus major, Marsdenia coronata, Ib (wildlife refugia): HIGH on a cluster of Notelaea lloydii, Pouteria eerwah, Rhodamnia dumicola, intrusive volcanic Tephrosia sp. (The Grampians L.H.Bird AQ565381), Zieria sp. Id (limits of geographic range): plugs of Tertiary age (Flinders Peak S.L.Everist 1169) (Note – some of the above taxa MEDIUM (Mts Blaine, are based on input at Panel and are not listed in WILDNET). Catherine, Goolman, Wildlife refugia (Criterion Ib): area to west is changing from rural Perry, Welcome, to urban as part of implementation of SEQ Regional Plan. Flinders Peak and Ivorys Rock). Taxa at limits of geographic range Criterion Id): Acacia obtusifolia, Callistemon comboynensis – both species occur along Border Ranges to south. seq_fl_82 Low precision records Priority species habitat. More information for this decision exists in H (core habitat for priority taxa): for priority taxa of the SEQ BPA Flora Report. MEDIUM Regional significance are contained within the remnant.
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Panel Decision Description Recommended Values Identified by Panel Criteria Values Number Significance seq_fa_2 Lowland rainforest & State Across the entire bioregion, all lowland (< 200m a.s.l.) rainforest H (core habitat for priority taxa): wet sclerophyll forest and wet sclerophyll forest with rainforest understory be designated VERY HIGH as being of State significance. Based on importance for mesic Ib (wildlife refugia): VERY HIGH fauna (e.g. Richmond birdwing, giant barred-frog, Fleay’s barred- frog, Coxen’s fig-parrot, grey goshawk), and as drought/fire refugia. seq_fa_6 Greenbank Military Regional The Greenbank Military Training Area is designated as being of H (core habitat for priority taxa): Training Area Regional significance for the frilled lizard. HIGH seq_fa_9 Various protected area Regional That the following major areas be mapped as Regional Ie (high species richness): HIGH Estates significance being centres of high species richness (based on the CRA analysis, McFarland 1998), those areas shaded are also centres rich in priority taxa: NB. Priority taxa (Criterion H) in shaded areas have NOT been implemented in GIS for inclusion in the final product. More information for this decision exists in the SEQ BPA Fauna Report. In addition, Karawatha Forest is designated as Regional significance as a hotspot in terms of frog and raptor diversity. seq_fa_29 High precision records Regional Remnant contains Core Habitat for Priority taxa with high Criterion H: HIGH for priority taxa of precision records. Regional significance are contained within the remnant. seq_fa_31 Low precision records Remnant contains Core Habitat for Priority taxa with low precision Criterion H: MEDIUM for priority taxa of records. Regional significance are contained within the remnant.
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Panel Decision Description Recommended Values Identified by Panel Criteria Values Number Significance seqn_l_1 Terrestrial Bioregional State or The Expert Panel considered landscape corridors for northern Criterion J Corridors Regional SEQ in the context of a proposal for a State-wide terrestrial (State J Corridors for 0 – 2.5km or 0 landscape corridor network, defined on standardised State-wide -5km for selected State corridors) criteria. These corridors would be assigned State significance. State Corridors would be complemented by riparian landscape (Regional J Corridors for 0 – 2.5km) corridors and Regional terrestrial corridors. More information for this decision exists in the SEQ North BPA Landscape Report. seqs_l_1 Remnant vegetation State The panel identified the area as having a combination of flora, Ia (SEQ endemic taxa): MEDIUM on sandstone. fauna and landscape values. Ib (wildlife refugia ): VERY HIGH Scrubby Creek – SEQ endemic taxa (Criterion Ia): including Comesperma Karawatha, southern Ic (disjunct populations): MEDIUM hispidula, Hakea florulenta and Xylomelum salicinum. outskirts of Brisbane Wildlife refugia (Criterion Ib): the surrounding area is being increasingly developed for urban purposes. Populations of taxa with disjunct distributions in bioregional context (Criterion Ic) including: Acacia hispidula, Corymbia henryi, Eucalyptus baileyana, E. planchoniana and Daviesia wyattiana. Contains wetland /wet heath that support acid frogs and species of special conservation interest. seqn_l_13 Riparian Landscape State or The riparian landscape corridors provide connectivity through Criterion J Corridors Regional lowland areas of SEQ. 0 – 200m from the bank for State More information for this decision exists in the SEQ North BPA corridors) Landscape Report. 0 – 1000m from the bank for Regional corridors
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Panel Decision Description Recommended Values Identified by Panel Criteria Values Number Significance seqs_l_22 Terrestrial Bioregional State or The expert panel considered landscape corridors for southern Criterion J Corridors Regional SEQ in the context of a proposal for a State-wide terrestrial 0 – 2.5km or 0 -5km for selected landscape corridor network, defined on standardised State-wide State terrestrial bioregional criteria. These corridors would be assigned State significance. corridors. Note -smaller buffers have State bioregional corridors would be complemented by riparian been applied more developed areas and regionally significant bioregional corridors. near the coast. More information for this decision exists in the SEQ South BPA 0 – 2.5km for Regional terrestrial Landscape Report. bioregional corridors. seqs_l_49 Riparian Bioregional State or More information for this decision exists in the SEQ South Criterion J Corridors Regional Landscape Report. 0 – 200m from the bank for State corridors) 0 – 1000m from the bank for Regional corridors
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Corridors
BPA Derived Corridors Bioregional and subregional conservation corridors have been identified in the more developed bioregions of Queensland through the Biodiversity Planning Assessments (BPAs), using an intensive process involving expert panels. Terrestrial Bioregional corridors, in conjunction with large tracts of remnant vegetation, maintain ecological and evolutionary processes at a landscape scale, by: Maintaining long term evolutionary/genetic processes that allow the natural change in distributions of species and connectivity between populations of species over long periods of time Maintaining landscape/ecosystems processes associated with geological, altitudinal and climatic gradients, to allow for ecological responses to climate change Maintaining large scale seasonal/migratory species processes and movement of fauna Maximising connectivity between large tracts/patches of remnant vegetation Identifying key areas for rehabilitation and offsets
Riparian Bioregional Corridors also maintain and encourage connectivity of riparian and associated ecosystems.
The location of the corridors is determined by the following principles:-
Terrestrial Complement riparian landscape corridors (i.e. minimise overlap and maximise connectivity) Follow major watershed/catchment and/or coastal boundaries Incorporate major altitudinal/geological/climatic gradients Include and maximise connectivity between large tracts/patches of remnant vegetation Include and maximise connectivity between remnant vegetation in good condition.
Riparian Located on the major river or creek systems within the bioregion in question. A list of significant terrestrial and/or riparian BPA derived corridors that have been identified on or adjacent to the Assessment Area is contained in Table 7.
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Table 7 - BPA Derived Corridors Relevant to Assessment Area
Biodiversity Significance Corridor Type Area (ha) Area (%)
Regional Riparian 2865.6 5.1
Regional Terrestrial 4712.7 8.4
Regional Terrestrial/Riparian 1212.1 2.2
State Riparian 928.7 1.7
State Terrestrial 23290.6 41.4
State Terrestrial/Riparian 410.5 0.7
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
State-wide Conservation Corridors A similar methodology has been used by EHP biodiversity experts to define preliminary state-wide conservation corridors, incorporating elements of the BPA corridors but extending into the less developed parts of the state. The recognised corridors fall into four categories: Longitudinal corridors: These are major corridors that cross the length of the state from north to south. The dominant associated habitats generally change slowly over large distances, and are predominantly woodlands and open forests, with areas of rainforest. The climates range from subtropical in the south to tropical in the far north. Latitudinal corridors: These shorter corridors traverse fewer bioregions and have relatively steep environmental gradients, going from very hot and arid in the west to subtropical in the east. The associated habitats also vary greatly, ranging from seasonal herb fields and spinifex covered dunes in the west to tropical woodlands in the east. Uniform corridors: These are also shorter corridors, but they are largely contained within the same bioregion. Although they cover relatively long distances, there are fewer associated habitat types and these habitats are relatively consistent across the length of the corridor. East-west links: These short corridors are predominantly within the developed bioregions, and are the recognised remaining links between the two longitudinal corridors, and between the Great Eastern Ranges corridor and the major remaining areas of near coastal and coastal habitats. In most cases they are greatly fragmented across much of their lengths. No State-wide corridors are mapped over the Assessment Area. Refer to Map 3 for areas on, or in the vicinity of, the Assessment Area identified as having significant wildlife corridor values from the BPA Derived Corridors.
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Wetlands and waterways A list of wetland systems, springs or waterways that have been mapped on or adjacent to the Assessment Area is contained in Tables 8 - 11.
Table 8 - Listed wetlands of national and/or international importance in Assessment Area
Name Class Area (ha) Area (%)
Greenbank Army Training DOIW 4128.7 7.3 Area C
Karawatha Forest Park DOIW 271.0 0.5
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
Table 9 - Wetland system classification and level of modification in Assessment Area
Wetland Class Area (ha) Area (%)
Non wetland 55335.3 98.3
Lacustrine 56.6 0.1
Palustrine 249.5 0.4
Riverine 622.9 1.1
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented. There were no RAMSAR wetlands identified within the Flinders Karawatha Corridor.
Table 10 - Directory of Important Wetlands (DOIW) in Assessment Area
Wetland Name Area (ha) Area (%)
Greenbank Army Training Area C 4128.7 7.3
Karawatha Forest Park 271.0 0.5
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented. There were no springs recorded on, or within 500m of the Flinders Karawatha Corridor. Six waterways are situated in the Assessment Area, five creeks and one brook, all non-perennial. They are shown in the table below.
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Table 11 - Named waterways within the Assessment Area
Name Permanency
BUNDAMBA CREEK Non-perennial
OXLEY CREEK Non-perennial
PURGA CREEK Non-perennial
TEVIOT BROOK Non-perennial
WOOGAROO CREEK Non-perennial
WOOLLAMAN CREEK Non-perennial
Refer to Map 4 for areas on, or in the vicinity of the Assessment Area identified as having wetland values through the Queensland Wetlands Programme.
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Aquatic Conservation Assessment (ACA) – conservation significance Assessment of the aquatic conservation values for riverine and non-riverine wetlands uses the Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Methodology (AquaBAMM). AquaBAMM is a decision support tool that utilises existing information and expert input to assess conservation value in aquatic ecosystems. It uses a robust and easily accessible analysis of ecological or conservation values associated with a catchment that is useful for sub-catchment and regional planning. It is applicable in freshwater riverine, freshwater non-riverine and estuarine wetlands. Refer to the EHP website for further information on Aquatic Conservation Assessments (ACA) and AquaBAMM.
Non-riverine wetlands No ACA has been completed for mapped non-riverine wetlands in the Brisbane and Logan-Albert catchments and hence no data is available to inform the current assessment of environmental values associated with the Assessment Area.
Riverine wetlands No ACA has been completed for mapped riverine wetlands in the Brisbane and Logan-Albert catchments and hence no data is available to inform the current assessment of environmental values associated with the Assessment Area.
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Flora and fauna
Threatened species A list of threatened flora species that have been recorded on, or within 4km of, the Assessment Area is contained in Table 12 below.
Table 12 - Threatened flora species recorded Core / NCA EPBC Back on Migratory Wetland Confidential Record / on, or within 4km of the Common name Non-core status status Track rank species* species Record Model Assessment habitat AreaSpecies
Cupaniopsis tomentella Boonah V V L N tuckeroo
Eucalyptus curtisii Plunkett mallee NT L N
Marsdenia coronata slender milkvine V L N
Melaleuca irbyana E M N
Notelaea lloydii Lloyd's native V V L N olive
Planchonella eerwah E E L N
Plectranthus habrophyllus E E L N
* JAMBA/CAMBA/ROKAMBA/BONN records
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A list of threatened fauna species that have been recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area is contained in Table 13 below.
Table 13 - Threatened fauna species recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area
Core / NCA EPBC Back on Migratory Wetland Confidential Record / Species Common name Non-core status status Track rank species† species Record Model habitat
Acanthophis antarcticus common death NT M N adder
Accipiter novaehollandiae grey goshawk NT L N
Adelotus brevis tusked frog V M I N
Anthochaera phrygia regent E E M N honeyeater
Calyptorhynchus lathami glossy black- V N cockatoo
Crinia tinnula wallum froglet V H I N
Dasyurus maculatus spotted-tailed V E H N maculatus quoll (southern subspecies)
Ephippiorhynchus black-necked NT L I N asiaticus stork
† JAMBA/CAMBA/ROKAMBA/BONN records
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Core / NCA EPBC Back on Migratory Wetland Confidential Record / Species Common name Non-core status status Track rank species† species Record Model habitat
Falco hypoleucos grey falcon NT DD N
Lathamus discolor swift parrot E E M N
Lewinia pectoralis Lewin's rail NT L N
Litoria brevipalmata green thighed NT M N frog
Melithreptus gularis black-chinned NT L N honeyeater
Nettapus cotton pygmy- NT L I N coromandelianus goose
Ninox strenua powerful owl V M N
Petrogale penicillata brush-tailed V V H N rock-wallaby
Phascolarctos cinereus koala V V C N
Pteropus poliocephalus grey-headed LC V C N flying-fox
Rostratula australis Australian V E M I N painted snipe
Stictonetta naevosa freckled duck NT L I N
Turnix melanogaster black-breasted V V C N button-quail
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Other priority species A list of priority species that have been recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area is contained in Table 13 below.
Table 14 - Priority flora species recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area
Species Common name Back on Migratory Wetland Core / Non- Record / Track rank species* species core habitat Model
Baeckea diosmifolia fringed baeckea L
Burmannia disticha L
Homalanthus stillingiifolius L
Hygrophila angustifolia L
Melaleuca decora
Swainsona queenslandica
Triflorensia cameronii
A list of priority fauna species that have been recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area is contained in Table 15 below.
Table 15 - Priority fauna species recorded on, or within 4km of the Assessment Area
Species Common name Back on Migratory Wetland Core / Non- Record / Track rank species* species core habitat Model
Burhinus grallarius bush stone-curlew L
Cheramoeca leucosterna white-backed swallow L
Chlamydosaurus kingii frilled lizard L
Cyclorana alboguttata greenstripe frog L
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Species Common name Back on Migratory Wetland Core / Non- Record / Track rank species* species core habitat Model
Cyclorana brevipes superb collared frog L I
Delma plebeia common delma M
Limnodynastes salmini salmon striped frog L I
Ninox connivens barking owl L
Ornithorhynchus anatinus platypus L I
Petauroides volans greater glider L
Petaurus australis australis yellow-bellied glider H (southern subspecies)
Petaurus norfolcensis squirrel glider L
Petroica boodang scarlet robin L
Phascogale tapoatafa brush-tailed phascogale
Pseudechis guttatus spotted black snake M
Pteropus alecto black flying-fox L
Pteropus scapulatus little red flying-fox L
Tyto novaehollandiae masked owl
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Other species No records for other species of interest (including mahogany glider, cassowary and koala) are available over the Assessment Area from Queensland Government sources. Local government and catchment groups may hold additional data for other species.
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Regional Ecosystems Regional ecosystems are defined as vegetation communities in a bioregion that are consistently associated with a particular combination of geology, landform and soil. Compilation of the information about regional ecosystems presented in Sattler and Williams (1999) was derived from a broad range of existing information sources including land system, vegetation and geology mapping and reports. Refer to this publication for background information about regional ecosystems and the bioregional planning framework used in Queensland. However, the framework is dynamic and is regularly reviewed as new information becomes available. Updated regional ecosystem descriptions in the format of Sattler and Williams (1999) are maintained in the Regional Ecosystem Description Database (REDD). Refer to the EHP website for more information. Regional ecosystems are mapped at a scale of 1:100,000 and 1:50,000 in part, based on surveys of vegetation communities. Refer to Map 6 (biodiversity status) and Map 7 (Vegetation Management Act 1999 status) for the extent and status of regional ecosystems currently mapped within the Assessment Area. The biodiversity status of remnant vegetation, Threatened Ecological Communities listed under the EBPC Act, Very High Priority Regional Ecosystems, Unrepresented Regional Ecosystems, VMA High Value Regrowth, and Regional Ecosystems are shown in Tables 16 - 19.
Table 16 - Biodiversity status of remnant vegetation in the Assessment Area
Biodiversity status Area (ha) Area (%)
Endangered 3364.6 6.0
No concern at present 21701.7 38.6
Of concern 3719.6 6.6
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
Table 17 - Threatened ecological communities listed under the EBPC Act in the Assessment Area
Area (ha) Area (%) Community
Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla dominant and co-dominant) 5.7 0.0
White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native 38.1 0.1 Grassland
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
Table 18 - Very High Priority Regional Ecosystems in the Assessment Area
Count Area (ha) Area (%) Description
Regional ecosystems with a priority score greater than 9 5 4808.5 8.5
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Table 19 - Unrepresented Regional Ecosystems in the Assessment Area
Subregion Representation Count Area (ha) Area (%)
Moreton Basin 2 537.9 1.0
Moreton Basin High 8 1845.8 3.3
Moreton Basin Low 14 17377.8 30.9
Moreton Basin Medium 11 7410.0 13.2
Moreton Basin No representation 2 2152.3 3.8
Table 20 - VMA High Value Regrowth in the Assessment Area
High Value Regrowth Area (ha) Area (%)
Containing Endangered regional ecosystems 2914.1 5.2
Containing Of Concern regional ecosystems 9244.9 16.4
Is a Least Concern regional ecosystem 1832.2 3.3
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
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Table 21 - Regional Ecosystems in the Assessment Area
Repres Priority entatio Scores Regional Area Area Biodiversity n in Description Wetland VMA class for Special values ecosystem (ha) (%) status protect represe ed ntation estate
12.3.3 Eucalyptus tereticornis 145.2 0.3 Floodplai Endangered Endangered Low 7.8 Habitat for threatened flora woodland to open forest on n (other species including Quaternary alluvium than Rhaponticum australe. floodplain 12.3.3a: Habitat for wetlands). threatened flora species including occasional Rhaponticum australe. 12.3.3b: Habitat for threatened flora species including Melaleuca irbyana. 12.3.3c: Habitat for threatened flora species including Melaleuca irbyana. 12.3.3d: Habitat for threatened flora species including Rhaponticum australe.
12.3.6 Melaleuca quinquenervia, 335.4 0.6 Palustrine No concern at Least Medium 3.2 Habitat for threatened fauna Eucalyptus tereticornis, wetland present concern species including the Wallum Lophostemon suaveolens (e.g. froglet Crinia tinnula. woodland on coastal alluvial vegetated plains swamp).
12.3.7 Eucalyptus tereticornis, 402.8 0.7 Riverine No concern at Least Low 6.3 Melaleuca viminalis, wetland present concern Casuarina cunninghamiana or fringing fringing forest riverine wetland.
12.3.8 Swamps with Cyperus spp., 91.0 0.2 Palustrine Of concern Of concern Low 9.2 Provides wetland habitat for a Schoenoplectus spp. and wetland
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Repres Priority entatio Scores Regional Area Area Biodiversity n in Description Wetland VMA class for Special values ecosystem (ha) (%) status protect represe ed ntation estate Eleocharis spp. (e.g. flora and fauna. vegetated swamp).
12.3.11 Eucalyptus tereticornis, 809.1 1.4 Contains Of concern Of concern Low 7.9 Habitat for threatened fauna Eucalyptus siderophloia, palustrine species including the Black- Corymbia intermedia open wetland breasted Button-quail Turnix forest on alluvial plains (e.g. in melanogaster. (Aridis, Melzer usually near coast swales). and Hamley, 1998)
12.5.1 Open forest complex with 96.3 0.2 No concern at Least Medium 2.6 Habitat for threatened flora Corymbia citriodora subsp. present concern species including variegata on subcoastal Paspalidium remnant Tertiary surfaces. grandispiculatum. 12.5.1c: Usually deep red soils Habitat for threatened flora species including Eucalyptus taurina, Paspalidium grandispiculatum and Grevillea quadricauda.
12.5.3 Eucalyptus tindaliae and/or 234.9 0.4 Endangered Endangered Low 7.4 E. racemosa open forest on remnant Tertiary surfaces
12.8.4 Complex notophyll vine 36.8 0.1 No concern at Least High 0.0 Habitat for threatened flora forest with Araucaria spp. on present concern species including Sarcochilus Cainozoic igneous rocks weinthalii, S. hartmannii and near threatened species including Pandorea baileyana. Habitat for cool subtropical species at limits of climatic range.
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Repres Priority entatio Scores Regional Area Area Biodiversity n in Description Wetland VMA class for Special values ecosystem (ha) (%) status protect represe ed ntation estate
12.8.9 Lophostemon confertus 66.1 0.1 Of concern Least High 0.0 open forest on Cainozoic concern igneous rocks
12.8.14 Eucalyptus eugenioides, E. 0.1 0.0 No concern at Least High 0.0 Habitat for threatened flora biturbinata, E. melliodora present concern species including Sophora open forest on Cainozoic fraseri. 12.8.14a: Habitat for igneous rocks threatened flora species including Sophora fraseri. 12.8.14a: Habitat for threatened flora species including Sophora fraseri.
12.8.16 Eucalyptus crebra, E. 38.1 0.1 Of concern Of concern Medium 3.6 Habitat for threatened flora tereticornis woodland on species including Cainozoic igneous rocks Rhaponticum australe and near threatened species including Callitris baileyi.
12.8.17 Eucalyptus crebra, E. 13.0 0.0 No concern at Least Low 6.2 Habitat for threatened flora melanophloia woodland on present concern species including Cainozoic igneous rocks Rhaponticum australe.
12.8.19 Heath and rock pavement 61.6 0.1 Of concern Of concern High 0.0 Habitat for threatened flora with scattered shrubs or species including Acacia open woodland on saxicola, Allocasuarina Cainozoic igneous hills and emuina, A. thalassoscopica, mountains Grevillea linsmithii, Westringia grandifolia, Leionema elatius subsp. beckleri, Plectranthus torrenticola, Coopernookia scabridiuscula, Dodonaea rupicola, Eucalyptus kabiana,
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Repres Priority entatio Scores Regional Area Area Biodiversity n in Description Wetland VMA class for Special values ecosystem (ha) (%) status protect represe ed ntation estate Banksia conferta, Leptospermum luehmannii, L. oreophilum, Pultenaea whiteana, Westringia rupicola and near threatened species including Arundinella grevillensis, A. montana, Callitris monticola, Comesperma breviflorum, Eucalyptus codonocarpa, Gahnia insignis, Gonocarpus effusus, Pomaderris notata, Thelionema grande, Westringia blakeana, W. sericea, Kunzea flavescens, Agiortia cicatricata, Zieria adenodonta. Habitat for many other species with restricted or disjunct distributions.
12.8.20 Shrubby woodland with 88.5 0.2 Of concern Of concern High 0.5 Habitat for threatened flora Eucalyptus racemosa or E. species including Grevillea dura on Cainozoic igneous linsmithii, Eucalyptus rocks kabiana, Leionema gracile and near threatened species including Hibbertia hexandra, Melaleuca groveana, Arundinella grevillensis, Comesperma breviflorum, Plectranthus alloplectus and Westringia sericea. Habitat for plants with restricted or disjunct distributions e.g. Grevillea whiteana.
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Repres Priority entatio Scores Regional Area Area Biodiversity n in Description Wetland VMA class for Special values ecosystem (ha) (%) status protect represe ed ntation estate
12.8.24 Corymbia citriodora subsp. 627.2 1.1 Endangered Endangered Medium 8.0 variegata open forest on Cainozoic igneous rocks especially trachyte
12.9-10.2 Corymbia citriodora subsp. 13043 23.2 No concern at Least Low 5.9 Habitat for threatened flora variegata, Eucalyptus crebra .3 present concern species including Notelaea open forest on sedimentary lloydii. rocks
12.9-10.3 Eucalyptus moluccana on 29.4 0.1 Of concern Of concern Low 9.6 sedimentary rocks
12.9-10.4 Eucalyptus racemosa 1455. 2.6 No concern at Least High 0.5 Habitat for threatened flora woodland on sedimentary 8 present concern species including rocks Macrozamia pauli-guilielmi and Acacia attenuata.
12.9-10.6 Acacia harpophylla open 5.7 0.0 Endangered Endangered No 10.0 forest on sedimentary rocks represe ntation
12.9-10.7 Eucalyptus crebra +/- E. 2535. 4.5 Of concern Of concern Low 9.0 tereticornis, Corymbia 8 tessellaris, Angophora spp., E. melanophloia woodland on sedimentary rocks
12.9-10.8 Eucalyptus melanophloia, E. 23.0 0.0 Endangered Endangered Low 8.3 crebra woodland on sedimentary rocks
12.9-10.12 Eucalyptus seeana, 2146. 3.8 Endangered Endangered No 10.0
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Repres Priority entatio Scores Regional Area Area Biodiversity n in Description Wetland VMA class for Special values ecosystem (ha) (%) status protect represe ed ntation estate Corymbia intermedia, 6represe Angophora leiocarpa ntation woodland on sedimentary rocks
12.9-10.15 Semi-evergreen vine thicket 50.3 0.1 Endangered Endangered Low 8.9 Habitat for near threatened with Brachychiton rupestris flora species including on sedimentary rocks Callitris baileyi.
12.9-10.16 Araucarian microphyll to 131.8 0.2 Endangered Of concern High 3.3 Habitat for threatened flora notophyll vine forest on species including Alectryon sedimentary rocks ramiflorus, Corchorus cunninghamii, Planchonella eerwah, Plectranthus omissus, Sarcochilus weinthalii, Cupaniopsis shirleyana, C. tomentella and near threatened species including Hernandia bivalvis.
12.9-10.17 Eucalyptus acmenoides, E. 2408. 4.3 No concern at Least Medium 2.0 major, E. siderophloia +/- 5 present concern Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata open forest on sedimentary rocks
12.9-10.19 Eucalyptus fibrosa subsp. 3904. 6.9 No concern at Least Medium 6.4 fibrosa open forest on 5 present concern sedimentary rocks
12.11.5 Corymbia citriodora subsp. 5.1 0.0 No concern at Least High 0.0 Habitat for threatened flora variegata, Eucalyptus present concern species including Cycas siderophloia, E. major open megacarpa and Sophora forest on metamorphics +/- fraseri. 12.11.5a: Habitat for
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Repres Priority entatio Scores Regional Area Area Biodiversity n in Description Wetland VMA class for Special values ecosystem (ha) (%) status protect represe ed ntation estate interbedded volcanics threatened flora species including Sophora fraseri. 12.11.5e: Habitat for threatened flora species including Cycas megacarpa and Sophora fraseri. 12.11.5h: Habitat for threatened flora species including Sophora fraseri. 12.11.5j: Habitat for threatened flora species including Sophora fraseri. 12.11.5k: Habitat for threatened flora species including Sophora fraseri.
Non-remnant 26940 47.9 .6
Plantation 531.9 0.9 Forest
Water 6.0 0.0
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Explanation of the Priority Scores for representation column: 10 Regional Ecosystem unrepresented ▼ 0 Regional Ecosystem target met for adequate representation * denotes Regional Ecosystems which have a score of less than 10 but which have a pre-clear or remnant extent of less than 1000 hectares (rare and threatened respectively) ^ denotes Regional Ecosystems with no remnant vegetation Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
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Protected areas
State Controlled Protected Estate A list of state controlled protected estates that occur within 25km of the Assessment Area is contained in Table 22 below.
Table 22 - Proximity of the state controlled protected estate
Protected estate Distance (km)
Flinders Peak Conservation Park Adjacent
Mount Perry Conservation Park Adjacent
White Rock Conservation Park Adjacent
Boonah Base (Old Coulson State School) 0.5km
Diamond Street Environmental Reserve ( LOGAN ) 2.2km
Springwood Conservation Park 4.2km
Daisy Hill Conservation Park 5.2km
Waterford Reserve 6.8km
Toohey Forest Conservation Park 7.0km
Moggill Base Site (Jessies House) 7.6km
Holland Park West Property 7.8km
Venman Bushland National Park 8.3km
Denmark Hill Conservation Park 8.9km
Sperling Street Base (Rocklea) 9.6km
Koala Rehabilitation Land 2 9.6km
Moogerah Peaks National Park 10.2km
Mutdapilly Quarry Reserve 11.0km
Ipswich Pteropus Conservation Park 11.1km
Buccan Conservation Park 12.0km
Moggill Conservation Park 12.2km
Ext to Belmont Recreation Reserve 12.3km
Indooroopilly Island Conservation Park 12.5km
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Protected estate Distance (km)
Near Leslie Harrison Dam Wall - Tingalpa Creek 12.8km
Koala Rehabilitation Land 1 13.0km
Indooroopilly Forestry Resource Centre 13.1km
Carbrook Wetlands Conservation Park 1 14.8km
Plunkett Conservation Park 15.0km
Knapp Creek Conservation Park 15.3km
Wickham Timber Reserve 15.7km
Tingalpa Creek Conservation Park 15.8km
Bayview Conservation Park 16.0km
Enoggera Forest Reserve 18.4km
D'Aguilar National Park 18.4km
Carbrook Wetlands Conservation Park 2 18.7km
Wickham National Park 18.8km
Wickham Forest Reserve 18.9km
Wynnum Mangrove Boardwalk (Located on 548SL8565) 21.8km
Mount Glorious Forest Reserve 22.0km
Fort Lytton National Park 22.0km
King Island Conservation Park 22.0km
Mount Barney National Park 22.3km
Mount Maroon land 22.3km
Tamborine National Park 23.0km
Samford Conservation Park 24.7km
Other protected areas A list of other protected areas, including those covered by Commonwealth and Local Government Planning laws, that occur within 25km of the Assessment Area is contained in Table 23 below.
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Table 23 - Proximity of other protected areas
Nature refuge Distance (km)
White Rock – Spring Mountain Conservation Estates Adjacent
Flinders Goolman Conservation Estate Adjacent
Greenbank Military Training Area Adjacent
Logan City Council Reserves Adjacent
Karawatha Forest Adjacent
Glider Forest Conservation Area Adjacent
Nature Refuges A list of nature refuges that occur within 25km of the Assessment Area is contained in Table 24 below.
Table 24 - Proximity of Nature Refuges
Nature refuge Distance (km)
Koala Bushland Coordinated Conservation Area 5.3km
Tir Na Crann Nature Refuge 5.4km
Leslie Harrison Dam Nature Refuge 7.7km
Cornubia Forest Nature Refuge 9.4km
Gum Tips Nature Refuge 10.5km
Boom ber pee Nature Refuge 10.8km
Van der Loos Nature Refuge 10.9km
Coolnwynpin Nature Refuge 12.6km
Coolnwynpin Creek Corridor A Nature Refuge 14.1km
Coolnwynpin Creek Corridor B Nature Refuge 14.2km
Mt Crosby Weir Nature Refuge 14.6km
Smiths Rainforest Nature Refuge 16.4km
Kuta Koala Nature Refuge 16.9km
Edward Corbould (Reserve and Retreat) Nature Refuge 16.9km
Moreton Bay Boys College Nature Refuge 17.2km
Feathertail Nature Refuge 19.9km
Gyetvay Park Nature Refuge 22.1km
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Bioregional information Bioregional information for the Assessment Area is shown in Table 25 below.
Table 25 - Bioregional information
Classification Name Level of Area (ha) Area (%) current protection
IBRA Bioregion South Eastern Queensland 10 - 15% 56264.4 100.0
IBRA Subregion Moreton Basin 0.01 - 5% 56264.4 100.0
Queensland Bioregion Southeast Queensland 13.52% 56264.4 100.0
Queensland Subregion Moreton Basin 2.50% 56264.4 100.0
Catchment information Catchment information for the Assessment Area is shown in Table 26 below.
Table 26 - Catchment information
Basin name Area (ha) Area (%)
Brisbane 28437.6 50.5
Logan-Albert 27826.8 49.5
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented. Numerous creeks, many of which are significant for conservation and recreational values are located within or bisect the Flinders Karawatha Corridor. Of particular interest are the sub-catchments of the following waterways, which are totally or substantially located within the corridor:
Bundamba Creek, Deebing Creek, Flagstone Creek, Goodna Creek, O’Possum Creek, Oxley Creek, Sandy Creek, Six Mile Creek, Teviot Brook, Woogaroo Creek and Woollaman Creek. For these sub-catchments, water quality and retention of riparian vegetation are significant issues. Flinders Peak, Mt Perry, Mt Blaine and surrounding areas have high significance to the catchments within the corridor as these mountainous areas are the headwaters for 5 waterways and their catchments (Oxley, Flagstone, Bundamba, Purga and Woollaman Creeks).
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Ground Cover Disturbance Index (GCDI) The Ground Cover Disturbance Index (GCDI) was developed to assess the level of historic ground cover disturbance associated primarily with grazing and fire. The Ground Cover Index (GCI) from the former Department of Natural Resources and Water (DNRW) has been used in the development of this product. The GCI time series is derived from SLATS Landsat TM imagery, and provides an estimate of percentage ground cover. The GCDI analyses levels of ground cover within each Regional Ecosystem (RE), as different regional ecosystems naturally have different ground cover percentage. Within each RE, within each subregion, the mean and trend of the GCI is calculated since 1988, with different combinations of mean and trend indicating different levels of disturbance (very low to very high). The GCDI is not applicable in areas with Foliage Projective Cover (FPC) greater than 20 per cent. The GCDI also identifies ‘low change’ areas which are likely to be naturally bare (e.g. bare rock, scalded areas). White areas on a GCDI map come from three sources: non-remnant vegetation areas with greater than 20 per cent Foliage Projective Cover (FPC) areas that are likely to be ‘naturally’ bare (i.e. very low ground cover over the time period with very little change).
Ground Cover Disturbance Index GCDI information, which has been generated for the Assessment Area, is contained in Table 27 below.
Table 27 - Ground cover disturbance index in the Assessment Area
Disturbance Area (ha) Area (%) medium disturbance 359.3 0.6 low disturbance 357.1 0.6 high/very high disturbance 93.1 0.2 very low disturbance 1.2 0.0
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented. If applicable, refer to Map 8 for estimated levels of ground cover disturbance in areas of the Assessment Area with 20 per cent or less Foliage Projective Cover.
Foliage Projective Cover (20 per cent or less) Foliage Projective Cover (20 per cent or less) information, that has been generated for the Assessment Area, is contained in Table 28 below.
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Table 28 - Twenty per cent or less Foliage Projective Cover
Description Area (ha) Area (%)
Foliage Projective Cover 20% or less 14712.3 26.1
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
Low change areas Low change areas information, which has been generated for the Assessment Area, is contained in Table 29 below.
Table 29 - Low change areas
Description Area (ha) Area (%)
Low change (rock, scalded areas) 0.5 0.0
Area (%) is the percentage of the assessment area that is represented.
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Maps
Map 1 – Location
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Map 2 - Biodiversity Planning Assessment (BPA) map
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Map 3 - Corridors
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Map 4 - Wetlands and waterways
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Map 5 - Threatened Species
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Map 6 - Regional Ecosystems (biodiversity status)
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Map 7 - Regional Ecosystems (Vegetation Management Act status)
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Map 8 - Ground Cover Disturbance Index (GCDI)
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References
Morton, S. R., Short, J. and Barker, R. D. with an Appendix by G.F. Griffin and G. Pearce (1995). Refugia for Biological Diversity in Arid and Semi-arid Australia. Biodiversity Series, Paper No. 4, Biodiversity Unit, Environment Australia. http://www.ea.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/series/paper4
Sattler, P.S. & Williams, R.D. (eds) (1999). The Conservation Status of Queensland’s Bioregional Ecosystems. Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane.
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Appendices
Appendix 1 - Biodiversity Planning Assessments The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) attributes biodiversity significance on a bioregional scale through a Biodiversity Planning Assessment (BPA). A BPA involves the integration of ecological criteria using the Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Methodology (BAMM) and is developed in two stages: 1) diagnostic criteria, and 2) expert panel criteria. The diagnostic criteria are based on existing data which is reliable and uniformly available across a bioregion, while the expert panel criteria allows for the refinement of the mapped information from the diagnostic output by incorporating local knowledge and expert opinion. The BAMM methodology has application for identifying areas with various levels of significance solely for biodiversity reasons. These include threatened ecosystems or taxa, large tracts of habitat in good condition, ecosystem diversity, landscape context and connection, and buffers to wetlands or other types of habitat important for the maintenance of biodiversity or ecological processes. While natural resource values such as dryland salinity, soil erosion potential or land capability are not dealt with explicitly, they are included to some extent within the biodiversity status of regional ecosystems recognised by the EHP. Biodiversity Planning Assessments assign three levels of overall biodiversity significance. State significance – areas assessed as being significant for biodiversity at the bioregional or state scales. They also include areas assessed by other studies/processes as being significant at national or international scales. Regional significance – areas assessed as being significant for biodiversity at the subregional scale. These areas have lower significance for biodiversity than areas assessed as being of State significance; and Local significance and/or other values – areas assessed as not being significant for biodiversity at state, or regional, scales. Local values are of significance at the local government scale.
1) Diagnostic criteria Habitat for EVNT taxa (Criteria A) – classifies areas according to their significance based on the presence of endangered, vulnerable and/or near threatened (EVNT) taxa. EVNT taxa are those scheduled under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and/or the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It excludes highly mobile fauna taxa which are instead considered in Criterion H and brings together information on EVNT taxa using buffering of recorded sites in the absence of habitat suitability models (HSM). Ecosystem value (Criteria B) – classifies on the basis of biodiversity status of regional ecosystems, their extent in protected areas (presence of poorly conserved regional ecosystems), the presence of significant wetlands and intertidal zones; and areas of national importance such as World Heritage areas and Ramsar sites. Ecosystem value is applied at a hierarchy of scales designated as State (B1) or Regional (B2). Tract size (Criteria C) – measures the relative size of tracts of vegetation in the landscape. The size of any tract is a major indicator of ecological significance, and is also strongly correlated with the long-term viability of biodiversity values. Larger tracts are less susceptible to ecological edge effects and are more likely to sustain viable populations of native flora and fauna than smaller tracts. Relative size of regional ecosystems (Criteria D) – classifies the relative size of each regional ecosystem unit within its bioregion (D1) and its subregion (D2). Remnant units are compared with all other occurrences with the same regional ecosystem. Large examples of an RE are more significant than smaller examples of the same RE because they: o are more representative of the biodiversity values particular to the RE o are more resilient to the effects of disturbance o constitute a significant proportion of the total area of the RE. Ecosystem diversity (Criteria F) – is an indicator of the number of regional ecosystems occurring within an area. An area with high ecosystem diversity will have relatively many regional ecosystems and ecotones. Context and connection (Criteria G) – represents the extent to which a remnant unit incorporates, borders or buffers areas such as significant wetlands, endangered ecosystems; and the degree to which it is connected to other vegetation.
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2) Expert panel criteria Essential and general habitat for priority taxa (Criteria H) - this criterion can be used to identify essential and general habitat for EVNT and other priority taxa additional to that derived under Diagnostic Criterion A. Information sources include expert and local knowledge, technical reports and papers, and modelled maps of essential and general habitat. Special biodiversity values (Criteria I) - areas with special biodiversity values are important because they contain multiple taxa in a unique ecological and often highly biodiverse environment. Areas with special biodiversity values can include the following: o 1a - centres of endemism - areas where concentrations of taxa are endemic to a bioregion or subregion are found. o 1b - wildlife refugia (Morton et al. 1995), for example, islands, mound springs, caves, wetlands, gorges, mountain ranges and topographic isolates, ecological refuges, refuges from exotic animals, and refuges from clearing. The latter may include large areas that are not suitable for clearing because of land suitability/capability. o 1c - areas with concentrations of disjunct populations. o 1d - areas with concentrations of taxa at the limits of their geographic ranges. o 1e - areas with high species richness. o 1f - areas with concentrations of relictual populations (ancient and primitive taxa). o 1g - areas containing REs with distinct variation in species composition associated with geomorphology and other environmental variables. o 1h - an artificial waterbody or managed/manipulated wetland considered by the panel/s to be of ecological significance. o Ii - areas with a high density of hollow-bearing trees that provide habitat for animals. o 1j - breeding or roosting sites used by a significant number of individuals. Corridors (Criteria J) - areas identified under this criterion qualify either because they are existing vegetated corridors important for contiguity including regrowth, or cleared areas that could serve this purpose if revegetated. Some examples of corridors include riparian habitats, transport corridors and "stepping stones"; and Threatening process/condition (Criteria K) - areas identified by experts under this criterion may be used to amend (upgrade or downgrade) biodiversity significance arising from the “first-cut” analysis. The condition of remnant vegetation is affected by threatening processes such as weeds, feral animals, grazing and burning regime, selective timber harvesting/removal, salinity, soil erosion, and climate change. Available data sets and information about these and related processes should be compiled to assist experts in evaluating vegetation condition. Refer to the EHP website for further information on Biodiversity Planning Assessments: www.ehp.qld.gov.au/bpa
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Appendix 2 - Acronyms and abbreviations
ACA - Aquatic Conservation Assessment AQUABAMM - Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Methodology BAMM - Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Methodology BONN - Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals BoT - Back on Track BPA - Biodiversity Planning Assessment CAMBA - China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement CARMS - Correspondence and Records Management System DCDB - Digital Cadastre Database DEM - Digital Elevation Model DNRM - Department of Natural Resources & Mines DOIW - Directory of Important Wetlands DUSLARA - Desert Uplands Strategic Land and Resource Assessment EPBC - Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 EHP - Department of Environment and Heritage Protection EPA - Environmental Protection Agency (ex Qld Government) EP Act - Environmental Protection Act 1994 EVNT - Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened FPC - Foliage Projective Cover GCDI - Ground Cover Disturbance Index GDA94 - Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 GIS - Geographic Information System IBRA - Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia JAMBA - Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement NCA - Nature Conservation Act 1992 NRS - National Reserve System NRW - Department of Natural Resources and Water (ex Qld Government) PAFF - Protected Areas for the Future PAT - Property Assessment Tool PHAD - Pastoral Holdings Database PPA - Private Protected Areas QVAS - Queensland Valuation and Sales QLUMP - Queensland Land Use Mapping Program RE - Regional Ecosystem REDD - Regional Ecosystem Description Database ROKAMBA - Republic of Korea-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement SDRN - State Digital Road Network SEWPaC - Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
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SLATS - Statewide Landcover and Trees Study SMIS - SmartMap Information Services VMA - Vegetation Management Act 1999
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Appendix 3 - Source data versions
Biogeographic Subregions (IBRA)* V6.1
Biogeographic Subregions (QLD)* V5 (2010)
Biodiversity Planning Assessments* New England Tableland v2.3 (May 2007)
Brigalow Belt v1.3 (August 2008)
South East Queensland v3.5 (December 2007)
Central Queensland Coast v1.3 (January 2007)
Desert Uplands v1.3 (February 2012)
Mulga Lands v1.4
Mitchell Grass Downs v1.1
Channel Country v1.1
Einasleigh Uplands v1.1
Gulf Plains, Cape York Peninsula, North West Highlands and Wet Tropics draft State Riparian corridors
BPA Derived Corridors* Version 1.1 (20/07/2010)
State-wide Conservation Corridors* July 2010
Aquatic Conservation Assessments March 2012 Riverine*
Aquatic Conservation Assessments Non- January 2011 riverine*
Aquatic Conservation Assessments January 2012 Subsections*
Digital Cadastral Database (DCDB) 24 March 2012 extract
Protected Areas of Queensland (estate) December 2011 and Other Lands
Nature Refuges and Coordinated December 2011 Conservation Areas
Protected Areas for the Future V5.2
Regional Ecosystems of Queensland* Draft RE V7 (September 2011)
EPBC listed communities* Draft RE V7 (September 2011)
High Value Regrowth Version 2.1 (September 2011)
tblRE_PRIORITY table (EHP Internal)* based on Draft RE V7 (September 2011) and Protected
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Areas of Queensland version December 2011.
tblRE Based on REDD_v7.0_2012.mdb
Statewide EVNT & Priority Species v5.1 and V 5.2 respectively records (including HEBRECS, CORVEG, WildNet and Queensland Historical Fauna Database QHFD)*
Mahogany Glider April 2009 Cassowary habitat August 2010
Aquatic Conservation Assessments March 2012 EVNT Species
Aquatic Conservation Assessments March 2012 Priority Species
Ground Cover Disturbance Index (1988- January 2010 2007) (EHP internal)
Pastoral Holdings Address Database November 2007
QVAS (DNRM internal) July 2009
Directory of Important Wetlands 3rd Edition (2005)
Queensland Wetland Mapping – V3 (September 2009) Wetlands Regional Ecosystem (HYD_Wetland)*
Springs Queensland Wetlands Mapping v3 (October 2011) - (EHP internal) HYD_Wetland_Points
Ramsar sites (Qld)* November 2002
Significant Wetlands* Ramsar November 2002 & DOI 3rd Edition (2005)
ibra_region_protection table* Created from IBRA v6.1 and Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) - (2008)
Bioreg_RE table based on Draft RE V7 (September 2011) (EHP internal)*
Subreg_RE table based on Draft RE V7 (September 2011) (EHP internal)*
Imagery ArcGIS Online services - world imagery used in front map of the report.
* Data source modified for PAT
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Appendix 4 - Additional land use data maps
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