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BIOLOGICAL REPORT October 2019

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BIOLOGICAL REPORT October 2019 APPENDIX J: BIOLOGICAL REPORT October 2019 INSERT LOGO Darwin Processing Facility Biological Survey Middle Arm, Darwin Harbour, N.T. Prepared on behalf of TNG Limited by: Darwin Processing Plant: Lot 1817, Hundred of Ayers, Middle Arm Peninsula Animal Plant Mineral Pty Ltd of Darwin Harbour BIOLOGICAL SURVEY Completed by: Animal Plant Mineral Pty Ltd ABN: 86 886 455 949 Tel: (08) 6296 5155 Fax: (08) 6296 5199 Address: 47 Caroline Retreat Henley Brook, Western Australia 6055 Website: www.animalplantmineral.com.au For further information on this report please contact: Ms Sharon Arena Tel: 0419 934 461 Email: [email protected] Disclaimer This document is protected by legal professional privilege. To ensure privilege is not waived, please keep this document confidential and in a safe and secure place. This document should not be distributed, nor any reference to it made, to any person or organization not directly involved in making decisions upon the subject matter of this document. If this document is requested by a third party, legal advice should be immediately obtained prior to that person viewing or taking the document to ensure that any necessary disclosure occurs in an appropriate manner. TNG Page | i BIOLOGICAL SURVEY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TNG Limited (TNG) is proposing to construct and operate the Darwin Processing Facility located on Middle Arm Peninsula of Darwin Harbour. Animal Plant Mineral Proprietary Limited (APM) was engaged by TNG in 2018 to provide a multiple-season terrestrial biological assessment to assist in the placement of the development and to support environmental approval applications for the proposed Project. The current report includes the combined data from a range of surveys conducted at the site, including previously unreported vegetation, flora, fauna, and migratory shorebird surveys conducted in 2016 and 2017 by GHD Environmental Consultants, and flora and vegetation, targeted migratory shorebird, and mammal surveys conducted by APM in 2018 and 2019. The site of the proposed Darwin Processing Facility has been heavily and extensively disturbed by previous use as a quarry, use by local residents for recreational activities (e.g. motorbike riding), and from illegal dumping of rubbish. However, the site retains biological values of conservation significance. Darwin Harbour is a site of both conservation and international significance. Sensitive and significant vegetation occurs in the Study area including riparian vegetation, Monsoon closed forest, and Eucalyptus woodland containing large trees with hollows suitable for fauna. No critical habitats listed under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2006 (TPWC Act), or ecological communities listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), are present in the Study area, and no flora listed under the EPBC Act were detected in the Study area. Numerous plants listed under the TPWC Act were recorded, including Cycas armstrongii (Vulnerable) and Tricoryne elatior (Near Threatened). Targeted searches for Atalaya brevialata (Critically Endangered EPBC Act), Typhonium taylori (Endangered EPBC Act and TPWC Act), and Typhonium praetermissum (Vulnerable TPWC Act) failed to locate these species in the Study area. The Class B weed *Andropogon gayanus (Gamba Grass) occurs within the Study area at high densities along tracks and in areas not rehabilitated post-disturbance. Legislation requires that this weed be controlled. Seven habitat types have been identified across the Study area and, when coupled with the adjacent waterways, support a diverse and abundant range of fauna. The assemblage of conservation significant birds at the site is predominantly migratory shorebirds, mostly occurring within the tidal waterways, including the mudflats and mangroves. During field surveys, 33 fauna species of conservation significance have been recorded, including 22 birds, seven mammals, three reptiles, and one amphibian. Of particular note, the Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis), listed as Critically Endangered (EPBC Act), and the Black-footed Tree-rat (Mesembriomys gouldii gouldii), listed as Endangered (EPBC Act), have been recorded within the Study area. The Pale Field-rat (Rattus tunneyi) and Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii), both listed as Vulnerable (TPWC Act), have also been recorded. As the Study area hosts an abundance of Near Threated (TPWC Act) mammal species, a monitoring survey was established in 2019 involving trapping across the entire area. The Howard River Toadlet (Uperoleia daviesae), listed as Vulnerable (TPWC Act), may have been recorded in 2017; however, the identification was not confirmed using acoustic analysis, meaning a targeted survey will be conducted to validate the records. TNG Page | ii BIOLOGICAL SURVEY CONTENTS UNITS OF MEASURE ...................................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................................. vii 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 9 1.1 Project and Location .............................................................................................................................. 9 1.2 Scope of Work ..................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.1 Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation ..................................................................................................... 13 1.2.2 Terrestrial Fauna ............................................................................................................................. 13 2 Background and Supporting Information .................................................................................. 15 2.1 Relevant Legislation ............................................................................................................................. 15 2.1.1 Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ........................ 15 2.1.2 Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2006 ....................................................................... 16 2.1.3 Environmental Assessment Act 1982 and Environmental Assessment Administrative Procedures 1984 ........................................................................................................................................................ 16 2.1.4 Northern Territory Planning Act 2016 ............................................................................................. 17 2.1.5 Weeds Management Act 2001 ....................................................................................................... 17 2.1.6 Soil Conservation and Land Utilisation Act 2016 ............................................................................ 18 2.1.7 Northern Territory Policies and Guidelines .................................................................................... 18 2.1.8 Government Mapping..................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 Land Use .............................................................................................................................................. 19 2.3 Climate ................................................................................................................................................. 19 2.4 Biogeographic Regionalisation ............................................................................................................ 20 2.4.1 Land Systems .................................................................................................................................. 20 2.4.2 Land Units ....................................................................................................................................... 21 3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 25 3.1 Contributing Authors ........................................................................................................................... 25 3.2 Constraints ........................................................................................................................................... 26 3.3 Database Searches ............................................................................................................................... 28 3.4 Field Survey .......................................................................................................................................... 29 3.4.1 Flora and Vegetation Survey Timing ............................................................................................... 29 3.4.2 Flora and Vegetation Survey Methodology .................................................................................... 32 3.4.3 Conservation Significant Flora Targeted Searches .......................................................................... 34 3.4.4 Significant Vegetation ..................................................................................................................... 36 3.4.5 Flora and Vegetation Data Analysis ...............................................................................................
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