CHERRABAH GRANITE MINE ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT REPORT (MNES) Joyful View Unit Trust PO Box 5385 Brendale Q 4500 August 2017 P 0448 899 649 F 07 3264 7131 E [email protected] Disclaimer The preparation of this report has been in accordance with the brief provided by the Client and relies upon data collected under limitations, as specified within the report. All findings, conclusions or recommendations contained within the report are based on the aforementioned circumstances and represent the professional opinions of Ecological Survey & Management. The report has been prepared for use by the Client and no responsibility for its use by other parties is accepted by Ecological Survey & Management. 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Document History and Status Document version: 16046_Rpt02a Author(s): Monica Campbell Reviewed by: Steve Marston Approved by: Steve Marston Signed : Date issued: 29 August 2017 Cherrabah Granite Mine Ecological Assessment Report (MNES) Contents 1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 1 1.1 Project background ......................................................................... 1 1.2 Scope of works ............................................................................... 2 1.3 Study area description ..................................................................... 2 1.4 Regulatory framework ..................................................................... 2 2 Methods .............................................................................................. 4 2.1 Desktop assessment........................................................................ 4 2.2 Field methods ................................................................................. 4 Flora methods ........................................................................... 5 Fauna methods ......................................................................... 6 2.3 Likelihood of occurrence assessment ................................................. 8 Ecological community assessment ............................................... 8 Significant species assessment .................................................... 8 2.4 Limitations ..................................................................................... 9 3 Ecological values of the study area ....................................................... 10 3.1 Desktop results ............................................................................ 10 3.2 Field survey results ....................................................................... 10 Flora ...................................................................................... 10 Vegetation communities .................................................................. 10 Species diversity ............................................................................. 12 Fauna .................................................................................... 13 4 Matters of national environmental significance ....................................... 14 Threatened ecological communities ........................................... 14 Threatened flora ...................................................................... 14 Threatened fauna .................................................................... 15 Border Thick-tailed Gecko ................................................................ 16 Koala ............................................................................................. 18 Spotted-tailed Quoll ........................................................................ 21 Grey-headed Flying Fox ................................................................... 22 Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby ................................................................ 23 Migratory species .................................................................... 24 4.2 Exotic species ............................................................................... 25 Exotic flora ............................................................................. 25 Exotic fauna ........................................................................... 25 5 Impact assessment ............................................................................ 26 Ecological Survey & Management 16046 Rpt01b i Cherrabah Granite Mine Ecological Assessment Report (MNES) 5.1 Direct impacts .............................................................................. 26 5.2 Indirect impacts ............................................................................ 27 5.3 Impact mitigation ......................................................................... 27 Measures to avoid impacts ....................................................... 27 Measures to mitigate impacts ................................................... 27 Pre-clearing Surveys ....................................................................... 27 Clearing activities ........................................................................... 27 Weed control .................................................................................. 28 Stormwater, erosion and sediment management ................................ 28 Vehicle strike .................................................................................. 29 Noise and vibration ......................................................................... 29 Site rehabilitation............................................................................ 30 6 Significance of impacts ....................................................................... 31 6.1 Impacts to EPBC Act listed flora species ........................................... 31 6.2 Impacts to EPBC Act listed fauna species ......................................... 33 Border Thick-tailed Gecko......................................................... 34 Koala ..................................................................................... 36 Spotted-tailed Quoll ................................................................. 40 Grey-headed Flying Fox ........................................................... 42 Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby ........................................................ 44 6.3 Impacts to EPBC Act listed migratory species ................................... 47 7 Residual impacts and offset liability ...................................................... 50 8 References ........................................................................................ 51 List of Tables Table 1: Fauna survey effort across the study area and surrounds ............... 7 Table 2: Criteria to assess potential for significant species to occur in the study area 9 Table 3: EPBC Act critical habitat assessment for the Koala ....................... 19 Table 4: Direct impacts to MNES and MSES associated with the proposed granite mine ........................................................................... 26 Table 5: Assessment against significant impact criteria for the endangered Small Snake Orchid ................................................................. 32 Table 6: Assessment against significant impact criteria for the vulnerable Border Thick-tailed Gecko......................................................... 34 Table 7: Assessment against significant impact criteria for the vulnerable Koala 37 Table 8: Assessment against significant impact criteria for the endangered .... Spotted-tailed Quoll ................................................................. 40 Ecological Survey & Management 16046 Rpt01b ii Cherrabah Granite Mine Ecological Assessment Report (MNES) Table 9: Assessment against significant impact criteria for the vulnerable Grey- headed Flying Fox ................................................................... 42 Table 10: Assessment against significant impact criteria for the vulnerable ...... Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby ........................................................ 45 Table 11: Assessment against significant impact criteria for migratory species 47 List of Figures Figure 1: Locality plan ............................................................................. 2 Figure 2: Aerial photograph of study area .................................................. 3 Figure 3: Proposed MLA and granite mine .................................................. 4 Figure 4: Queensland Government RE mapping .......................................... 5 Figure 5: Locations of flora and fauna survey sites ...................................... 6 Figure 6: Field-validated RE mapping ........................................................ 7 Figure 7: Border Thick-tailed Gecko habitat within the study area ................. 8 Figure 8: Koala habitat within the study area .............................................. 9 Figure 9: Spotted-tailed Quoll habitat within the study area ......................