IMPLICATIONS FOR VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF PROPOSED RECREATION AND ROAD MODIFICATION SITES AT EASTERN END OF FITZGERALD RIVER NATIONAL PARK PREPARED BY ANDREW CHAPMAN FOR DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION AUGUST 2010 IMPLICATIONS FOR VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF PROPOSED RECREATION AND ROAD MODIFICATION SITE RE-DEVELOPMENT AT EASTERN END OF FITZGERALD RIVER NATIONAL PARK SUMMARY Eleven prescribed sites for recreation site or road modification were assessed for their value as habitat for vertebrate fauna. Four had high or very high values; nine were burnt in October 2006 so their value had to be inferred from either past records or examination of adja- cent, identical vegetation. Sixty two native species including nine which are threatened or priority listed are known from the proposed sites. Development and/or modification can proceed, even in sites of potential very high value, without unacceptable loss of these values. Reasons for this are that sites have been carefully sited and designed, none are unique and only a very small propor- tion of their entire extent will be disturbed. There may be requirements to comply with both State and Commonwealth referrals in some cases. Some post-construction management options are rec- ommended. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Fitzgerald River National Park (FRNP) is a large, 329 000 ha, national park on the south coast of Western Australia between the coastal towns of Bremer Bay and Hopetoun that extends to 55 km inland. The area has been managed as a national park since 1972. Since the mid nineteenth century when James Drummond’s plant collection arrived in England the area was recognised for ‘ its fine and remarkable species ’ (W.J. Hooker quoted in Erickson 1975). It was more than a century later that the park’s faunal attributes were found to be comparable. In today’s language the park is often (and appropriately) described as a local biodiversity hotspot within, and major contributor to, the regional hotspot that is the south west of WA. Some of the conservation values of FRNP are reasonably well known and documented e.g.: • very high vascular plant species richness with 1 665 species or 29% of the flora of south west WA (Newbey & Hickman 2008) • with 264 species of vertebrates including four inland fishes, 41 reptiles, 11 frogs, 186 birds and 22 mammals it has more vertebrate species than any other conservation reserve in south west WA (Chapman & Newbey 1995) • core area of internationally acclaimed Fitzgerald Biosphere Reserve • “FRNP is without doubt the most important Mediterranean ecosystem reserve in the world.....” Dr Bernd von Drost of UNESCO • as opposed to other large south coast conservation areas, the park is largely free of die- back disease As a national park (as opposed to a nature reserve under WA legislation) there is an expectation that the park should accommodate a range of recreational opportunities with facilities and access to enable them that do not compromise conservation values. To meet this need and in response to the perceived economic consequences to the towns of Hopetoun and Ravensthorpe of BHPBilli- ton’s closure of Ravensthorpe nickel mine in January 2009, in June 2009 the Commonwealth and WA Governments allocated funding to upgrade access to and facilities in the park. The intention was that these improvements would encourage further tourist and visitor use and provide an eco- nomic stimulus for the two towns. The specific purpose of this assessment is to examine the value and implications for vertebrate fauna of eleven existing sites proposed for re-development or modification as part of the Fitzgerald River National Park improvement plan. 2 2.0 METHODS 2.1 Desk top assessment The assessment involved examining the location of each site with respect to previous known bio- logical survey sites and the data they provide as well as known localities for threatened fauna. Data for the latter are from DEC’s threatened fauna data base (mapped version of October 2009). 2.2 Field Investigation Field investigation occupied three days, 14, 15 July and 10 August 2010 with 2-3 hours spent at each site in appropriate weather conditions i.e. fine, sunny days with little wind. Data recorded were; a brief description of habitats in terms of vegetation and position in the landscape and par- ticularly whether each site offered unique or different characteristics to its surrounds. This was re- quired to comply with the ten clearing principles in Schedule 5 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. Birds were recorded by sight or call identification with particular emphasis on western whipbird and western bristlebird. Fauna tracks, scats and the occasional reptile were recorded. Nine of the eleven sites were wholly or partially burnt in October 2006. Mature, putative vegeta- tion and habitats were inferred from either remnant unburnt vegetation or examination of regenera- tion and/or burnt remains. For example, some mallee and banksia species can be identified from burnt fruits even if this is not possible from regenerating plants. 3.0 RESULTS Fauna are recorded against site in Appendix I. Data are derived from the biological survey of 1985/86 (Chapman & Newbey 1995), DEC’s threatened fauna data base, the field investigation , the author’s and Sarah Comer’s unpublished field notes from numerous park visits over 20 + years. Appendix I lists 62 native species including nine threatened or priority listed species that are in Table 1. Neither are predictive lists which would be much more extensive. At some sites fauna of particular interest for interpretation were present. These are indicated as dot points under each site description. Three feral vertebrates, fox, house mouse and rabbit were recorded. Live, aestivat- ing Mediterranean snails were recorded at Mylies Beach creek. Site descriptions are below. 3.1 Entry station on eastern end of Hamersley Drive The site occupies a shallow valley between subdued secondary dunes to the south and a quartzite ridge to the north. The vegetation is slightly taller and denser than its surrounds due to protection from wind and the water gaining nature of the site but it is not otherwise distinctive. The site was almost entirely burnt in October 2006. The mature vegetation would be mixed mallee and acacia shrubland with Eucalyptus pleurocarpa, E. angulosa and E. falcata. Presently these species are vigorously regenerating with prominent understorey recolonisers Guichenotia ledifolia, Scaevola crassifolia and Labichea lanceolata. Taller Acacia rostellifera and A. cyclops were also conspicu- ous recolonisers. North of Hamersley Drive sedges were prominent in the understorey. A small patch of unburnt Spyridium glaucum was present on outcropping limestone in the south east corner of the site. • Western whipbird can be heard from the quartzite ridge north of the site 3 Table 1. Threatened and priority listed fauna recorded by site Species Status Sites recorded Malleefowl Vulnerable Four Mile campsite Carnaby’s Cockatoo Endangered East Mt Barren walk trail Western Bristlebird Vulnerable East Mt Barren lookout and walk trail Rufous Fieldwren Priority 4 East Mt Barren lookout, Cave Point/West Beach intersec- tion Western Whipbird Priority 4 Entry station, East Mt Barren lookout and walk trail, East Mylies Beach, West Beach Crested Bellbird Priority 4 East Mt Barren lookout 4 Chuditch Vulnerable Entry station Western Brush Wallaby Priority 4 Entry station, Barrens Beach precinct Carpet Python Priority 4 Entry station, Barrens Beach precinct Notes: Status is under WA Wildlife Conservation Act. Site records include within 100 m of site footprint Plate 1 Regenerating Eucalyptus pleurocarpa north of Hamersley Drive at entry station. Plate 2 Regenerating mixed mallee species at Four Mile campsite. When mature this vegetation provides habi- tat for both malleefowl and brush- tailed possum. 3.2 Barrens Beach precinct The site occupies primary and secondary dunes, a low limestone ridge and an inactive drainage line between the ranger’s residence and Barrens Beach and Four Mile car parks. Most vegetation was burnt in October 2006. The previous mature vegetation at the campsite was tall, shady Euca- lyptus falcata and E. angulosa to 7-8 m. Presently both species are regenerating to 3-4 m with vig- orous Acacia rostellifera, A. cyclops and Scaevola crassifolia. The proposed car park is in a swale between secondary dunes and the quartzite foot of East Mt Barren. As mapped it intersects an inactive drainage line (see recommendations). The precinct also incorporates a biological sur- vey site from the 1985/86 survey, site 43A at 0225919E, 6242252N. • A pair of malleefowl constructed a mound near vehicle bay #9 in 2001. • Brush-tailed possums formerly inhabited the camp site. • Mature, unburnt Rottnest tea tree, Melaleuca lanceolata near the proposed picnic site is not only very attractive, it also consolidates primary dunes here. • Mature, unburnt coastal moort, Eucalyptus utilis is also an attractive woodland feature on limestone here. 3.3 East Mt Barren lookout The site occupies the wave cut bench at the eastern foot of East Mt Barren. There is much quartz- ite outcropping. The site was entirely burnt in October 2006. The vegetation is a regenerating Bar- ren Ranges thicket with Regelia velutina, Banksia oreophila, B. quercifolia, and Taxandria con- spicua ssp. abrupta. 5 • Western whipbird, rufous fieldwren, crested bellbird, western bristlebird, dibbler and carpet python have all been recorded at or very close to this site. Western whipbird can presently be heard calling from the proposed car park site. • The skink Egernia napoleonis can be seen on quartzite boulders here; its species name is in- directly derived from the Emperor Napoleon and commemorates the French connection with the south coast of WA. Plate 3 Plate 4 Plate 3 indicates regenerating Bar- ren Ranges thicket at East Mt Bar- ren lookout site. Plate 4 indicates regenerating vegetation at East Mt Barren walk trail car park site and Plate 5 indicates mature, unburnt thicket west of Hamersley Drive at walk trail car park site.