Main Roads Western Australia Report for Eyre Highway Upgrade • Balladonia East and Heartbreak Ridge Sections Flora and Fauna Assessment January 2007 Contents Executive Summary 1 1. Introduction 4 1.1 Background 4 1.2 Project Area 4 1.3 Previous Reports 5 1.4 Scope of this Report 5 2. Desktop Investigation 6 2.1 Climate 6 2.2 Geology, Soils and Landforms 6 2.3 Reserves 7 2.4 Wetlands and Rivers 7 2.5 Water Management Areas 7 2.6 Environmentally Sensitive Areas 8 2.7 Existing Vegetation 8 2.8 Fauna 13 3. Field Survey 18 3.1 Methodology 18 3.2 Vegetation 18 3.3 Flora 24 3.4 Fauna 28 4. Impacts on vegetation, flora and fauna 30 5. Statutory Requirements 31 5.1 Statutory Requirements 31 5.2 Clearing of Native Vegetation 31 6. Referrals 35 6.1 Commonwealth Government 35 6.2 Western Australian Government 35 7. Conclusions and Recommendations 36 8. Limitations 38 61/18363/64224 Eyre Highway Upgrade • Balladonia East and Heartbreak Ridge Sections ii Flora and Fauna Assessment 9. References 39 Table Index Table 1 Conservation codes and descriptions for the DEC’s Declared Rare and Priority flora species. 10 Table 2 Significant flora present in the Heartbreak Ridge and Balladonia East Sections, as recorded by the DEC’s Rare Flora Databases 11 Table 3 Environmental Protection And Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Categories 15 Table 4 Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 Codes 15 Table 5 Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation Priority Fauna Codes (Species not listed under the Conservation Act, but for which there is some concern). 16 Table 6 EPBC Act and DEC Threatened and Priority Fauna Database search results. 17 Table 7 Vegetation types and condition rating. 20 Table 8 Vegetation extent and status. 23 Table 9 Department of Agriculture Declared Plant Classes (Standard Control Codes). 28 Table 10 Relevant legislation and the responsible Government department 31 Table 11 Assessment against the ten clearing principles. 33 Table 12 Heartbreak Ridge Section – WAM Fauna List 62 Table 13 Balladonia East Section – WAM Fauna List 63 Table 14 Heartbreak Ridge Section – Full Flora List 66 Table 15 Balladonia East Section – Full Flora List. 72 Table 16 Heartbreak Ridge and Balladonia East Sections • Observed Fauna 75 Figure Index Figure 1 Locality map of the Heartbreak Ridge and Balladonia East Sections of the Eyre Highway. 41 Figure 2 Declared Rare and Priority Flora – Heartbreak Ridge Section. 42 61/18363/64224 Eyre Highway Upgrade • Balladonia East and Heartbreak Ridge Sections iii Flora and Fauna Assessment Figure 3 Declared Rare and Priority Flora – Balladonia East Section (extent 1). 43 Figure 4 Declared Rare and Priority Flora – Balladonia East Section (extent 2). 44 Figure 5 Declared Rare and Priority Flora – Balladonia East Section (extent 3). 45 Figure 6 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 1). 46 Figure 7 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 2). 47 Figure 8 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 3). 48 Figure 9 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 4). 49 Figure 10 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 5). 50 Figure 11 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 6). 51 Figure 12 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 7). 52 Figure 13 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 8). 53 Figure 14 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 9). 54 Figure 15 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 10). 55 Figure 16 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 11). 56 Figure 17 Vegetation types present along the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 12). 57 Figure 18 Vegetation types present along the Balladonia East Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 1). 58 Figure 19 Vegetation types present along the Balladonia East Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 1). 59 Figure 20 Vegetation types present along the Balladonia East Section of the Eyre Highway (extent 1). 60 Plate Index Plate 1 Vegetation type 1: Open Eucalypt Woodland 76 61/18363/64224 Eyre Highway Upgrade • Balladonia East and Heartbreak Ridge Sections iv Flora and Fauna Assessment Plate 2 Vegetation Type 2: Mixed Open Woodland over Chenopod Shrubland 76 Plate 3 Vegetation type 3: Samphire flat 77 Plate 4 Vegetation Type 4: Low Open Mallee Woodland 77 Plate 5 Abandoned homestead at Balladonia Rocks 78 Plate 6 Balladonia Rocks – granite domes. Location of the Priority 4 Myriophyllum balladoniense 78 Plate 7 Vegetation type 5: Chenopod Shrubland 79 Plate 8 Vegetation type 6: Mosaic: Chenopod Shrubland and Grassland 79 Appendices A Figures WAM Fauna Records Results of Field Survey Declared Plants 61/18363/64224 Eyre Highway Upgrade • Balladonia East and Heartbreak Ridge Sections v Flora and Fauna Assessment Executive Summary Main Roads Western Australia (Main Roads) required a biological survey to cover the possible impact areas of upgrade works on two sections of the Eyre Highway. The survey provided appropriate examination and description of the project area to ensure that all aspects of biological and ecological significance were identified and recorded. The results of this biological survey will assist in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment and an Environmental Management Plan and also compliance with clearing regulations. Main Roads commissioned GHD Pty Ltd (GHD) to conduct a flora and fauna assessment of the two sections of the Eyre Highway where upgrades are to take place. The sections to be upgraded are: » Heartbreak Ridge Section from 45.0 to 90.0 SLK; and » Balladonia East Section from 196.0 to 242.0 SLK. The results of the flora and fauna assessment at the site are summarised below: » A total of six vegetation types were delineated over the two survey areas: Heartbreak Ridge Section o 1: Open Eucalypt Woodland o 2: Mixed Open Woodland over Chenopod Shrubland o 3: Samphire Flat Balladonia East Section o 3: Low Open Mallee Woodland o 4: Chenopod Shrubland o 5: Mosaic: Chenopod Shrubland and Grassland » A comparative assessment between field information and broad scale vegetation types described by Shepherd pers. comm., Shepherd et al (2002) has identified that the current extents of each of the delineated native vegetation types present in the survey area are considered to be intact with 90 to 100% of their pre•European extents remaining. These vegetation types are poorly represented within IUCN Class I•IV reserves, however; the threat of depletion to the current extent of these vegetation communities is limited due to the remote nature of their locations. » Vegetation condition within the Heartbreak Ridge Section of the Highway was considered to be in ‘pristine’(1) to ‘excellent’(2), with little to no impact from weeds or other disturbances. The vegetation within the Balladonia East Section has been subject to the impacts of pastoral grazing of sheep, which has contibuted to the degradation of vegetation condition. This section of the highway was assessed to be in ‘very good’ (3) to ‘good’ (4) condition. » Flora within the Heartbreak Ridge Section is described as rich and diverse with 166 taxa from 41 families observed. Flora within the Balladonia East Section is 61/18363/64224 Eyre Highway Upgrade • Balladonia East and Heartbreak Ridge Sections 1 Flora and Fauna Assessment described as moderately diverse with 87 taxa from 87 families observed during field investigations. » Weed / introduced flora species were limited to roadside edges, disturbed areas (such as tracks and well sites) and within grazed pastoral lots. A total of 14 weed / introduced species were observed within the Heartbreak Ridge survey area and 26 within the Balladonia East Section. Weed / introduced species were mainly grasses (Poaceae) and daisies (Asteraceae). Two weed species found within the Balladonia East Section are listed by Department of Agriculture and Food as Declared Plants in Western Australia. » No Threatened Ecological Communities were noted within the Project Area. » The desktop assessment indicated that no Declared Rare Flora or Priority Flora species have previously been recorded within the Project Area. » No Declared Rare Flora were recorded during field investigations. » Discovery of a new taxon was made in the Heartbreak Ridge Section during field surveys in September 2006. This species is described as Acacia sp. nov. (JF1025) (Bruce Maslin, pers comm.). The species was collected approximately 70 km east of Norseman ca. 50•100 m north of the Eyre Highway. Additional surveys carried out in January 2007 collected spatial data on the location of this taxon and occurrences of other populations of the taxon. A separate report is being prepared documenting the location, distribution and status of this new taxon. The new taxon has currently not been assigned a species name. » In the Balladonia East Section, the Priority 4 species Myriophyllum balladoniense was observed growing in semi•permanent rock pools in granite outcrops of Balladonia Rocks, ca. 21 km east of Balladonia. It is not considered likely that proposed road upgrades will impact on this species as it located beyond the 1 km search area requested by Main Roads. However, if the rock•pools and associated dams are used as a water source for dust control, etc., such water use is likely to reduce the habitat available for species. » An opportunistic fauna survey identified 22 species. The survey identified the Priority 4 Falcunculus frontatus leucogaster (Crested Shrike•tit (southwestern subsp.)) in the Balladonia East Section of the Project Area.