Ecology Assessment Report Release Notice This document is available through the Australia Pacific LNG Upstream Phase 1 Project controlled document system TeamBinder™. The responsibility for ensuring that printed copies remain valid rests with the user. Once printed, this is an uncontrolled document unless issued and stamped Controlled Copy. Third-party issue can be requested via the Australia Pacific LNG Upstream Phase 1 Project Document Control Group. Document Conventions The following terms in this document apply: • Will, shall or must indicate a mandatory course of action • Should indicates a recommended course of action • May or can indicate a possible course of action. Document Custodian The custodian of this document is the Australia Pacific LNG Upstream Phase 1 Project – Environmental Approvals – Team Leader. The custodian is responsible for maintaining and controlling changes (additions and modifications) to this document and ensuring the stakeholders validate any changes made to this document. Deviations from Document Any deviation from this document must be approved by the Australia Pacific LNG Upstream Phase 1 Project – Environmental Approvals - Team Leader. Doc Ref: Q-4500-15-RP-0094 Revision: 0 Page 2 of 54 Environmental Approvals, Australia Pacific LNG Upstream Phase 1 Uncontrolled when printed unless issued and stamped Controlled Copy. Ecology Assessment Report Table of Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 6 1.1. Scope of Works ............................................................................................. 6 1.1.1. Ecological Assessment Field Survey Methodology .................................................... 6 1.1.2. Field Survey ................................................................................................ 7 1.2. Definitions & Abbreviations ............................................................................ 10 1.2.1. Definitions ............................................................................................... 10 1.2.2. Abbreviations ............................................................................................ 10 1.2.3. Document References .................................................................................. 11 2. Site context .......................................................................................... 14 2.1. Bioregion .................................................................................................. 14 2.2. Land Use ................................................................................................... 14 2.3. Soils and Geology ........................................................................................ 14 2.4. Climate .................................................................................................... 14 2.5. Site Description .......................................................................................... 14 3. Methodology ......................................................................................... 15 3.1. Desktop and Literature Review ....................................................................... 15 3.2. Field Survey ............................................................................................... 15 3.2.1. Vegetation Community Survey ........................................................................ 16 3.2.2. Habitat Surveys .......................................................................................... 16 3.2.3. Threatened Flora and Fauna Survey .................................................................. 17 3.2.4. Exotic Flora and Fauna Survey ........................................................................ 17 3.2.5. Disturbance Survey ..................................................................................... 17 3.2.6. Survey Limitations ...................................................................................... 17 4. Results and Discussions ............................................................................. 18 4.1. Desktop and Literature Review ....................................................................... 18 4.1.1. Commonwealth Environmental Matters .............................................................. 18 4.1.2. Queensland Environmental Matters .................................................................. 20 4.2. Field survey ............................................................................................... 24 4.2.1. Commonwealth Environmental Matters .............................................................. 24 4.2.2. Queensland Environmental Matters .................................................................. 29 4.2.3. Weeds and Pests ........................................................................................ 37 4.2.4. Watercourses and Wetland Ecosystems .............................................................. 38 4.2.5. Disturbance .............................................................................................. 38 5. Conclusions and Recommendations .............................................................. 41 6. Appendix A: Site Locality Map ..................................................................... 43 Doc Ref: Q-4500-15-RP-0094 Revision: 0 Page 3 of 54 Environmental Approvals, Australia Pacific LNG Upstream Phase 1 Uncontrolled when printed unless issued and stamped Controlled Copy. Ecology Assessment Report 7. Appendix B: Ecological Survey locations ........................................................ 44 8. Appendix C: EPBC Protected Matters Search results .......................................... 45 9. Appendix D: Wildlife Online database search results .......................................... 46 10. Appendix E: Environmentally sensitive areas mapping ........................................ 47 11. Appendix F: EHP Regional Ecosystems mapping ................................................ 48 12. Appendix G: Wetlands and Watercourses ....................................................... 49 13. Appendix H: Flora and Fauna recorded on Site ................................................. 50 14. Appendix I: Potential EPBC Threatened Ecological Communities ............................ 51 15. Appendix J: Threatened Species identified within the Site................................... 52 16. Appendix K: Ground Truthed Regional Ecosystems ............................................ 53 17. Appendix L: Recorded Declared Flora and Pest Fauna ........................................ 54 List of Tables Table 1: Definitions ............................................................................................... 10 Table 2: Abbreviations ............................................................................................ 10 Table 3: Associated Document References .................................................................... 11 Table 4: EPBC Act protected matters search tool results for threatened ecological communities potentially occurring on Site. ................................................................................... 18 Table 5: EPBC protected matters search tool results for threatened species potentially occurring on Site ............................................................................................................... 19 Table 6: NC Act (Wildlife online) search tool results for threatened species potentially occurring near Site ............................................................................................................. 20 Table 7: REs mapped as potentially present on Site ........................................................ 21 Table 8: REs mapped as potentially present on Site ........................................................ 22 Table 9: HVR mapped as potentially present on Site ....................................................... 22 Table 10: Weeds and pest fauna potentially present on Site .............................................. 22 Table 11: Threatened Ecological Communities identified during field survey .......................... 24 Table 12: EPBC protected flora species potential to occur on the Site. ................................. 25 Table 13: EPBC protected fauna species present or potentially present on Site based on field survey results ....................................................................................................... 26 Table 14: NC Act listed threatened flora potentially occurring on Site ................................. 29 Table 15: NC Act listed threatened fauna or its habitat identified on Site ............................. 30 Table 16: Endangered and of concern REs identified to be present on Site ............................ 34 Table 17: No concern at present REs identified to be present on Site ................................... 36 Table 18: HVR mapped on Site .................................................................................. 37 Table 19: Weed flora recorded during the ecological field survey on Site .............................. 37 Table 21: Disturbance type, age, severity and frequency of occurrence on the Site. ................ 39 Doc Ref: Q-4500-15-RP-0094 Revision: 0 Page 4 of 54 Environmental Approvals, Australia Pacific LNG Upstream Phase 1 Uncontrolled when printed unless issued and stamped Controlled Copy. Ecology Assessment Report Release Notice This document is available through the Australia Pacific LNG