Boral have undertaken a range of specialist technical environmental studies to investigate the existing environmental values (condition and function) of both project sites. Based on the key findings of these technical assessments, the baseline environmental conditions are summarised as follows:

1. The RCKRA Project site and the WBCWRR Project site are located within the southern part of the Gold Coast and are positioned in a highly fragmented and urbanised context. The RCKRA Project site is positioned approximately 500m apart from the WBCWRR Project site and is separated by major physical barriers, including:

• Major road corridors, including the M1 and Old Coach Road;
• A mix of low density residential development and industrial land uses; and
• A future heavy rail corridor.

2. Both the RCKRA Project site and the WBCWRR Project site is partly or wholly within the HCC Corridor as shown in the map below. The detailed specialist environmental studies found the contribution of both Project sites to the HCC Corridor to be compromised by the pattern of development in the surrounds. This is because, the section of the HCC Corridor between the RCKRA Project site and WBCWRR Project site (from west to east) hosts:

• A busy road corridor (Old Coach Road);
• A narrow area (30-100m) of parkland (Wonga Park) (which includes a dog exercise area and is largely grassed with limited mature vegetation) that traverses an existing low-density residential area;
• A highly modified section of Oyster Creek (without a riparian vegetation community and adjacent to the M1); and
• A concrete fauna underpass beneath the M1, adjoining the WBCWRR Project site.

Project location map sowing the HCC Corridor

3. Since the early 1970s, both the RCKRA Project site and the WBCWRR Project site have been subject to extensive disturbance, including:

• broad scale vegetation clearing on the RCKRA Project site; and
• vegetation clearing and quarrying activities on the WBCWRR Project site.

4. The historic broadscale clearing activity on the RCKRA Project site between 1971 and 1973 extended across most of Lot 105 on SP144215, except for patches at the far south and sections of the Oyster Creek main channel. As a result, the vegetation communities over the RCKRA Project site are predominantly characterised as regrowth with limited tree hollow resources. Intact stands of vegetation that were not cleared between 1971 and 1973 will be retained through the design of the RCKRA Project.
5. Whilst much of the RCKRA Project site is described as moderately to severely disturbed and requires significant intervention to protect and enhance its ecological condition and function, the RCKRA Project site does contain intermittent retention of older cohort vegetation, regenerating stands of local native vegetation which provides suitable conditions and habitats for a range of environmentally significant flora and fauna species, including:

• Non-juvenile Koala Habitat Trees (NJKHT) and a band of medium to high usage by a small number of Koalas in the south-eastern area of the RCKRA Project site;
• potential foraging habitat and breeding hollows for Glossy Black Cockatoo;
• potential breeding hollows for Powerful Owl;
• habitat for the Tusked Frog (Adelotus brevis); and
• the presence of Leichhardtia longiloba and Syzygium moorei.

6. Most notable threats to regenerating vegetation and remnant vegetation include infestation by invasive weeds, which in many cases dominate the ground and shrub layers. In some cases, the canopy is also dominated by weeds. Weed infestation can adversely affect the resilience of a native vegetation community by impeding natural succession of native species. For example, the density of potential Koala Habitat Trees on the RCKRA Project site was found to be below the technical benchmarks for the given vegetation communities. This was taken to be a function of weed invasion and other disturbances. It should also be noted that weed infestation can impact the ability of some fauna (e.g. Koala) to move through a site.
7. The peripheral areas of the WBWRCC Project site contain local native vegetation communities (including stands of remnant regional ecosystem on Lots 1 on RP167430 and Lot 4 on RP183125) that are under pressure from weed incursion; exhibiting a high diversity of invasive weeds which were found to have a moderate to severe level of disturbance. Consistent with observations at the RCKRA Project site, the density of potential KHTs is impacted by weed incursion.
8. The RCKRA Project site is currently vacant and subject to unauthorised access from the public. The key threatening processes associated with the unauthorised access are contributing to on-going degradation of the RCKRA Project site, including:

• access by 4wd vehicles and trail bikes that are damaging tracks (causing and exacerbating severe erosion), adjoining vegetation, and drainage lines;
• green waste rubbish dumping leading to the establishment and heavy infestation of weeds; and
• dumping of other waste in both bushland and waterways (e.g. car bodies, domestic refuse).

9. Damage to the RCKRA Project site caused by unauthorised public access was found to be severe in several locations. Aquatic habitats were observed as being impacted by sedimentation resulting from eroding creek banks, trampling by vehicles and subject to contaminants emanating from dumped cars (as shown in Error! Reference source not found.). Similarly, a network of clearings and vehicular tracks (some of which exhibiting gully erosion) as well as scattered refuse were found to punctuate the RCKRA Project site. A significant effort is required to remove dumped cars/waste and rectify the land degradation attributable to unauthorised public access.
10. There are two main waterways of interest, being Stony Creek (northern part of the RCKRA Project site and northern part of the WBCWRR Project site) and Oyster Creek (southern part of the RCKRA Project site). The condition of these waterways varies, with the waterways being subject to a range of disturbances associated with the presence of bare, eroding tracks; illegal 4WD and motorbike use; illegal dumping of rubbish including vehicles; and the presence of weeds. The level of disturbance typically increases from west to east across both Project sites.
11. Downstream of the WBCWRR Project site, Stony Creek flows in a northerly direction and has been heavily modified into a straight drain that is heavily disturbed (i.e. lack of riparian vegetation and high coverage of weeds).  The creek is a concrete-lined drain from the Reedy Creek Road intersection, north to Swan Lake.
12. Downstream of the RCKRA Project site, Oyster Creek traverses under Old Coach Road, through Wonga Park, along the M1 corridor and ultimately discharges into Tallebudgera Creek. Oyster Creek downstream from Wonga Park has been destroyed and is currently a series of sediment ponds within a construction area for the M1 upgrade.

In summary, whilst the City Plan maps the RCKRA Project site and part of the WBCWRR Project site as being an important and valuable part of the overall HCC Corridor, the actual ecological condition and functionality of both Project sites and the intervening public lands is degraded and disturbed. The baseline environmental conditions of both Project sites do not fully reflect the values or functionality identified through the City Plan. 

Reedy Creek Site

Illegal dumping and vehicle tracks at the site

West Burleigh Site