An independent Terrestrial Ecological Assessment was undertaken to identify areas of ecological significance within the RCKRA Project site.
Survey techniques included day and night field investigations that were undertaken during winer and spring of 2024 and spot assessment technique (SAT) for koala, call playback, spotlighting, nocturnal amphibian searches, threatened flora and fauna searches and disturbance surveys.
The RCKRA Project site has been subject to historical clearing for agricultural activities. Imagery from 1971 shows that most of the site was subject to the broad scale clearing. The site is vacant and subject to unauthorised access from the public. The activities associated with the unauthorised access are contributing to on-going degradation of the RCKRA Project site and include:
Evidence of weed species was recorded at every survey site. Eleven of the weed species recorded are scheduled weeds under the Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld).
Despite the identification of vegetation that satisfies remnant or regrowth status, most of the RCKRA disturbance footprint is not designated as Regulated Vegetation due to an approved Property Map of Assessable Vegetation (PMAV 2009/001722).
The large tree and hollow tree surveys identified four (4) trees with large enough cavities potentially suitable for breeding by larger species such as the Powerful Owl within the RCKRA disturbance footprint. However, no trees recorded within the RCKRA disturbance footprint by the assessment fit the definition of a Habitat Tree as identified in the Planning Scheme.
The RCKRA Project site connects to local ecological movement corridors; namely:
The functionality of the local ecological movement corridor is compromised by the pattern of the development in the surrounds (namely the Pacific Highway (M1) and urban development).
The RCKRA disturbance footprint has been sited and designed to maintain an ecological movement corridor ranging from:
The position and design of the disturbance footprint maintains connectivity between the Project site and Tallebudgera Creek tributaries to the south, while providing for a movement corridor joining the area west, to areas east of the site toward the M1 Burleigh to Springbrook Bioregional Corridor fauna underpass via the Wonga Park/Oyster Creek Link.
A total of 329 flora species were recorded during the survey. Of these, seven (7) flora species listed as threatened under the NC (Plants) Regulation 2020 were recorded on the Project site.
Of the threatened flora recorded on-site only one individual plant (Leichhardtia longiloba) was recorded within the RCKRA disturbance footprint. This species was also recorded at numerous locations in the balance area, and it was considered the removal of the one individual plant is unlikely to cause significant residual impacts.
A total of 80 fauna species were recorded during the survey and included three (3) threatened fauna species listed by the NC (Animals) Regulation 2020. Based on the field results and habitats present, Koala, Glossy Black Cockatoo, Tusked Frog, and Powerful Owl are identified to be potentially subject to significant residual impacts by the RCKRA Project.
Modelling from the data shows that most of the Project site exhibits low / transient use by Koalas only, with occupancy by a resident population restricted to a band of medium – high usage in the south-eastern area of the Project site.
The proposed development of the RCKRA Project site presents the opportunity to undertake compensatory planting in the balance of the site (152.9 ha excluding fire trails) to strengthen local fauna movement corridors and regenerate regional ecosystems.
The environmental outcomes outlined in the Environmental Strategy allows for the known ecological impacts associated with the RCKRA Project to be satisfactorily addressed, and consequently, there are no known significant residual impacts that require statutory environmental offsets to be provided
