Referral of proposed action - Rural City of Murray Bridge - SA.Gov.au

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Application - Version 2 of October 2009 EPBC Ref 2008/42111. In our September 2008 submission to DEWHA re questions IV and VII, weincluded the attached survey map of ‘Mound Activity 1989-2006 for the FMCP’ asprovided by yourself . . . This appears to be the only information we can source withregards to the Malleefowl. Can you please supply any other relevant information?“There is considerably more data for Ferries-MacDonald CP, but little of direct relevance to yourenquiries. We know there are a few mounds on the west side of the road, but not in a monitoringgrid, so their activity has not been tracked over the years and I’m not sure who has the localityinfo for those nests found (about 15 years ago). [Actually, have tracked them down and will bringa copy of the map with me. There are 24 nests mapped for this area and all but 1 of these iswithin 800 m of the central road.] Unless you have much more specific questions I am not surehow I/we can help. [If more specific questions arise, I/we can provide what is possible; ie. if wehave what you need]”.2. EPBC 2002/874 Proposed Actions for Gabulu Pty Ltd (Peats Soils and GardenSupplies) were also included in our September 2008 submission to DEWHA. Pleasefind appendix extract attached. Can you please comment and provide information onthe progress of these relevant actions?“This is not for me to comment on as it relates to Commonwealth legislation/regulation andcompliance; it is not State based. I am not aware of any compliance having been either met orchecked. (I was living overseas when this issue was dealt with by EPBC, but staff who were hereat the time are not aware of this having happened either)”.Although featured in Council’s 12 September 2008 submission of additional information (Appendix4.2, page 12) the proposed actions for Gabulu Pty Ltd also featured during meeting discussionsheld on 4 August 2008 between DEWHA Representatives and Council. It was advised, during themeeting, that the outcomes of EPBC 2002/874 would be investigated and followed up.Advice from the current property owner and business operator, Mr Peter Wadewitz appears tosuggest that there have been no outcomes to date in relation to the proposed actions that werespecified in EPBC 2002/874, as a minimum, to be:• Establishment of a fox baiting program• Control of invasive weeds• Revegetation• Fire Management• Traffic• Malleefowl monitoringEPBC 2002/874 was in relation to a development application for the composting facility currentlylocated and in operation on the corner of Kangaroo / Chauncey’s Line / Ferries McDonald RoadIntersection. That is, located immediately south of the proposed project site from where it isintended to adjoin the completed and sealed Kangaroo Road situated in Alexandrina Council.Red-lored Whistlers have not been sighted in Ferries McDonald CP since the 1940s (Matthew et al.1996). Consequently, it is unlikely that the species persists in the area. Database searchesrevealed 47 records of this species from within the vicinity of the project area with the most recentrecord dating from 2004 (DEH 2006; SAM 2005). Since the species disperses widely, it is possiblethat the bird could recolonise Ferries McDonald CP where suitable habitat exists (Carpenter pers.comm., 2006) and it is possible (though unlikely) that the species uses the remnant roadsidevegetation to disperse.Database searches revealed one record of the Black-eared Miner from within the project area,dating from 1966 (DEH 2006; SAM 2005). Consequently, it is unlikely that the species persists inRural City of Murray Bridge – Ferries McDonald Rd (Ver 2) Page: 20 of 35
Application - Version 2 of October 2009 EPBC Ref 2008/4211the area. The nearest known population is located at Gluepot CP in the Riverland BiosphereReserve, over 125 km from the project area (north-east).The closest records for the Coloured Spider-orchid within the survey area are from Monarto CPdating from 1990 and 1991 (DEH 2006). Searches of these locations in 2004 and 2005 by theSouth Australian Murray Darling Basin (SAMDB) Threatened Flora Recovery Program failed torelocate the plants. However, this does not mean that the orchid no longer occurs at these sites,as orchids do not necessarily appear every year, depending on environmental conditions. Thehabitat within Monarto CP is considered suitable for this species; therefore it is possible that theorchid still occurs in the area. The roadside vegetation adjacent to Monarto CP is in less optimalcondition than that within the park, and consequently, it is less likely that the species would occurthere (EBS 2007). The Coloured Spider-orchid was not found during a survey undertaken inDecember 2006, but the species was not specifically targeted and due to the time of year, it isunlikely that the orchid would have been visible.The Greencomb Spider-orchid was not recorded in the project area during a survey undertaken inDecember 2006. Due to the timing of this survey though, this species would probably not havebeen visible above ground. The species has been recorded in the region (Strathalbyn NaturalistsClub Inc 2000) although not in the survey area. Database searches revealed one record of thisspecies from within the immediate vicinity of the project area, with the last known record datingfrom 1989 (DEH 2006). It is possible that the orchid occurs in the project area, particularly onroadsides with higher quality vegetation.Current population counts indicate that the Metallic Sun-orchid population consists of up to 250individuals in the upper South-east and Murraylands regions of South Australia. The nearestcurrent record (i.e. where the species is still in existence), occurs 22 km to the east of the projectarea. The closest record of the species to the survey area is from Monarto CP, approximately 15 mwest of Ferries McDonald Road, dating from 1992. Searches of these locations in 2004 and 2005by the SAMDB Threatened Flora Recovery Program failed to relocate any plants; however, theorchid may not have been visible at this time. The habitat within Monarto CP is considered suitablefor this species; consequently it is possible that the species persists in the park. Since the roadsidevegetation adjacent to the park is in less optimal condition than that within the park, it is less likelythat the species would occur there. The orchid was not found during a survey undertaken inDecember 2006, but due to the timing of the survey, the orchid is unlikely to have been visible.Database searches revealed three records of this species from in the immediate vicinity of thesurvey area, with the last known record dating from 1989 (DEH 2006).Orchid Surveys for EPBC Listed Species:A Report on observations of orchid species along the section of Ferries McDonald Road where itbisects FMCP dated 4 September 2008 was presented to Council from Ms Thelma Bridle, NativeOrchid Society of South Australia Inc (NOSSA) Conservation Officer. An area of 5.0 metres fromthe current road edge has been surveyed. This was deemed to be an area where “orchids wouldbe most vulnerable”. Orchids were found scattered along the roadside to a depth of 15.0 metresand mainly apparent on the western side of Ferries McDonald Road in the region where it bisectsthe FMCP.To date, not one of the three EPBC listed threatened orchid species being (i) Coloured Spiderorchid(Caladenia colorata), (ii) Greencomb Spider-orchid (Caladenia tensa) and (iii) Metallic Sunorchid(Thelymitra epipactoides) have been found along or near the proposed project site ofFerries McDonald Road.As was discussed with DEWHA Representatives at a meeting held at Murray Bridge Council on 4August 2008 in relation to the latter species listed:Rural City of Murray Bridge – Ferries McDonald Rd (Ver 2) Page: 21 of 35
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Referral of proposed action - Rural City of Murray Bridge - SA.Gov.au

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