RTA Weipa Pty Ltd
Amrun Project Pre-disturbance
Program Annual Report
August 2019
A report prepared in accordance with requirements of the Amrun
Project EPBC Act Approval 2010/5642 and Terrestrial Management
Plan.
Pre-disturbance Program Annual Report
DOCUMENT CONTROL
Version Purpose Approval Submission Date
1.0 Publication on Amrun Weipa Not 09/08/2019
Website Environmental Applicable
Specialist
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Pre-disturbance Program Annual Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 4
2 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................... 4
2.1. PRE-DISTURBANCE PROGRAM ...................................................................................4
2.2. TARGET FAUNA SURVEY METHODS ............................................................................5
3 SURVEY RESULTS .............................................................................................................................. 6
APPENDIX A: EPBC 2010/5642RELEVANT CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 8
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 1 PRE-DISTURBANCE PROGRAM TARGET FAUNA SPECIES SURVEY METHODS ............................................................5
TABLE 2 PRE-DISTURBANCE PROGRAM TARGET FAUNA SPECIES OBSERVATIONS ................................................................7
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Pre-disturbance Program Annual Report
1 INTRODUCTION
This report provides the survey methodology and survey data for the Amrun (formerly South of
Embley Project) Pre-disturbance Program. The requirements for the Pre-disturbance Program are
specified by Condition 22 to 24 of the South of Embley Bauxite Mine and Port Development
approval (EPBC2010/5642), issued under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999. The Pre-disturbance Program is presented in Section 5.3 of the
Terrestrial Management Plan – South of Embley Project. The Pre-disturbance Program has been
implemented in accordance the conditions and Terrestrial Management Plan.
This first annual report on implementation of the Pre-disturbance Program is produced to align
with the annual reporting requirements for survey methodology and data in accordance with
Condition 57 of the EPBC 2010/5642 approval. This report presents survey observations and
management actions where applicable for the target Pre-disturbance Program species between
13 May 2018 and 12 May 2019.
The information from this annual report will be used to inform the next revision of the Terrestrial
Management Plan which will be submitted to the Minister within 60 days of the first anniversary of
operations commencing in accordance with EPBC 2010/5642 Condition 30. The next revision of
the TMP will be submitted the next reporting period in line with the approval conditions
2 METHODOLOGY
2.1. Pre-disturbance Program
Condition 22 of the EPBC 2010/5642 approval sets out a Pre-Disturbance Program to be
implemented prior to the clearing of any vegetation. Pre-disturbance surveys will be conducted to:
determine the presence of any active or potentially active Red Goshawk and/or Masked
Owl nests prior to clearing any vegetation. Surveying will be undertaken:
Red Goshawk – in areas located within one (1) kilometre of permanent water
supporting riparian gallery forest or Paperback wetland; seasonally inundated
coastal wetlands and seasonal water courses supporting riparian gallery forest,
or an estuary; and,
Masked Owl – in areas within 200 metres of permanent water supporting riparian
gallery forest of paperbark wetland, seasonally inundated Paperbark wetlands,
seasonal watercourses supporting riparian gallery forest or an estuary.
surveys will involve walkthroughs of those areas to be cleared, prior to clearing;
any observations of nests that may be used by Red Goshawks and/or Masked Owls will
be recorded and further assessment undertaken to determine whether the nest is being
actively used;
if an active nest is identified, avoidance, mitigation or management measures will be
implemented and a 200m buffer will be established around the nest trees. The nest tree
and buffer zone will not be cleared or disturbed until the end of the breeding season
(being until fledglings no longer use the nest). Nesting periods are as follows:
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Pre-disturbance Program Annual Report
Red Goshawk - courtship starts as early as April and young do not leave their
natal territories until as late as the end of December. Breeding occurs generally
in the spring with eggs laid between May and October;
Masked Owl - probably breeds between March and October but may breed when
conditions are favourable, which can be any time of the year. It is thought that the
female occupies the nest for up to 10 weeks before laying. The incubation period
is generally 33–35 days, but could be as much as 42 days. The fledging period is
10–12 weeks.
if a potential Red Goshawk and/or Masked Owl nest is located but is not actively being
utilised, the tree may be felled immediately to encourage any future nesting pairs to
establish a nest outside of the disturbance area.
In addition to the Pre-Disturbance Program under Condition 22, pre-disturbance surveys for
Eastern Osprey, White-bellied Sea-eagle and Rainbow Bee-eater will be undertaken within
potential nesting riparian forest habitat within Dam C and at infrastructure crossings of riparian
forest. Any active nests identified will be buffered until the end of the breeding season for the
species in question (see Tables 17 and 18). The protocol for surveys conducted under the Pre-
Disturbance Program shall be prepared by an experienced environmental professional with
knowledge of the identification of the Red Goshawk, Masked Owl, Eastern Osprey, White-bellied
Sea-eagle and Rainbow Bee-eater and their nests.
2.2. Target Fauna Survey Methods
The survey methodology implemented during the reporting period for each of the target fauna
species are presented in Table 1 below. The survey methods were implemented within areas to
be cleared, prior to clearing. The following parameters are to be recorded for each observation
where relevant and possible, however in many instances some of this data (e.g. age class,
habitat type) are indeterminable or not applicable for bird observations:
Species name (common and scientific),
time and day of survey,
GPS location,
number of individuals located,
age class (if known),
habitat type, and
EPBC Act listing status.
Table 1 Pre-disturbance Program target fauna species survey methods
Species Red Goshawk Masked Owl (Tyto Rainbow Bee-Eater
(Erythrotriorchis radiatus) novaehollandiae kimberli) (Merops ornatus)
Eastern Osprey (Pandion
cristatus)
White-Bellied Sea-eagle
(Haliaeetus leucogaster)
Method Systematic traverses, no more Systematic traverses, no more Conduct meandering
than 100m apart, to detect than 100m apart, to detect traverses along creek
nests within 1km of permanent nests within 1km of permanent banks and any other
water supporting the following: water supporting the following: vertical earthen cuttings or
riparian gallery forest or riparian gallery forest or banks.
paperbark wetland; paperbark wetland;
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Pre-disturbance Program Annual Report
seasonally inundated coastal seasonally inundated coastal During traverses visually
wetlands; wetlands; scan for small holes in
seasonal watercourses seasonal watercourses banks and for groups of
supporting riparian gallery supporting riparian gallery Rainbow Bee-eater
forest; or forest; or individuals.
estuary. estuary.
Undertake targeted follow
15 minute bird observation Call playback surveys at a up observations at
points (preferably in the morning density of 1 per 25ha within identified potential nesting
or if not then late afternoon) at waterway habitats and the holes if needed to confirm
a density of 1 per 25ha with adjacent 200m area. occurrence of breeding
focus on detecting active or activity.
calling individuals Undertake targeted follow up
observations at identified Incidental observations
Undertake targeted follow up potential nests if needed to
observations at identified confirm ownership or
potential nests if needed to occurrence of breeding activity
confirm ownership or
occurrence of breeding activity.
3 SURVEY RESULTS
Surveys were conducted across approximately 532ha during the reporting period which includes
all of the vegetation specified within the survey methodology Table 1. The results of all surveys
were communicated to the Superintendent Land & Rehabilitation.
All observations of target fauna species recorded during the Pre-disturbance Program surveys
are presented below in Table 2. The Rainbow Bee-eater and White-Bellied Sea-eagle were listed
migratory species when the Terrestrial Management Plan was first prepared. The White-bellied
Sea-eagle was removed from the EPBC Act migratory species list in June 2015. The Rainbow
Bee-Eater was removed from the EPBC Act migratory species list in April 2016. Surveys for these
species have continued in accordance with the commitments within the Terrestrial Management
Plan.
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Table 2 Pre-disturbance Program target fauna species observations
Common Full Latin Date Time Easting Northing Habitat EPBC Act Active Buffer Notes / Comments
Name Name (m) (m) Status Nest Established
White- Haliaeetus 12/9/2018 1337 571195.9 8571106 Eucalyptus tetrodonta open forest Not Listed No Not applicable - One individual observed.
bellied Sea- leucogaster adjacent to Boyd Bay No active nest
eagle
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APPENDIX A: EPBC 2010/5642RELEVANT CONDITIONS
22. Prior to any clearing of vegetation (including for Preliminary Works), surveying must be
undertaken to ascertain whether active, or potentially active, nests for the Red Goshawk
(Erythrotriorchis radiates) and/or Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae kimberli) are present in
the area to be cleared. Surveying must be undertaken for the:
a. Red Goshawk – in areas located within one (1) kilometre of permanent water
supporting riparian gallery forest or Paperback wetland; seasonally inundated coastal
wetlands and seasonal water courses supporting riparian gallery forest, or an
estuary; and,
b. Masked Owl - in areas within 200 metres of permanent water supporting riparian
gallery forest of paperbark wetland, seasonally inundated Paperbark wetlands, seasonal
watercourses supporting riparian gallery forest or an estuary.
23. The Pre-disturbance Program must include avoidance, mitigation or management measures
(and may include measures in the Final Environmental Impact Statement) if active, or
potentially active, nests for the Red Goshawk or Masked Owl are found during surveying,
including a 200 metre buffer zone around nest trees. The nest tree and buffer zone cannot be
cleared or disturbed until the end of the breeding season (being until fledglings no longer use
the nest for habitat).
24. Information obtained during the Pre-disturbance Program must be used to inform the
Terrestrial Management Plan at condition 25.
57. Every 12 months after the commencement of the action, unless otherwise agreed to in
writing by the Minister, the approval holder must publish on their website, for the duration of
the project (including decommissioning), all the survey methodology, reports and related
analysis of survey data for current program/s, plants, strategies or other conditions specified
in this approval for each individual matter of national environmental significance. The
department must be notified within ten (10) business days of publication.
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