Significant Residual Impact criteria Cause disruption to ecologically significant locations (breeding, feeding, nesting, migration or resting sites) of a species.
Assessment
Unlikely
C. megacarpa was confirmed within the project area during field investigations. A population of approximately 46 individuals were confirmed within the project area. All 46 confirmed individuals of C. megacarpa will be cleared by the proposed works. Whilst this population contains breeding individuals, due to the degraded nature of the project area, natural decline of the population is expected. Through the implementation of the proposed Cycas megacarpa Management Plan, the breeding cycle of the population will be aided through collection and propagation of seeds that is likely to yield higher recruitment than would occur naturally. As such, the project is considered unlikely to cause disruption to ecologically significant locations (breeding, feeding, nesting, migration or resting sites) of a species.
6.9.1.2. Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
The koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus ) is listed as endangered under the EPBC Act and NC Act.
Koala habitat is generally defined as coastal and inland areas supporting Eucalyptus forests and
woodlands (DAWE, 2022). Koala habitat includes places that contain resources necessary for foraging,
survival, growth, reproduction and movement. This includes forests or woodlands, roadside and rail
vegetation and paddock trees, safe intervening ground matrix for travelling between trees, and patches
to forage, shelter and reproduce, and access to vegetated corridors or paddock trees to facilitate
movement between patches (DAWE, 2022). The species has a specialist diet, feeding on the leaves of
select species of Eucalyptus, Lophostemon, Corymbia, Angophora and occasionally Melaleuca and
Leptospermum (Martin & Handasyke, 1999) (Moore & Foley, 2000). Consequently, koalas are reliant
on access to stands of forest and woodland that support key food-tree species. Koalas move distances
of up to 10 km in urban south-east Queensland (DAWE, 2022) and 16 km in rural south-east
Queensland. For the rest of the year, koalas move relatively little within home ranges that vary between
8 ha and 135 ha (DAWE, 2022). In semi-arid areas on the western fringe of the species’ distribution,
habitat selectivity is high, and occupancy is generally restricted to riparian/drainage line habitats
(DAWE, 2022).
The nearest records of koalas are from Stanwell, located approximately 14.5 km north of the project
area, dated 2025 (Atlas of Living Australia, 2025). Although no koalas or signs of their presence were
observed during field surveys, the species is considered likely to occur at low densities within the project
area and the surrounding landscape.
Locally important koala food trees (LIKT) for the Brigalow Belt Bioregion, such as scattered Eucalyptus
crebra , were identified within RE 11.10.1 (Youngentob, 2021). Additionally, Corymbia citriodora , listed
as an ancillary habitat tree for the region, was also present in this RE11.10.1 (Youngentob, 2021).
Within the survey area, koalas are most likely to utilise RE 11.10.1 which is characterised by eucalypt
open woodland, as foraging habitat. The species may also use RE 11.10.4, 11.10.2 and 11.10. 3 for
dispersal, however there are limited records of the species use of habitat within the region that would
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Wulguru Technical Services Pty Ltd – Supporting Information to Amend an Environmental Authority
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