2.
Methods
2.1 Relevant legislation The following legislation has been considered throughout this report:
– The Vegetation Management Act 1999 (VM Act) aims to regulate the clearing of vegetation in a way that: conserves remnant vegetation, conserves vegetation in declared areas, ensures the clearing does not cause land degradation, prevents the loss of biodiversity, maintains ecological processes, manages the environmental effects of vegetation clearing, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and allows for sustainable land use. – The Biosecurity Act 2014 (Biosecurity Act) ensures a consistent, modern, risk-based and less prescriptive approach to biosecurity in Queensland. The Biosecurity Act provides comprehensive measures to safeguard Queensland’s economy, agricultural and tourism industries, environment and way of life from: pests (flora and fauna), diseases and contaminants. – The Environmental Offsets Act 2014 (QLD) establishes the framework for requiring offsets when there are significant residual impacts on Matters of State Environmental Significance (MSES). – The Environmental Protection Act 1994 (QLD) (EP Act) as a regulatory framework for Environmental Authorities (EAs), including the process for major amendments. – The Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government’s central piece of environmental legislation. It provides a legal framework to protect and manage nationally and internationally important flora, fauna, ecological communities and heritage places — defined in the EPBC Act as MNES. – The Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NC Act) provides for the conservation of nature through protection of all native plants and animals in Queensland. Additionally, this survey followed the Flora Survey Guidelines enacted under the NC Act. – The Water Act 2000 (Water Act) seeks to manage Queensland's water resources for environmental, agricultural, industrial, and community needs. 2.2 Desktop assessment The desktop assessment of the ecological values, undertaken on February 10, 2025, associated with the project area and study area was based on searches and review of publicly available databases and online resources as summarised in Table 2.1
Table 2.1
Desktop assessment information sources
Desktop search
Purpose
Commonwealth Protected Matters Search Tool (SPRAT)
The Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) PMST search was conducted to identify Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) protected under the EPBC Act that have the potential to occur within the study area. The DCCEEW SPRAT profiles were assessed to determine habitat requirements and ecology of potentially occurring threatened species.
Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT) Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia (DIWA) State Flora survey Trigger Map spatial layers
The DIWA (2025) database was searched to understand if any nationally important wetlands are present within the project area.
The Flora Survey Trigger Map for Clearing Protected Plants in Queensland was viewed to determine the extent of ‘high risk’ areas within the project area (DETSI, 2025).
GHD | Heritage Minerals Pty Ltd | 12626510 | Heritage Minerals Mount Morgan 5 This document is in form. The contents, including any opinions, conclusions or recommendations contained in, or which may be implied from, this document must not be relied upon. GHD reserves the right, at any time, without notice, to modify or retract any part or all of the document. To the maximum extent permitted by law, GHD disclaims any responsibility or liability arising from or in connection with this document.
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