Pre-construction animal breeding place survey: Final report to Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited

Gladstone Ports Corporation Limited (GPC) is currently progressing the Port of Gladstone Gatcombe and Golding Cutting Channel Duplication Project (CD Project) beyond the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) phase. As part of these works, GPC has initiated commencement of engineering design, post-EIS studies and associated regulatory approvals for the Western Basin Expansion (WBE) reclamation area (southern area) and barge unloading facility (BUF) components of the CD Project. A pre-construction animal (inclusive of Water Mouse (Yirrkoo, Xeromys myoides)) breeding place survey was carried out in areas adjacent to the direct impact area of the Western Basin Expansion (WBE) reclamation area (southern area) of the Channel Duplication (CD) project. This included the intertidal area adjacent to the direct impact area of WBE reclamation area and extended to 100 m within the patches of terrestrial vegetation intersected by the survey area. A total of 336 animal breeding places were observed within the survey area, mainly within the associated terrestrial land. Habitat in the survey area is suitable for rare or threatened (as listed in the Nature Conservation (NC) Act 1992) species known to inhabit the broader area surrounding the survey area, though these species were not observed in the area during this study.