BHP : Onshore 2019 - Jimblebar North Fauna Survey

E N V I R O N M E N T A L

Jimblebar North Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey

Prepared for BHP Western Australia Iron Ore 3 January 2019

Jimblebar North

Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey

			Document Status
Rev	Authors	Reviewer/s	Date		Approved for Issue
No.				Name	Distributed To	Date
1	B.Menezies	M.Brown	05/11/18	B.Menezies	D.Mickle	19/11/18
D.Brearley
2	B.Menezies	D.Brearley	09/12/18	B.Menezies	K.McHugh	11/12/18
Final	B.Menezies	B.Menezies	03/01/19	B.Menezies	K.McHugh	03/01/19

Onshore Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd

ACN 095 837 120

PO Box 227

YALLINGUP WA 6282

Telephone / Fax [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

COPYRIGHT: The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Onshore Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Onshore Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd constitutes an infringement of copyright.

DISCLAIMER: This report has been undertaken solely for BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd. No responsibility is accepted to any third party who may come into possession of this report in whatever manner and who may use or rely on the whole or any part of this report. If any such third party attempts to rely on any information contained in this report such party should obtain independent advice in relation to such information.

i

Jimblebar North

Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Onshore Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd (Onshore Environmental) was commissioned by BHP Western Australia Iron Ore Pty Ltd (BHP WAIO) to undertake a single season Level 1 vertebrate fauna survey of the Jimblebar North project area, covering the Crowes Nest and Lasseter deposits, herein referred to as the study area. The study area is located approximately 10 km north-east of BHP WAIO's Jimblebar (Wheelarra Hill) mine and approximately 50 km east of Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The field survey was conducted between the 12th and 17th of September 2018.

No conservation significant fauna species were recorded from within the study area during the survey.

A total of eight habitat types where described and mapped within the study area, two of which were considered to be of moderate importance for fauna species; Major Drainage Line and Breakaway. These two habitats are under represented in the Pilbara and provide important ecologically linkages and/or containing habitat for a unique suite of fauna.

ii

		Jimblebar North
		Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey
	TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY	ii
1.0	INTRODUCTION	1
1.1	Preamble	1
1.2	Previous Biological Surveys	1
1.3	Climate	3
1.4	Biogeographic Regions	4
1.5	Existing Land Use	4
1.6	Landforms	4
1.7	Soils	5
1.8	Geology	5
1.9	Hydrology	8
1.10	Regional Vegetation	8
1.11	Land Systems	10
2.0	METHODOLOGY	12
2.1	Guidance and Legalisation	12
2.1.1	Guidance Documents	12
2.1.2 Legalisation and Assessment of Conservation Significance	12
2.2	Desktop Assessment	13
2.2.1	Literature Review	13
2.2.2	Database Searches	13
2.2.3 Assessment of Likelihood of Occurrence in the Study Area	13
2.3	Level 1 Survey Methodology	14
2.3.1	Timing and Personnel	14
2.3.2	Vertebrate Fauna Species	14
2.3.3	Fauna Habitat Mapping	15
2.3.4	Field Survey Constraints	15
3.0	RESULTS	17
3.1	Literature Review	17
3.2	Database Searches	17
3.2.1	Vertebrate Fauna Species	17
3.2.2	Ecological Communities	23
3.3	Level 1 Field Survey	25
3.3.1	Vertebrate Fauna Species	25
3.3.2	Fauna Habitat	25
3.3.3	Ecological Communities	31
4.0	SUMMARY	32
5.0	STUDY TEAM	33
6.0	REFERENCES	34

iii

	Jimblebar North
	Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey
APPENDIX 1	38
Status codes for species listed on the IUCN 'Red List'	38
APPENDIX 2	40
Conservation categories for species listed under the EPBC Act	40
APPENDIX 3	42
Conservation categories for species listed under the WC Act	42
APPENDIX 4	44
Conservation codes for Western Australian fauna	44
APPENDIX 5	46
Summary of background and results for previous vertebrate fauna surveys	46
APPENDIX 6	50
Vertebrate fauna recorded from the study area	50
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1	Pre-European extent of vegetation associations occurring within the study area
	(Shepherd et al. 2002)	8
Table 2	Land systems occurring within the study area (descriptions from van Vreeswyk et al.
	2004)	10
Table 3	Ranking system used to assign the likelihood that a fauna species would occur in the
	study area	14
Table 4	Relevance of constraints, as identified by EPA to the vertebrate fauna (EPA 2016c)
	survey	16
Table 5	Conservation significant fauna species identified during the desktop assessment	20
Table 6	Fauna habitat mapped within the study area	26
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1	Study area location	2
Figure 2	Climatic data recorded from Newman Airport, with long term monthly rainfall compared
	against monthly rainfall for 2017 and January-September 2018 (BoM 2018)	3
Figure 3	Geology within the study area	7
Figure 4	Beard (1975) vegetation complexes within the study area	9
Figure 5	Land systems occurring within the study area (descriptions from van Vreeswyk et al.
	2004)	11
Figure 6	Priority and Threatened Ecological Community locations surrounding the study area ..	24
Figure 7	Fauna habitat mapping within the study area	30

iv

Jimblebar North

Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey

1. INTRODUCTION
2. Preamble

Onshore Environmental was commissioned by BHP WAIO to undertake a single season Level 1 vertebrate fauna survey within the Jimblebar North project area, covering the Crowes Nest and Lasseter deposits, on tenement E52/1776, hereafter referred to as the study area. The study area is located approximately 10 km north-east of BHP WAIO's Jimblebar (Wheelarra Hill) mine and approximately 50 km east of Newman in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (Figure 1). The study area covers an area of approximately 1,680 ha.

1.2 Previous Biological Surveys

There are at least 24 vertebrate fauna surveys that have previously been completed in close proximity (within a 25 km radius) to the study area. These surveys comprise 13 Level 2 survey, nine Level 1 surveys and two desktop assessments.

Four vertebrate fauna surveys have been previous completed within or partially overlapping the study area:

• Wheelarra Hill North Fauna Assessment (ENV Australia 2012);
• Caramulla Exploration Area Flora and Vegetation Survey and Fauna Assessment (GHD 2009);
• Jimblebar Iron Ore Project Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Assessment (Outback Ecology 2009a); and
• Hashimoto Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna Assessment (Ecologia Environmental 2006a).

1

175000

180000

185000

190000

195000

200000

205000

210000

215000

220000

225000

230000

235000

240000

245000

250000

255000

D

A

O

R

R

A

BHP

B

7440000

E

7440000

BL

R

A

Jimblebar

M

r

North

ive

7435000

R

7435000

Figure 1

e

u

c

s

e

t

! KALGAN

r

Study Area

Fo

WEELARRANA

7430000

7430000

Location

ETHEL

Legend

7425000

CREEK

7425000

Study Area

BHP Tenure

ROAD

BHP Rail

Sylvania Pastoral Station

7420000

7420000

! JIMBLEBAR JUNCTION

J

! EASTERN RIDGE

i

7415000

m

7415000

b

l

e

b

C

a

a

r

C

r

a

r

e

m

7410000

! JIMBLEBAR

k

u

7410000

l

l

a

C

r

e

e

k

7405000

! CAPRICORN ROADHOUSE

D

7405000

A

O

R

N

SYLVANIA STATION

O

I

IS

7400000

JIGALONG

M

7400000

! MURRAMUNDA

7395000

k

7395000

2.5 ¯5

0

7.5

e

e

Kilometers

r

aC

1:250,000

7390000

d

7390000

Datum: GDA94

n

a

Projection: MGA Zone 51

w

a

r

r

W

a

k

Date:

03/01/2019

7385000

7385000

Status:

Final

Figure:

1

bina

C

r

e e

Sheet Size:

A3

Internal Reference:

JN_Loc

Drawn by:

GSM

Requested by:

DB

o

o

7380000

C

7380000

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User

175000

180000

185000

190000

195000

200000

205000

210000

Community

220000

225000

230000

235000

240000

245000

250000

255000

215000

Jimblebar North

Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey

1.3 Climate

The study area is located in the far south-eastern corner of the Pilbara region in Western Australia. The Pilbara region has an arid to tropical climate with two distinct seasons; a hot summer from October to April, and a mild winter from May to September. The majority of annual rainfall is received during the hot summer months, typically associated with cyclonic activity and thunderstorms, with falls being of higher intensity and shorter duration contributing to an erratic annual range (Sudmeyer 2016).

Annual rainfall for Newman ranges from 36 mm to over 619 mm, with a long-term average of 332 mm occurring over 30 rain days (Bureau of Meteorology [BOM] 2018). Most of the annual precipitation occurs during the four summer months from December to March. The average maximum summer temperature ranges between 38ºC and 40ºC, while winter maximum temperatures range from 28ºC to 30.5ºC (BOM 2018).

The field survey was undertaken in September 2018 and seasonal conditions were rated as 'poor' due to no rain falling in July, August and September prior to the survey. Above average rainfall however was received in June, with 54.8 mm recorded compared to the long-term average of 16.2 mm. Total rainfall for the first half of 2018 has been below average, with zero rainfall recorded in July and August (Figure 2, BOM 2018).

Rainfall (mm)

180	45
160	40
140	35
		C)
120	30	(degrees
100	25
Temperature
80	20
60	15
40	10
20	5
0	0

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Mean Rainfall 2017 2018 Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp

Figure 2 Climatic data recorded from Newman Airport, with long term monthly rainfall compared against monthly rainfall for 2017 and January-September 2018 (BoM 2018).

3

Jimblebar North

Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey

1.4 Biogeographic Regions

The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA7) divides Australia into 89 bioregions and 419 subregions based on climate, geology, landform, native vegetation and species information (Department of the Environment and Energy [DoEE] 2018a). The study area lies north of the boundary between the Pilbara and Gascoyne bioregions. The Pilbara bioregion consists of four sub-regions: Chichester, Fortescue, Hamersley and Roebourne. The study area is located at the southern edge of the Fortescue subregion (PIL2), with the Crowes Nest deposit intersecting the Hamersley subregion (PIL3). The Augustus subregion (GAS3) of the Gascoyne bioregion lies just to the south of the study area.

The Fortescue subregion is dominated by alluvial plains and river frontage with extensive salt marsh, mulga-bunch grass, and short grass communities on alluvial plains in the east. Deeply incised gorge systems occur in the western (lower) part of the drainage. Drainage lines are fringed by river gum woodlands (Kendrick 2001a).

The Hamersley subregion is characterised by mountain ranges and plateaux of Proterozoic sedimentary rock, dissected by gorges. The vegetation is characterised by Mulga low woodland over bunch grasses on fine textured soils in valley floors, and Snappy Gum (Eucalyptus leucophloia) over Triodia brizoides on skeletal soils of the ranges (Kendrick 2001b).

1.5 Existing Land Use

Land tenure in the Pilbara consists of Aboriginal lands and leasehold reserves, national parks and reserves, and Crown land which fall under a range of pastoral and mining leases. The dominant land uses in the Fortescue, Hamersley and Augustus subregions are pastoralism (cattle grazing), exploration and mining, conservation (and associated tourism), unallocated Crown land, Crown reserves and urban areas (Kendrick 2001a, Kendrick 2001b, Desmond et al. 2001). The study area is located just north of Sylvania Station within the Shire of East Pilbara, and approximately 10 km north-east of the existing Jimblebar mining operations (Figure 1).

Conservation lands amount to less than ten percent of the total area of the Pilbara bioregion, with the major reserves being Karijini and Millstream-Chichester National Parks. These parks are supplemented by lesser conservation estates such as Cane River and Meentheena Conservation Parks. Wetlands of National Significance include the permanent pools of Millstream and Karijini National Parks and the Fortescue Marsh. The study area is not within or adjacent to any gazetted conservation reserves. The Collier Range National Park is the nearest reserve, situated approximately 130 km to the south. Karijini National Park is located approximately 160 km west north‐west of the study area.

1.6 Landforms

The study area is located at the eastern end of the Ophthalmia Range, which together with the Hamersley Range encompass the Hamersley Plateau. The Hamersley Plateau is characterised by long strike ridges rising 300 m or more above valley floors and flats. Other characteristic landforms of the general area include stony plains and some alluvial plains and sandplains (Tille 2006). The entire region contains mainly rounded ranges and hills in contrast to the characteristic 'mesa form' hills that are located further to the north-east. The source of Jimblebar Creek and Caramulla Creek lies at the base

4

Jimblebar North

Level 1 Vertebrate Fauna Survey

of these ranges and flows out into the sloping plains to the north which feed in to the Fortescue Marsh. Specific landforms occurring within the study area include hardpan plains with banded mulga, drainage lines, low hills and sandplains.

1.7 Soils

Tille (2006) classified the most recent and detailed mapping of Western Australia's Rangelands and Arid Interior into a hierarchy of soil-landscape mapping units. The study area is located within the following soil unit:

• Hamersley Plateaux Zone: located in the Fortescue Province and described as having stony soils with red shallow loams and some red/brown non-cracking clays and red loamy earths.

The Australian Soil Resource Information System (CSIRO 2006) described two soil types as occurring within the study area and surrounds:

• BE6: Extensive flat and gently sloping plains, which sometimes have a surface
  cover of gravels and on which red-brown hardpan frequently outcrops: chief soils are shallow earthy loams (Um5.3), with associated (Gn) soils of units My5O and Mz23 of Sheet 6. As mapped, there are inclusions of units Oc47 and BB9; and
• Fa13: Ranges of banded jaspilite and chert along with shales, dolomites, and iron ore formations; some areas of ferruginous duricrust as well as occasional narrow winding valley plains and steeply dissected pediments. This unit is largely associated with the Hamersley and Ophthalmia Ranges. The soils are frequently stony and shallow and there are extensive areas without soil cover: chief soils are shallow stony earthy loams (Um5.51) along with some (Uc5.11) soils on the steeper slopes. Associated are (Dr2.33, Dr2.32) soils on the limited areas of dissected pediments, while (Um5.52) and (Uf6.71) soils occur on the valley plains.

1.8 Geology

The ancient continental Western Shield dominates the geology of Western Australia. The Pilbara region makes up a portion of the Western Shield and consists of pre- Cambrian, Proterozoic and Archaean rocks. Important mineral reserves, including iron ore, which is prevalent in the Pilbara, are associated with these rock formations.

The Pilbara Craton lies beneath the Proterozoic rocks of the Hamersley and Bangemall Basins. The Hamersley Basin covers the majority of the southern part of the Pilbara Craton and is separated into three stratigraphic groups; the Fortescue, Hamersley and Turee Creek rock groups.

The Fortescue Group consists mainly of basalt with beds of siltstone, mudstone, shale, dolomite and jaspilite. These rocks form the Chichester Plateau, which lies beneath the Hamersley Plateau. The Turee Creek Group consists of interbedded mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, conglomerate and carbonate. These rocks are the youngest of the three groups and are exposed mainly in the Ashburton Valley.

The Hamersley Group is the most relevant to the study area as it contains both the Brockman Iron Formation and the Marra Mamba Iron Formation, which together provide most of the major iron ore deposits in the Pilbara (O'Brien and Associates 1992). This group forms the Hamersley Range and Plateau and consists of jaspilite and dolomite. The jaspilite produces deposits of haematite and limonite, which are mined for iron ore.

5