Rare flora find in Seymour given a chance to flourish
The Late-Flowered Flax-lily has been given a chance to flourish after being identified during works at Seymour by our construction partner McConnell Dowell.
May 10, 2024
Workers are relocating the Late-Flowered Flax-lily after finding it at Seymour-Avenel Road site.
During pre-clearing ecology surveys at our Seymour-Avenel Road site, Habitat Management Services and McConnell Dowel found a local population of the critically endangered Dianella tarda, also known as the Late-Flowered Flax-lily.
The find highlights McConnell Dowell’s commitment to best practice environmental management practices during major construction.
After notifying the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), all plants at risk were removed and will be cared for at a specialist nursery until they can be relocated to an approved nearby site with the same ecological attributes.
The Late-Flowered Flax-lily is carefully wrapped, ready for transportation.
Plants outside the works area will be marked and entered into the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas.
The flowers of the Late-Flowered Flax-lily are an important food source for several species of butterflies and moths and have cultural value for Traditional Owners.
A DEECA spokesperson commended the team saying: “Working together, trusting each other and valuing what each party brings to the table to consider our biodiversity values helps us achieve great things. The plants adjacent to the site will be protected and those to be replanted have a great chance of survival.”
