We acknowledge that potential impacts on flora and fauna habitats are key concerns for communities in the NSW/Qld Border to Gowrie section.
We’ve completed detailed site surveys to ground truth ecological values, enhanced our assessment methodologies, refined our designs and our proposed management and mitigation programs to avoid and minimise impacts on flora and fauna where possible.
Key measures to avoid, minimise and mitigate impacts to flora, fauna and habitat include:
- refining the revised reference design and Project footprint during detailed design to reduce ecological impacts
- preparing the Draft Koala Management Plan and the Draft Fauna Management Plan
- completing a detailed fauna connectivity assessment
- preparing a Fauna Connectivity Strategy that guides fauna connectivity outcomes including
- crossing infrastructure, koala refuge poles, glider poles and fish passage considerations in drainage infrastructure
- developing the Project Construction Environmental Management Plan
- preparing and implementing property-specific Offset Area Management Plans ahead of construction
- monitoring programs to assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures and identify future improvement opportunities.
The Inland Rail NSW/Qld Border to Gowrie revised draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is now on public consultation. We are here to help you understand key information, answer any questions you may have and explain how you can make a submission.
Have your say
The revised draft EIS will be available online at the Coordinator-General’s website at www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/inlandrail-b2g It’s important to note that submissions on the revised draft EIS can only be made to the Coordinator-General directly, and not to Inland Rail.
Maintaining fauna connectivity
Managing impacts to fauna movement and landscape connectivity is important for the communities along the NSW/Qld Border to Gowrie section.
The revised draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) presents comprehensive updates to the assessment of flora and fauna.
We have completed a detailed survey program to further understand species presence, habitat quality and potential impacts to ecological values.
This work has identified important fauna movement corridors and informed designs for enhanced fauna connectivity measures which will support fauna movement and minimise the risk of injury and mortality from wildlife and train collisions.
The Project’s design will be updated with mitigation measures including fauna crossing structures such as suitably sized culverts or fauna passages, glider poles, vegetated habitat linkages, fauna furniture and fencing. The designs will also ensure adequate clearance zones at watercourse crossings which will support terrestrial and aquatic fauna movement.
The Project’s rail alignment has the potential to fragment habitat areas in the landscape which could disrupt fauna movement and cause permanent impacts to ecological function. The Project includes suitable design features and construction approaches to avoid and reduce these potential impacts.
A biodiversity connectivity assessment has identified the potential impacts on the connectivity and movement needs of the threatened species known, likely and potentially present in the Project area.
This assessment identified several fauna movement pathways which would support regional fauna connectivity. A fauna connectivity strategy will guide the Project’s detailed design and meet these fauna connectivity requirements.
Target species and guilds
The connectivity requirements of threatened species and ecological guilds found in the Project area were assessed based on habitat requirements and movement patterns. These considered:
- woodland birds (regent honeyeater, squatter pigeon, painted honeyeater, diamond firetail, brown treecreeper, hooded robin, and southern whiteface)
- spotted-tailed quoll
- gliding mammals (greater glider and yellow-bellied glider)
- koala
- woodland reptiles (Dunmall’s snake, collared delma, yakka skink, common death adder)
- cracking clay reptiles (five-clawed worm-skink, and grey snake)
- Condamine earless dragon
- Murray cod
- Brigalow woodland snail
Approach to identifying key areas for fauna movement
Fauna connectivity modelling by industry experts used survey data, habitat proximity assessments, and koala tracking data to:
- identify important connectivity areas, including state and regional biodiversity corridors; and
- assess the potential impacts on native fauna movements due to the barrier effect of linear infrastructure.
Site-specific areas have been identified for the Project, referred to as priority connectivity zones, where existing ecological connectivity intersects the Project.
Generally, woodland, forest, and waterways with fringing riparian vegetation provide habitat and connectivity for a high number of target species.
Large areas of these habitat types occur within various state forests, including Yelarbon, Whetstone and Bringalily, while smaller patches providing habitat and connectivity are associated with waterways and road reserves, and scattered patches of vegetation on farmland.
Cleared areas associated with cracking clay and the Condamine floodplain have also been identified as having high connectivity value for some target species, particularly reptiles including the Condamine earless dragon.
Fauna connectivity design enhancements
The Project’s reference design has been assessed and refined to provide fauna passage between habitat that would be fragmented by the rail corridor.
Although the current design provides crossing opportunities for most species, further mitigation measures are required to ensure the Project does not negatively impact fauna connectivity.
The Project’s final design will include mitigations to maintain ecological connectivity and functionality including:
- incorporating additional fauna crossing structures where suitable crossing opportunities are currently absent
- modifying drainage infrastructure (i.e. bridges and culverts) to support fauna movement through the structures (e.g. location, shape, sizing, floor covering)
- reducing the extent of vegetation clearing at crossing locations to reduce the size of gaps in habitat cover to facilitate movement and connection to suitable habitat
- including fauna furniture within and next to entrances and exits of crossing structures
- fencing to funnel fauna into crossing structures and reduce the risk of species wildlife-train collision
- installing koala refuge poles and rails within and adjacent to crossing structures
- installing glider poles and canopy bridges to bridge gaps in canopy cover for arboreal mammals.
You can also download this information as a PDF Fact Sheet.
Talk to the Inland Rail team
If you would like to contact Inland Rail’s NSW/Qld Border to Gowrie team, you can either call, send an email or visit one of our offices. We also hold regular events across the region, and you’re welcome to subscribe to our enewsletter.
| Phone | 1800 732 761 during business hours or leave a message and we'll get back to you. |
| inlandrailqld@inlandrail.com.au | |
| Inland Rail Pty Ltd, PO Box 3093, Toowoomba, QLD 4350 | |
| Visit us at these locations: | |
| Toowoomba | 143-145 Margaret Street, Monday to Friday, 8.30am-4.30pm |
| Goondiwindi | 28 Marshall Street, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 10am-2pm |
Alternatively, you can fill out the below form, and request a team member to contact you:
