Offset project for the eastern ground parrot

Around eight hectares of eastern ground parrot habitat has been removed for the expansion of the Sunshine Coast Airport runway. As a result, the developer Sunshine Coast Regional Council, provided the Queensland Government with approximately $1 million to restore the environmental damage caused by this project, in an adjacent location.

Coastal heath is essential habitat for the eastern ground parrot (Pezoporus wallicus wallicus) which is classed as ‘vulnerable’ in Queensland under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. Its natural habitat has been reduced by urban development and agriculture and around three quarters of its remaining habitat, south of Noosa, is now located within national park areas.

The Queensland Government has approved a project under the environmental offsets program to re-establish habitat for the eastern ground parrot in Mt Coolum National Park—home to the southernmost population of eastern ground parrots in Queensland.

Independent experts recommended the Marcoola section of the Mt Coolum National Park, located directly adjacent to the site of impact. This area contains the habitat needed for eastern ground parrots however some work will be required to restore the natural heathland ecosystem.

Under this project, it is proposed that up to 60 hectares of the national park be declared a Special Management Area, requiring a separate management plan.

Special Management Areas allow for special ‘controlled actions’ or works on a national park to protect and restore the area’s natural and cultural values.

Habitat restoration works

Scientific evaluation has shown that paper bark trees (Melaleuca quinquenervia) are encroaching on the 150 hectares of heathland found in Mt Coolum National Park. This is due to changes in local fire management regimes and the introduction of drainage lines—altering the natural hydrology of the area.

Mechanical removal of a number of these native trees is proposed to restore the heathland habitat for the ground parrot in the Marcoola section of the national park. This will require the limited use of herbicides through stem injection or direct application to cut stumps to prevent the paper bark trees from re-shooting.

A 20-year fire management plan has been developed to ensure the long-term conservation of the heathland ecosystem, that will include some fire trail construction and maintenance of existing tracks. Targeted removal of paper bark trees will allow fire management to be conducted safely in that area.

Consultation about this proposed offset project has included local community groups, Sunshine Coast Council, the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Sunshine Coast Airport. The project also has the support of the Kabi Kabi First Nations People.

An environmental management plan has been developed to ensure impacts to the broader national park area are minimised.

Implementation

Due to significant wet weather throughout 2022, habitat restoration works were delayed until ground conditions improved. The site has since been assessed as suitable. Accordingly, the first stage of habitat restoration works will now commence in late May 2023 on approximately 22 hectares of the Special Management Area. It is expected that the initial mechanical treatment of paper bark trees will be conducted over a three month period, with staged ground crew follow up over the next 18 months to ensure successful delivery.

The Kabi Kabi First Nations People will be involved throughout the project to ensure that cultural heritage is protected during the operation.

Ongoing monitoring will be undertaken to assess post disturbance habitat recovery and eastern ground parrot use of the Special Management Area.

As the project progresses, more information will be published on this webpage.