PHILIP MILNER LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT PTY LTD 144 Allisons Road, LOWER BARRINGTON POSTAL: P.O.Box 2065, SPREYTON, 7310 TASMANIA

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1 PHILIP MILNER LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT PTY LTD 144 Allisons Road, LOWER BARRINGTON POSTAL: P.O.Box 2065, SPREYTON, 7310 TASMANIA Mobile: Home Phone: (03) A.B.N.No PRE-CLEARANCE SURVEY Burns Peak Mine Proposal, Tullah. Mancala Resources Pty Ltd /ES&D Tasmanian Devil and Spotted-tailed Quoll Survey Survey Date: Thursday 30 th November 2017 Introduction: As part of the permit conditions for the proposed mine development near Burns Peak by Mancala Resources a survey of the areas to be cleared is required for Tasmanian Devil and Spottedtailed Quoll habitat. The three areas proposed for the initial development have a combined area of approximately 2.3 ha. SURVEY AREA No.1 SURVEY AREA No.2 SURVEY AREA No.3 FIGURE 1. The three locations requiring pre-clearance surveys. 1/6

2 Methodology: Each of the three areas were surveyed on foot for evidence of the presence of Tasmanian Devils and Spotted-tailed Quolls. Such evidence included scats and latrine sites, and paw imprints in soft ground. The areas were also surveyed for the presence of wombats as they can be preyed on by devils, and devils often utilise wombat burrows as den sites, and evidence of other prey species such as pademelons. Each area was also surveyed for potential devil den habitat. As well as in wombat burrows, devils can form dens within the hollow bases of large old-growth trees, in large hollow logs on the ground, under rock piles in caves or in rock cavities, or under heaps of log and branch debris. Natal dens have quite precise requirements in regard to size, degree of shelter and seclusion, as well as location, and therefore can be particularly difficult to find and identify. SURVEY AREA No.1. Proposed Open Cut Site, Costean Lode: A small open cut mine is to be located on a low ridgeline between two minor creeks. The creek-lines however were located outside of the area proposed for clearance. The perimeter of the defined area was surveyed where access was possible as well as along previously cut lines, existing cleared tracks and the existing costines and exploratory trenches. FIGURE 2. Survey Area No.1. Open cut mining site of Costean Lode The vegetation within the area proposed for clearing consisted largely of Melaleuca squamea Heathland and Scrub which had a dense ground layer dominated by Buttongrass, Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus although the vegetation became more scrubby on the higher better drained slopes in the eastern portion of the defined area. The only trees present were sapling and half grown Western Peppermints Eucalyptus nitida, although larger trees were evident along the nearby creek-lines but these were located outside of the survey area. Drainage conditions in the area of Melaleuca/ Buttongrass was impeded although no standing water was evident. The substrate on the higher slopes was gravels overlying rock material. 2/6

3 There was no evidence observed of the presence of either Tasmanian Devils or Spotted-tailed Quolls within or adjacent to this survey area, such as scats of paw prints. There was no habitat present within the defined area which was structurally suitable for dens of Tasmanian Devils. Wombat scats of varying ages were observed within the surveyed area, mainly along previously cleared tracks but also within the area of Melaleuca/Buttongrass although the pads followed by the animals within this vegetation were not well defined, which probably indicates a limited number of wombats being present in the location. No wombat burrows were observed within or adjacent to the survey area despite the confirmed presence of the animal. The rocky substrate in the locality and the drainage conditions on the lower slopes were considered to be not suitable for wombats to construct burrows. OBS. No. EASTING NORTHING SCATS EST. AGE deposits deposits within 3m One month deposit Older deposit deposit within 5m One month + 6 '' '' 1 deposit within 5m Two weeks 7 '' " 1 deposit within 5m One week deposit One week 9 " " 1 deposit Three weeks deposit within 3m Old 11 " " 1 deposit within 3m One month 12 " " 1 deposit within 3m 3 weeks TABLE 1. Observations of Wombat Scats within Survey Area No.1. Given the vegetation and habitat in the location and the ages of the scat deposits observed it is considered that there is a limited number of wombats in the location, and that the survey area covers just part of their home range. Although no scats of either Tasmanian Devils or Spotted-tailed Quolls were observed it is quite likely that the survey area lies within the territory or home range of a small number of devils given the availability of potential prey with the wombat, and that devils would be present in the location periodically. The occasional presence of Spotted-tailed Quolls would be more difficult to determine without camera monitoring but no key habitat for the quoll was present in the survey area. Pademelons can also be potential prey for devils but no pademelon scats were observed within or adjacent to survey area No.1. 3/6

4 SURVEY AREA No.2. WASTE DUMP: The waste dump area had a very limited degree of revegetation and the perimeter also consisted of regrowth vegetation although a little older, comprising Eucalyptus nitida Dry Forest with Wet Scrub from the western extremity of the dump. FIGURE 3. Survey Area No.2. Waste Dump No evidence of any animal utilising this area was observed although there was no soft ground present for any paw print impressions. No scats were found of either Tasmanian Devils or Spotted-tailed Quolls or of any prey species such as wombats or pademelons. There was no habitat or vegetation within or adjacent to this survey area suitable for denning by either species. 4/6

5 SURVEY AREA No.3. ROM Site: This area of the ROM site was also in the early phase of natural regeneration and no mature vegetation was evident. The regrowth could be described as Eucalyptus nitida Dry Forest and Regrowth Scrub. FIGURE 4. Survey Area Number 3. ROM site No evidence of the presence of either Tasmanian Devil or Spotted-tailed Quoll was observed in this survey area. No scats or paw prints of either species was observed however there was little if any soft ground in the location. There was also no evidence, by way of scats, of either Tasmanian Devil prey species, wombats or pademelons in this location. There was no habitat observed within or adjacent to this survey area which would be suitable for denning by either the devil or the quoll. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence was observed in any of the three survey areas which indicated the presence of the Tasmanian Devil or the Spotted-tailed Quoll. The main indicators being scats and/or paw prints, although it is likely that devils are present on random occasions in the vicinity of Survey Area No.1. as wombats as potential prey occur in this location. No key potential habitat for either the Tasmanian Devil or the Spotted-tailed Quoll was present in any of the three areas surveyed. No vegetation or habitat structurally suitable for the Tasmanian Devil or Spotted-tailed Quoll to undertake denning activities was observed in any of the three areas surveyed. There was no observation of wombat burrows as potential devil dens. If there was an active den, particularly a natal den in the locality then indicators of a presence such as scats would have been in evidence. Philip Milner 15 th December /6

6 REFERENCES: 1. North Barker Ecosystem Services (2014) Burns Peak Mine Proposal: Tasmanian Devil and Spottedtailed Quoll Management Plan (updated version) 2. Bryant S & Jackson J, (1999) Tasmania's Threatened Fauna Handbook. Threatened Species Unit, Parks & Wildlife Service, Hobart. 6/6