Metropolitan Adelaide and northern coastal action plan

241 Pages·2009·4.86 MB·English

Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern
Coastal Action Plan 2009

VOLUME 1

Authors

Brian Caton (1)
Doug Fotheringham (2)
Ellen Krahnert (3)
Jill Pearson (4)
Matthew Royal (5)
Ron Sandercock (6)

Prepared for the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board.

(1) Consultant. Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Environmental Management, Flinders University of SA,
(2) Senior Scientific Officer, Coastal Management Branch, Department for Environment and Heritage,
(3) Fauna Consultant, Mount Torrens, South Australia,
(4) Coastal Project Coordinator, Urban Biodiversity Unit, Department for Environment and Heritage,
(5) GIS Analyst, Spatial Information Services Branch, Information, Science and Technology, Department for
Environment and Heritage, and
(6) Coastal Officer, Coastal Management Branch, Department for Environment and Heritage.

This plan is a coastal conservation assessment and coastal action plan for the Metropolitan Adelaide coast between
Sellicks Beach to the Port Wakefield Proof Range and builds upon the Conservation Assessment of the Northern and
Yorke Coast, Far West Coastal Action Plan and Conservation Priority Study and the Southern Fleurieu Coastal Action
Plan and Conservation Priority Study

This publication may be cited as:

Caton B., Fotheringham D., Krahnert E., Pearson J., Royal M. and Sandercock R. 2009. Metropolitan Adelaide and
Northern Coastal Action Plan. Prepared for the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board and Department for
Environment and Heritage

For further information about the Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan 2009 including copies of the
report and electronic GIS data can be obtained from:

Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board
205 Greenhill Road, Eastwood SA 5063
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

Front Cover Photographs Bill Doyle and Glen Ehmke
Back Cover Photographs Bill Doyle

ISBN: [978-0-646-51827-5]

Table of Contents
Table of Contents

Volume 1: CONSERVATION and THREAT ASSESSMENT

Table of Contents (Volumes 1 and 2) i

Volume 1. List of Figures iii

Volume 1. List of Tables iv

Acknowledgements 1

Executive Summary 3

Regional Recommendations 5

Local Action Summary Table 9

1. Introduction 31
1.1. Purpose of the Study 31
1.2. Definition of the Metropolitan Adelaide Coast 31
1.3. Definition of Coastal Cells 33

2. Description Of Themes And Databases 35
2.1. Representation of Themes and Databases 31
2.2. Method of Rating Priority 37
2.3. GIS Datasets Table 52
2.4. Variation of Data Coverage Between Coastal Cells 65

3. Conservation Themes 71
3.1. Flora 71
3.1.1. Native Vegetation Cover 71
3.1.2. Floristic Communities 74
3.1.3. Mangrove and Saltmarsh 78
3.1.4. Threatened Coastal Plant Species 86
3.1.5. Flora Focal Species 88
3.2. Fauna 89
3.2.1. Native Fauna Abundance 89
3.2.2. Threatened Fauna 91
3.2.3. Coastal Dependent Reptiles 100
3.2.4. Butterflies 103
3.2.5. Marine Mammals 104
3.2.6. Species Richness 104
3.2.7. Current Threats 106
3.2.8. Fauna Focal Species 110
3.3. Heritage 115
3.3.1. European Heritage 115
3.3.2. Natural Heritage 117
3.3.3. Aboriginal Heritage 120
Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan i
Table of Contents
3.4. Geology and Geomorphology 121
3.4.1. Geology and Scenery 121
3.4.2. Geology and Heritage 121

4. Threatening Processes 129
4.1. Development Potential 129
4.2. Coastal Viewscape and Viewshed Analysis 129
4.3. Off Road Vehicles 131
4.4. Dumps and Wastewater Treatment Plants 133
4.5. Mining and Exploration 133
4.6. Dune Instability 135
4.7. Cliff Instability 135
4.8. Coastal Acid Sulfate Soils 136
4.9. Environmental Weeds 138
4.9.1. Introduction 138
4.9.2. Methodology for Determining Priority 139
4.9.3. Weeds as a Threatening Process 140
4.9.4. Priority Weeds 145
4.9.5. Managing Weeds 149
4.9.6. Actions 149
4.10. Climate Change 150
4.10.1. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC 150
4.10.2. CSIRO Review of Regional Climate Change Within Australia 151
4.10.3. Summary Scenario for Climate Change for use in Volume 2 152

5. Bibliography 155

Appendices 169
Appendix 1. Coastal Biota (Basic Statistics) 169
Appendix 2. Coastal Mammals 170
Appendix 3. Coastal Birds – Significant 171
Appendix 4. Coastal Birds – Occurrence 173
Appendix 5. Coastal Birds – Movement 176
Appendix 6. Coastal Reptile and Amphibians 177
Appendix 7. Coastal Reptile and Amphibian – Habitat 182
Appendix 8. Coastal Flora – Coastal Dune and Clifftop Plant Communities 185
Appendix 9. Coastal Threatened Flora 196
Appendix 10. Regional Statistics 202
Appendix 11. Summary Tables Conservation and Threatening Processes Score 204
Appendix 12. Government Roles 217
Appendix 13. Glossary of Terms 219

Maps

MAP BASED DETAIL – Digital CD - Access location map folder MANCAP_DigitalMap)
Recommend consult Read Me information prior to activation
Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan ii
List of Figures

List of Figures: Volume 1

Figure 1. Detailed Summary Map of Conservation Values for the Aldinga Scrub area 4
Figure 2. The Extent of the AMLR NRM Metropolitan and Northern Region Coast 31
Figure 3. Example of the Definition of the Coastal Boundary in this Study 32
Figure 4. Number of Unique Flora Sites per Cell 67
Figure 5. Number of Biological Survey Group Records per Cell 68
Figure 6. Number of Fauna Sites per Cell 69
Figure 7. Number of Biological Survey Group Records per Cell 70
Figure 8. Pre-European Vegetation for the Metropolitan Adelaide Region 72
Figure 9. Percent Coverage by Vegetation 75
Figure 10. Onkaparinga River Saltmarsh Complex 82
Figure 11. Barkers Inlet Saltmarsh Complex 83
Figure 12. Penrice Saltmarsh Complex 84
Figure 13. Port Wakefield Proof Range and Parham Saltmarsh Complex 85
Figure 14. Distribution of Australian Sea-lion Sites within the Adelaide Coastal Zone 92
Figure 15. Distribution Map of Painted Dragon Sites within Adelaide Coastal Zone 100
Figure 16. Distribution of Common death adder sites within Adelaide Coastal zone 101
Figure 17. Distribution Map of Yellow-faced Whip snake Sites within Adelaide Coastal Zone 101
Figure 18. Distribution of Four-toed Earless Skink Sites within the Adelaide Coastal Zone 102
Figure 19. Distribution of Mallee Snake-eye sites within the Adelaide Coastal zone 102
Figure 20. Distribution of Hooded Plover Sites 111
Figure 21. Distribution of Yellow Sedge-skipper Sites 113
Figure 22. Distribution of Samphire thornbill Sites within Adelaide Coastal Zone 114
Figure 23. Regional Geology Map 122
Figure 24. Mean Viewscape Values by Cells 130
Figure 25. Mean Viewshed Values by Cells 130
Figure 26. Off Road Vehicle Map for cells MA19 to MA24 132
Figure 27. Weeds Threat Map 146
Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan iii
List of Tables

List of Tables: Volume 1

Table 1. Local Action Summary Table by Council Area 9
Table 2. GIS Datasets 52
Table 3. Broad Floristic Groupings Found in the Study Area 74
Table 4. Dominant Floristic Communities in Metropolitan Adelaide Coast, Coastal Dune and Clifftop Study 1999
76
Table 5. Mangrove and Saltmarsh Habitat Classes 78
Table 6. Saltmarsh Habitats for MACCA Compared with State Total 81
Table 7: National Parks and Wildlife Act (SA Status) for Flora 87
Table 8. Number of Fauna Species Recorded Along the Metropolitan Adelaide Coastline 91
Table 9. List of Threatened Bush Bird Species and their Status Within the Metropolitan Adelaide Coastal Zone
94
Table 10. List of Threatened Wader Species and their Status Within the Metropolitan Adelaide Coastal Zone.
96
Table 11. List of Principal Butterfly Species Occurring within the Adelaide Coastal Zone 103
Table 12. Locations along the Metropolitan Adelaide Coastline That Show to have a Great Diversity of Fauna Species
(birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and butterflies). 105
Table 13. Key Threatening Processes and their Implications to Native Wildlife within the Adelaide Coastal Zone
107
Table 14: European Heritage Sites on the Register of the National Estate 115
Table 15. Natural Heritage Sites within Project Area on the Register of the National Estate 118
Table 16. Mining Tenement and Mangrove/ Saltmarsh by Cell Location 132
Table 17. CSIRO Acid Sulfate Soil Map Classes for South Australia 134
Table 18. Nature Conservation Society Bushland Condition Monitoring Manual Weed Threat Categories 137
Table 19. Weed Value Allocation System 137
Table 20: Metropolitan Adelaide Coastal Region Priority Environmental Weeds and Associated Threat Values
138

Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan iv
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements

This project has received help from many different sources. In particular the Steering Committee of Geoff Booth, Andy
Day, Belinda Dohring, Rata Luckens, Liz Millington, Heath Newberry, Jo Park, Anne Picard, Renee Pitcher, Verity
Saunders, Caroline Taylor, Jason Tyndall, Andy Walker and Tony Flaherty from the AMLR NRM Board.

Many people involved in caring for the coast, have been kind enough to give time to discuss the project, discuss issues
in the field, and/or comment on drafts.

The lack of fauna records for the metropolitan coast became evident early in the study. Ellen Krahnert would especially
wish to thank Tim Milne from the Nature Conservation Society of South Australia (NCSSA) for providing valuable reptile
information on species distribution, status and habitat preference, and Graham Carpenter who provided similar
information for threatened bird species of the region. During this project other fauna experts provided information on data
collation and validation, species distribution and the ecology of significant species, which include:

• M. Hutchison, D. Stemmer, C. Kemper, A. Machado, T. Reardon and J. Forest (South Australian Museum),
• D. Armstrong (Department for Environment and Heritage),
• R. Grund,
• P. Paton (South Australian Ornithological Association), and
• D. Close (South Australian Ornithological Association).

Acknowledgements for additional fauna data contributions and support also include:

• N. Hudson (Aldinga Bay Coastcare Group),
• M. Ellis and E. St George (Fleurieu Birdwatchers),
• E. Stephens (Coast and Marine Conservation Branch),
• G. Armstrong and A. McLeod (Friends of Moana Sands CP),
• D. Arnold and V. Hagen (Friends of Port Stanvac),
• J. Tyndall (City of Holdfast Bay),
• N. Vollmer (City of Onkaparinga),
• R. Luckens (City of Charles Sturt),
• C. Malcom and T. Bainbridge (Friends of Onkaparinga NP),
• P. Goonan (Environment Protection Authority),
• H. Owens and N. Neagle (Bioknowledge SA),
• A. Picard (District Council of Mallala),
• A. Day (Adelaide & Mt Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board),
• N. Davies,
• P. Coleman and F. Cook (Delta Environmental Consulting),
• N. Crouch (Friends of Tennyson Dunes and Friends of Gulf of St Vincent),
• P. Copley and S. Gillam (Threatened Species Unit),
• J. Drexel and H. McSkimming (Friends of Aldinga Scrub CP),
• A Walker (City of Port Adelaide and Enfield),
• T. Fuhlbohm (National Parks and Wildlife,)
• B. Anderson (Defence Support Group, Department of Defence, Defence Science and Technology
Organisation), and
• R. Sandercock (Coastal Management Branch).

Biological survey flora data has been greatly enriched by the surveys provided from:

• Ron Taylor (Sellicks Beach to Kingston Park),
• Peri Coleman and Faith Cook (Delta Environmental Consulting Le Fevre Peninsula to Middle Spit),
• Bob Anderson (Port Wakefield Proof Range), and
• Urban Forests Unit, Department for Environment and Heritage (Claire Lock and Simon Cordingley).

Peri Coleman made insightful comments on cells MA14 to 24 and the regional recommendations in Volume 2 Chapter 8.
Nikola Vollmer and Ben Moulton made extensive comments on cell descriptions MA1 to 10.

Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan 1
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements for flora data contributions, help and support include:

• A. Eaton,
• B. Randell,
• V. Hagen,
• R. Fergusson,
• K. McMahon,
• C. McMahon,
• P. Green,
• G. Carpenter,
• S. Detmar, and
• J. Quinn.

Foot note: The project was based on a methodology devised by Doug Fotheringham, Nerissa Haby and Matthew Royal
for a study of the Northern Yorke NRM region, (Caton et al. 2006), which in turn arose from an initiative of Tim Noyce of
Information Science and Technology, Department of Environment and Heritage.

Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan 2
Executive Summary
Executive Summary

This is a conservation assessment and coastal action plan for the Adelaide coast between Sellicks Beach and the Port
Wakefield Proof Range1. The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges (AMLR) Natural Resources Management (NRM) Board
has funded the study. The Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) has provided resources to enable
consultants and DEH staff to undertake this project. There are nine local government bodies within the region and
representatives of each made up a steering committee that guided the project, together with staff representation from the
AMLR NRM Board.

The goal of the study is to understand and facilitate the conservation, protection and maintenance of the region’s natural
coastal resources and to establish conservation priorities for places and areas within the region. The Board recognised:

(cid:131) The need for a detailed review of the state of the coastal natural resource asset of the region, thus establishing
a baseline statement for the region,
(cid:131) To examine the threatening processes,
(cid:131) To identify opportunities for more effective management at the local scale and to define specific management
actions and their priority, and
(cid:131) To establish a framework of broad actions and targets to guide the regional community.

For the purposes of the assessment a coastal boundary was defined based on natural coastal features such as dunes
and salt marshes; where coastal landforms were ill-defined a default distance of 500 metres from the high water mark
was used. In order to facilitate the analysis and discuss management issues within this coastal zone, it was divided into
‘cells’ or small sub regional landform units with an average mapping length of 6 kilometres. 24 of these were defined and
were used as a means to analyse, describe and map significant areas.

The study used Geographic Information Systems software to collate, analyse and present information retrieved from
government databases, together with information from community groups and local experts. 31 conservation and 18
threat datasets were used to create 49 digital maps (or ‘layers’). Each layer showed values from 0 to 9 for each pixel on
the map: any one layer consisted of millions of such values set out on a fixed grid. Thus conservation values or threat
values could be summed for each point on the map of the region. As an example a detailed map of the sum of
conservation values for the area in and around Aldinga Scrub is shown below in Figure 1.

Conservation and threat values were determined for all cells, both in detail and as averages for the whole cell: where
high conservation values were in the same, or relevant, location as high threat values this was taken to indicate a high
priority for action to manage the threat. A major part of the report is the description and analysis of cells, including local
management action recommendations. Where local conservation values and threats identified a wider regional issue and
appropriate action, these were discussed and actions proposed in chapter 8 ‘Regional Management Proposals’. The
authors of the report believe this represents an objective and verifiable way of establishing priority for action in managing
conservation values of this coastal part of the AMLR region. The final report of the project is in hard copy, and on disk,
which includes the digital maps and a GIS tool to interpret them.

Regional recommendations for action are set out below, followed by a summary table for local actions.

1 The study commenced in late 2007 when the AMLR region extended to near Port Gawler, the northern boundary of the
City of Playford. This boundary was extended later to include the coastal lands of the District Council of Mallala, and this
change in the AMLR boundary was gazetted in July 2008.
Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan 3
Executive Summary

Figure 1. Detailed Summary Map of Conservation Values for the Aldinga Scrub area. Deep red colours show the highest totals,
grading through to deep blue, the lowest totals.

Metropolitan Adelaide and Northern Coastal Action Plan 4