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A VERTEBRATE FAUNA SURVEY OF THE NORTH LAKE CAREY REGION

including the

HILLSIDE PROSPECT

WALLABY PROSPECT

JUST IN TIME / JUST IN CASE

and

TEATREE DAM AREA

Report prepared by J.N. Dunlop and W. Payne

School of Environmental Biology

Curtin University of Technology

For

Placer (Granny Smith) and Homestake

March 1999 30 pp

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS i

SUMMARY 1

1. PREAMBLE 1

2. INTRODUCTION 3

3. SURVEY METHODS 4

3.1 Small Vertebrate Live-trapping 7 3.2 Visual Surveys 9 3.3 Bat Fauna 9 3.4 Specimen Collection 9

4. RESULTS OF SURVEY 9

4.1 Small Vertebrate Ground Fauna 10 4.2 Large Vertebrates 10 4.3 Bird Fauna 12 4.4 Bat Fauna 12

5. DISCUSSION 12

5.1 Small Vertebrate Fauna 12 5.1 Hillside Prospect 17 5.2 Wallaby Prospect 17 5.3 Teatree Dam 18 5.4 Just in Time Prospect 18 5.5 Haul Road 18

6. REFERENCES 19

7. APPENDIX A: 20

8 APPENDIX B 24

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Location map for the Placer Granny Smith project area showing the bioclimatic zones for Western Australia. 2

Figure 2: Placer Granny Smith Prospects Hillside, Wallaby and Just in

Time / Just in Case. 3

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Habitat descriptions of detailed study sites giving the reference code, sub-project area, Latitude, Longitude, vegetation strata and substrate details. 5

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Table 2: Trapping effort (trap days) for small vertebrates during the survey 8 Table 3: Small vertebrate captures from the ten trap clusters established

in the study area 11 Table 4: The Small Vertebrates of the Lake Carey Region based on

surveys conducted at eight mining prospects. 14

LIST OF PLATES

Plate 1: Small ground vertebrate trapping at HB1, Hillside Prospect. 25 Plate 2: Small ground vertebrate trapping area at WS1 Wallaby (Placer)

Prospect. 25 Plate 3: Small ground vertebrate trapping area at WS2, Just in Case

(Homestake) Prospect. 26 Plate 4: Small ground vertebrate trapping area at WM 1, Wallaby (Placer)

Prospect 26 Plate 5: Small vertebrate trapping area at WM2 Wallaby (Homestake)

Prospect. 27 Plate 6: Small vertebrate trapping area at TM1, Teatree Dam Area. 27 Plate 7: Small ground vertebrate trapping area at TC 1, Teatree Dam

Area. 28 Plate 8: Small ground vertebrate trapping area at JS1 South of Just in

Time Prospect 28 Plate 9: Small ground vertebrate trapping area JS2, South of Just in

Time Prospect. 29 Plate 10: Small ground vertebrate trapping area JS3, North of Just in

Time Prospect Area. 29 Plate 11: Small ground vertebrate trapping area at JS4 North of Just in

Time Prospect Area. 30 Plate 12: Small ground vertebrate trapping area at JR1 South-east of

Just in Time Prospect 30

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SUMMARY

A fauna survey was conducted at the Hillside, Wallaby, Just in Time / Case Prospects and in the Teatree Dam area in the north Lake Carey region in January and February 1999. The survey identified 3 frogs, 25 reptiles and 7 native mammals from the area.

None of the frogs, reptiles or mammals recorded during this survey are listed as rare or otherwise in need of special protection under the Wildlife Conservation Act (1964). The collection of an apparently undescribed Blindsnake in the Just in Time / Case area, referred to as ‘Ramphotyphlops affin margarethae’, is of biological importance. Should this species prove to be a local endemic it may be considered of special conservation significance. At this stage it should be considered a management priority species for project development purposes.

1. PREAMBLE

Placer Granny Smith Pty Ltd is a gold producer operating on mining tenements in the northern Lake Carey area located south of Laverton in the north-eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia (Figure 1). The readily accessible ore reserves at the Granny Smith Mine have largely been mined out and the operation is now substantially based on satellite orebodies located at some distance from the CIP plant. Ore is currently hauled from the Sunrise Pit approximately 32 km south of Granny Smith and mining will shortly commence at Jubilee about 15 km to the south-south east.

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Figure1: Location map for the Placer Granny Smith project area showing the bioclimatic zones for Western Australia

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Exploration has indicated that gold reserves may exist beneath Lake Carey and in 1997 a strategic study of the terrestrial flora and fauna of the Lake system was commissioned by Placer Granny Smith (Brearley et al. 1997). An aquatic survey of Lake Carey is in progress but its completion is dependent on appropriate rainfall events.

Regional exploration by Placer and Homestake has now identified ore reserves at three other prospects close to the eastern shores of Lake Carey between 3.5 and 10 km from Granny Smith. These prospects are known as Hillside, Wallaby, and Just in Time / Just in Case (Figure 2). This report presents the results of a vertebrate fauna survey conducted in the region defined by these prospects and a significant freshwater modified claypan area known as Teatree Dam (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Placer Granny Smith Prospects Hillside, Wallaby and Just in Time / Just in Chance (see insert).

2. INTRODUCTION

Lake Carey and its associated aeolian landforms (kopi and quartz sand dunes) lies within the north-west to south-east trending belts of greenstone which are highly prospective for gold and other minerals. A number of significant goldmines are now operating close to the Lake or on its shores and mining within its boundaries (as defined by the lake sediment) is likely to occur in the future. A detailed description of the lake and the origin of its associated landforms is available in the Lake Carey terrestrial study (Brearley et al. 1997).

The study area lies within the mulga zone of central Western Australia. The mulga ecosystem straddles the compensating line between winter and summer rainfall (Figure 1). Laverton receives precipitation from winter frontal systems and summer thunderstorms and dissipating tropical cyclones, the latter being responsible for intermittent filling of the Lake. The region around Laverton has an average annual rainfall slightly below 250mm and is classified as arid.

A number of flora and fauna surveys have now been conducted in the northern Lake Carey region in association with exploration and mining project development. A number of these surveys have involved significant field time and trapping effort and collectively now provide a reasonable basis for a faunistic assessment of the region. As well as presenting the results of the current survey, this report will draw on data from the Sunrise prospect (Ninox Wildlife Consulting 1995), Lake Carey islands (Brearley et al. 1997), Horses Head peninsula (Brearley et al. 1997) and the Jubilee prospect (Dunlop et al. 1998).

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3. SURVEY METHODS

A combined survey was conducted of the Hillside, Wallaby, Just in Time and Just in Case prospects and the Teatree Dam area. Access within the Teatree Dam claypan was denied by the Aboriginal custodians, and therefore no survey methods involving physical contact with the area were conducted. A smaller claypan with similar vegetation but no surface water immediately to the east was surveyed as a surrogate.

Detailed sampling sites and traplines were established between 20 and 22 December 1998 and data collection was carried out from 28 December 1998 to 4 January 1999 inclusive. Twelve representative habitat areas were selected as detailed sampling sites, 1 at Hillside, 2 at Teatree Dam, 4 at Wallaby and 5 at Just in Time / Case. A full description of the habitats sampled at the detailed sites is provided in Table 1.

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TABLE 1: Habitat descriptions of detailed study sites giving the reference code, sub-project area, Latitude, Longitude, vegetation strata and substrate details. Vegetation descriptions follow the life form / height / density classes of Muir (1977).

Code Location Latitude/Longitude Vegetation Description HB 1 Hillside Prospect 28º 50' 33" S, 122º 22' 19" E Cratystylis subspinescens and Maireana pyramidata low scrub B

over Atriplex holocarpa and Sclerolaena spp open herbfield on red-clay loam with scattered pebble.(Plate 1)

WS 1 Wallaby (Placer) Prospect 28º 51' 20" S, 122º 18' 13" E Halosarcia halocnemoides open dwarf scrub D on hypersaline sandy clay loam lake sediment.(Plate 2)

WS 2 Just in Case (Homestake) Prospect

28º 50' 49" S, 122º 17' 49" E Atriplex vesicaria and Frankenia cinerea dwarf scrub D abutting Halosarcia indica open dwarf scrub C on sandy loam of broad drainage channel entering Lake Carey.(Plate 3)

WM 1 Wallaby (Placer) Prospect 28º 50' 40" S, 122º 18' 39" E Mulga Acacia aneura (broad-leaved) open low woodland B over Atriplex vesicaria, Gunniopsis quadrifida and Enchyleana tomentosa open dwarf scrub D over Eragrostis spp and Aristida contorta open bunch grassland on red quartzitic sand dune. (Plate 4)

WM 2 Wallaby (Homestake) Prospect

28º 50' 48" S, 122º 17' 50" E Mulga Acacia aneura (broad - leaved) open low woodland B over Maireana spp, Atriplex vesicaria and Gunniopsis quadrifida open dwarf scrub C on red quartzitic sand dune. (Plate 5)

TM 1 Teatree Dam Area 28º 51' 09" S, 122º 18' 49" E Mulga Acacia aneura (broad - leaved) open low woodland B over Maireana pyramidata dwarf scrub C over Eragrostis spp and Aristida contorta open bunch grassland on red quartzitic sand dune. (Plate 6)

TC 1 Teatree Dam Area 28º 50' 42" S, 122º 19' 07" E Melaleuca uncinata low woodland B on low salinity claypan. (Plate 7)

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TABLE 1: cont’d

Code Location Latitude/Longitude Vegetation Description JS 1 South of Just in Time

Prospect 28º 49' 12" S, 122º 18' 10" E Eucalyptus lucassii shrub mallee (clumped) over Triodia

basedowii hummock grassland on red sand. (Plate 8) JS 2 South of Just in Time

Prospect 28º 49' 11" S, 122º 18' 06" E Acacia ligulata and Hakea arida scrub over Triodia basedowii

hummock grassland on red sand. (Plate 9) JS 3 North of Just in Time

Prospect Area 28º 49' 02" S, 122º18' 06" E Scattered Brachychiton gregorii trees over Acacia ligulata scrub

over Triodia basedowii hummock grassland on red sand. (Plate 10)

JS 4 North of Just in Time Prospect Area

28º 48' 41" S, 122º 18' 15" E Eucalyptus lucassii open shrub mallee over Triodia basedowii hummock grassland on red sand. (Plate 11)

JR 1 South east of Just in Time Prospect

28º 49' 08" S, 122º 18' 12" E Mulga Acacia aneura and Acacia ramulosa open scrub over Ptilotus obovatus open dwarf scrub B on outcropping banded iron. (Plate 12)

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3.1 Small Vertebrate Live-trapping

At ten (10) of the detailed sampling sites a standard mixed trap cluster was installed. Each cluster consisted of the following configuration.

a) a pitfall and drift cluster consisting of five empty 20 litre chlorine buckets buried with the opening flush with the ground surface. The pitfall traps were arranged in a cross pattern, with a central hole and four outer holes at the end of 5m arms. Each outer trap was connected to the central one by 5m of 0.6m high, flywire drift fence. The base of the drift fence was inserted into a furrow 25 - 50mm below the soil surface. The traps were shaded by the lids (raised 5 - 10cm on sticks) during the day and were fully open at night.

b) Two wire cage Tomahawk traps were set at each detailed study, 10m from the end of two of the drift fence arms.

c) Two Elliott aluminium box traps (size C) were set at positions 10m from the end of the remaining two drift fence arms.

At two sites where it was not practicable to establish pitfall traplines (i.e. TC1 and JR 1) trap lines of Tomahawk and/or Elliott traps were used. Elliott and Tomahawk traps were baited with cat biscuits, which contain strong mammal attractants.

All traps were checked twice a day, early in the morning and again early afternoon. A summary of trapping effort is provided in Table 2. Pitfall trapping effort includes supplementary trap days conducted by Granny Smith personnel in February 1999.

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TABLE 2: Trapping effort (trap days) for small vertebrates during the survey. HB1 WS1 WS2 WM1 WM2 TM1 TC1 JS1 JS2 JS3 JS4 JR1 TOTAL Pitfall (driftline) 45 45 45 45 45 100 - 95 95 95 95 - 705 Tomahawk Cage 16 16 16 16 16 16 80 16 16 16 16 16 320 Elliot Box 16 16 16 16 16 16 - 16 16 16 16 72 232

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3.2 Visual Surveys

Birds, large mammals and reptiles, tracks and signs were recorded opportunistically as the observed moved about the study area. Much of the study area was also visited at night in conjunction with bat sampling activities.

The bird fauna was also assessed using standardised 30 minute searches conducted in representative habitat areas around the detailed study sites. These were conducted during early to mid morning when air temperatures were relatively low. A total of 5 observer hours were spent on standardised bird survey.

3.3 Bat Fauna

Assessment of the local bat fauna was severely inhibited by our inability to access the water body at Teatree Dam. Mist netting over this focal water source at this time would have allowed the detection of most species present in the area.

Mist nets were set up two several nights in the Melaleuca uncinata woodland at the minor claypan east of Teatree Dam (A total of 10 net hours). Another was set close to a prospective dead Brachychiton spout in the hummock grassland habitat near the Just in Time prospect (1 net hour). Opportunities to capture bats were however limited.

3.4 Specimen Collection

A limited number of vertebrate animal specimens were collected (45) where this was necessary to confirm species identifications or to establish distributional records. The specimens were kept frozen (which allows for some tissue analysis) and lodged with the Western Australian Museum and accessed to the collection by Laurie Smith and Ken Aplin of the Department of Birds and Reptiles.

4. RESULTS OF SURVEY

With the exception of the Hillside prospect area, all the study sites investigated in this survey were associated with Lake Carey landforms including lacustrine sediments, subsidiary saline drainages and claypans and red quartzitic sands. Most of the habitats sampled were allied to those investigated in previous surveys at the Sunrise prospect, on the Lake Carey islands and Horses Head peninsula. This survey provided the first opportunity to sample hummock grassland communities on red quartzitic sand as this habitat was not present in the other survey areas.

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4.1 Small Vertebrate Ground Fauna

The current survey produced 30 species of small ground frequenting vertebrate animals (28 in traps). Table 3 shows the number of individuals of each species captured at each of the detailed sampling sites. Frogs were widespread in the sandy habitats of the study area following rain between 10 and 12 February 1999. Three species of Neobatrachus were captured but two of these taxa can only be identified by their vocalizations (referred to as species A & B). An examination of the distribution of reptile captures amongst the traplines shows that diversity was low at most sites (maximum species being 8 and 10) compared with the overall diversity. This probably reflects the low small vertebrate densities and the stochastic nature of the results.

Several reptiles were widely distributed in a range of habitats including the skink Ctenotus leonhardii, Geckoes Diplodactylus squarrosus and Heteronotia binoei and dragon Pogona minor. The fossorial skink Lerista desertorum and the gecko Nephurus vertebralis were probably associated with red quartz sand substrates regardless of the vegetation type. The litter dwelling skink Lerista muelleri was probably associated with the litter deposits under the mulga canopy and the arboreal monitor Varanus caudolineatus with the mulga trees. The dragon Ctenophorus salinarum was restricted to saline samphire and saltbush close to the margin of Lake Carey.

The opportunity to sample hummock grassland habitats detected a number of reptile species which have hitherto not been recorded in the Lake Carey region. The hummock grassland species included the pygopods Lialis burtonis, Pygopus nigriceps and Delma nasuta, the geckos Diplodactylus elderi and Nephurus vertebralis, skink Ctenotus helenae and blind snake Ramphotyphlops affin. margarethae.

It was anticipated that sampling the hummock grasslands would add to the two native mammal species hitherto recorded for the habitats of Lake Carey. Small mammals occurred at very low densities in the area but eventually Ride’s Ningaui - Ningaui ridei and the Spinifex Hopping Mouse Notomys alexis were captured in these habitats.

4.2 Large Vertebrates

Both Red Kangaroos Macropus rufa and Euros Macropus robustus were observed during the survey the latter being confined to the banded iron ridges and hummock grassland around Just in Time. The scats of an Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus were found close to detailed sampling site WM 1 in the Wallaby prospect area.

The raptorial monitor lizard Varanus gouldii was observed more frequently on red-earth soils away from the lake (e.g. Hillside prospect area) but tracks indicated it was also present in most other habitats. A juvenile was pit-trapped at WM 1 at the Wallaby prospect (Table 3).

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TABLE 3: Small vertebrate captures from the 10 trap clusters established in the study area

HB1 WS1 WS2 WM1 WM2 TM1 JS1 JS2 JS3 JS4 TOTAL CAPTURES

AMPHIBIANS Neobatrachus sp. A 2 3 5 Neobatrachus sp. B 1 1 Neobatrachus wilsmorei 3 1 4 REPTILES Diplodactylus elderi 2 1 1 4 Diplodactylus squarrosus 2 2 1 5 2 1 13 Gehyra variegata 1 1 1 1 4 Heteronotia binoei 3 2 1 2 8 Nephrurus vertebralis 1 1 2 Delma nasuta 1 1 Lialis burtonis 1 1 Pygopus nigriceps 1 1 Ctenophorus inermis 1 1 Ctenophorus maculatus 2 2 Ctenophorus reticulatus 1 1 Ctenophorus salinarum 1 2 3 Pogona minor 2 1 1 2 1 7 Ctenotus helenae 1 2 2 5 Ctenotus leonhardii 4 6 7 3 6 3 2 31 Lerista desertorum 1 4 2 1 1 1 10 Lerista muelleri 1 1 Menetia greyii 1 1 2 Varanus caudolineatus 1 1 Varanus gouldii 1 1 2 Ramphotyphlops hamatus 1 1 2 Ramphotyphlops affin. margarethae

1 1

Simoselaps bertholdi 1 1 MAMMALS Ningaui ridei 1 1 Notomys alexis 1 1 Total Species 3 1 5 10 6 7 6 7 7 13 28/116

HB1 - Hillside Bluebush, WS1 - Wallaby Samphire, WS2 - Wallaby Samphire/Saltbush, WM1 - Wallaby Mulga, WM2 – Wallaby Mulga, TM1 – T Tree Dam Mulga, JS1 - 4 - Just in Time Triodia.

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4.3 Bird Fauna

Forty (40) species of birds were recorded during current survey. These observations are presented as an annotated list in Appendix 1. The habitats at Hillside, Wallaby and Just in Time were open dwarf shrublands, woodlands and mallee. Dense mulga woodlands that typically occur on red-earths along drainage lines or as groves on outwash plains did not occur near these prospects. As such the bird fauna was relatively depauperate and consisted of “open country” species whilst birds associated regionally with denser patches of vegetation such as whistlers, robins, thornbills, babblers and mistletoe-birds were largely absent.

The observations in Appendix 1 indicate the importance of the freshwater source at Teatree Dam, with many birds concentrated in the immediate area. The presence of the water attracts seed feeding Emus, pigeons and cockatoos and apparently allows Magpies, Magpie-larks and Spotted Bowerbirds to occupy the surrounding mulga woodlands. There may be some general enhancement of biological productivity in the vicinity of the claypans, which also increases the abundance of birds not directly on surface water.

4.4 Bat Fauna

A number of bat species were observed at dusk around Teatree Dam and these animals were clearly visiting the impounded surface water. However permission to access the water for mist netting was not forthcoming as the area is an ethnographic site.

A male Eptesicus regulus was found roosting in one of the adits at the Hole in the Hill, just west of the Hillside prospect. A male Lesser Long-eared Bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi was mist netted outside the dead spout of an old Kurrajong in hummock grassland near the Just in Time prospect. Further surveys need to be conducted to fully identify the local bat fauna.

5. DISCUSSION

5.1 Small Vertebrate Fauna

Vertebrate fauna surveys involving significant live-trapping effort have now been undertaken at eight localities in the northern Lake Carey region (Ninox Wildlife Consulting 1995, Brearley et al. 1997 and Dunlop et al. 1998). These surveys have identified a regional herptile (reptile and frog) fauna of 50 species but only two species of terrestrial mammal have been recorded. The results of the biological survey work to date are summarised in Table 4. The fauna habitats investigated have been generalised into 11 units for the purposes of comparing the occurrence of vertebrate animals between localities (Table 4).

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TABLE 4: The Small Vertebrates of the Lake Carey Region based on surveys conducted at eight mining prospects. The habitats in which the small vertebrates were collected are denoted as follows:

Lake depositional landforms (L) LS Samphire dwarf scrub on lake sediments LA Saltbush (Atriplex) dwarf scrub on kopi or sandy clays LB Bluebush (Maireana or Cratystylis) dwarf scrub on saline flats, claypans LC Black Oak (Casuarina) open woodlands on kopi LM Mulga open woodlands on red quartzitic sand LT Triodia hummock grasslands on red quartzitic sand LF Freshwater claypans fringed with Melaleuca uncinata Shield Desert Landforms (S) SB Bluebush dwarf scrub on stoney plains and colluvial slopes SM1 Open mulga on red earths SM2 Dense mulga on red earths in drainages or groves SI Outcrop (generally of banded iron) Sunrise Islands Horse’s Head Jubilee Hillside Wallaby T-Tree Just in Time FROGS LEPTODACTYLIDAE Neobatrachus sp. A LT Neobatrachus sp. B LT Neobatrachus sutor LF,LC,SI,LM Neobatrachus wilsmorei LF,LM LM LT HYLIDAE Cyclorana platycephala LF REPTILES GEKKONIDAE Diplodactylus elderi LT

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TABLE 4: cont’d

Sunrise Islands Horse’s Head Jubilee Hillside Wallaby T-Tree Just in Time Diplodactylus maini LS,LM,LC Diplodactylus pulcher LM Diplodactylus squarrosus LM,LS,LA LM LT Gehyra variegata LM,SI LC LC LB LT Heteronotia binoei LC,SI LM LB LT Nephrurus vertebralis LM LT Rhynchoedura ornata LM LM Underwoodisaurus milii LC PYGOPODIDAE Delma nasuta LT Lialis burtonis LT Pygopus nigriceps LT AGAMIDAE Ctenophorus fordi LM Ctenophorus inermis LM SB LM,LS,LA LM Ctenophorus maculatus LM LC LM Ctenophorus reticularis LM Ctenophorus salinarum LM,LC LC,LA,LS LA,LS LS, LA Moloch horridus LM Pogona minor LC LC,LM LM LT Tympanocryptis cephalus LM,SI LB SCINCIDAE Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus LC LM Ctenotus greari SM1 Ctenotus helenae LT Ctenotus leonhardii LM,SM1 LM LM LB LM,LA,LS LM LT Ctenotus uber SM1 Ctenotus schomburgkii SM1

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TABLE 4: cont’d Sunrise Islands Horse’s Head Jubilee Hillside Wallaby T-Tree Just in Time

Cyclodomorphus melanops LC Egernia depressa SM1,SI Egernia formosa SM1 SM2 Lerista bipes LM Lerista desertorum LC,LM LM LM LT Lerista muelleri LM LM LM Menetia greyii LM,LC LM,LC LM LM Morethia butleri LM,SM1 SM1,SM2 VARANIDAE Varanus brevicauda SM1 Varanus caudolineatus LM,SM1 SM2 LM Varanus gouldii SB SM1 LM LM LT TYPHLOPIDAE Ramphotyphlops bituberculatus LC Ramphotyphlops hamatus LM LT Ramphotyphlops aff. margarethae LT ELAPIDAE Denisonia fasciata LM Pseudechis australis SI LA,LB Pseudonaja nuchalis LM Rhinoplocephalus monarchus LS Simoselaps bertholdi LM

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TABLE 4: Cont’d Sunrise Islands Horse’s Head Jubilee Hillside Wallaby T-Tree Just in Time

MAMMALS DASYURIDAE Ningaui ridei LT Notomys alexis LT Sminthopsis crassicaudata LS MURIDAE Mus domesticus LM LM Pseudomys bolami LB SM1

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The current survey identified a number of taxa which had not been recorded in previous surveys including Diplodactylus squarrosus, Nephrurus vertebralis, Delma nasuta, Lialis burtonis, Pygopus nigriceps, Ctenotus helenae, Ramphotyphlops affin. margarethae and Simoselaps bertholdi and the mammals Ningaui ridei and Notomys alexis. With the exception of D. squarrosus and S. Bertholdi, all of these reptiles were captured in the hummock grassland habitats which were sampled for the first time at the Just in Time / Case prospect. This is also the case for the mammals Ningaui ridei and Notomys alexis.

Some closely related "sibling species" appear to come into contact at Lake Carey including the dragons Ctenophorus maculatus and C. fordi and the Geckos Diplodactylus maini and D. squarrosus and there could be some local hybridization.

A blind snake collected at the Just in Time prospect closely resembles Ramphotyphlops margarethae, a taxon known only from a single specimen from Lake Throssel 200 km north-east of the study area. However the specimen collected does not agree entirely with the current description of R. margarethae and may be undescribed taxon. Further work needs to be done on the taxonomy and conservation status of this blind snake.

5.1 Hillside Prospect

The saltbush and bluebush dwarf scrub which covers most of the Hillside prospect has suffered severe soil deflation from overgrazing, apparently centred on watering points to the east. Few wildlife habitat values remain and the resident ground fauna may well be restricted to the three common lizard species captured.

5.2 Wallaby Prospect

The Wallaby prospect is a mosaic of red quartzite dune, saline flat, drainage and claypan habitats which are widely replicated on both the eastern and western lake shores. The fauna encountered was similar to that encountered in the equivalent habitats at Sunrise, the Horses Head peninsula and on the Islands. The latter appear to have fewer species due to their restricted habitat areas (Brearley et al. 1997).

No fauna conservation issues were identified for the Wallaby prospect although revegetation and fauna return to rehabilitated mined waste in this environment may pose some difficulties. This is because the landform and substrate types present after mining will not resemble the habitat types present in the premining environment.

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5.3 Teatree Dam

Bird activity, numbers and species richness were higher in the Teatree Dam area due to the presence of surface water, habitat variation and possibly to slightly elevated biological productivity. The claypans which pond freshwater for varying periods of time are an important resource to local wildlife, particularly seed feeding and frugivorous birds, macropods and bats, and every effort should be made to prevent these being disturbed. An adequate buffer zone between these features and any mining activity should be designated in the project planning process. The buffer zone should also protect the catchment for the claypan as altered drainage may lead to its salinisation.

5.4 Just in Time / Case Prospect

This is an area of hummock grassland and mallee on red sand abutting a ridge of banded iron. This habitat appears to be relatively limited in the region and has a distinctive reptile and mammal fauna.

There was an expectation that the hummock grassland would increase the number of small mammals, particularly dasyurids (marsupial mice), recorded for the Lake Carey region. Although mammal densities were low, two additional species were ultimately captured in these habitats. Both Ningaui ridei and Notomys alexis have strong associations with hummock grassland habitats.

The blind snake Ramphotyphlops affin. margarethae was captured on the prospect. This species is of conservation interest as it is either, a little known species which may have a restricted range, or is an undescribed taxon which could be a local endemic.

5.5 Haul Road

At the time of the survey the alignment of the proposed haul road linking Hillside and Wallaby to the Granny Smith mill had not been determined. There are unlikely to be any significant fauna issues for any route in the general area however the impact on wildlife populations would be minimised if;

a) the alignment avoids the freshwater claypan habitats including the two features in the Teatree Dam area, and

b) care is taken to avoid drainage shadow affects in dense mulga on at least one drainage line between Hillside and Wallaby.

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6. REFERENCES

Brearley, D.R., Dunlop, J.N. & J.M. Osborne (1997). The terrestrial flora and

fauna of Lake Carey. Curtin University of Technology, Mine Rehabilitation Group. Report prepared for the Placer Granny Smith Gold Mine.

Dunlop, J.N., Payne, W. & J.M. Osborne (1998). Vertebrate fauna assessment of the Jubilee Deposit area. Curtin University of Technology, Mine Rehabilitation Group. Report prepared for the Placer Granny Smith Gold Mine.

Muir, B.G. (1977). Biological survey of the Western Australian wheatbelt Part 2: Vegetation and habitat of Bendering Reserve. Western Australian Museum.

Ninox Wildlife Consulting (1995). A vertebrate fauna assessment of the Sunrise Dam Project area. A report prepared for Acacia Resources.

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7. APPENDIX A:

Annotated list of the bird species recorded within the Hillside, Wallaby, Teatree Dam and Just in Time areas during the biological survey.

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Emu - Dromaius novaehollandiae Emu scats or tracks were observed at all survey areas. Several birds were observed in the Just in Time area. Grey Teal - Anas gibberifrons A small flock was observed at Teatree Dam. Brown Goshawk - Accipiter fasciatus One observed in mulga woodland near Teatree Dam. Collared Sparrowhawk - Accipiter cirrocephalus One observed in mallee in Just in Time area. Brown Falcon - Falco berigora Several observations, one just east of the Hillside prospect. Australian Kestrel - Falco cendroides Common in open country on the edge of Lake Carey at Wallaby and east of the Hillside prospect. Letter-winged Kite - Elanus scriptus Several sighted in close proximity in overgrazed country to the east of the Hillside Prospect. Black-tailed Native Hen - Gallinula ventralis Several close to the open water of Teatree Dam. Common Bronzewing - Phaps chalcoptera Common around Teatree Dam and visiting the pool in numbers at dusk. Also observed at Just in Time. Crested Pigeon - Ocyphaps lophotes Common around Teatree Dam and also observed near Just in Time. Cockatiel - Nymphicus hollandicus Flocks were observed visiting Teatree Dam. Galah - Cacatua roseicapilla Observed at Wallaby, Teatree Dam and Just in Time. Welcome Swallow - Hirundo neoxena A few skimming insects over Teatree Dam. Tree Martin - Hirundo nigricans Observed around Teatree Dam and a water trap dam east of Hillside.

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Richard's Pipit - Anthus novaeseelandiae Common on open herbfield and grassland on the edge of Lake Carey at Wallaby and on the Hillside Prospect. Ground Cuckoo Shrike - Coracina maxima Observed in open mulga woodland around Teatree Dam. Black - faced Cuckoo Shrike - Coracina novaehollandiae Observed at Wallaby, Teatree Dam and Just in Time. White-winged Triller - Lalage sueurii One observation in mulga woodland abutting Teatree Dam claypan. Grey Shrike-Thrush - Collurincla harmonica Scarce, heard or observed in mulga woodland abutting Teatree Dam and in mallee at Just in Time. Crested Bellbird - Oreoica gutturalis Scarce, heard in mallee at Just in Time. Willy Wagtail - Rhipidura leucophrys Observed several times in mulga scrub east of the Hillside prospect. Western Flyeater - Gerygone fusca One observation in Acacia scrub on the slopes of a banded iron ridge at Just in Time. Weebill - Smicrornis brevirostris Parties of Weebills were observed in the mallee stratum at Just in Time. Chestnut-rumped Thornbill - Acanthiza uropygialis Several groups observed in clumps of Acacia at Just in Time. White-winged Fairy-wren - Malurus leucopterus leucopterus Two groups observed, one in sage and bluebush dwarf scrub north of the hole in the hill (ie. north -east of the Hillside prospect) and another in Hakea priessii and bluebush scrub between the two freshwater claypans at Teatree Dam. Singing Honeyeater - Lichenostomus virescens Scarce, heard at Just in Time and near Teatree Dam. Yellow-throated Miner - Manorina flavigula Common in mulga on sand dunes at Wallaby and in mulga scrub near Hillside. Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater - Acanthagenys rufogularis Observed in mulga woodland abutting the Teatree Dam claypan and in mallee at Just in Time.

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Crimson Chat - Ephthianura tricolor A group observed near station dam to the east of the Hillside prospect. Zebra Finch - Poephila guttata Observed close to water at dam east of Hillside and near Teatree Dam. Australian Magpie-lark - Grallina cyanoleucas Common in mulga woodland abutting Teatree Dam. Masked Woodswallow - Artamus personatus Observed in mulga scrub near Hillside and in mulga woodland at Wallaby. Black-faced Woodswallow - Artamus cinereus Observed in mulga scrub and bluebush north-west of Hillside. Grey Butcherbird - Cracticus torquatus Common in mulga woodland at Wallaby and mulga and Melaleuca uncinata woodland at Teatree Dam. Pied Butcherbird - Cracticus nigrogularis Common in mulga woodland on dunes at Wallaby and Teatree Dam. Australian Magpie - Cracticus tibicen A group occupying the Teatree Dam area. Grey Currawong - Strepera versicolor One bird heard calling in open mulga woodland on the slopes of a banded iron ridge at Just in Time. Spotted Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus maculatus One bird observed flying into the pool at Teatree Dam at dusk. A bower reported from mulga near the Hillside prospect (D. Brearley pers.com). Australian Crow - Corvus orru Observed in mulga woodland at Teatree Dam and Wallaby. Little Crow - Corvus bennetti Flocks frequently observed around Teatree Dam and once just west of Hillside.