Concept of serious and irreversible impacts
The concept of serious and irreversible impacts is about protecting the threatened species and threatened ecological communities (collectively called threatened entities) most at risk of extinction from potential development.
The Biodiversity Offsets Scheme recognises that there are some types of serious and irreversible impacts that the community expects will not occur except in certain circumstances. Potential serious and irreversible impacts are identified by accredited assessors in either a Biodiversity Assessment Development Report or a Biodiversity Certification Assessment Report, and the decision maker makes a determination.
Determining serious and irreversible impacts
An impact is to be regarded as serious and irreversible if it is likely to contribute significantly to the risk of a threatened species (including endangered populations) or an ecological community becoming extinct based on the following 4 principles set out in clause 6.7 of the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 (NSW):
- The impact will cause a further decline of a species or ecological community that is currently observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to be in a rapid rate of decline.
- The impact will further reduce the population size of the species or ecological community that is currently observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to have a very small population size.
- The impact is made on the habitat of the species or ecological community that is currently observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to have a very limited geographic distribution.
- The impacted species or ecological community is unlikely to respond to measures to improve its habitat and vegetation integrity and therefore its members are not replaceable.
The decision maker is responsible for deciding whether an impact is likely to be serious and irreversible. This decision is to be made in accordance with the principles set out in clause 6.7 of the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017. The decision maker will also consider the Guidance to help a decision maker to determine a serious and irreversible impact, which includes criteria and supporting information to assist with applying these principles.
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Information about serious and irreversible impacts must be prepared by an accredited assessor using the Biodiversity Assessment Method. The information must be presented to the decision maker in a Biodiversity Assessment Report for the proposal.
As described in section 9.1 of the Biodiversity Assessment Method, the accredited assessor preparing the report is responsible for:
- identifying every potential serious and irreversible impact entity
- evaluating the nature of the impact on each entity
- documenting efforts to avoid and minimise impacts on biodiversity in accordance with the assessment criteria.
Learn about the Biodiversity Assessment Method.
Serious and irreversible impact assessment criteria
Assessment of a serious and irreversible impact is only required where a Biodiversity Assessment Report is used to assess the impacts of the development under the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme. The Biodiversity Assessment Report forms part of the development application considered by the decision maker.
Accredited assessors must identify all entities at risk of a serious and irreversible impact that would be impacted by the proposal, including:
- those identified on the department’s list of threatened entities (below on this page)
- any other entities that are likely to meet the principles set out in clause 6.7 of the Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017.
Accredited assessors must include in their Biodiversity Assessment Report an assessment of the impact against the criteria set out in section 9.1 of the Biodiversity Assessment Method, including where the presence of a species at risk of serious and irreversible impact has been assumed. Where there is assumed presence of a species at risk of serious and irreversible impact, an expert report may be needed to provide the required information.
For each entity, accredited assessors must also address the additional serious and irreversible impact assessment criteria listed in the following subsections of the Biodiversity Assessment Method:
- subsection 9.1.1 for threatened ecological communities
- subsection 9.1.2 for threatened species.
If an accredited assessor considers a principle not to be relevant to a threatened entity at risk of a serious and irreversible impact, justification must be provided within the Biodiversity Assessment Report. The accredited assessor may also provide new information that can be used to demonstrate that the principle identifying the entity at risk of a serious and irreversible impact is inaccurate.
Effect of a serious and irreversible impact
The following table sets out the effect of determining a serious and irreversible impact for different types of development and activities if they require assessment under the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme.
| Type of development or activity | Effect of serious and irreversible impacts |
|---|---|
| The decision maker must not grant approval if they determine the proposal is likely to have a serious and irreversible impact on biodiversity values. |
| The decision maker can approve a proposal that is likely to have serious and irreversible impacts. The decision maker must consider those impacts and determine whether any additional and appropriate measures will minimise those impacts if approval is to be granted. |
Threatened entities
The department has identified some threatened entities listed under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) as at risk of serious and irreversible impacts.
The department’s list of entities at risk of a serious and irreversible impact is not exhaustive or definitive. A decision maker may require consideration of an entity not listed by the department as an entity at risk of potential serious and irreversible impact. There must be suitable evidence (information and data) to demonstrate that a determination of serious and irreversible impact has been made in accordance with the principles.
Accredited assessors and subscribing local government officers are notified when changes to the list occur. To receive updates, subscribe to the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme Updates newsletter.
The Biodiversity Assessment Method does not apply to biodiversity that is endemic to Lord Howe Island. Therefore, the department’s list does not contain entities endemic to Lord Howe Island.
List of threatened entities
Ecological communities
| Ecological communities | Principle | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Agnes Banks Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Allocasuarina luehmannii Woodland in the Riverina and Murray-Darling Depression Bioregions | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Araluen Scarp Grassy Forest in the South East Corner Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Artesian Springs Ecological Community in the Great Artesian Basin | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Blue Gum High Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Blue Mountains Basalt Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Brigalow within the Brigalow Belt South, Nandewar and Darling Riverine Plains Bioregions | 1 | – | – | – |
| Byron Bay Dwarf Graminoid Clay Heath Community | – | – | 3 | – |
| Cooks River/Castlereagh Ironbark Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Coolac-Tumut Serpentinite Shrubby Woodland in the NSW South Western Slopes and South Eastern Highlands Bioregions | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Cumberland Plain Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Dry Rainforest of the South East Forests in the South East Corner Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Duffys Forest Ecological Community in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | – | – | – |
| Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Elderslie Banksia Scrub Forest | – | – | 3 | – |
| Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial soils of the South Western Slopes, Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Genowlan Point Allocasuarina nana Heathland | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grey Box—Grey Gum Wet Sclerophyll Forest in the NSW North Coast Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hunter Floodplain Red Gum Woodland in the NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin Bioregions | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Hunter Valley Weeping Myall Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Hygrocybeae community of Lane Cove Bushland Park in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Illawarra Lowlands Grassy Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | 2 | – | – |
| Kincumber Scribbly Gum Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Low woodland with heathland on indurated sand at Norah Head | – | – | 3 | – |
| Mallee and Mallee-Broombush dominated woodland and shrubland, lacking Triodia, in the NSW South Western Slopes Bioregion | – | 2 | – | – |
| Maroota Sands Swamp Forest | – | – | 3 | – |
| Marsh Club-rush sedgeland in the Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Melaleuca armillaris Tall Shrubland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Milton Ulladulla Subtropical Rainforest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Mount Kaputar high elevation and dry rainforest land snail and slug community in the Nandewar and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions | – | – | 3 | – |
| Mount Canobolas Xanthoparmelia lichen community | – | – | 3 | – |
| Monaro Tableland Cool Temperate Grassy Woodland in the South Eastern Highlands Bioregion | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| New England Peppermint (Eucalyptus nova-anglica) Woodland on Basalts and Sediments in the New England Tableland Bioregion | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Pittwater and Wagstaffe Spotted Gum Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Porcupine Grass—Red Mallee—Gum Coolabah hummock grassland/low sparse woodland in the Broken Hill Complex Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Quorrobolong Scribbly Gum Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Robertson Basalt Tall Open-forest in the Sydney Basin and South Eastern Highlands Bioregions | 1 | – | – | – |
| Robertson Rainforest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | 2 | – | – |
| Shale Sandstone Transition Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Snowpatch Feldmark in the Australian Alps Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Snowpatch Herbfield in the Australian Alps Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Sun Valley Cabbage Gum Forest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Tableland Basalt Forest in the Sydney Basin and South Eastern Highlands Bioregions | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| The Shorebird Community occurring on the relict tidal delta sands at Taren Point | – | – | 3 | – |
| Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Warkworth Sands Woodland in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| Werriwa Tablelands Cool Temperate Grassy Woodland in the South Eastern Highlands and South East Corner Bioregions | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Western Sydney Dry Rainforest in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
| White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Windswept Feldmark in the Australian Alps Bioregion | – | – | 3 | – |
Species
| Species | Species | Principle | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (scientific name) | (common name) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Acacia acrionastes | Pindari wattle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia atrox | Myall Creek wattle | – | – | 3 | 4 |
| Acacia bakeri | Marblewood | – | 2 | – | – |
| Acacia carneorum | Purple-wood wattle | – | – | – | 4 |
| Acacia chrysotricha | Newry golden wattle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia constablei | Narrabarba wattle | 1 | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia courtii | North Brother wattle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia dangarensis | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia jucunda | Yetman wattle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia meiantha | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia pendula population in the Hunter catchment | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| Acacia petraea | Lancewood | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia phasmoides | Phantom wattle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acacia pubifolia | Velvet wattle | – | – | – | 4 |
| Acacia rivalis | Creek wattle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Acronychia littoralis | Scented Acronychia | – | 2 | – | – |
| Adelotus brevis | Tusked frog population in the Nandewar and New England Tableland bioregions | – | 2 | – | 4 |
| Aldrovanda vesiculosa | Waterwheel plant | – | – | 3 | – |
| Alexfloydia repens | Floyd's grass | – | – | 3 | – |
| Allocasuarina glareicola | – | – | – | 3 | 4 |
| Allocasuarina portuensis | Nielsen Park she-oak | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Allocasuarina simulans | Nabiac casuarina | – | – | 3 | – |
| Amyema plicatula | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Amytornis barbatus barbatus | Grey grasswren | – | – | 3 | – |
| Amytornis modestus obscurior | Thick-billed grasswren (north-west NSW subspecies) | – | 2 | – | – |
| Amytornis striatus striatus | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Angiopteris evecta | Giant fern | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Angophora exul | Gibraltar rock apple | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Anthochaera phrygia | Regent honeyeater | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Antrophyum austroqueenslandicum | – | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Aponogeton queenslandicus | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Archidendron hendersonii | White lace flower | – | – | 3 | – |
| Argynnis hyperbius | Laced fritillary | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Arthropteris palisotii | Lesser creeping fern | – | – | 3 | – |
| Asterolasia beckersii | Dungowan starbush | – | 2 | – | – |
| Asterolasia buxifolia | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Asterolasia elegans | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Asterolasia rupestris subsp. recurva B.J.Mole | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Astrotricha cordata | Heart-leaved star hair | – | – | 3 | – |
| Astrotricha crassifolia | Thick-leaf star-hair | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Astrotricha sp. Wallagaraugh | Merimbula star-hair | – | – | 3 | – |
| Austrostipa nullanulla | A spear-grass | – | – | 3 | – |
| Backhousia subargentea | Giant ironwood | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Baeckea kandos | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Baloghia marmorata | Jointed baloghia | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Banksia conferta | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Banksia vincentia | Banksia vincentia | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Bertya ingramii | Narrow-leaved bertya | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Bertya opponens | Coolabah bertya | – | – | 3 | – |
| Bertya sp. (Chambigne NR, M. Fatemi 24) | Chambigne bertya | – | – | 3 | – |
| Boronia boliviensis | Bolivia Hill boronia | – | – | 3 | – |
| Boronia inflexa subsp. torringtonensis | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Boronia repanda | Granite rose | – | – | 3 | – |
| Boronia ruppii | Rupp's boronia | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Bossiaea bombayensis | Bombay bossiaea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Bossiaea fragrans | Bossiaea fragrans | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Brachyscome ascendens | Border Ranges daisy | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Brachyscome muelleroides | Claypan daisy | – | – | 3 | – |
| Bulbophyllum globuliforme | Hoop Pine orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Caesalpinia bonduc | Knicker nut | – | – | 3 | – |
| Caladenia arenaria | Sand-hill spider orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Caladenia attenuata | Duramana fingers | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Caladenia concolor | Crimson spider orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Caladenia tessellata | Thick lip spider orchid | 1 | – | 3 | – |
| Calidris ferruginea | Curlew sandpiper | 1 | – | – | – |
| Calidris tenuirostris | Great knot | 1 | – | – | – |
| Callistemon megalongensis | Megalong Valley bottlebrush | – | – | 3 | – |
| Callistemon purpurascens | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Callitris baileyi | Bailey's cypress pine | – | – | 3 | – |
| Calochilus pulchellus | Pretty beard orchid | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Calomnion complanatum | – | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Calotis glandulosa | Mauve burr-daisy | 1 | – | – | – |
| Calotis moorei | A burr-daisy | – | – | 3 | – |
| Calyptorhynchus banksii banksii | Red-tailed black-cockatoo (coastal subspecies) | 1 | 2 | – | 4 |
| Camarophyllopsis kearneyi | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Capparis canescens | Wild orange | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Caretta caretta | Loggerhead turtle | 1 | – | – | – |
| Carex archeri | Archer's carex | – | – | 3 | – |
| Carex klaphakei | Klaphake's sedge | – | – | 3 | – |
| Cassia marksiana | – | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Casuarina obesa | Swamp she-oak | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Chalinolobus dwyeri | Large-eared pied bat | – | – | – | 4 |
| Cheilanthes sieberi subsp. pseudovellea | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Chiloglottis anaticeps | Bird orchid | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Commersonia rosea | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| Convolvulus tedmoorei | Bindweed | – | 2 | – | – |
| Corchorus cunninghamii | Native jute | – | – | 3 | – |
| Corokia whiteana | Corokia | – | 2 | – | – |
| Correa lawrenceana var. genoensis | Genoa River correa | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Corunastylis sp. Charmhaven (NSW896673) | – | 1 | – | 3 | – |
| Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. rupestris | Glenugie karaka | – | – | 3 | – |
| Crotalaria cunninghamii | Green bird flower | – | – | 3 | – |
| Cucumis althaeoides | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Cupaniopsis serrata | Smooth tuckeroo | – | – | 3 | – |
| Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni | Coxen's fig-parrot | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Cyperus rupicola | Cliff sedge | – | – | 3 | – |
| Cyperus semifertilis | Missionary nutgrass | – | – | 3 | – |
| Danhatchia copelandii | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Daphnandra johnsonii | Illawarra Socketwood | – | – | – | 4 |
| Darwinia peduncularis | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Davidsonia johnsonii | Smooth davidson's plum | – | 2 | – | 4 |
| Dermochelys coriacea | Leatherback turtle | 1 | – | – | – |
| Deyeuxia appressa | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Diospyros mabacea | Red-fruited ebony | – | 2 | – | – |
| Diploglottis campbellii | Small-leaved tamarind | – | 2 | – | – |
| Dipteracanthus australasicus subsp. corynothecus | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Diuris arenaria | Sand doubletail | – | – | 3 | – |
| Diuris bracteata | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Diuris byronensis | Byron Bay diuris | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Diuris disposita | Willawarrin doubletail | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Diuris flavescens | Pale yellow doubletail | – | – | 3 | – |
| Diuris ochroma | Pale golden moths | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Diuris sp. (Oaklands, D.L. Jones 5380) | Oaklands diuris | – | – | 3 | – |
| Dodonaea sinuolata subsp. Acrodentata | A hopbush | – | – | 3 | – |
| Dodonaea stenozyga | Desert hopbush | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Drynaria rigidula | Basket fern | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Dysphania plantaginella | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Egernia roomi | Kaputar Rock Skink | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eidothea hardeniana | Nightcap oak | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Elaeocarpus williamsianus | Hairy quandong | 1 | 2 | – | 4 |
| Elionurus citreus | Lemon-scented grass | – | – | 3 | – |
| Endiandra muelleri subsp. bracteata | Green-leaved rose walnut | 1 | – | – | – |
| Epacris sparsa | Sparse heath | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Eriocaulon australasicum | Austral pipewort | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eriocaulon carsonii | Salt pipewort | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Erodiophyllum elderi | Koonamore daisy | – | – | 3 | – |
| Erythrotriorchis radiatus | Red goshawk | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Esacus magnirostris | Beach stone-curlew | – | 2 | – | – |
| Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. Alligatrix | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus approximans | Barren Mountain mallee | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus aquatica | Broad-leaved sally | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus benthamii | – | 1 | – | – | – |
| Eucalyptus boliviana | Bolivia stringybark | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus camphora subsp. Relicta | Warra broad-leaved sally | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus canobolensis | Silver-Leaf candlebark | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus castrensis | Singleton mallee | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus copulans | – | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Eucalyptus corticosa | Creswick apple box | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus dissita | Gibraltar mallee | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus fracta | Broken back ironbark | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus imlayensis | Imlay Mallee | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Eucalyptus kartzoffiana | Araluen gum | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus langleyi | Albatross mallee | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus microcodon | Border mallee | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus oresbia | Small-fruited mountain gum | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus pachycalyx subsp. Banyabba | Banyabba shiny-barked gum | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus pumila | Pokolbin mallee | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus recurva | Mongarlowe mallee | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Eucalyptus robertsonii subsp. hemisphaerica | Robertson's peppermint | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus scoparia | Wallangarra white gum | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus sp. Cattai | Eucalyptus sp. Cattai | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eucalyptus sp. Howes Swamp Creek | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Eulamprus leuraensis | Blue Mountains water skink | – | – | – | 4 |
| Euphorbia sarcostemmoides | Climbing caustic | – | – | 3 | – |
| Euphrasia arguta | Euphrasia arguta | – | – | 3 | – |
| Euphrasia bella | Pretty eyebright | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Euphrasia bowdeniae | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| Euphrasia collina subsp. muelleri | Mueller's eyebright | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Euphrasia orthocheila subsp. peraspera | Tenterfield eyebright | – | – | 3 | – |
| Euphrasia scabra | Rough eyebright | – | – | 3 | – |
| Floydia praealta | Ball nut | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Fontainea oraria | Coastal fontainea | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Fontainea sp. Coffs Harbour | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Galium australe | Tangled bedstraw | – | – | 3 | – |
| Genoplesium baueri | Bauer's midge orchid | – | 2 | – | 4 |
| Genoplesium insigne | Variable midge orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Genoplesium littorale | Tuncurry midge orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Genoplesium plumosum | Tallong midge orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Genoplesium rhyoliticum | Rhyolite midge orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Genoplesium superbum | Superb midge orchid | – | 2 | – | – |
| Gentiana baeuerlenii | Baeuerlen's gentian | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Gentiana bredboensis | Bredbo gentian | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Gentiana wingecarribiensis | Wingecarribee gentian | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Gentiana wissmannii | New England gentian | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Geophaps scripta scripta | Squatter pigeon (southern subspecies) | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Gingidia rupicola | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Glycine latrobeana | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Goodenia occidentalis | Western goodenia | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grevillea acanthifolia subsp. paludosa | Bog grevillea | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Grevillea caleyi | Caley's grevillea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grevillea divaricata | Grevillea divaricata | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Grevillea kennedyana | Flame spider flower | – | – | – | 4 |
| Grevillea hilliana | White yiel yiel | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Grevillea iaspicula | Wee jasper grevillea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grevillea ilicifolia subsp. ilicifolia | Holly-leaf grevillea | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Grevillea masonii | Mason's grevillea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grevillea mollis | Soft grevillea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grevillea molyneuxii | Wingello grevillea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grevillea obtusiflora | Wingello grevillea | – | – | – | 4 |
| Grevillea renwickiana | Nerriga grevillea | – | – | – | 4 |
| Grevillea rhizomatosa | Gibraltar grevillea | – | – | – | 4 |
| Grevillea rivularis | Carrington Falls grevillea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grevillea shiressii | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Grevillea wilkinsonii | Tumut grevillea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Gyrostemon thesioides | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Hakea dohertyi | Kowmung hakea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hakea pulvinifera | Lake Keepit hakea | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Haloragodendron lucasii | – | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Hibbertia circinata | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Hibbertia fumana | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hibbertia sp. Bankstown | Hibbertia sp. Bankstown | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Hibbertia spanantha | Julian's hibbertia | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Hibbertia tenuifolia | Narrow-leaved guinea flower | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Homoranthus bebo | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Homoranthus binghiensis | Binghi homoranthus | – | – | 3 | – |
| Homoranthus bruhlii | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| Homoranthus croftianus | Bolivia homoranthus | – | – | 3 | – |
| Homoranthus elusus | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Hoplocephalus bungaroides | Broad-headed snake | – | – | – | 4 |
| Hygrocybe anomala var. ianthinomarginata | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hygrocybe aurantipes | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hygrocybe austropratensis | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hygrocybe collucera | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hygrocybe griseoramosa | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hygrocybe lanecovensis | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hygrocybe reesiae | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Hygrocybe rubronivea | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Indigofera efoliata | Leafless indigo | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Indigofera helmsii | Indigo | – | – | 3 | – |
| Indigofera leucotricha | Silver indigo | – | – | 3 | – |
| Indigofera longibractea | Showy indigo | – | – | 3 | – |
| Ipomoea diamantinensis | Desert cow-vine | – | – | 3 | – |
| Ipomoea polymorpha | Silky cow-vine | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Irenepharsus magicus | Elusive cress | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Isopogon fletcheri | Fletcher's drumsticks | – | – | 3 | – |
| Jalmenus eubulus | Pale imperial hairstreak | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Kardomia prominens | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Kardomia silvestris | Woodland babingtonia | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Kennedia retrorsa | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Kippistia suaedifolia | Fleshy minuria | – | – | 3 | – |
| Lasiopetalum behrii | Pink velvet bush | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Lastreopsis hispida | Bristly shield fern | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Lathamus discolor | Swift parrot | 1 | – | – | – |
| Leionema lachnaeoides | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Leionema lamprophyllum subsp. fractum | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| Leionema westonii | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Lenwebbia sp.Main Range | – | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Lepiderema pulchella | Fine-leaved tuckeroo | – | 2 | – | – |
| Lepidium peregrinum | Wandering pepper cress | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Lepidium pseudopapillosum | Formbe peppercress | – | – | 3 | – |
| Lepidosperma evansianum | Evans sedge | – | – | 3 | – |
| Leptorhynchos waitzia | Button immortelle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Leucopogon confertus | Torrington beard-heath | – | – | 3 | – |
| Lindsaea fraseri | Fraser's screw fern | – | – | 3 | – |
| Litoria castanea | Yellow-spotted tree frog | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Litoria piperata | Peppered tree frog | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Litoria spenceri | Spotted tree frog | 1 | 2 | – | 4 |
| Litoria subglandulosa | Glandular frog | – | – | – | 4 |
| Lobelia claviflora | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Lysimachia vulgaris var. davurica | Yellow loosestrife | – | – | 3 | 4 |
| Macrozamia humilis | Inverell cycad | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Manorina melanotis | Black-eared miner | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Melaleuca deanei | Deane's paperbark | – | – | – | 4 |
| Melichrus sp. Gibberagee | Narrow-leaf melichrus | – | – | 3 | – |
| Melicope vitiflora | Coast euodia | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Micromyrtus grandis | Severn River heath-myrtle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Micromyrtus minutiflora | – | 1 | – | – | – |
| Microtis angusii | Angus's onion orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Miniopterus australis | Little bent-winged bat | – | – | – | 4 |
| Miniopterus orianae oceanensis | Large bent-winged bat | – | – | – | 4 |
| Mitrasacme pygmaea | Pygmy bishop's Hat | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Mixophyes balbus | Stuttering frog | – | – | – | 4 |
| Mixophyes fleayi | Fleay's barred frog | – | – | – | 4 |
| Monotoca rotundifolia | Trailing monotoca | – | – | 3 | – |
| Muellerina myrtifolia | Myrtle-leaf mistletoe | – | – | 3 | – |
| Myriophyllum implicatum | Myriophyllum implicatum | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Myrsine richmondensis | Ripple-leaf muttonwood | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Myuchelys georgesi | Bellinger River snapping turtle | 1 | – | 3 | – |
| Nematolepis rhytidophylla | Nalbaugh nematolepis | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Neoastelia spectabilis | Silver sword lily | – | – | 3 | – |
| Neophema chrysogaster | Orange-bellied parrot | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Niemeyera chartacea | Smooth-leaved plum | – | – | 3 | – |
| Nitella parooensis | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Nitella partita | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Nurus atlas | Atlas rainforest ground-beetle | – | – | 3 | – |
| Oberonia complanata | Yellow-flowered king of the fairies | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Ochrosia moorei | Southern ochrosia | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Oldenlandia galioides | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Olearia flocktoniae | Dorrigo daisy bush | 1 | – | – | – |
| Osteocarpum scleropterum | Squash bush | – | – | 3 | – |
| Owenia cepiodora | Onion cedar | – | 2 | – | – |
| Pachycephala rufogularis | Red-lored whistler | – | 2 | – | – |
| Pedionomus torquatus | Plains-wanderer | 1 | – | – | – |
| Pelargonium sp. Striatellum | Omeo storksbill | – | – | – | 4 |
| Peristeranthus hillii | Brown Fairy-chain orchid | – | 2 | – | – |
| Persoonia hindii | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Persoonia hirsuta | Hairy geebung | – | 2 | – | – |
| Persoonia pauciflora | North Rothbury persoonia | 1 | – | 3 | – |
| Petalura gigantea | Giant dragonfly | – | – | – | 4 |
| Petalura litorea | Coastal petaltail | – | – | – | 4 |
| Petrogale penicillata | Brush-tailed rock-wallaby | – | – | – | 4 |
| Petrogale xanthopus | Yellow-footed rock-wallaby | – | 2 | – | 4 |
| Phebalium bifidum | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Phebalium glandulosum subsp. Eglandulosum | Rusty desert phebalium | – | – | 3 | – |
| Phebalium speciosum | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pherosphaera fitzgeraldii | Dwarf mountain pine | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pilularia novae-hollandiae | Austral pillwort | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pimelea axiflora subsp. Pubescens | Bungonia rice-flower | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pimelea bracteata | – | 1 | – | – | – |
| Pimelea cremnophila | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pimelea serpyllifolia subsp. serpyllifolia | Thyme rice-flower | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pimelea venosa | Bolivia Hill pimelea | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pittosporum kororoense | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| Plectranthus alloplectus | Narrow-leaved plectranthus | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Plinthanthesis rodwayi | Budawangs wallaby grass | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Polycarpaea spirostylis subsp. glabra | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pomaderris adnata | Sublime point pomaderris | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pomaderris cocoparrana | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pomaderris delicata | Delicate pomaderris | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pomaderris gilmourii var. cana | Grey deua pomaderris | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pomaderris pallida | Pale pomaderris | – | – | – | 4 |
| Pomaderris reperta | Denman pomaderris | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pomaderris sericea | Silky pomaderris | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pomaderris walshii | Carrington Falls pomaderris | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Potorous longipes | Long-footed potoroo | – | 2 | – | – |
| Prasophyllum affine | Jervis Bay leek orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Prasophyllum bagoense | Prasophyllum bagoense | – | – | 3 | – |
| Prasophyllum canaliculatum | Summer leek orchid | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Prasophyllum fuscum | Slaty leek orchid | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Prasophyllum innubum | Prasophyllum innubum | – | – | 3 | – |
| Prasophyllum keltonii | Kelton's leek orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Prasophyllum sandrae | – | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Prasophyllum sp. Moama | Prasophyllum sp. Moama | – | – | 3 | – |
| Prostanthera discolor | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Prostanthera gilesii | – | – | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Prostanthera marifolia | Seaforth mintbush | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Prostanthera palustris | Swamp mint-bush | – | – | 3 | – |
| Prostanthera sejuncta | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Prostanthera staurophylla | Tenterfield mint-bush | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pseudanthus ovalifolius | Oval-leafed pseudanthus | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pseudomys desertor | Desert mouse | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pseudomys fumeus | Smoky mouse | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Pseudophryne corroboree | Southern corroboree frog | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Pseudophryne pengilleyi | Northern corroboree frog | 1 | – | – | – |
| Psilotum complanatum | Flat fork fern | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pterostylis bicornis | Horned greenhood | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pterostylis despectans | Pterostylis despectans | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pterostylis metcalfei | Metcalfe's greenhood | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pterostylis nigricans | Dark greenhood | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pterostylis oreophila | Blue-tongued greenhood | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pterostylis pulchella | Waterfall greenhood | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pterostylis riparia | – | – | – | 2 | – |
| Pterostylis sp. Botany Bay | Botany Bay bearded orchid | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pterostylis ventricosa | Pterostylis ventricosa | 1 | – | – | – |
| Pterostylis vernalis | Pterostylis vernalis | – | – | 3 | – |
| Pultenaea elusa | Elusive bush-pea | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pultenaea parrisiae | Parris' bush-pea | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Pultenaea sp. Genowlan Point | Pultenaea sp. Genowlan point | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Randia moorei | Spiny gardenia | – | 2 | – | – |
| Rhizanthella slateri | Eastern australian underground orchid | – | 2 | – | – |
| Rhodamnia maideniana | Smooth Scrub Turpentine | 1 | – | – | – |
| Rhodamnia rubescens | Scrub turpentine | 1 | – | – | 4 |
| Rhodomyrtus psidioides | Native guava | 1 | – | – | 4 |
| Rotala tripartita | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Rytidosperma pumilum | Feldmark grass | – | – | 3 | – |
| Rytidosperma vickeryae | Perisher wallaby-grass | – | – | 3 | – |
| Sarcochilus dilatatus | Brown butterfly orchid | – | – | 3 | – |
| Sarcochilus weinthalii | Blotched sarcochilus | – | – | 3 | – |
| Scaevola collaris | Fan flower | – | – | 3 | – |
| Senecio linearifolius var. dangarensis | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Senecio squarrosus | Swamp groundsel | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Solanum armourense | – | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Solanum limitare | Border Ranges nightshade | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Stackhousia clementii | – | – | – | 3 | – |
| Styphelia perileuca | Montane green five-corners | – | – | 3 | – |
| Swainsona adenophylla | Violet swainson-pea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Swainsona flavicarinata | Yellow-keeled swainsona | – | – | 3 | – |
| Swainsona viridis | Creeping Darling pea | – | – | 3 | – |
| Syzygium moorei | Durobby | 1 | – | – | – |
| Tasmannia glaucifolia | Fragrant pepperbush | – | 2 | – | – |
| Thelymitra adorata | Wyong sun orchid | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Thelymitra atronitida | Black-hooded sun orchid | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Thelymitra kangaloonica | Kangaloon sun orchid | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Thersites mitchellae | Mitchell's rainforest snail | 1 | – | 3 | – |
| Thinornis cucullatus cucullatus | Eastern Hooded Dotterel | – | 2 | – | – |
| Threlkeldia inchoata | Tall bonefruit | – | – | 3 | – |
| Triflorensia cameronii | Cameron's tarenna | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Triplarina imbricata | Creek triplarina | – | 2 | – | – |
| Turnix melanogaster | Black-breasted button-quail | – | 2 | – | – |
| Tympanocryptis lineata | Canberra grassland earless dragon | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Tympanocryptis mccartneyi | Bathurst Grassland Earless Dragon | – | – | 3 | – |
| Typhonium sp. aff. brownii | Stinky lily | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Tyto tenebricosa | Sooty owl | – | – | – | 4 |
| Vespadelus troughtoni | Eastern cave bat | – | – | – | 4 |
| Wollemia nobilis | Wollemi pine | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Xanthosia scopulicola | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Xerothamnella parvifolia | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Xylosma terrae-reginae | Queensland xylosma | – | 2 | – | – |
| Zieria adenodonta | Wollumbin zieria | – | – | 3 | – |
| Zieria adenophora | Araluen zieria | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Zieria baeuerlenii | Bomaderry zieria | – | – | 3 | 4 |
| Zieria buxijugum | Box range zieria | 1 | 2 | 3 | – |
| Zieria citriodora | Lemon zieria | – | – | 3 | – |
| Zieria covenyi | Coveny's zieria | – | – | 3 | 4 |
| Zieria floydii | Floyd's zieria | – | – | 3 | – |
| Zieria formosa | Shapely zieria | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Zieria lasiocaulis | Willi Willi zieria | – | – | 3 | – |
| Zieria obcordata | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| Zieria odorifera subsp. copelandii | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Zieria odorifera subsp. warrabahensis | – | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Zieria parrisiae | Parris' zieria | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Zieria tuberculata | Warty zieria | – | – | 3 | – |
BioNet Threatened Biodiversity Data Collection
Searching the name of a threatened entity in the BioNet Threatened Biodiversity Data Collection will provide information about that entity, including whether it has been classified by the department as at risk of serious and irreversible impact and placed on the list.
BioNet is generally updated annually. Emergency updates may be necessary if there is new information or new listings by the NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee.
Access the BioNet Threatened Biodiversity Data Collection.
Serious and irreversible impact nominations
If comprehensive data clearly demonstrates inaccuracies or omissions in the list of entities, we welcome nominations to update it. Anyone with such information can nominate to add or remove an entity and edit the relevant principles.
Once the public display period has closed, the department will:
- review all nominations
- review any feedback received during the public display phase
- either accept or reject the nominations.
Nominees will be informed of the decision.
Making a nomination
You can lodge your nomination by completing either:
- the threatened species (and endangered populations) at risk of serious and irreversible impacts nomination form
- the threatened ecological communities at risk of serious and irreversible impacts nomination form.
Please include supporting information such as:
- referenced literature
- survey data
- maps.
Providing this information with your nomination and completing the nomination form fully and accurately will assist with processing. Without strong evidence for a change, the department will not be able to accept a nomination.
Serious and irreversible impact nominations feedback
Serious and irreversible impact nominations will be publicly displayed on a provisional list for 21 days around May of each year. You can provide feedback on a publicly displayed nomination using either nomination form:
- the threatened species (and endangered populations) at risk of serious and irreversible impacts nomination form
- the threatened ecological communities at risk of serious and irreversible impacts nomination form.
Select the option ‘Provide feedback on a species currently being publicly displayed’.
Public display of nominations
The nominations below will be displayed for 21 days from 8 July 2024. The nominations have been summarised and edited for consistency.
Please contact the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme Helpdesk ([email protected]) if you require the full nomination including any available data, mapping and references.
Threatened ecological communities
| Threatened ecological community | Current status | Proposed Principle(s) and status based on nomination | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Summary of recommendation and reasoning | ||
| Coastal Upland Swamps Endangered Ecological Community | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 4 | Nomination under Principle 4: irreplaceable, not responding well to management: Coastal Upland Swamps are highly sensitive to the unmanageable threat of anthropogenic climate change and the accompanying increased frequency of extreme fires. The ecosystem cannot be effectively remediated once impacted by longwall mining. There has been a lack of recovery in water retention and no proven remediation techniques. Re-creation of artificial habitats may be impossible, and attempts would be prohibitively expensive. Advice from the Independent Expert Scientific Committee provides a list of justifications relating to the inadequacy of offset strategies to address the proposed loss of species and upland swamp ecosystems. Coastal upland swamps provide habitat to threatened species, known to use and rely on swamps for their lifecycle components. These species are impacted by the loss of these unique habitat components that cannot be re-created. | |||
| Mount Gibraltar Forest in Sydney Basin | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 1 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 1: reduction in geographic extent: The threatened ecological community was originally listed as an endangered ecological community under the Biodiversity Conservation Act in part because of the extent to which it has already been destroyed by land clearing, however, this is not quantified in the Final Determination. It is evident that clearing has been extensive at Flora and Misery mountains as well as Cockatoo Hill (>80%), with earlier clearing at Mount Jellore (now mostly within national park estate). Much of the remaining threatened ecological community at Mount Flora is threatened by a proposed hard rock quarry. Mount Gibraltar has also been affected by clearing for quarrying, infrastructure, and housing. Losses continue but at a relatively small scale. Clearing is mostly historic (i.e. not occurring in the last 50 years), and land remains under cultivation. Only some of the steepest and most rocky sites persist or are regenerated post clearing. Nomination under Principle 2: environmental degradation or disruption of biotic processes: Mt Gibraltar Forest has been severely cleared (i.e. over a 50-year period), fragmented (internally and externally), and degraded by drought, livestock grazing, weed invasion, and changed fire regime. Some sites such as Mount Jellore have suffered from severe wildfire, whereas Mount Gibraltar is being degraded from insufficiently frequent fire and is heavily infested by Pittosporum undulatum. Management of P. undulatum in place, but reinvasion remains a threat because of spread by birds and flying-foxes. Domestic pets, exotic and invasive flora, and pest fauna are a significant problem. Proximity to urban areas makes pest control challenging. Unauthorised mountain bike tracks are causing vegetation loss and erosion. Ongoing development and associated clearing continue to fragment the threatened ecological community. Clearing of adjoining native vegetation also poses a threat. In 2021, a previously undocumented remnant of the threatened ecological community was found in Gibbergunyah Reserve. This reserve is relatively large and intact but isolated by land clearing and infrastructure. The threatened ecological community remnant (about 1 ha) in the reserve has been degraded by some invasion by Nassella trichotoma (serrated tussock) along a vehicle trail and tree decline and death during drought. Nomination under Principle 3: restricted geographic distribution: The threatened ecological community is dependent on a lithology with limited distribution. Known from only several syenitic (igneous rock) outcrops in a relatively small area of the central north of Wingecarribee Shire. Clearing for agriculture, housing, quarrying and infrastructure has significantly reduced the threatened ecological community’s extent. Even though some sites are heavily cleared, they retain components of the threatened ecological community or small patches. Extent of occurrence and area of occupancy were not calculated as part of this submission. Neither were the number of threat-defined 'locations'. Although, depending on threat considered it was estimated at either 1 (climate change or weed invasion) or 2 (changed fire regime). | |
| Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp in the Sydney Basin Bioregion | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 2 | 3 | 4 | Nomination under Principle 2: environmental degradation or disruption of biotic processes: The hydrology of 15 swamps have been permanently impacted by the subsidence and cracking effects caused by longwall mining, and a further 4 swamps are also displaying initial signs of alterations to their hydrology, 13% of the threatened ecological community had been permanently impacted by subsidence effects caused by longwall mining occurring in the locality since 1979 (a period of less than 50 years). Spatial analysis demonstrates that the maximum potential mining subsidence and cracking drawdown from longwalls mapped in 2023 impacts 68.5% of the threatened ecological community 's total mapped area. The drawdown impacts the hydrological regime, causing a transition from swamp into dry sclerophyll forest, permanently changing the ecological community. Spatial analysis of the 2019–20 bushfires demonstrates that fires impacted 100% of the known distribution of the threatened ecological community. This threat is likely to continue to impact the threatened ecological community in the future as climate changes increases the severity and frequency of bushfires. Swamps that were affected by longwall mining have not recovered from the 2019–20 bushfires, while swamps that have not been subject to mining have been observed to be in the process of recovering. Nomination under Principle 3: restricted geographic distribution: Under IUCN definitions, the threatened ecological community only occupies one threat-defined location. The 2019–20 bushfires impacted 100% of the known distribution of the threatened ecological community. In addition, groundwater drawdown impacts from underground mining in the Newnes Plateau threatens approximately 70% of the known distribution of the threatened ecological community. Bushfire and underground impacts are anticipated to continue, spatial analysis on the total mapped extent of Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp, according to the Eastern NSW State Vegetation Type Map indicates that the total Extent of Occupancy (EOO) of Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamp is 556 km2. Nomination under Principle 4: irreplaceable, not responding well to management: The threatened ecological community provides habitat for threatened species including Boronia deanei subsp. deanei, Petalura gigantea (giant dragonfly), and Eulamprus leuraensis (Blue Mountains water skink). The endangered shrub, Persoonia hindii, is also associated with the margins of the swamps. It is a groundwater dependent ecosystem, highly susceptible to threats from any loss of groundwater. For example, due to damage to the aquicludes, aquitards, aquifers and peat substrates because of subsidence associated with longwall mining. Impacts on the swamps may also result from changes to hydrology through damming of creeks, mine wastewater discharge, increased moisture competition from pine plantations, recreational motorbike and off-road vehicle tracks, and climate change. All the swamps on the Newnes Plateau were burnt, with some areas experiencing fire of very high severity during the Gospers Mountain fire in 2019–20. After the wildfire, there was evidence of extensive combustion and oxidisation of peat soils in swamps above the footprint of prior longwall coalmining operations. Mining is ongoing in these areas and will likely lead to further ecosystem collapse in undermined swamps, and further localised extinctions of endangered species populations in these swamps. The Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC) on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coalmining Development concluded that they had very low confidence in the potential for successful long-term remediation of swamps impacted by subsidence and cracking and/or fracturing. The IESC found that the key potential impacts from a proposed mine extension included severe and irreversible loss of Newnes Plateau Shrubland Swamp that would have been undermined by the project. | |
Species at risk of serious and irreversible impacts
| Species | Current status | Proposed Principle(s) and status based on nomination | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Recommendation and reasoning | ||
| Acacia bakeri (Marblewood) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 2 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Excluding various records from Coffs Harbour, Sydney, Blue Mountains as these are likely garden escapees or cultivated being isolated and a great distance from the known wild populations, the species is restricted to one location, as defined by IUCN. The species has a restricted geographical and ecological distribution, threats being similar throughout the range. Area of occupancy estimated at 232 km2 and extent of occurrence at 800.9 km2. | ||
| Acacia flockoniae (Flockton wattle) | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The number of threat-defined locations is 2 to 3 (Western escarpment, Greater Yerranderie, Morrara Boss but could readily burn during a fire event that would affect Yerranderie-and did all burn in 2019–20). An old and spatially indeterminate record claimed to be from the banks of the Nepean River is presumed extinct. The species may experience extreme fluctuations due to effect of fire, but at least a portion of its populations regenerate by suckering. The species is fertile, but recruitment seems to be primarily from suckers, not seed and some populations genetic diversity is limited due to isolation. | |||
| Amytornis modestus obscurior (Thick-billed grasswren – north-west New South Wales subspecies) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 2 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Extent of occurrence and area of occupancy using BioNet records in GeoCAT have been calculated. All BioNet records of the subspecies are from 2020 onwards. The species was thought to be extinct in New South Wales until located in the White Cliffs – Packsaddle area in 2008. It may still occur at other locations in Upper Western Regions. The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020 states it is currently known from 3 pastoral properties south-east of Milparinka. It is restricted to one threat-defined location in the White Cliffs – Packsaddle area and has an area of occupancy of 36 km2 and extent of occurrence of 74 km2. | ||
| Argynnis hyperbius (Laced fritillary) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principles 1 and 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Extent of occurrence and area of occupancy calculated using BioNet records. Most recent records on BioNet are from early 2000s states a ‘sighting was reported in 2015 near Port Macquarie’. Restricted to 2 threat-defined locations: the vicinity of Port Macquarie/Limeburners Creek Nature Reserve; and far northeast New South Wales. Area of occupancy is 24 km2 and extent of occurrence is 4,085 km2. | |
| Arthropteris palisotii (Lesser creeping fern) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principles 3 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution (and the species from the list): Record NSW374547 at Tenterfield is excluded due to 1770 sighting, given the accuracy is very broad at 25,000 m. BioNet records SJJSI1126332 at Limpinwood National Park, and SPJGI6117053 in Border Ranges National Park are listed ‘Invalid, in quarantine’ but are included due to similar ecologies to other accepted sightings. Restricted to 5 threat-defined locations. Area of occupancy is 24 km2 and extent of occurrence is 22,847 km2. | |||
| Asterolasia beckersii (Dungowan starbush) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 2 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Many BioNet records are relatively recent with high confidence. Restricted to one threat-defined location. The NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee Final Determination provides detailed information on extant numbers and locations. It is currently known from only one extant population, southeast of Tamworth, this includes references from distribution and abundance of Asterolasia beckersii 2021 monitoring. Area of occupancy is 4 km2 and extent of occurrence is 0.39 km2. | ||
| Bossiaea oligosperma (Few-seeded bossiaea) | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Restricted to 2 threat-defined locations: Windellama and environs (large but subject to common threats of clearing, fragmentation, inappropriate fire, grazing) and Yerranderie (large but much smaller than Windellama); all in reserve but threatened in part by weeds, potentially by inappropriate fire and climate change. Species experiences naturally extreme fluctuations as it is killed by fire and recruits from seed. | |||
| Caesalpinia bonduc (Knicker nut) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | 2 | X | Nomination under Principle 2: small population size: At last survey, there was a mature population on Lord Howe Island of around 30 individuals, but very few individuals occur on the NSW coast and many of these are not known to flower or set fruit. The total NSW population is estimated to be less than 50 mature individuals (although it is widespread in Queensland). Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Using BioNet Atlas, Species profile, Australian Virtual Herbarium, NSW Scientific Committee – Final Determination, SoS annual report card 2020–21 (PDF 372KB), SoS database, the area of occupancy is 32 km2 and extent of occurrence is 1,855 km2 . The number of threat-defined locations is estimated at 5. | ||
| Calidris tenuirostris (Great knot) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 1 | X | Nomination to remove from Principle 1: rapid rate of decline (an at risk list): The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 has recently been updated for Calidris tenuirostris to reduce its listing from critically endangered to vulnerable – Conservation Advice (PDF 840KB). It is also listed as vulnerable in New South Wales. | |||
| Calyptorhynchus banksii banksia (Red-tailed black-cockatoo – coastal subspecies) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 1, 2 and 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Nomination to Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Restricted to one threat-defined location far northeast New South Wales. Area of occupancy is 600 km2 and extent of occurrence is 5,000 km2. |
| Corokia whiteana (Corokia) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 2 | 2 | 3 | Nomination to Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Older records NSW275418, from 1949, north of Lillian Rock; NSW153484, from 1897, at Tumbulgum; and 1862, from 1894, also at Tumbulgum are excluded. Restricted to 3 threat-defined locations; one at Nightcap Range, one at Tweed Valley, and one near Brunswick Heads. Area of occupancy is 160 km2 and extent of occurrence 760 km2. | ||
| Crinia sloanei (Sloane’s froglet) | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Currently only known to be persisting around Albury and Corowa, and scattered sites close to the Murray River in between these 2 towns. Surveys and monitoring over the past 12 years have documented the ongoing decline of species. Recent surveys failed to detect the species in the Jindera and Morundah regions despite it being recorded in the 1980s and 1990s, respectively. Sloane’s froglet also appears to have become recently extirpated from the Tocumwal area where it was persisting up until 2019. All extant populations are severely fragmented within an urban, industrial and agricultural landscape. The largest remaining population in New South Wales occurs in the Thurgoona–Wirlinga area within the Albury local government area. Thurgoona–Wirlinga is Albury’s nominated growth area and since 2010 this area has been the focus of urban and industrial expansion. The result is extensive loss of habitat. Similarly at Corowa, all occupied wetlands are within an urban, industrial, and agricultural landscape, such that dispersal among wetlands is unlikely because of limited or no suitable connecting habitat. Most local breeding populations of Sloane’s froglet between Albury and Corowa are isolated by distance such that fragmentation is a major threat to their persistence because much of the riparian corridor along the Murray River does not contain suitable breeding habitat. | |||
| Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni (Coxen’s fig-parrot) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principles 1 and 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: There are believed to be 2 sub-populations of the species in New South Wales. These populations are in the Levers Plateau/Koreelah Range/Richmond Range/western Border Ranges area, and in the Mount Warning/Nightcap Range/Big Scrub (Alstonville Plateau) areas. Very few observations have been made in New South Wales since 1990: Two birds at Brunswick Heads in July 1991; 2 at Huonbrook in April 1992; 2 at Beaury State Forest, Urbenville in May 1992; one or 2 at Big Scrub Flora Reserve, Dunoon in September 1993; 2 at Cambridge Plateau in January 1994; and 2 at Clunes in April 1995 (Final Determination NSW TSSC 2009). There are no records on eBird. At most the species is restricted to 2 threat-defined locations in northeast New South Wales: Nightcap National Park and environs; and Tooloom National Park/Captains Creek Nature Reserve west of Woodenbong. The area of occupancy is data deficient and extend of occurrence is 1,452 km2. | |
| Cyperus rupicola (Cliff sedge) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution (and species from list): Sighting SJJSI1126083 in Limpinwood National Park plots in Queensland when viewed in BioNet, but ‘Description’ and ‘Sighting Notes’ held together with Google Maps make it clear the sighting is located in New South Wales. Restricted to 4 known threat-defined locations: Limpinwood Nature Reserve, Wollumbin National Park, Border Ranges National Park and Nightcap National Park. The area of occupancy is 24 km2 and extent of occurrence is 292 km2. | |||
| Cyperus semifertilis (Missionary nutgrass) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution (and species from the list): The SoS annual report card (PDF 222KB) gives the most up-to-date detail on population numbers and locations. Surveys between 2018 and early 2019 documented at least 6 populations within New South Wales. The population number assumes that the plants along Numinbah Rd are best treated as 2 distinct populations, and that past, ambiguous records from the Main Arm district refer to just a single population. It is also considered likely that additional populations exist but are simply yet to be found. The area of occupancy is 12 km2 and extent of occurrence is 137 km2. | |||
| Darwinia peduncularis | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution (and species from the list): Threat-defined locations are 4 to 6 depending on how the threat of fire is defined. Northern Sydney could be 1 or 2 locations (Hornsby/Kuringai), northeast of Glen Davis, then east of Glen Davis (which could possibly all burn in one event), Kings Tableland (isolated), Bargo. The area of occupancy is 100 km2 and extent of occurrence is 7,973 km2. | |||
| Diuris ochroma (Pale golden moths) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 2 | 2 | X | Nomination to Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Several sightings have occurred and/or been identified since the release of the New South Wales Scientific Committee Final Determination in 2005. Records north of a line between Goulburn and Nowra are Diuris aff. ochroma, and the record from the Kings Highway (east of Braidwood) is uncertain but largely considered D. inopina (Australasian Virtual Herbarium sightings to BioNet: CANB 621903 at Southern Tablelands; CANB 634123 at Southern Tablelands; MEL 2324687A; and MEL 2309938A). The area of occupancy is 40 km2 and the extent of occurrence is 2,470 km2. The species is known from 4 threat-defined locations. | ||
| Elionurus citreus (Lemon-scented grass) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 2: limited geographic distribution: In New South Wales, Elionurus citreus has a small population size (50 individuals) and is threatened by demographic and environmental stochasticity. | ||
| Erythrotriorchis radiatus (Red goshawk) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principles 1 and 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: Only 5 sightings of the species have been recorded in last 30 years; most recent being Cudgera Creek Nature Reserve in 2009. Home range is estimated at >200 km2 (Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020) therefore records since 1992 represent at the most 3 threat-defined locations. There are no records on eBird in New South Wales. The species is regarded as extinct in north east New South Wales (Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020). The area of occupancy and extent of occurrence are data deficient. | |
| Eucalyptus approximans (Barren Mountain mallee) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution (and species from the list):Eucalyptus approximans is no longer listed in either New South Wales or federally. In July 2023 there was a Final Determination to remove its listing. | |||
| Eucalyptus benthamii (Camden white gum) | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 1 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 1: rapid rate of decline: A basic model of potential habitat indicates that it is feasible that the species experienced an 80% loss of mature individuals over one to 3 generations (the species is long-lived) due to extensive land clearing, altered hydrology, livestock grazing, weeds, and mining of alluvial deposits. Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The species is known from 3 threat-based locations being Kedumba, Nattai, and Werombi Creek/Nepean River. The latter composite location suffers from weeds, grazing, fragmentation, inbreeding, hybridisation, small numbers, poor recruitment, altered hydrology leading to a mix of habitat loss and lack of effective reproduction, etc. The Werombi site is treated here as an outlier of the Nepean site and was likely once connected to it. Records in the Yarrumundi area are long-regarded as relating to an extinct population lost to alluvial mining and likely to logging. The Kedumba location is the only large population but is threatened by weeds, feral animals and altered fire regime. The Nattai National Park location comprises 2 records totalling 6 plants but has never been properly surveyed. The environmental impact statement for the Warragamba Dam proposal did not record this species in the lower Nattai system. | ||
| Eucalyptus macarthurii (Camden woollybutt) | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The Southern Highlands population is treated as one threat-defined 'location', and the Boyd Plateau population as another. The Southern Highlands population has been extensively cleared for agriculture and for housing, and most of the population now comprises remnant trees along roadside, paddocks and drainage lines. Recruitment is absent to poor in most such situations, and adult trees continue to die without replacement. Climate warming increases drought stress and likelihood of wind throw and other storm damage. Urbanisation and industrialisation threaten surface and subsurface hydrology. Weeds, feral animals, grazing, and lack of fire threaten most of this population. Very little occurs in conservation estate here. The Boyd population is apparently entirely within Kanangra Boyd National Park but is also threatened to some degree by climate warming and flow-on effects. The 2 meta populations are sufficiently separate that they are not genetically connected and are unlikely to have been connected for thousands of years. The Boyd population is likely to be genetically distinct from the Southern Highlands locality. The species is not subject to extreme fluctuations. | |||
| Genoplesium insigne (Variable midge orchid) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution (and species from the list): Based on recent records the species has 4 to 6 threat-defined location and an area of occupancy of 88 km2 and extent of occurrence of 214 km2. | |||
| Lepidium pseudopapillosum (Formbe peppercress) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution (and species from the list): After excluding Canberra (ACT) records the species is known from 4 threat-defined locations and has an area of occupancy of 92 km2 and extent of occurrence of 264,412 km2. | |||
| Litoria piperata (Peppered tree frog) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principles 1 and 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The below calculations are based on excluding records SJALI0016578, SJJSI0792165 and SJJSI079216 (treated as Litoria pearsoniana). As reported in the SoS report card (PDF 266KB) for this species, there are 5 precise localities known, plus a potential sixth vague locality, with another possible record nearby. Restricted to a maximum of 3 threat–defined locations with an area of occupancy of 20 km2 and extent of occurrence of 474 km2. | |
| Miniopterus australis (Little bent-winged bat) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 4 | 3 | 4 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The below calculations are based on BioNet records in GeoCAT. Three outlying records in the Mount Kaputar National Park (13974-035) and near Bega (SF-604503 and SF178105-4) were excluded. The species is restricted to one threat-defined location at Willi Willi Caves Nature Reserve with an area of occupancy of 7,664 km2 and an extent of occurrence of 134,197 km2. | ||
| Oldenlandia galioides (Sweet false galium) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principles 2 and 3 | 2 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The NSW populations of Oldenlandia galioides are at the southern limit of the species range and disjunct from Queensland sites. These populations represent the coolest climatic niche for the species. It is estimated that it is known from 4 threat-defined populations in New South Wales with an area of occupancy of 44 km2 and extent of occurrence of 35,829 km2. | ||
| Olearia flocktoniae (Dorrigo daisy bush) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 1 | 1 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The species is restricted to one threat-defined location in the Dorrigo area and has an area of occupancy of 228 km2 and extent of occurrence of 699 km2. | ||
| Phascolarctos cinereus (Koala) | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 1 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 1: rapid rate of decline: Evidence from experts at a 2020 parliamentary inquiry into koalas found that the species could be extinct by 2050. While difficulty of estimating numbers was recognised by the inquiry, there is clear evidence that the population is in severe decline both statewide and in important regional populations. An expert from the inquiry projected an NSW population reduction of >80% in a 50 year period and within 3 generations, as indicated by observed decreases in area of occupancy. Post the 2019–20 fires, the expert conservatively estimated a population decrease of 28.5 to 65.95%. Two formerly large robust populations in Western New South Wales (Pilliga and Gunnedah) are considered to be on an extinction trajectory. The Pilliga population has declined by >75% in under 20 years and later by >80% in 5 years. The Gunnedah population has declined by >75% over a decade. Regional and local populations have also suffered severe declines pre- and post-fires. The North Coast population is estimated to have decreased by up to 50% over the past 20 years. The Sydney Basin population was estimated to have decreased by >65% over 8 years before the 2019–20 bushfires reduced its area of occupancy by a further 71%. Local populations on the North Coast and at Port Macquarie decreased by 80 to 90% post-fires, while the Shoalhaven population appears to no longer be extant. The projected impacts of climate change on koala populations, the predicted increase in heatwaves and bushfires, and the findings of the inquiry support the nomination for the species’ to be listed under Principle 1. The koala is estimated to have undergone a large reduction in population size of 50% over the last 20 years (3x generation length). This is likely to be an underestimate as the impact of both the 2019–20 bushfires and the preceding drought have not been accounted for. It was estimated that populations had declined by 10% by one year after the 2019–20 fires and would continue to decline thereafter without returning to their pre-fire population size. Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The NSW Final Determination for this species identified the extent of occurrence to be an estimated 1,665,850 km2 with an area of occupancy estimated to be 19,428 km2, equivalent to approximately 1.1% of the total area of occurrence. Much of the area of occupancy is distributed within modified landscapes as a result of human-activities and development. This species has been divided into several populations as a result of development and key threatening processes, including fire regimes and anthropogenic climate change. The species also has the potential to undergo extreme population fluctuations as a result of key threatening processes as seen during the recent 2019–20 bushfire period. | ||
| Pilularia novae-hollandiae (Austral pillwort) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 3 | X | Nomination to remove Principle 3: limited geographic distribution (and species from the list):
The cryptic nature of the species, and the apparent expression only after sustained inundation following winter and springtime rainfall, indicates that the species is likely to be substantially under-reported with a wider distribution than currently understood. | |||
| Prostanthera junonis (Somersby mintbush) | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 1 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 1: rapid rate of decline: From 22 former populations, Prostantherajunonis is believed to no longer exist in 9 and is reduced in numbers at 8 populations. Using the latest data, this means a loss of approximately 8,083 or 72% of known individuals. Some of the losses were incurred between approximately 1999 and 2002, when a recovery plan for the species was being prepared and published. Other losses are due to management of an electricity easement, which consisted of removal of all vegetation on 2 occasions in quick succession and unexplained losses within the national park estate. The latest surveys within Brisbane Water National Park have shown a decrease by approximately half in the number of individuals making up the populations. | ||
| Pterostylis Saxicola (Sydney Plains greenhood) | Not on the list of entities at risk of a SAII | 2 | 3 | 4 | Nomination under Principle 2: small population size: The total known population is approximately 500 individuals, and individual populations are small. Only the Georges River National Park population is within a conservation reserve; up to 40 individual plants have been recorded in this population, but in 1996 only a few plants were found. Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: This species is restricted to the Cumberland Plain IBRA Subregion of the Sydney Bioregion. It is restricted to western Sydney between Freemans Reach in the north and Picton in the south. The few known populations are very small and isolated. 2 populations occur within a conservation reserve (Georges River National Park; Scheyville National Park). Nomination under Principle 4: unlikely to respond to management: There is no documented successful translocation of this species. It requires particular shale-sandstone transitional soils and a poorly understood mycorrhizal relationship. It is considered unlikely that you could translocate or propagate this species. It is also unlikely that you could improve the extent of a population through management owing to its specific growing requirements. | |
| Turnix melanogaster (Red-backed button-quail) | Currently listed as at risk of SAII under principle 2 | 2 | 3 | Nomination under Principle 3: limited geographic distribution: The below calculations are based on BioNet records since 1990 as per NSW Threatened Species Scientific Committee Final determination of the species as critically endangered. There are no records in BioNet since 1995 and only one record on eBird in New South Wales since 1995, near Cougal in Border Ranges National Park (07/03/2014). The species is restricted to a maximum of one location, if it is still extant in New South Wales it is in the hinterland of the far north coast with records since 1992 encompassing Border Ranges National Park, Mebbin National Park, Wollumbin National Park, Wollumbin State Conservation Areas north of the Tweed River and Nightcap National Park and Whian Whian State Conservation Area south of the Tweed. The area of occupancy is between 0 to 24 km2 and extent of occurrence between 0 to 152 km2. | ||