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Eastern Short-necked Turtle (Emydura macquarii)

The Eastern Short-necked Turtle is a freshwater turtle of permanent rivers, creeks, lagoons, billabongs and deep waterholes in eastern Australia. On development sites, the main risks are disturbance to occupied pools and snags, removal of riparian vegetation, bank damage, altered flows, sediment and pollution, road mortality, fishing interactions and disturbance or predation at nesting areas.

Conservation status

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Critically endangered.

South Australia, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

Eastern Short-necked Turtles lay eggs in spring and early summer, with timing varying between regions. Clear and inspect nesting banks mainly from August to February, and check aquatic refuges before works in any month.

Reproductive mode: Egg laying. Females leave the water, excavate a nest, lay and bury the eggs, then return to the water.

Clutch size: Usually 10 to 15 eggs. Reported ranges are 4 to 34 eggs, with some sources reporting 5 to 30 eggs.

Incubation: Usually 65 to 85 days in natural nests. Other records range from 48 days at 30°C to four months, with about 78 days recorded at Patho, Victoria.

Size at hatching: About 30.1 ± 0.6 mm long and 5.4 ± 0.6 g for the nominate form.

Age at maturity: Males mature at about 5 to 6 years and females at about 9 to 11 years. Other sources report about 10 to 15 years, depending on population and conditions.

Nest or egg sites: Open ground in light sand to heavy clay, usually 2 to 40 m from water. Nests may be up to 1 km from water, and are flask shaped and about 150 to 200 mm deep.

Breeding frequency: Multiple clutches are reported. Two or three clutches are usual in some populations, while one, three or up to five clutches have been reported in different regions.

Confirm timing with local records, recent rainfall and nest-site conditions, because rainfall can trigger or facilitate nesting and temperature affects incubation duration.

  • Mating: Mating has been observed in captivity in January and from March to April. Field mating timing is poorly documented, so these months should not be treated as a complete field breeding period.
  • Gravid females: No species-specific record states when females carry eggs. For planning, treat late winter through the nesting period as a possible gravid period, because nesting may begin in August and continue to early January in some populations.
  • Nesting: Nesting may begin as early as August and is generally reported from late October to mid-December, with records extending to early January. November and December are the best supported peak months in Murray River populations, while regional timing varies with latitude, altitude and rainfall.
  • Incubation: Eggs remain in nests for about 48 to 85 days, usually about 65 to 85 days in natural nests. Eggs laid from August to December may therefore remain in the soil from August through March, with the main period generally October to February.
  • Hatchlings: Hatching is reported from December to February, and eggs normally hatch in mid to late summer. Exact emergence timing is not well documented and depends on laying date, nest temperature and local conditions.
  • Active period: Turtles can bask in all seasons but are less active above water during colder months. Basking observations were much higher from October to April than from May to September, and adult activity is expected to be greatest in late spring and summer.
  • Winter inactivity: Normal dormancy or reduced activity is reported, with fewer basking records from May to September. The available sources do not define a fixed brumation period or specific shelter type, so inspect logs, snags, undercut banks and pool margins during winter works.
  • Highest clearing risk: Risk is highest from October to December when nesting is most likely and eggs are being placed in soil, with additional risk from August to February because nests, eggs and hatchlings may be present. Winter inactivity adds risk from May to September, while aquatic refuge and water quality risks remain year-round.

Identification

This is a medium to large, brown, side-necked freshwater turtle with a short neck, webbed feet and a relatively flattened shell. Identification should be recorded with clear colour photographs, particularly in coastal New South Wales where Emydura and Elseya may occur together and the taxonomy of regional populations has changed.

The carapace is generally brown and may be light olive to dark brown. The head and neck are grey, with a pale yellow or cream stripe extending from the rear of the jaw along the neck. The iris is commonly yellow or golden yellow. The plastron is pale and lacks the broad black-edged seams typical of the Eastern Snake-necked Turtle.

The Bellinger River form has been described as having a light-coloured shell, pale belly, cream jaw stripe and yellow eyes. Its shell may be more flared towards the rear, but shell flare and iris colour are not reliable on their own because the species shows substantial variation.

Shell length: Up to 34 cm in the nominate Murray-Darling Basin form; up to 25 cm reported for the Bellinger River form.

Weight: Not given in the supplied sources.

Identification: Distinguishing similar turtles

The Eastern Snake-necked Turtle, Chelodina longicollis, has a long slender neck. When extended, its head and neck are longer than the shell. It also commonly has dark seams on the underside of the shell.

Georges' Turtle, Elseya georgesi, is also short-necked and may have a yellow jaw stripe. It differs by having a serrated rear shell margin, a darker belly with black seams, a horny casque or head shield, rounded tubercles on the sides of the head, chin barbels and silver eyes. The Emydura has a smooth-sided head, no prominent casque and no serrated rear shell margin.

  • Use the combination of short neck, pale shell and belly, yellow or golden iris, smooth head and absence of a serrated rear shell margin.
  • Treat unusual Bellinger River records as requiring verification because hybridisation with Georges' Turtle has been reported and regional taxonomy remains under review.
  • Obtain a good quality colour photograph and, where permitted, seek advice from the relevant state fauna authority or museum. Tissue sampling requires appropriate approval.

Identification: Field signs and survey detection

Direct observations are more useful than indirect signs. The species has been recorded while snorkelling, in baited cathedral or cage traps, and by dip netting from a boat at night with a portable spotlight.

Nests are shallow excavations in sandy or otherwise suitable river-bank soils. Nesting areas may be reused in successive years. No reliable species-specific tracks, scats, calls, sloughs or eyeshine signs are described in the supplied sources.

  • Search clear upstream pools by snorkelling, giving extra attention to submerged logs and snags.
  • Use long-handled dip nets from a small boat at night where visibility is poor or pools are long and deep.
  • If trapping is authorised, suspend baited traps beside banks near logs, overhanging banks and aquatic vegetation, with the upper part above water so captured turtles can breathe.
  • Check traps frequently. The survey guidance requires close checks after setting and repeated checks during the day, at night and early morning. Remove traps if they cannot be checked often enough to prevent drowning.

Distribution: National range

Emydura macquarii is a widespread eastern Australian species with regional populations and forms. The supplied material supports a range through the Murray-Darling Basin and coastal drainages of New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. The Bellinger River population is a geographically isolated coastal population, but genetic work indicates that it is not a distinct genetic entity from nearby coastal populations.

The species occurs in the Murray-Darling drainage across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, and is also recorded in the Australian Capital Territory. Coastal populations occur in northern and eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland.

Relevant broad bioregional settings are the Murray-Darling Basin and the coastal river systems of northern and eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. The supplied sources do not provide a complete state by state inventory of all current populations.

  • Check state databases and local records before works because regional forms may be recorded under different names, including Emydura macquarii signata.
  • Do not assume that a turtle is absent because a site is outside the historically described Bellinger River range. The wider species is distributed well beyond that catchment.

Distribution: Known strongholds and subpopulations

The species is associated with the Murray-Darling Basin, including large rivers, lagoons, billabongs and permanent floodplain waterholes. Coastal populations include river systems in New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland.

The Bellinger River population occupies the Bellinger and Kalang drainages in coastal north-eastern New South Wales. The NSW review estimated occupied river habitat at about 30 km of the Bellinger River and about 20 km of the Kalang River above the tidal limits.

  • The Bellinger population is geographically separated from populations in the Clarence and Nambucca drainages by about 5 to 10 km of rugged, forested ridges.
  • Historical records for the Bellinger River form include sites near Thora and the broader catchment between Winch Flat and the tidal zone.

Distribution: Population status

Population status varies by regional form and jurisdiction. The supplied material reports that the Bellinger River population was formerly considered rare, but later surveys found substantially more animals than earlier assessments. There is no evidence in the NSW review of a continuing decline or extreme population fluctuation, although demographic data remain limited.

The NSW review reported 76 Bellinger River individuals during three weeks of intensive survey in March 2007, at an estimated density of about five turtles per hectare. It also reported that effective fox control could produce a projected increase of about 50 percent by 2035, while lower juvenile and adult survival could result in a projected decline of about 60 percent by 2035.

Bellinger River survey result: 76 individuals recorded during intensive March 2007 surveys.

Reported density: About 5 turtles per hectare in the surveyed Bellinger River habitat.

Bellinger River area of occupancy: About 30 km of the Bellinger River and 20 km of the Kalang River above tidal limits; the area of tributaries is unknown.

Population trend: No demonstrated continuing decline in the NSW review, but outcomes are sensitive to juvenile survival and fox predation.

Distribution: Conservation status

The supplied project information lists the species as not listed under the EPBC Act, with state listings of Critically Endangered in Victoria and Vulnerable in South Australia. Historical documents use different taxonomic treatments and list the Bellinger River form as Vulnerable under earlier Commonwealth and New South Wales arrangements. Confirm the current legal status and applicable approvals for the project location before works.

Habitat: Waterbodies

The Eastern Short-necked Turtle is primarily a turtle of permanent or persistent freshwater systems. Habitat quality depends on water permanence and flow, suitable pool structure, cover such as snags and aquatic vegetation, intact banks and connected riparian vegetation.

In the Murray-Darling Basin, the species uses rivers, creeks, backwaters, oxbows, anabranches, lagoons, billabongs and deep permanent waterholes. It generally favours larger, deeper, clearer and flowing waterbodies, and has been reported as avoiding water less than 2 m deep in one study.

In the Bellinger River catchment, it has been recorded in long shallow pools or waterholes, generally less than 3 m deep, in permanently flowing rivers and large creeks. The NSW review describes shallow, still pools with sand or rock, snags, logs, aquatic vegetation and sandy banks.

  • Map permanent pools, deep holes, backwaters, side channels and connected lagoons within and downstream of the work area.
  • Retain submerged and emergent logs where they do not create an unacceptable public safety or flood risk.
  • Assess both the construction footprint and upstream and downstream pathways for sediment, pollution and altered flows.

Habitat: Riparian and structural features

Riparian vegetation provides shade, organic matter, bank stability, nesting opportunities and a source of snags used by freshwater turtles for basking. Aquatic vegetation, including Hydrilla verticillata in the Bellinger River survey guidance, provides cover and foraging structure.

Suitable banks include sandy or otherwise workable soils near water. The species may nest from 2 to 40 m from the water in the Murray-Darling Basin, although the Bellinger River sources describe nests in river banks without giving a typical distance.

  • Retain riparian shade, bank vegetation, stable sandy banks, aquatic macrophytes and submerged snags wherever practicable.
  • Avoid stock access, plant movement and machinery access that could collapse banks or increase sediment delivery.
  • Treat shallow pools, aquatic vegetation and snag complexes as potential habitat even if turtles are not visible during a single inspection.

Habitat: Elevation and climate

The supplied sources do not define a species-wide elevation limit. Records span temperate and subtropical eastern Australia, including the Murray-Darling Basin and coastal catchments. Activity is expected to be greatest in warmer months, particularly late spring and summer.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The species feeds in rivers and associated permanent waterbodies, using structurally complex habitat. It is an opportunistic omnivore, and the balance of plant and animal food varies with size, habitat and prey availability.

Recorded food includes filamentous algae, blue-green algae, diatoms, fungi, periphyton, aquatic plant shoots and leaves, detritus, aquatic insects, crustaceans, molluscs, carrion and fish. Carrion and invertebrates appear to be important because plant material alone does not meet the species' metabolic requirements.

The Bellinger River population feeds mostly on insects, including caddisfly larvae, other fly larvae, beetles and dragonfly nymphs, while remaining probably omnivorous.

  • Protect aquatic vegetation, leaf and woody debris inputs, shallow margins and snag habitat that support invertebrate prey.
  • Prevent sediment, chemical runoff and other pollution that could reduce water clarity, aquatic plants or aquatic invertebrate production.
  • Do not interpret a lack of visible foraging as absence. The species can feed among submerged cover and in deeper pools.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas and movements

The species favours complex aquatic habitat and uses rivers, backwaters, lagoons, billabongs and permanent waterholes. It is mobile within connected river systems, but overland dispersal is limited and regional populations are separated by drainage divides.

The supplied sources do not provide a standard foraging range or home-range distance. For impact assessment, treat connected pools, adjacent banks, side channels and nearby floodplain waterbodies as potentially linked habitat.

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

Females leave the water to excavate shallow nests in suitable soils near the river or waterbody. Breeding habitat therefore includes both the aquatic habitat used by adults and the terrestrial bank or floodplain areas used for nesting.

Mating: Mating has been observed in captivity in January and March to April. Field mating timing is poorly documented.

Nesting season: Usually late October to mid-December in the Murray-Darling Basin; October to early January for the Bellinger River population.

Clutches: Usually two or three clutches per season.

Eggs per clutch: Usually about 10 to 15 eggs.

Maximum seasonal output: Up to 84 eggs in a season has been reported.

Nest distance from water: Usually 2 to 40 m from the water in the Murray-Darling Basin sources; nests may occur closer or farther depending on local conditions.

Nest depth: About 150 to 200 mm in the Murray-Darling Basin sources.

Incubation: About 48 to 85 days. Approximately 78 days was recorded at Patho, Victoria.

Age at maturity: About 6 years for the Bellinger River population. Other supplied material reports about 15 years for the species, so maturity varies among sources and populations.

Longevity: About 17 years reported for the Bellinger River population.

Breeding habitat: Nest-site requirements

Females excavate nests in soils ranging from light sand to heavy clay, with lighter soils used more often in the Murray-Darling Basin sources. Nests are generally in open areas near water, and the same nesting areas may be used repeatedly.

Nest-site selection balances flooding and predation risk. Nesting too close to shore may increase flooding risk, while nesting farther from shore increases the distance females and hatchlings travel over land and their exposure to predators.

  • Inspect open sandy banks, light soils, stable river terraces and other suitable ground within at least 40 m of the water, while recognising that the Bellinger River sources do not define a maximum nest distance.
  • Avoid clearing, grading, trenching, vehicle movement and material storage on likely nesting banks from October to January.
  • Mark and protect suspected nests rather than excavating or relocating them unless directed under an approved wildlife handling procedure.

Breeding habitat: Recruitment and nest predation

Foxes are a major source of nest predation. A Bellinger River study used a reported fox predation rate of 72 percent on nests in population modelling. Effective fox control was projected to improve population outcomes.

  • Include nest searches and fox management in project planning where nesting habitat is present.
  • Do not rely on adult turtle counts alone. Recruitment monitoring requires attention to nests, hatchlings, juveniles and subadults.

Sheltering habitat: Aquatic refuge

The species shelters and avoids detection in submerged and bank-side structure rather than in specialised terrestrial dens. Survey and construction teams should expect turtles to remain concealed around logs, snags, aquatic vegetation and pool margins.

Important refuge features include submerged logs and snags, overhanging banks, aquatic vegetation, varied rocky or sandy substrates and persistent pools. The Bellinger River survey guidance notes that turtles are harder to detect around logs and submerged snags.

The species is frequently associated with emergent logs or rocks for basking. It may occur alone or in pairs. No specific refuge dimensions are provided.

  • Inspect submerged snags, log jams, undercut banks and aquatic vegetation before dewatering, dredging, bank works or snag removal.
  • Use trained aquatic fauna personnel for capture and relocation where handling is authorised.
  • Retain basking logs and rocks unless removal is required for a documented safety or flood-management reason.

Sheltering habitat: Terrestrial refuge and nesting cover

Terrestrial use is associated mainly with nesting and movements between the water and nest sites. Suitable banks include sandy or workable soils, stable open ground and intact riparian margins. The supplied sources do not describe permanent burrows, dens, hollows or specialised resting shelters.

  • Keep machinery, spoil, fencing and lighting away from the water's edge and likely nesting banks.
  • Provide a clear, safe route between water and nesting areas where temporary fencing or access controls are installed.
  • Check access tracks and roads near waterways for turtles before vehicle movement, especially during the nesting period.

Threats: Clearing and construction

The main project risks are loss or degradation of river habitat, damage to nesting banks, reduced recruitment and changes to flow or water quality. Risks can occur upstream of occupied habitat because sediment, pollutants and altered flows move through the catchment.

Clearing or degrading riparian vegetation removes shade, bank stability, organic matter, snags and potential nesting habitat. Bridges, fords, crossings, bank works, dredging, trenching, stock access and earthworks can disturb pools, banks and aquatic structure.

Sand and gravel extraction can remove pool and bank habitat, alter channel form and increase sediment loads. Desnagging can remove basking and refuge sites.

  • Keep the construction footprint, access routes and spoil areas outside riparian buffers and likely nesting banks wherever practicable.
  • Design crossings to avoid direct disturbance to occupied pools, snags, aquatic vegetation and stable sandy banks.
  • Stage instream works outside the October to January nesting period where practicable, and prepare a fauna rescue plan for unavoidable in-water works.

Threats: Water quality and sediment

Sediment, turbidity, chemical runoff and other pollution can degrade aquatic habitat, reduce prey and affect river health. Sources identified in the recovery material include forestry, grazing, agriculture, construction, bank degradation and catchment disturbance.

  • Prevent sediment leaving disturbed ground and entering pools, tributaries or drainage lines.
  • Use erosion and sediment controls that remain effective during rainfall and are maintained until the site is stabilised.
  • Prevent concrete washout, fuels, chemicals and other pollutants from entering freshwater habitat.

Threats: Hydrology and fragmentation

Water extraction and reduced stream flow are identified threats. Drought, altered water levels and human water use can reduce the availability and persistence of pools and associated floodplain habitat.

The turtles have limited overland dispersal. Roads, crossings, bank modification and loss of connected pools can restrict movement within a river system and isolate populations.

  • Assess changes to baseflow, pool persistence, water levels, floodplain connection and fish passage pathways before approving water-related works.
  • Maintain aquatic connectivity during temporary works and avoid isolating pools or side channels.
  • Provide fauna crossing controls or traffic management where roads run beside or across occupied waterways.

Threats: Predators, fishing and introductions

Foxes are the main documented predator threat, particularly to nests. Line fishing can injure or kill turtles, and stainless steel hooks are specifically identified as a concern because they do not rust.

Release of captive or pet Emydura from other catchments can introduce animals from different genetic populations. Hybridisation with Georges' Turtle has also been reported in the Bellinger River.

  • Control fox access to nesting areas where an approved fox management programme is in place.
  • Prevent the release or translocation of pet or captive turtles.
  • Manage fishing access and recover discarded line and hooks around occupied pools and construction compounds.

Threats: Fire and disease

The supplied sources do not identify fire or a species-specific disease as a primary threat. Fire can still affect the species indirectly if it removes riparian shade, destabilises banks or increases post-fire erosion and sediment delivery to waterways.

  • Keep fire management, vegetation clearing and post-fire erosion controls focused on protecting riparian cover, stable banks and water quality.
  • Report sick or dead turtles to the relevant state wildlife authority and avoid moving turtles between catchments.

Survey methodology: 1. Define habitat and survey areas

Survey the project area before finalising clearing or construction limits. Confirm the current taxonomic and legal status first, because the Bellinger River form has been treated both as a threatened taxon and as part of the wider Emydura macquarii population.

Map all permanent and flowing watercourses, pools, large creeks, aquatic vegetation, snags, logs, sandy banks and riparian vegetation within and upstream or downstream of the project area.

Stratify survey sites by waterbody type, water depth, water clarity, substrate, aquatic vegetation and access conditions.

Include retained habitat and connected river sections in the survey design, not only the proposed impact footprint.

For projects outside the Bellinger River catchment, confirm whether the target is Emydura macquarii generally or a recognised local population, and obtain current state distribution and taxonomy advice.

Bellinger River population habitat: Shallow or still river pools with sand or rock, snags and logs, aquatic vegetation and sandy banks.

Survey guideline habitat: Long shallow waterholes, generally less than 3 metres deep, with rocky substrate and vegetation, especially Hydrilla verticillata, in permanently flowing rivers and large creeks.

  • Use the recovery plan, state databases, museum records, local experts and recent survey reports to identify records near the project area.
  • Treat unusual or isolated records as requiring verification because Emydura macquarii can be confused with Elseya and other short-necked turtles.

Survey methodology: 2. Snorkelling and visual aquatic searches

Use snorkelling as the preferred method where water clarity, flow, depth and safety allow.

Survey clear upstream sections by swimming at the surface and by diving, with extra search time around logs and submerged snags where turtles are harder to detect.

Record water clarity, flow, depth, substrate, snags, aquatic vegetation and the length of river searched so that detection conditions are clear.

Do not enter water where flow, pollution, unstable banks, poor visibility or other hazards make the method unsafe.

Activity period: Unknown, but presumed to include late spring and summer, with activity in the morning, afternoon and possibly part of the night.

  • Use repeated searches across each representative habitat type when the project could affect a connected river section.
  • Give priority to late spring and summer, when the species is presumed to be more active, while recognising that the activity period is not fully known.
  • Use a good quality colour photograph and, where possible, a tissue sample for verification of records from the Bellinger catchment or smaller rivers to the north and south.

Survey methodology: 3. Nocturnal spotlighting and dip netting

Where visibility or long waterholes prevents snorkelling, use a small boat and long-handled dip nets at night.

Use portable spotlights to locate turtles before attempting capture.

Search deeper waterholes and areas around banks, logs, overhanging vegetation and other suitable microhabitats.

Use an experienced aquatic survey team that can work safely from the boat and handle captured turtles lawfully.

  • Record the number of observers, start and finish times, waterbody length or area searched, weather, water clarity and spotlight conditions.
  • Use dip netting as a targeted capture method rather than repeatedly disturbing the whole waterbody.
  • Photograph captured animals and submit identification material to the relevant state fauna authority or museum where identification is uncertain.

Survey methodology: 4. Cathedral traps and aquatic trapping

Place baited cathedral traps beside the riverbank near logs, overhanging banks and aquatic vegetation.

Tie the upper parts of traps to overhanging trees or otherwise secure them so that the trap remains safe and accessible to captured turtles.

Use sardine bait, with some bait loose in a nylon mesh bag and some in a perforated can where that method is authorised.

Leave traps for 24 to 48 hours and check them at intervals of 4 to 10 hours, with rebaiting at about 24 hours.

Remove traps if they cannot be checked at the required intervals or if conditions create a risk of drowning, overheating or excessive capture.

Trap duration: 24 to 48 hours.

Trap checking interval: Every 4 to 10 hours, with more frequent checks during the first hours if capture risk is high.

  • Do not rely on cage trapping alone, because the survey guideline states that this method may have limited success for this taxon.
  • Keep the top of any aquatic trap above the water far enough for captured turtles to breathe, and inspect traps more frequently when capture rates are high.
  • Check all traps promptly, identify, photograph, measure and release or transfer animals under the approved fauna handling procedure.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

  • Use a survey design that covers all habitat types and the full project footprint, with additional sites where the project could affect connected river habitat.
  • Do not describe a site as free of turtles solely because one method produced no detections, particularly where water is turbid, deep, obstructed or poorly accessible.
  • Document survey dates, times, methods, observer effort, search length or area, trap locations, trap checks, weather, water conditions, photographs, tissue samples and all detections or non-detections.
  • Submit verified records to the relevant state wildlife database and fauna authority, and provide records to the appropriate museum where the identification or population assignment is uncertain.
  • Obtain current advice from the relevant state or territory wildlife agency before using snorkelling, boats, nets, traps, tissue sampling or handling procedures.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise habitat loss

Plan the project around the river habitat used by Emydura macquarii. Avoid disturbing occupied pools, banks, snags, aquatic vegetation and riparian cover wherever practicable.

Keep works out of shallow or still pools, long waterholes, sandy nesting banks, aquatic vegetation, snags, logs and intact riparian vegetation wherever practicable.

Retain connected river habitat and avoid creating barriers between pools, tributaries and retained riparian areas.

Maintain water quality, natural flow, bank stability and shade by retaining riparian vegetation and preventing sediment, pollutants and concrete washout from entering the watercourse.

Avoid removing snags or submerged logs near known or potential habitat unless the action has been assessed and authorised.

  • Set work limits outside the riparian zone and aquatic habitat where the design allows.
  • Use existing access tracks and previously disturbed areas rather than opening new crossings or access points through riverbanks.
  • Keep stockpiles, fuels, chemicals, spoil and machinery away from drainage lines and flood-prone banks.

Before habitat disturbance: Check approvals and plan the works

Confirm the current listing and naming of the local population with the relevant state or territory agency before works begin.

For any project in or near habitat that is nationally listed at the time of assessment, refer actions that may have a significant impact under the EPBC Act and follow the Commonwealth decision.

Obtain state or territory permits for fauna survey, capture, handling, tissue sampling, netting, trapping, relocation and injury response where required.

Have an ecologist prepare a fauna management plan that identifies habitat, survey methods, authorised handlers, exclusion zones, stop-work triggers and reporting requirements.

  • Check local planning, waterway, fisheries, vegetation clearing, pollution and erosion controls in addition to threatened species requirements.
  • Treat the historical Bellinger River recovery plan and current state advice as separate inputs, because the taxon has undergone taxonomic and listing changes.

Before habitat disturbance: Time and stage the works

Schedule aquatic disturbance outside the spring and summer breeding and nesting period where practicable.

Avoid disturbing riverbanks during the reported nesting period from October to early January for the Bellinger River form, and late October to mid December for the wider species, unless a specific fauna plan authorises the timing.

Stage clearing so that retained aquatic and riparian habitat remains available while each work area is surveyed and released.

Allow enough time for pre-clearance surveys, trap checks, animal relocation and treatment of injured fauna before machinery enters each work area.

  • Use staged access and daily release of work areas rather than opening the entire project footprint at once.
  • Reassess timing after heavy rain, flooding, drought or changes in water level because these conditions can alter turtle movements and nesting activity.

Before habitat disturbance: Prepare and mark the site

Complete the pre-clearance survey using methods suited to water clarity, depth, access and habitat condition.

Mark no-go areas around occupied or suitable pools, sandy banks, snags, logs, aquatic vegetation and retained riparian vegetation before machinery arrives.

Install exclusion fencing only where it will not block access to the river, trap turtles against hazards or direct them into the work area.

Brief machine operators, supervisors and spotter catchers on the mapped habitat, exclusion zones, access routes and stop-work procedure.

  • Inspect exclusion fencing and habitat markers each morning and after rainfall, flooding or machinery movement.
  • Do not use fencing as a substitute for aquatic survey and fauna supervision where turtles can move through water.

During habitat disturbance: Daily controls and machinery coordination

Keep a fauna spotter catcher present for activities that may affect aquatic, bank or riparian habitat. The spotter catcher must have authority to pause machinery and must work from a clear daily release process.

Inspect the work area, exclusion fencing, watercourse controls and retained habitat before machinery starts each day.

Keep machinery outside marked exclusion zones until the fauna spotter catcher has checked and released the work area.

Use a slow, staged sequence where the spotter catcher can see the bucket, blade, access track, bank and water edge at all times.

Stop machinery immediately when the spotter catcher gives the stop signal or loses safe visibility of the active work area.

  • Keep a clear communication channel between the spotter catcher, machine operator, supervisor and environmental officer.
  • Prevent refuelling, servicing, washdown, concrete work and chemical storage beside water or on sandy nesting banks.
  • Maintain erosion and sediment controls throughout the shift and inspect them after rain.

During habitat disturbance: Habitat feature handling

Do not disturb occupied pools, shallow waterholes, sandy banks, aquatic vegetation, snags or logs unless the fauna plan specifically allows the activity.

If a log or snag must be moved, inspect it and the surrounding water and bank for turtles before movement, then place it in retained habitat where the approved plan requires reinstatement.

Protect sandy banks and river margins from compaction, excavation, vehicle access and spoil placement because females excavate shallow nests in river banks.

Keep aquatic vegetation, including Hydrilla verticillata where present, intact unless removal is authorised and the ecological effects have been assessed.

  • Do not use hollow-bearing tree, rock or burrow protocols as a substitute for aquatic turtle controls, because the documented habitat features for this taxon are mainly aquatic and riparian.
  • Avoid creating sudden drops, isolated pools, contaminated water or blocked flow paths that could trap turtles during construction.
  • Use clean equipment when working between waterbodies to reduce the risk of transferring pollutants or aquatic pathogens.

During habitat disturbance: If a turtle is found

Stop the activity that could injure the animal and keep people and machinery back from the turtle.

Allow only an appropriately authorised fauna handler to capture, examine, photograph, mark or relocate the turtle.

Keep handling to the minimum needed for identification, safety and approved relocation, and keep the animal shaded, cool and secure while awaiting release.

Release the turtle into nearby retained habitat within the same connected river system only where this is permitted by the fauna plan and relevant authority.

  • Do not move a turtle to another catchment or mix it with animals from another population without written approval from the relevant wildlife authority.
  • Record the location, time, condition, sex or life stage if safely determined, photographs, action taken and release location.
  • Send injured turtles promptly to a veterinarian or authorised wildlife carer and record the transfer.
  • If the animal may be a hybrid, an unusual form or a turtle from outside its expected range, retain clear photographs and seek expert identification before release where safe and lawful.

During habitat disturbance: Stop work, records and incident response

Stop work if a turtle is found in the active work area, if a nest or nesting female is suspected, if exclusion fencing directs turtles towards machinery, or if sediment, fuel, concrete or other pollutants enter the water.

Stop work if an unapproved impact occurs to a pool, riverbank, snag, log, aquatic vegetation or riparian exclusion zone.

Notify the site supervisor, environmental officer and relevant authority in accordance with the fauna management plan.

Keep daily records of cleared areas, observer hours, habitat condition, animal sightings, captures, relocations, injuries, mortalities, fence inspections and incidents.

  • Photograph the affected habitat and animal where this can be done without increasing disturbance.
  • Do not restart the affected activity until the environmental officer confirms that the stop-work trigger has been addressed and the fauna plan permits recommencement.
  • Report mortality, injury, unauthorised take, significant pollution or suspected illegal release through the required state or territory channels.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Do not treat completion of earthworks as completion of fauna obligations. Check the disturbed area, maintain controls and verify that retained river habitat remains usable.

Inspect the completed work area, access routes, banks, pools and retained riparian habitat for stranded, injured or newly exposed turtles before demobilisation.

Repeat aquatic searches where works changed water depth, flow, clarity, bank profile, aquatic vegetation or access to logs and snags.

Remove temporary fencing, traps, bait and equipment only after the fauna spotter catcher confirms that no animal is trapped or excluded from retained habitat.

Check that no spoil, sediment, rubbish, fuel, concrete or disturbed material has entered the river or connected pools.

  • Inspect after rainfall, flooding, major changes in flow and the first period of wet weather after construction.
  • Record any turtle detections and submit verified records to the relevant state wildlife database.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained pools, riverbanks, aquatic vegetation, snags, logs, water quality and riparian cover at the frequency specified in the approved fauna or rehabilitation plan.

Use repeat snorkelling, spotlighting, dip netting or trapping only where authorised and where the method is safe and appropriate to the changed habitat.

Compare post-work records with pre-work survey conditions, including search effort, water conditions and turtle detections.

Report incidents, mortalities, injuries, relocations, permit compliance, water quality events and rehabilitation progress to the proponent and relevant regulators.

  • Keep survey and construction records with spatial data, photographs and permit references so future surveys can distinguish real population change from changes in detection effort.
  • Escalate repeated turtle detections, nest disturbance, reduced water quality or loss of retained habitat to the project environmental officer and relevant agency.

After habitat disturbance: Maintain controls and address residual impacts

Maintain erosion, sediment, pollution, bank stabilisation and riparian protection measures until the site is stable and rehabilitation criteria are met.

Repair failed fencing, scour, bank collapse, sediment controls or access barriers promptly.

Assess unavoidable residual impacts on aquatic habitat, riparian vegetation, water quality, flow and connectivity under the applicable state or territory and Commonwealth framework.

Implement approved offsets or other compensatory measures where required by an approval, permit or environmental assessment.

  • Do not remove rehabilitation controls solely because machinery has left the site.
  • Review the need for additional fox control or nest protection where the project affects nesting banks and the approved management plan identifies this as a risk.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore river and riparian habitat

Rehabilitation should restore a functioning river edge, not only stabilise the soil. Design the outcome for shallow pools, nesting banks, aquatic cover, logs, shade, water quality and movement through the river system.

Regrade disturbed banks to stable natural profiles that retain suitable sandy nesting areas without creating erosion or abrupt drops.

Replant cleared riparian areas with locally appropriate native species suited to the river system, using advice from the relevant catchment or land management authority.

Restore shade, bank stability, organic matter inputs and filtering of sediment and pollutants through riparian vegetation recovery.

Reinstate suitable logs and snags where their removal was authorised, placing them so they provide basking and aquatic cover without blocking flow or creating a navigation hazard.

  • Protect newly planted areas from stock, vehicles, trampling and invasive weeds until plants are established.
  • Do not introduce aquatic plants or animals from another catchment, and obtain approval before using Hydrilla verticillata or any other aquatic plant in rehabilitation.
  • Remove construction debris and leave no material that can trap turtles or alter water quality.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore water and nesting conditions

Restore shallow, still or slow-flowing pool margins and connected habitat where construction altered the river edge.

Maintain natural flow paths and avoid dewatering, excessive extraction, sudden barriers or isolated pools in the rehabilitated reach.

Use clean fill and stable materials that will not increase turbidity, pollution or sediment loads.

Retain or recreate sandy banks suitable for shallow nest excavation, while keeping access controlled to reduce compaction and disturbance during nesting.

  • Design crossings and drainage so they do not discharge concentrated sediment or pollutants into pools and riverbanks.
  • Monitor water depth, flow, clarity, sediment, aquatic vegetation and bank stability as part of rehabilitation inspections.
  • Do not install artificial nest sites unless an approved species management plan identifies the need and sets their location and maintenance requirements.

Rehabilitation actions: Control predators, weeds and access

Support fox control near known or restored nesting habitat where this is included in the approved management programme.

Control invasive weeds without allowing herbicide or contaminated wash water to enter the river.

Restrict vehicle and stock access to rehabilitated banks and pools until vegetation and bank surfaces are stable.

Use fire management advice for the local catchment and avoid fire, slash burning or fuel loads that could damage recovering riparian vegetation or nesting banks.

  • Coordinate predator and weed control with the relevant land manager and wildlife authority.
  • Inspect restored logs, banks, fencing and vegetation after floods, drought, fire and major rainfall.
  • Record the location and treatment of weeds, fox control effort, access damage and any turtle nests or turtles observed.

Rehabilitation actions: Monitor success

Set success measures for surviving native riparian plants, stable banks, retained or restored logs, suitable aquatic vegetation, water quality, flow and continued habitat connectivity.

Repeat turtle surveys using comparable methods and effort, including snorkelling, spotlighting, dip netting or trapping where authorised and safe.

Track juvenile and subadult recruitment where the approved programme requires it, using trapping and nest marking under an authorised protocol.

Continue monitoring until the environmental officer and relevant approval authority accept that the rehabilitation criteria have been met.

Recovery plan recruitment methods: A combination of trapping and nest marking was recommended for monitoring juveniles and subadults.

Bellinger River population density reported in the NSW review: About five animals per hectare, based on 76 individuals found during three weeks of intensive survey in March 2007.

  • Report rehabilitation results, turtle records, injuries, mortalities, nest predation and corrective actions to the proponent and relevant authorities.
  • Treat failure of bank stability, water quality, aquatic cover, connectivity or recruitment measures as a trigger for corrective rehabilitation.
  • Store monitoring data in the relevant state wildlife database and project environmental record.

Sources