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Gravel-downs Ctenotus (Ctenotus serotinus)

The gravel-downs ctenotus is a small Queensland endemic skink known from two sites in the Diamantina Lakes district of far south-western Queensland. Its narrow habitat occurs where stony or gravelly downs meet sand dunes, so clearing, earthworks and vehicle access can affect the species even where the suitable strip is very small. It is listed as Critically endangered under Queensland and Commonwealth conservation listings and should be managed as an EVNT species on works sites.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Critically endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Critically endangered.

Breeding season

The gravel-downs ctenotus is poorly known, but Ctenotus species generally breed in spring and summer. For this species, plan for breeding activity from September to February, with local timing likely to vary with rainfall, temperature and site conditions.

Breeding mode: Not recorded for the gravel-downs ctenotus. Ctenotus commonly lay eggs, but this should be confirmed locally before works are planned.

Breeding period: Spring to summer. September to February is a sensible planning window based on the known Ctenotus breeding pattern.

Breeding place: Not recorded. The species is assumed to shelter in shallow burrows in soil or sand, under vegetation or woody debris.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation period: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Not recorded.

Timing may shift between years and locations, particularly after rainfall or during unusually hot, cold or dry conditions.

  • Breeding activity, spring to summer: Ctenotus species generally breed in spring and summer, but the precise breeding months of the gravel-downs ctenotus are not known.
  • Cool-season survey window and surface activity: Target surveys are recommended from April to September, preferably on dry days with morning searches before temperatures become high.
  • Shelter use and habitat occupancy: Individuals may shelter in shallow burrows, under vegetation, leaf litter or woody debris throughout the year.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing from September to February has the highest potential to affect breeding animals and any eggs or dependent young, while the narrow gravelly downs to sand dune ecotone should be protected year round.

Identification: Appearance and size

The gravel-downs ctenotus is a small, spotted ctenotus with a maximum stated snout to vent length of 50 mm. Several similar ctenotus species occur in the same broad region, so capture and close examination are recommended for definitive identification.

The base colour is olive brown. A narrow, dark brown to black vertebral stripe runs from the nape to the base of the tail and has a pale, irregular edge.

The upper flanks are dark olive brown with small white spots that tend to form vertical alignments. A grey mid-lateral stripe extends from behind the eye to the tail, although it is poorly defined near the head.

The limbs have indistinct dark and light brown stripes. Juveniles usually have more prominent markings. Maximum stated snout to vent length is 50 mm.

Identification: Similar species

The species may occur with at least ten other ctenotus species in the Channel Country. It is also closely related to the black-soil rises ctenotus, Ctenotus schevilli.

Its smaller size and stronger vertebral and paravertebral stripes can assist with separation, although Ctenotus brooksi, Ctenotus strauchii, Ctenotus leonhardii and Ctenotus pulchellus may require particular care during identification.

  • Stony downs ctenotus, Ctenotus astarte
  • Wedgesnout ctenotus, Ctenotus brooksi
  • Black-soil ctenotus, Ctenotus joanae
  • Gravelly-soil ctenotus, Ctenotus lateralis
  • Leonhard’s ctenotus, Ctenotus leonhardii
  • Leopard ctenotus, Ctenotus pantherinus
  • Red-sided ctenotus, Ctenotus pulchellus
  • Barred wedgesnout ctenotus, Ctenotus schomburgkii
  • Massive-gibber ctenotus, Ctenotus septenarius
  • Eastern barred wedgesnout ctenotus, Ctenotus strauchii

Identification: Handling and field signs

Many ctenotus species look superficially similar. A fauna spotter catcher should capture suspected animals where permitted, examine them carefully, and release them promptly in suitable nearby habitat in accordance with the approved method.

No call or echolocation feature is described for this species. Look for small skink activity around the gravel and sand interface, but do not rely on visual sightings alone. Shallow burrows, leaf litter, woody debris and surface vegetation may indicate suitable shelter.

Distribution: Known Australian range

The gravel-downs ctenotus is a Queensland endemic with a very restricted known distribution. Current known records are limited to two sites in the Diamantina Lakes district of far south-western Queensland.

The known sites are approximately 300 km south-west of Winton. One site is in Diamantina National Park and the other is on an adjacent leasehold property.

No occurrence outside Queensland is identified. There is no relevant overseas range.

State: Queensland only

Region: Diamantina Lakes district, far south-western Queensland

Known sites: Two

Distribution: Planning and records checks

The species has an extremely restricted known range, and records are sparse. A site without a current record should not automatically be treated as unsuitable, particularly where gravelly downs meet sand dunes or other fine-grained landforms.

Before clearing or construction, check current WildNet records, approved project searches and relevant Queensland government mapping. Use the narrow habitat interface as a planning trigger rather than relying only on mapped points.

  • Review records for the project area and nearby landforms.
  • Inspect both sides of the gravel and sand interface.
  • Treat historical records and adjacent suitable habitat as relevant to planning.
  • Obtain specialist ecological advice before disturbing potential habitat.

Habitat: Landforms and habitat interfaces

The species is associated with a narrow transition between stony or gravelly downs and fine-grained soils. On a works site, the interface itself and the immediately adjacent habitat should be assessed, as the suitable band may be very restricted.

Look for gentle stony slopes or rises adjoining sand dunes, sand hills or other fine-grained soil areas. The species has been seen and captured in this ecotone rather than broadly across either landform.

The interface has been described as very narrow. Avoid treating the gravelly and sandy areas as separate habitat units when planning clearing, access tracks or temporary work areas.

  • Stony or gravelly downs
  • Gentle slopes and rises
  • Sand dunes and sand hills
  • Interdune areas and transition zones between these landforms

Habitat: Vegetation and regional ecosystems

Recorded habitat includes dunefields with spinifex and sandhill canegrass, and interdune low open Georgina gidgee woodland. The holotype habitat lacked the spinifex shelter sites commonly used by many regional ctenotus species.

Potential Regional Ecosystems associated with imprecise historical records and mapping intersections include 4.9.4, 5.9.3, 5.6.1 and 5.6.8. These mapping intersections should be checked in the field rather than treated as confirmed occupied habitat.

  • Spinifex, Triodia species
  • Sandhill canegrass
  • Low open Georgina gidgee woodland
  • Woody debris, leaf litter and low surface vegetation

Habitat: Site assessment

Walk the full length of any gravel to sand transition within or near the disturbance footprint. Mark the interface, shelter features and any observed ctenotus activity before finalising clearing limits.

Keep habitat assessment broad enough to include adjoining areas used for basking, movement and shelter. The species is poorly known, so habitat suitability should be assessed conservatively.

Foraging habitat: Where to look

Specific diet and foraging behaviour are not established for the gravel-downs ctenotus. Search effort should therefore cover the full gravel and sand ecotone, including places where small skinks can bask, move between cover and shelter beneath surface material.

Inspect the edges of stony downs, gravelly rises, sand dunes and interdune woodland. Suitable search habitat may include both the narrow interface and nearby patches of low vegetation, leaf litter and woody debris.

Individuals may be difficult to detect because reptile activity can be patchy and the species may be confused with other ctenotus.

  • Sunny edges of the gravel and sand interface
  • Areas beneath or beside low vegetation
  • Leaf litter and woody debris
  • Interdune low open Georgina gidgee woodland

Foraging habitat: Foraging information

The species’ diet and specific foraging behaviour are not established. Do not assume that a bare gravel surface is unsuitable, and do not restrict searches to spinifex, as the holotype habitat lacked the spinifex shelter sites often used by other regional ctenotus.

Foraging habitat: Practical search approach

Active searches are generally most useful in the morning, when animals may be basking and becoming active, before temperatures become too high. Surveys should be conducted during cooler months, from April to September, preferably on dry days.

Because little is known about the species, some effort may be spread across the day where conditions and approvals allow. Capture suspected animals for reliable identification.

  • Search both the stony and sandy sides of the interface.
  • Record weather, ground conditions, vegetation and shelter features.
  • Check under suitable surface cover carefully and replace it immediately.
  • Use hygienic equipment and avoid moving weeds or pathogens between sites.

Breeding habitat: Breeding timing

The breeding biology of the gravel-downs ctenotus is poorly known. Ctenotus are generally spring to summer breeders, but no species-specific nest, clutch size or breeding-place description is available for this species.

Existing records were taken in December and May. The broader ctenotus breeding pattern is spring to summer, but the timing and duration of breeding for the gravel-downs ctenotus are not confirmed.

Do not schedule disturbance on the assumption that breeding is absent outside spring and summer. Retain suitable habitat and seek project-specific ecological advice where work may affect known or potential habitat.

General ctenotus pattern: Spring to summer breeding

Existing records: December and May

Breeding habitat: Potential breeding habitat

Use the gravel and sand ecotone, adjoining low vegetation, sand, soil, leaf litter and woody debris as the working breeding-habitat assessment area. These features may provide cover and suitable microhabitat even though a specific nest or breeding place has not been described.

  • Stony or gravelly downs adjoining sand dunes
  • Fine-grained soils and sandy areas
  • Interdune low open Georgina gidgee woodland
  • Surface vegetation, leaf litter and woody debris

Breeding habitat: Works controls

Avoid clearing potential breeding habitat where practicable. Before work starts, have a suitably experienced ecologist or approved fauna spotter catcher inspect the footprint and any animals or shelters that could be affected.

If an animal is found during works, stop or isolate the immediate work area and follow the project’s approved threatened species and fauna handling procedures. Do not move animals or disturb potential breeding places without the required approvals.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter features

The species is assumed to shelter in shallow burrows in soil or sand beneath vegetation or woody debris. Shelter features can be small and easily damaged by grading, vehicle movements, stockpiling and removal of surface cover.

Look for shallow burrows in soil or sand, especially beneath or beside vegetation and woody debris. Ctenotus burrows tend to have flat-bottomed entrances with a curved roof to the tunnel.

Also retain leaf litter and other surface vegetation. These features may provide cover even where no burrow is visible.

  • Shallow soil or sand burrows
  • Flat-bottomed burrow entrances with curved tunnel roofs
  • Woody debris
  • Leaf litter and low surface vegetation

Sheltering habitat: Where shelter is most likely

Prioritise the narrow transition between gravelly downs and sand dunes, along with nearby interdune woodland and vegetated sandhill areas. Shelter may occur on either side of the interface, not only in the mapped regional ecosystem containing a record.

  • Gravel to sand transition zones
  • Sand dunes and interdune areas
  • Spinifex and sandhill canegrass
  • Low open Georgina gidgee woodland

Sheltering habitat: Protection during works

Keep vehicles, laydown areas, spoil and equipment off suitable shelter habitat. Maintain surface cover wherever possible and avoid unnecessary disturbance of woody debris, leaf litter and shallow soil.

Trapping and handling can expose animals to heat, cold, dehydration, predation, ants and drowning after unexpected rain or storms. Use only approved methods, check traps frequently as required by the method, and provide appropriate protection from weather and predators.

  • Fence or clearly mark no-go habitat before clearing.
  • Use designated access routes and work areas.
  • Replace carefully lifted cover after inspection.
  • Stop trapping if weather creates a risk to captured animals.

Threats: Habitat loss and fragmentation

The gravel-downs ctenotus is Critically endangered and has a very restricted known range. Development should be planned to avoid the narrow gravel and sand ecotone, with any unavoidable disturbance subject to the relevant approvals and a species-specific management approach.

Clearing, grading, road construction, borrow pits, utility corridors and temporary work areas can remove the narrow habitat interface on which the species appears to depend.

Retain the full transition between stony downs and sand dunes, together with adjoining shelter features. Avoid splitting remaining habitat into isolated strips where practicable.

  • Map the ecotone before design is finalised.
  • Keep infrastructure out of the narrowest and most intact habitat.
  • Minimise clearing widths and temporary disturbance.
  • Rehabilitate disturbed areas with locally appropriate soil and vegetation where approved.

Threats: Vehicle and earthworks impacts

Vehicle movements and earthworks can crush animals, collapse shallow burrows and remove leaf litter, woody debris and low vegetation. Stockpiles and repeated traffic can also alter the soil and sand surface.

Use clearly marked access routes and exclusion areas. Schedule pre-clearance checks before machinery enters potential habitat and stop work if a suspected animal is found.

  • Control vehicle access across suitable habitat.
  • Do not park or stockpile on the gravel and sand interface.
  • Keep machinery within approved disturbance limits.
  • Inspect work areas after rain, storms or changes to site conditions.

Threats: Fire, weeds and pathogens

Changes to surface vegetation and shelter can reduce the quality of small habitat patches. Survey equipment and vehicles can spread weeds and pathogens between locations, particularly where work moves between national park and leasehold areas.

Clean equipment before entering and leaving habitat, use designated access routes and avoid unnecessary removal of surface cover. Manage fire and weed risks under the project’s environmental controls.

  • Clean vehicles, traps and hand tools between sites.
  • Prevent soil and plant material being transported between locations.
  • Retain suitable surface cover where safe and practicable.
  • Follow approved fire, weed and hygiene controls.

Threats: Survey and handling risks

Reptile activity may be patchy, and the species can be confused with other ctenotus. Poorly planned trapping or handling can expose animals to heat, cold, dehydration, predation, ants or drowning after unexpected rain.

Because of the Critically endangered listing, use experienced personnel, approved survey methods and conservative decision making. Record all observations, captures, injuries, mortalities and habitat impacts, and escalate findings to the project ecologist and relevant Queensland authority.

Queensland status: Critically endangered under the Nature Conservation Act 1992

Commonwealth status: Critically endangered

Project approach: Avoid habitat loss first, then minimise and manage any approved disturbance

  • Survey in cooler months, from April to September, using suitable weather conditions.
  • Use capture for definitive identification where permitted.
  • Check traps and protect captured animals from weather and predators.
  • Obtain advice on permits, threatened species approvals and any required management program before disturbance.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Gravel-downs Ctenotus is known from only two sites in the Diamantina Lakes district. Target the narrow ecotone between gravelly downs and sand dunes, and treat every potential record as significant.

Map gravelly or stony downs, gentle rises, sand dunes, interdune areas and adjacent low open woodland before fieldwork begins.

Review WildNet records, Regional Ecosystem mapping, historical records, aerial imagery and recent land use. The mapped habitat associations are potential habitat only because historical locations are imprecise.

Check whether the project is in or near Diamantina National Park, the known leasehold site or other apparently suitable habitat. Absence from a database or previous survey does not demonstrate absence from the site.

  • Map the gravel to sand ecotone as a separate habitat unit.
  • Identify proposed clearing, access tracks, stockpile areas, laydown areas and vehicle routes that could affect the ecotone.
  • Engage a suitably experienced reptile ecologist where habitat is present or the project is near a known record.

Survey methodology: 2. Timing and conditions

Plan targeted surveys in the cooler months, April to September. Use dry weather and avoid surveying immediately after rain or storms where trapping safety could be affected.

Conduct active searches in the morning, when animals may be basking and becoming active, before temperatures become too high. Spread some searches across the day where conditions allow, because the species is poorly known and may use different activity periods.

Existing records include December and May. Do not treat the April to September recommendation as evidence that the species is inactive at other times.

  • Record air temperature, cloud cover, wind, recent rainfall, ground moisture and the start and finish time of each search.
  • Avoid starting or continuing trapping when heat, cold, rain, storms or flooding could expose animals to undue risk.
  • Reassess survey timing when weather conditions are atypical or reptile activity is very low.

Survey methodology: 3. Active searches and capture

Search the gravel to sand interface and adjacent areas on foot. Inspect surface cover such as woody debris, leaf litter and vegetation, and look for shallow burrows in soil or sand.

Capture suspected animals for definitive identification. Many ctenotus species occur in the region and can look similar. The Gravel-downs Ctenotus is small, with a maximum stated snout to vent length of 50 mm, and has an olive brown body, pale spotting and a narrow dark vertebral stripe.

Use the current Queensland targeted species survey guideline for the species to set the survey design and effort. Do not substitute a casual walkover for a targeted survey where a development may affect potential habitat.

  • Use experienced personnel to conduct active searches and identify captured ctenotus.
  • Use traps only where they are justified by the survey design and can be checked and managed safely.
  • Protect traps from heat, cold, dehydration, predation, ants and drowning after unexpected rain.
  • Check funnel traps for venomous animals and ensure all equipment is secure and fit for purpose.
  • Clean and disinfect footwear and equipment between sites to reduce weed and pathogen spread.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and identification

Record all ctenotus sightings and captures, including animals that cannot be identified in the field. Photograph the animal where this can be done safely and without delaying release.

Record the location, habitat, substrate, surface cover, weather, time, survey method, search effort, trap type, trap check time and animal condition.

Submit records through the appropriate Queensland biodiversity data pathway and retain the project field sheets, photographs and spatial data.

  • Mark the exact location of each suspected or confirmed animal.
  • Describe whether the animal was in gravelly downs, sand, an ecotone, woodland, litter, woody debris or another microhabitat.
  • Record identification confidence and the name and experience of the person making the identification.
  • Have uncertain identifications checked by an experienced herpetologist before works proceed in that area.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Avoiding habitat is the safest management measure for this critically endangered species. Complete the legal review, survey and site controls before clearing, earthworks or access preparation begin.

Confirm the Commonwealth and Queensland conservation status during project planning. The Gravel-downs Ctenotus is critically endangered under the EPBC Act and in Queensland.

Obtain ecological and legal advice on whether the proposed action requires an EPBC Act referral or approval. Do not assume that a small clearing footprint is exempt.

Check whether a Queensland species management program is required before tampering with a breeding place. Obtain the required Queensland approvals and permits before disturbing protected wildlife or habitat.

Confirm any national park, leasehold, land access, animal ethics, trapping, handling and wildlife authority requirements that apply to the work.

  • Document the approval pathway and conditions in the construction environmental management plan.
  • Make the approval holder, fauna spotter catcher and site supervisor aware of all conditions before mobilisation.
  • Stop planning and seek advice if the impact area changes or new habitat is identified.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Avoidance and site design

Retain the narrow gravel to sand ecotone wherever practicable. Avoid splitting the ecotone with roads, trenches, compounds or stockpiles.

Keep stony downs, sand dunes, interdune vegetation, woody debris and surface litter intact outside the approved disturbance area.

Use existing cleared areas for access and facilities. Keep vehicles and machinery out of retained habitat.

  • Fence and clearly mark approved disturbance limits before machinery arrives.
  • Map retained habitat and no-go areas on construction drawings and site plans.
  • Keep spoil, mulch, firewood, laydown materials and waste out of retained habitat.
  • Use site-specific exclusion buffers around records, likely shelter areas and any breeding place. Set the buffers with the project ecologist and approval conditions, rather than applying an assumed generic distance.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance survey

Complete a targeted pre-clearance survey in suitable weather and during the recommended survey period where the habitat cannot be avoided. Survey the full disturbance footprint and adjacent ecotone that could be affected by machinery or access.

Use active searches and capture for identification. Check surface cover and shallow burrow habitat carefully, while avoiding unnecessary damage to shelter features.

A pre-clearance survey is not a guarantee that animals are absent. Reptile activity can be patchy and the species may be difficult to detect.

  • Survey immediately before clearing, allowing enough time to apply findings and controls.
  • Inspect the site again after overnight rain, flooding or other major weather changes if the ecologist considers that necessary.
  • Mark all confirmed and suspected records for the clearing crew.
  • Do not clear a location with an unresolved suspected record until the ecologist has set a response.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Induction and exclusion controls

Give every worker a short site induction on the species, its appearance, habitat and legal protection. Show the gravel to sand ecotone and all exclusion areas on the ground.

Only authorised fauna personnel may capture, handle or relocate animals. Workers must not collect animals or move shelter materials without instruction.

Use a clear stop work process that all workers understand.

  • Explain that the animal can be confused with other ctenotus species.
  • Require workers to report any small spotted lizard, burrow, eggs or suspected breeding place immediately.
  • Brief operators on the approved clearing sequence, exclusion fencing, vehicle routes and contact details for the fauna spotter catcher.
  • Keep handling bags, containers, shade and other approved equipment ready before clearing starts.
  • Do not use exclusion fencing or relocation as a substitute for avoiding habitat where avoidance is practicable.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clear in a controlled sequence from low risk areas towards retained habitat. The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to stop work and must act under the relevant Queensland and Commonwealth approvals.

Clear the approved area in stages, starting with already disturbed or lower quality ground and moving towards retained habitat. Give animals an opportunity to move into safe retained habitat where the ecologist considers this appropriate.

Keep the fauna spotter catcher close enough to inspect the active clearing area and direct machinery safely. Work at a pace that allows inspection of ground cover, woody debris and shallow burrows.

Do not push cleared material into retained ecotone or cover marked habitat with spoil.

  • Maintain exclusion fencing and no-go markers throughout the work.
  • Stop machinery before inspecting a suspected animal, burrow or breeding place.
  • Lift or move cover only under fauna spotter catcher direction.
  • Keep pets, unnecessary personnel and vehicles away from retained habitat.
  • Suspend works during unsafe heat, cold, storms, rain or flooding when animal welfare cannot be managed.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Animal handling and relocation

Treat every suspected Gravel-downs Ctenotus as protected wildlife until identified. Capture and handle animals only when authorised and by suitably experienced personnel.

Use the least stressful method available. Keep captured animals shaded, secure and protected from heat, cold, dehydration, ants, predation and drowning.

Release or relocate an animal only in accordance with the project approval, Queensland requirements and the ecologist's written procedure. Do not move it to an unapproved location.

  • Record the capture location before moving the animal.
  • Use clean equipment and separate containers where disease or contamination is a concern.
  • Release animals promptly into suitable nearby habitat selected by the ecologist, unless an approval requires another arrangement.
  • Do not retain an animal overnight unless specifically authorised and welfare arrangements are in place.
  • Do not relocate animals across roads, into unsuitable soil types or outside the known local habitat without approval and ecological justification.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Breeding places and shelter features

If an active breeding place, eggs, young, a nest or another suspected breeding place is found, stop work in the immediate area. The species' detailed breeding place requirements are poorly known, so treat suspected breeding evidence conservatively.

Do not disturb, fill, collapse or remove a suspected breeding place, shallow burrow, woody debris shelter or associated vegetation until the fauna spotter catcher and project ecologist have assessed it.

Apply any species management program, permit and approval conditions before work resumes.

  • Mark the location without entering or damaging it.
  • Establish and maintain a site-specific exclusion area.
  • Contact the approval holder and project ecologist immediately.
  • Seek advice from the Queensland administering authority where the response is not covered by an approved procedure.
  • Restart work only after the authorised person confirms that the revised controls are in place.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead animals

Stop work around an injured animal and keep people, machinery and predators away. The fauna spotter catcher must assess the animal and arrange veterinary or wildlife care through the approved project pathway.

Do not give food, water or medication unless directed by a qualified wildlife carer or veterinarian.

Report dead animals as soon as practicable, particularly where death may be linked to machinery, clearing or trapping.

  • Place an injured animal in a secure, ventilated, shaded container only if authorised and safe to do so.
  • Record the location, time, apparent cause, condition, photographs and people involved.
  • Arrange transfer to an appropriately qualified wildlife carer or veterinarian.
  • Do not release an injured animal without professional advice and approval.

During habitat disturbance: 5. Daily records and stop work

Keep a daily fauna log throughout clearing and construction. The log should support approval compliance and allow the response to be reviewed if an animal is found.

The fauna spotter catcher must be able to stop work immediately where an animal, breeding place, unsafe condition or unapproved impact is identified.

  • Record all searches, captures, relocations, injuries, deaths, breeding places, stop work events and release locations.
  • Record the clearing area, machinery used, weather, personnel and time of each event.
  • Photograph habitat and animals where safe and appropriate.
  • Escalate any breach of an approval condition to the site supervisor and environmental manager immediately.
  • Retain records with the project environmental documentation.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Post-clearance checks help confirm that controls worked and that no animals or shelter features were left at risk. Review each incident before the next clearing stage or similar project activity begins.

Inspect the cleared footprint after machinery has left and before it is backfilled, graded or built over. Look for live or injured reptiles, carcasses, exposed burrows and damaged retained habitat.

Check the edge of the disturbance and all exclusion fencing. Repair damage immediately and investigate any animal found outside the approved work area.

  • Complete the inspection with the fauna spotter catcher or project ecologist.
  • Search disturbed piles, debris and trench edges before they are removed or covered.
  • Record the date, area checked, weather, findings and corrective actions.
  • Keep work stopped where an animal or breeding place requires further assessment.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Relocated animals

Confirm that every relocated animal has a recorded release location and outcome. Review whether the release site remains suitable and undisturbed.

Do not repeatedly move animals in response to ongoing construction impacts. If animals continue to be found, review the clearing method, exclusion controls and habitat avoidance.

  • Map release locations and the habitat features used for release.
  • Record the time between capture and release and any observed injury or stress.
  • Check that release areas are outside machinery routes, stockpiles and active work zones.
  • Follow any approval condition for post-release checks or monitoring.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and reporting

Set monitoring requirements according to the approval conditions, the size of the impact and the quality of retained habitat. Monitoring is particularly appropriate where the project affects a known site or a narrow habitat ecotone.

Use consistent methods and locations so results can be compared over time. The species is poorly known, so negative results should be reported as non-detections, not proof of absence.

  • Monitor retained gravel to sand ecotone and rehabilitation areas during suitable seasonal conditions.
  • Record survey effort, weather, habitat condition, captures and evidence of shelter use.
  • Submit confirmed records to the relevant Queensland biodiversity database or authority pathway.
  • Provide incident, compliance and monitoring reports to the approval holder and relevant regulators.
  • Review monitoring results with the project ecologist and change management where results show continuing impacts.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every injury, death, breeding place discovery, unauthorised disturbance and stop work event before further works of the same type proceed.

Use the review to identify whether the issue arose from survey limitations, poor demarcation, machinery operation, weather, induction or supervision.

  • Document the incident, immediate response, cause and corrective action.
  • Update the clearing sequence, exclusion controls and induction where needed.
  • Brief the crew before the next work shift.
  • Escalate repeated or serious incidents under the project approval and environmental management system.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore habitat structure

Rehabilitation should recreate the ground conditions and habitat transitions used by the Gravel-downs Ctenotus. Focus on retaining and restoring the gravel to sand ecotone, surface cover and shelter rather than installing structures designed for birds or bats.

Reinstate natural soil profiles and the transition between gravelly downs, sandy areas and interdune habitat. Avoid creating a sharp artificial edge where a natural ecotone can be restored.

Retain or replace suitable woody debris, leaf litter and low vegetation on the soil surface. These features may provide shelter for shallow burrows.

Use locally appropriate native vegetation and regional ecosystem targets for the site. Consider the habitat associations linked with Regional Ecosystems 4.9.4, 5.9.3, 5.6.1 and 5.6.8, subject to field verification and regulatory advice.

  • Replace displaced surface cover in a natural arrangement after earthworks.
  • Avoid compacting or sealing sandy and gravelly soils in rehabilitation areas.
  • Protect rehabilitation from vehicles, grazing pressure and repeated disturbance while it establishes.
  • Do not import soil, rock, mulch or plant material that could introduce weeds or pathogens.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Burrows and replacement shelter

The species is assumed to shelter in shallow burrows in soil or sand under vegetation or woody debris. Rehabilitation should therefore provide undisturbed soil and natural surface shelter.

Do not install nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites or roost structures as a default measure. These structures are not known to provide suitable habitat for this ground-dwelling ctenotus.

  • Retain natural burrow areas wherever possible.
  • Replace removed woody debris only where the ecologist considers it safe and suitable.
  • Do not dig artificial burrows or construct replacement breeding structures unless a qualified reptile ecologist develops and approves a species-specific design.
  • Remove temporary exclusion materials when they are no longer needed, while leaving permanent habitat protection in place.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Weed and fire management

Control weeds before they alter the structure of the ecotone or reduce native ground cover. Use methods that minimise soil disturbance and avoid damaging shelter features.

Manage fire, grazing and fuel loads with the land manager and ecologist. The appropriate regime is not established for this poorly known species, so avoid broad prescriptions based on other reptiles.

  • Inspect rehabilitation for weeds during establishment and after major rainfall.
  • Prioritise weed control along access tracks, disturbed edges and imported soil areas.
  • Prevent vehicles and machinery from spreading weed seed between gravelly downs and sand dune habitat.
  • Record fire, grazing and weed conditions during monitoring visits.
  • Adjust management if monitoring shows loss of ground cover, shelter or the gravel to sand transition.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Water, drainage and lighting

Keep drainage patterns close to natural conditions. Prevent concentrated runoff, erosion, ponding and sediment deposition across sandy or gravelly habitat.

The species has no documented dependence on artificial water points. Do not add water features unless they are justified by a broader approved habitat plan and will not increase predators, weeds, disease or drowning risk.

Limit artificial lighting near retained habitat and rehabilitation areas.

  • Direct clean water around, not through, retained ecotone where practicable.
  • Stabilise disturbed drainage lines without covering suitable soil or shelter habitat.
  • Use low spill lighting, switch lights off when not required and avoid illuminating retained habitat.
  • Inspect culverts, pits and open drains for animal entrapment and apply fauna-safe designs where required by the project ecologist.
  • Remove temporary water, food and waste sources that could attract predators or pests.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Long-term monitoring

Monitor whether the restored ecotone develops suitable soil, vegetation and surface shelter. Use the same search approach and seasonal window where practical, with targeted surveys during April to September and safe, dry conditions.

Interpret results cautiously. The Gravel-downs Ctenotus is rarely recorded and detection can be patchy, so habitat condition and management outcomes should be assessed alongside animal records.

  • Set monitoring locations across gravelly downs, sandy areas and the restored interface.
  • Record vegetation cover, exposed soil, woody debris, litter, erosion, weeds, grazing, fire and vehicle disturbance.
  • Record all ctenotus captures and photographs, including uncertain identifications.
  • Review results with the land manager and ecologist and revise rehabilitation actions when habitat condition declines.
  • Maintain monitoring and protection for the period required by approvals and any agreed conservation management plan.

Sources