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Western Bluetongue (Tiliqua occipitalis)

The Western Bluetongue is a large, ground-dwelling skink of western and southern Australia. It uses open, dry habitats with vegetation cover and shelter, so clearing, loss of ground cover, road mortality and disturbance of refuges can affect individuals on development sites.

Conservation status

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Breeding season

Western Bluetongues mate mainly in spring, with a documented peak around October, and give birth mostly in January and February. Clearing risk is highest around births and newborn dispersal, and remains elevated during cooler months when animals may be inactive in shelters.

Reproductive mode: Live bearing, also described as ovoviviparous.

Litter size: Usually 5 to 15 young; more than four young is also reported.

Gestation: Approximately 3 to 4 months.

Size at birth: Not recorded.

Age at maturity: Approximately 2 to 3 years.

Nest or egg sites: Females may give birth in secluded sites under rocks or in burrows. Sheltered sandy ground, leaf litter and low vegetation are suitable refuge features.

Breeding frequency: Multiple litters over the lifespan are reported, but annual breeding frequency is not recorded.

Confirm the timing locally before clearing, particularly after changes in rainfall or temperature, because the available records give broad or conflicting seasonal periods and do not provide a validated regional calendar.

  • Mating: Mating is reported in spring and summer, with a specific reproductive study placing mating around October. September to November is used here, with October marked as the peak month.
  • Gravid females: Females are expected to carry embryos from about October to January or February, based on October mating and a gestation of 3 to 4 months before births in January and February. The documents do not identify a peak month for gravidity.
  • Births: A reproductive study reports that births occur mostly in January and February. A broader account places births in late summer or early autumn, so March remains a possible month.
  • Newborns: Newborns are most likely to be present from January to February, following the documented birth period. They are precocial and can move and forage soon after birth, with dispersal reported after a few days.
  • Active period: The species is diurnal and is more active during warmer conditions, while hot-weather animals may retreat into shade or burrows. The September to April pattern is general guidance for an Australian temperate reptile because species-specific activity months are not recorded.
  • Winter inactivity: Winter hibernation or torpor is reported, with animals potentially sheltering in leaf litter, dry grass, burrows or other covered ground refuges. June to August represents the core winter period, with May and September treated as possible transition months.
  • Highest clearing risk: Risk is highest in January and February because births and newborns are documented then, with some risk extending into March. Winter clearing also carries risk because inactive animals may remain concealed in ground refuges and cannot escape machinery.

Identification

The Western Bluetongue is a stout, short-legged skink with a broad head and a conspicuous blue tongue. The tongue is exposed when the animal is threatened, usually with the mouth held open.

Adults have a cylindrical body, short stocky limbs, a relatively short tail and a large triangular head with a blunt snout. The background colour is generally light to dark brown, often with darker bands or patches across the back.

The blue tongue, broad head and heavy body are useful field features. An alarmed animal may hiss, open its mouth and display the tongue. It has strong jaws and can deliver a painful bite, so it should not be handled without appropriate training and equipment.

Maximum length: About 40 cm in the DBCA source.

Reported adult weight: 400 to 600 g.

Identification: Similar species

The Western Bluetongue can overlap with the Centralian Bluetongue, Tiliqua multifasciata, in the inland Australian deserts. Both are large, non-burrowing blue-tongued skinks with strong bands across the back.

Identification should be supported by a clear colour photograph where the record is unexpected or where the species could be confused with another large desert skink. The supplied survey guideline identifies Western and Centralian blue-tongued lizards as the large sympatric skinks most relevant to comparison with the Great Desert Skink.

  • Do not rely on body size alone when separating large desert skinks.
  • Record the dorsal pattern, head shape, tongue colour, location and habitat, and retain a scale reference in photographs where safe to do so.

Identification: Field signs

The supplied documents provide little information on diagnostic tracks, scats, calls, sloughs or eyeshine. A direct sighting or a clear photograph is therefore preferable to an unconfirmed sign record.

Individuals may be found in or near ground refuges, shaded cover and sandy areas. Open-mouth threat displays and hissing are useful behavioural observations, but they should not be induced during fauna handling.

  • Search carefully around ground cover, shaded edges and likely refuge openings before machinery or hand clearing starts.
  • Treat any large blue-tongue-like skink as a potential Western Bluetongue until it is identified by a suitably experienced ecologist or fauna spotter catcher.

Distribution: Reported national range

The supplied sources describe a broad inland and southern Australian range, but they do not provide a verified state-by-state range map, population estimate or trend. The DBCA source gives the clearest habitat-based description for south-western Western Australia.

The species is reported from Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory, including arid and semi-arid areas. Named areas include the Great Victoria Desert, Nullarbor Plain, Pilbara, Simpson Desert, Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Tanami Desert, MacDonnell Ranges and Victoria River District.

The DBCA source describes Western Bluetongues across south-western Western Australia, from coastal dunes, woodlands and sandplains, except the cooler forests. The supplied material does not establish a confirmed range in New South Wales, despite the state listing supplied with the project brief.

States and territories reported in the supplied sources: Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Named bioregional areas: Great Victoria Desert, Nullarbor Plain, Pilbara, Simpson Desert, Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Tanami Desert, MacDonnell Ranges and Victoria River District.

  • Treat records outside the well-established south-western Western Australian and inland desert range as requiring careful verification.
  • Use the relevant state fauna authority and museum procedures for unusual records or records near the edge of the mapped range.

Distribution: Strongholds and populations

The supplied documents do not give confirmed strongholds, subpopulation boundaries, population size, density or population trend. The named deserts, plains, ranges and south-western sandplain and woodland areas should be treated as reported distribution areas, not as confirmed population strongholds.

Population size: Not reported in the supplied documents.

Population trend: Not reported in the supplied documents.

  • Obtain current state or territory spatial data before clearing in areas where the species may occur.
  • Record all sightings, captures, photographs and release locations in project fauna records.

Habitat: Habitat types

Western Bluetongues occupy dry terrestrial habitats across coastal, woodland, sandplain and arid inland settings. They need accessible ground cover and shaded refuges as well as open areas for basking and movement.

In south-western Western Australia, reported habitats include coastal dunes, woodlands and sandplains, with the exception of cool forests. Inland reports include deserts, grasslands, shrublands, rocky areas and open woodlands.

Sandy soils are reported as suitable because they can be used for shelter. The species is ground dwelling and is often associated with vegetation cover rather than dense forest.

Reported habitat types: Coastal dunes, sandplains, woodlands, shrublands, grasslands, rocky areas, deserts and open woodlands.

Soil association: A preference for sandy soils is reported.

Habitat: Site features

Retain connected patches of low vegetation, leaf litter, dry grass, shade and other ground cover. These features provide shelter from heat and predators and may support movement between feeding areas and refuges.

The supplied documents do not provide elevation limits, vegetation-community names, required patch sizes or measured refuge densities.

Elevation limit: Not reported in the supplied documents.

Refuge or habitat density: Not reported in the supplied documents.

  • Map sandy ground, dense low cover, shaded edges and likely refuge sites before clearing.
  • Avoid treating apparently open ground as unused habitat where ground cover, burrows or basking sites are present.
  • Maintain shaded refuge areas during staged clearing and construction where practicable.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The Western Bluetongue is an omnivore that forages on the ground. It can use both vegetated areas and disturbed habitat where food and shelter remain available.

Reported food includes soft and hard fruits, vegetables, daisies, hibiscus flowers, large insects, snails, raw meat, canned pet food and small mice. A separate source describes plant matter as the main component, with insects, snails, beetles and small vertebrates also taken.

The species has strong jaws and teeth that allow it to crush hard prey such as snails.

Food types: Plant material, flowers, insects, snails and small vertebrates.

Foraging mode: Ground dwelling and terrestrial; the supplied sources do not describe a measured foraging distance or home range.

Foraging habitat: Foraging areas

Likely feeding areas include sandplains, woodland floors, shrublands, grasslands, open woodland and garden or paddock edges where food plants, invertebrates and cover occur. The DBCA source records association with human gardens and paddocks for the related Bobtail, not specifically for the Western Bluetongue, so that observation should not be transferred directly to this species.

Food resources may be concentrated around flowering plants, fruiting plants, leaf litter and retained low vegetation, but the supplied documents do not identify native food plants used consistently in the wild.

  • Retain ground cover and leaf litter around known or potential records during works.
  • Check vegetation margins, shaded ground and sandy areas for animals before removing food plants or ground cover.
  • Do not use snail bait or other poisons near retained habitat without assessing the risk of secondary exposure.

Breeding habitat: Breeding biology

The Western Bluetongue is reported to produce live young in late summer or early autumn. The supplied sources conflict on some reproductive details, so project records should document the observed sex, reproductive condition and young rather than relying on a single unverified figure.

The DBCA source reports live young in late summer or early autumn and more than four young in a litter for bluetongues. Another source reports spring and summer mating, a gestation period of about 3 to 4 months and 5 to 15 young, but it also incorrectly describes the species as laying eggs. The live-bearing account is consistent with the DBCA source.

Breeding habitat is likely to include sheltered ground near feeding areas, such as sandy soils, shaded cover, leaf litter and burrow-like refuges. The supplied documents do not identify a specific nest structure or breeding-site measurement.

Mating period: Spring and summer are reported.

Birth period: Late summer to early autumn.

Reproductive mode: Live bearing, according to the DBCA source.

Litter size: More than four young is reported by the DBCA source; another source reports 5 to 15.

Gestation: About 3 to 4 months is reported by one source, but the source contains conflicting reproductive information.

Age at maturity: About 2 to 3 years is reported by one source.

Lifespan: Up to 20 years in captivity is reported by one source.

  • Avoid disturbing females and young in late summer and early autumn.
  • If a female or young is found during clearing, stop work around the immediate location and obtain fauna handling advice before proceeding.
  • Record whether young are observed with an adult, in a refuge or moving independently.

Breeding habitat: Breeding-site features

The documents do not provide measured breeding-site dimensions, nest-site densities or confirmed maternity-refuge requirements. Retained sandy ground, low vegetation, leaf litter, dry grass, shade and secure refuge sites are the best-supported habitat features to protect around breeding animals.

  • Stage clearing so that likely refuges and surrounding cover are retained until fauna inspections are complete.
  • Keep machinery away from occupied refuges and any location where young are found.
  • Do not fill, collapse or remove likely shelter openings without inspection and fauna clearance.

Sheltering habitat: Refuges and cover

Shelter is important for avoiding heat, predators and disturbance. The supplied sources indicate use of shaded ground, sandy soils, burrow-like refuges, leaf litter and dry grass, but do not give natural refuge dimensions.

Western Bluetongues are ground dwelling and may burrow into sandy soils or retreat beneath shaded vegetation and other ground cover. During hotter parts of the day they may move into shade or burrows.

The DBCA husbandry source recommends a low, flat hide, leaf litter or dry grass and a rain-proof shelter for captive animals, and reports that bluetongues may hibernate in winter. These observations support protection of comparable natural ground refuges, but do not define natural refuge design.

Natural refuge size: Not reported in the supplied documents.

Reported shelter materials: Sandy soil, shade, leaf litter, dry grass and low ground cover.

  • Inspect beneath logs, dense ground cover, debris and along sandy edges before clearing.
  • Retain connected patches of low vegetation, leaf litter, dry grass and shade around records.
  • Treat holes, shallow burrows and covered ground cavities as potential fauna refuges until checked.

Sheltering habitat: Seasonal shelter use

Activity may decrease in cooler weather, and hibernation is reported in the husbandry source. Disturbance to occupied winter refuges may therefore affect animals even when they are not visible above ground.

The species may also retreat from heat during the hottest part of the day. Work crews should not assume that an absence of surface sightings means the area is unoccupied.

  • Schedule pre-clearance inspections for suitable weather and daylight conditions, with additional checks of refuges where winter torpor or hot-weather retreat is possible.
  • Keep inspected refuge areas undisturbed until the fauna spotter catcher confirms that work can proceed.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

On development sites, the main risks are direct mortality during vegetation and ground clearing, destruction of shelter, vehicle strike and loss of connected habitat. The supplied documents do not quantify threat levels or provide species-specific evidence for fire, disease or hydrology impacts.

Removing sandplain, woodland, shrubland, grassland, low vegetation, leaf litter or shaded ground can remove feeding areas and refuges. Fragmentation can isolate animals from cover and food, although the supplied documents do not provide a measured dispersal distance or minimum habitat patch size.

Ground disturbance may crush animals in refuges or remove shelter before they can escape.

  • Complete a targeted pre-clearance search of ground cover, sandy areas and likely refuges.
  • Clear in stages where practicable, retain connected cover and keep fauna handling personnel present during high-risk ground disturbance.
  • Record all captures, relocations, injuries and deaths and report them under project approval conditions.

Threats: Roads and machinery

The species is terrestrial and ground dwelling, so vehicles, earthmoving equipment and temporary access tracks can cause direct injury or mortality. The supplied documents do not provide a species-specific road mortality rate.

  • Use fauna spotter catchers during clearing and enforce low vehicle speeds around retained habitat and known records.
  • Inspect stockpiles, trenches, pipes and other excavations that could trap ground-dwelling skinks.
  • Provide safe escape or cover arrangements for open excavations where required by the project fauna management plan.

Threats: Predators, fire, disease and hydrology

The DBCA source recommends predator exclusion for captive enclosures, indicating that predation is a relevant husbandry concern, but the supplied documents do not identify the main wild predators of Western Bluetongues.

The documents do not provide species-specific evidence on fire effects or hydrology change. Changes to soil moisture, drainage or wet-weather shelter may still alter the dry ground conditions and cover on which the species is reported to depend.

The DBCA source discusses reptile mites, ticks and quarantine in captivity. It does not establish disease prevalence or transmission risk in wild Western Bluetongues.

  • Prevent unnecessary removal of cover that gives animals protection from predators and extreme temperatures.
  • Keep construction materials, waste and introduced feed away from retained habitat.
  • Use clean equipment and follow project biosecurity procedures when moving soil, vegetation or fauna-handling equipment between sites.
  • Seek species-specific advice before applying bait, pesticides or herbicides near retained habitat.

Survey methodology: 1. Habitat assessment and daytime searches

The supplied documents provide habitat and activity information for Western Bluetongue, but do not specify a validated survey effort for this species. Use a targeted, risk-based approach and document the effort, conditions and detection limitations for every project.

Map suitable habitat before clearing, including coastal dunes, woodlands and sandplains in the species' south-western range, excluding cool forests where the source states the species does not occur.

Search ground cover, leaf litter, sheltered areas and likely refuge sites during suitable weather, and record all observations, tracks, scats, burrows and other signs.

Treat sandy soils, vegetation cover and sheltered ground sites as potential refuge habitat because the species is ground dwelling and uses cover for shelter and foraging.

Maximum length reported in: 40 cm

Reported habitat: Coastal dunes, woodlands and sandplains throughout the south-west, except cool forests

  • Walk the entire disturbance footprint and adjacent retained habitat where access is safe.
  • Record the search date, start and finish time, weather, temperature if measured, wind, recent rain, observer names, area searched and visibility.
  • Photograph and map each potential refuge feature before disturbance.

Survey methodology: 2. Night searches and spotlighting

Western Bluetongues are reported to be active at night during hot weather, although the source also describes them as generally diurnal. Night searches can therefore supplement, but should not replace, daytime searches.

Conduct night searches during warm conditions when the species is more likely to be active, and record the conditions because detection will vary with weather and season.

  • Use a consistent walked route or defined search area and record the distance or area covered, observer hours and start and finish times.
  • Search track edges, open sandy ground, vegetation margins and other accessible ground habitat with a torch or spotlight.
  • Do not claim that a negative night search demonstrates absence, particularly where weather is cool, wet or windy.

Survey methodology: 3. Trapping and refuge searches

Pitfall traps and Elliot traps may catch some reptiles, but the survey guideline states that published information on their efficacy and trap patterns is not available for the relevant desert reptiles. Use trapping only where it is approved, designed by a suitably experienced herpetologist and supported by animal welfare controls.

The guideline identifies late summer and early autumn as the optimum period for monitoring burrows for the Great Desert Skink, not specifically for Western Bluetongue. Treat this as general desert reptile guidance rather than a species-specific Western Bluetongue standard.

  • Obtain all required animal ethics, wildlife and project approvals before trapping or handling reptiles.
  • Use shade, shelter, checking frequency and release procedures that prevent overheating, drowning, predation and prolonged confinement.
  • Check traps at a frequency set by the project fauna management plan and applicable permit conditions, and close traps when conditions become unsafe.
  • Record trap type, number of traps, trap nights, checking times, weather, captures and by-catch, rather than presenting an unvalidated trap effort as a detection standard.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

The supplied documents do not provide a species-specific number of nights, hours, transect length, trap nights or survey density for Western Bluetongue. Set the effort in the project fauna survey plan according to the size of the footprint, habitat quality, season, weather and the consequences of a missed detection.

  • Use at least one systematic daytime habitat search and add night searching or trapping where the risk assessment identifies suitable habitat and a material chance of disturbance.
  • Repeat searches when initial conditions are unsuitable or when planned clearing will affect mapped refuge habitat.
  • Report the total area searched, transect or route length, observer hours, number of nights, trap nights if used, weather, detection methods, limitations and all records.
  • Submit confirmed records and suitable photographs to the relevant state wildlife database and provide records to the relevant state fauna authority where required.
  • Have uncertain identifications checked by an appropriately experienced herpetologist, because the species can occur with other large blue-tongues and field identification must be reliable.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Plan the work around the species' use of ground habitat and sheltered refuge sites. Avoid disturbing suitable habitat where practicable, and make the retained area usable and connected before clearing starts.

Retain coastal dunes, sandplains, woodland ground cover and other suitable habitat within and beside the work area wherever practicable.

Retain connected strips of suitable ground habitat between retained patches so animals can move away from the work area without crossing active machinery zones.

Avoid unnecessary removal of leaf litter, fallen timber, rocks, shrubs and other ground cover that may provide shelter.

  • Keep the disturbance footprint as small as practicable and clearly mark its boundaries before work starts.
  • Place temporary access routes, stockpiles and laydown areas on already disturbed ground where practicable.
  • Do not use the absence of a detected animal as a reason to remove mapped suitable habitat.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and timing

Confirm the current Commonwealth and state conservation status, approval pathway and handling requirements before works begin. The supplied profile identifies the species as Vulnerable in New South Wales and not listed under the EPBC Act.

Schedule searches and clearing controls with the species' activity pattern in mind. reports daytime activity, with night activity during hot weather, so avoid relying on a single period of the day.

  • Check whether an EPBC Act referral is required for the proposed action and confirm all applicable state or territory permits, licences and conditions.
  • Obtain written approval for fauna capture, handling and relocation before a spotter catcher starts work.
  • Include the survey method, exclusion zones, clearing sequence, handling protocol, stop-work triggers, release sites and reporting requirements in the fauna management plan.
  • Stage clearing so that animals can move towards retained habitat and so that the spotter catcher can inspect each work area before machinery enters.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

Complete the pre-clearance survey shortly before disturbance and update the habitat map if new refuge features or animals are found.

Mark retained habitat, no-go areas, access routes, stockpile areas and any animal refuge features that require a specific handling method.

  • Install exclusion fencing where it can direct animals away from the work area without trapping them or blocking access to retained habitat.
  • Keep fencing, trenches and pits wildlife safe, with escape points or daily fauna inspections where required by the fauna management plan.
  • Brief machinery operators and supervisors on the species' appearance, the exclusion zones, the spotter catcher's authority and the stop-work procedure.
  • Check that nearby retained habitat has cover and is not occupied by hazards such as open trenches, toxic materials or active machinery.

During habitat disturbance: Daily clearing controls

Clear in small, controlled stages with the fauna spotter catcher present and able to see the active work face. The spotter catcher must have authority to pause work whenever an animal or an unsafe refuge feature is encountered.

Inspect the work area each day before machinery starts, including ground cover, leaf litter, rock piles, logs, burrows and shaded refuges.

Clear progressively towards retained habitat where safe, leaving the spotter catcher enough time to inspect exposed ground and direct animals away from machinery.

  • Keep the spotter catcher in visual or agreed radio contact with the operator while clearing is underway.
  • Use low-speed, controlled clearing around mapped habitat features and stop machinery when the spotter catcher gives the stop signal.
  • Check open trenches, pits and other excavations at the frequency required by the fauna management plan and before they are backfilled.
  • Suspend clearing during unsafe conditions, including extreme heat or any condition that prevents effective searching or safe animal handling.

During habitat disturbance: Refuge features and habitat handling

Treat leaf litter, dry grass, logs, rocks, burrows and dense ground cover as potential refuge features because the species is terrestrial and uses sheltered ground habitat.

Do not assume that a feature is empty because no animal is visible. Expose or move features only under the direction of the spotter catcher.

  • Inspect rocks, logs and ground cover immediately before removal, and place salvageable material into nearby retained habitat where safe and permitted.
  • Do not collapse or fill a suspected burrow until it has been inspected and cleared by the authorised fauna worker.
  • Keep salvaged cover shaded and stable if it is being moved for habitat restoration or staged clearing.
  • Manage open water, pits and stockpiles so they do not trap or injure ground-dwelling reptiles.

During habitat disturbance: Animal encounters and stop-work response

If a Western Bluetongue is found, stop work in the immediate area and allow the authorised spotter catcher to assess the animal, its condition and the safest release option.

These lizards can deliver a painful and bloody bite, so workers must not handle them unless authorised, trained and using the approved method.

  • Keep workers and machinery back until the spotter catcher has secured the area.
  • Do not pick up, restrain or transport the animal unless the person is authorised under the relevant permit and fauna management plan.
  • Release a healthy animal into nearby retained habitat that is suitable, connected and outside the disturbance area, following permit conditions and the approved relocation method.
  • Take an injured animal to an authorised wildlife carer or veterinarian as soon as practicable, and record the handover.
  • Stop work if an animal is found in the active clearing area, if the spotter catcher loses sight of it, if an exclusion fence is breached, or if a suspected occupied refuge cannot be safely cleared.
  • Record the location, date, time, habitat, condition, action taken, release location, handlers and photographs for every encounter.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Do not treat completion of mechanical clearing as completion of fauna management. Confirm that the footprint and retained areas are safe, record outcomes and maintain controls until the site is stable.

Inspect the cleared footprint, retained edges, access tracks, stockpiles, trenches and exclusion fencing after each clearing stage.

Search exposed ground and remaining refuge features for animals that were missed during active clearing, and arrange an authorised response if one is found.

  • Remove or make safe pits, trenches, netting, unsecured materials and other hazards that could trap reptiles.
  • Repair damaged exclusion fencing and keep animals out of active work areas until the relevant risk has ended.
  • Confirm that relocated animals were released at the approved locations and that any injured animals were transferred to an authorised carer or veterinarian.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained habitat and the edges of the disturbance area using the same basic search methods where ongoing impacts or project conditions warrant follow-up.

Use the documented baseline and post-clearing records to assess whether animals remain in retained habitat and whether further controls are needed.

  • Report all detections, injuries, deaths, relocations, failed exclusions and stop-work events to the project environmental officer and the relevant regulator where required.
  • Submit verified occurrence records to the relevant state wildlife database.
  • Retain maps, photographs, search effort, weather, observer details, handling records and release details with the project environmental records.
  • Review monitoring results against permit conditions, the fauna management plan and any approval commitments.

After habitat disturbance: Offsets and residual impacts

If impacts remain after avoidance and mitigation, assess any offset or compensatory requirement under the applicable Commonwealth, state or territory approval framework.

Do not use an offset as a substitute for retaining suitable habitat and managing animals during clearing.

  • Obtain written advice from the relevant regulator or approval authority before relying on an offset measure.
  • Link any approved offset or compensation area to the species' habitat requirements and monitor it using measurable commitments.

Rehabilitation actions: Restore ground habitat and connectivity

Rehabilitation should recreate connected, sheltered ground habitat rather than only replacing canopy vegetation. Use local habitat information and monitor whether the restored area provides cover and safe movement for Western Bluetongues.

Re-establish locally appropriate vegetation communities that reflect the disturbed habitat, including woodland, sandplain or dune vegetation where those communities were present before works.

Restore continuous or stepping-stone connections between retained habitat patches where the project has fragmented ground habitat.

Reinstate suitable leaf litter, fallen timber, rocks and dry ground cover where these materials were lawfully salvaged and are free of weeds and contaminants.

  • Use locally appropriate native plant species selected for the site rather than relying only on canopy trees.
  • Shape sandy or disturbed areas to stable grades and retain sheltered margins, while avoiding barriers that prevent movement through the site.
  • Keep restored refuge material in stable piles or arrangements that provide shade and shelter without creating hazards for workers or fauna.
  • Control weeds so native ground cover can establish and refuge habitat is not replaced by dense invasive growth.

Rehabilitation actions: Fire, predators and site hazards

Manage fire, introduced predators and other site hazards in accordance with the approved rehabilitation and conservation plans for the project area.

Avoid rehabilitation practices that remove all ground cover or leave animals exposed to machinery, domestic animals or uncontrolled access.

  • Use a site-specific fire regime that protects establishing ground cover and retained shelter, with advice from the relevant land manager or fire authority.
  • Control feral or domestic predators where they are identified as a project impact and where control is lawful and approved.
  • Remove temporary fencing, netting and construction materials that could entangle or trap reptiles once they are no longer required.
  • Keep rehabilitated areas free of chemical spills, waste and stockpiles.

Rehabilitation actions: Monitoring and success measures

Monitor rehabilitation through establishment and compare results with the pre-clearing habitat map and baseline survey records.

Use repeated searches suited to the site and document whether cover, connectivity and safe ground access have been restored.

  • Measure native plant establishment, ground-cover continuity, weed cover, survival of planted vegetation and persistence of reinstated logs and rocks.
  • Record Western Bluetongue observations and other evidence during follow-up searches, while recognising that non-detection does not prove absence.
  • Inspect fencing, drainage, erosion, fire impacts, predator activity and new hazards after major weather events and at scheduled monitoring visits.
  • Define corrective actions in advance, such as replanting, weed control, replacing lost refuge material or repairing barriers.
  • Report monitoring results and any failure to meet rehabilitation commitments to the project environmental officer and relevant approval authority.

Sources