Following community consultation the terms of reference for the Strategic Assessment have been finalised by the federal Department of Climate Change Energy the Environment and Water.

Please refer to the attached terms of reference.

Biodiversity assessments

Following the identification of potential biodiversity values in the Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas (NWGGA) Framework Plan we (the City) undertook on-ground assessments throughout the Northern Geelong Growth Area and the two northern-most precincts in the Western Geelong Growth Area.

The Biodiversity Assessments recorded a range of state and federally listed threatened species including confirmed habitat for Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana) and Striped Legless Lizard (Delma impar) a significant population of Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis) as well as areas of the nationally threatened Natural Temperate Grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plains (NTGVVP) and Western (Basalt) Plains Grassland.

The biodiversity dataset for the strategic assessment and biodiversity conservation strategy is available to download. 

Consequently there is a focus on understanding and adequately addressing the potential cumulative impacts to the species from NWGGA and potential impacts to downstream internationally recognised Ramsar sites such as Limeburners Lagoon and Connewarre and the Barwon Estuary complex.

We are approaching this strategically through pursuing a Part 10 Strategic Assessment process under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) with the Department of Climate Change Energy the Environment and Water.  The Strategic Assessment seeks to determine the impacts to MNES across the priority areas of NWGGA that are earmarked for development. This will ensure due consideration is given to impacts to threatened species and ecological communities and allows for planning to occur at a holistic level.

The Part 10 process provides a number of advantages for larger areas with multiple MNES and also to the stakeholders involved in the assessment including a streamlined assessment process and up-front certainty that NWGGA can be successfully delivered as opposed to multiple smaller assessment processes.

Further we have committed to developing a Biodiversity Conservation Strategy (BCS). The BCS will be a holistic strategy which identifies how environmental values will be linked to local regional state and federal plans and policies. The BCS will be a non-legislative strategic document which will support the state and federal approvals processes and ensures we have a clear understanding of how we will meet local state and federal objectives and requirements.