Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00346:reg:3:p8
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00346
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 8/10)
Character Range: 46133–49221

Other populations are also known to occur in the Wimmera Plains, Central Victorian Uplands, Goldfields, and Dundas Tableland bioregions. Based on the modelled distribution, Spiny Rice-flower is known to occur within the following Natural Resource Management regions: Corangamite, Glenelg Hopkins, Port Phillip and Western Port, North Central, Goulburn Broken and Wimmera.

Spiny Rice-flower populations mostly occur in tiny patches of remnant habitat such as on roadsides and rail easements (Carter & Walsh 2006; DELWP 2021) that support small to medium size populations (<500 individuals), although a few large populations (consisting of >1000 individuals) are also known. The recent specific needs elicitation process conducted by DEWLP has found that the persistence of the species is greatest at sites with a large population, and reduced persistence is directly correlated to decreasing population sizes. Management efforts have also been found to be more effective within larger populations. Populations of the Spiny Rice-flower that are particularly large, ecologically distinct, or of particular importance include the following:

    * Population on the Mt Mercer – Shelford Road in Golden Plains Shire. This site contains ~20,000 plants and is considered as the largest known population of Spiny Rice-flower.

    * Population on McLeods Road in Wimmera. Another roadside population that is very large; contains >11,000 plants.

    * Browns Waterholes Bridge Rail Reserve (~5500 plants), and Poorneet West Rail Reserve (~6000 plants) – they are among the largest of rail reserve populations.

    * Blacks Creek Nature Conservation Reserve. This is one of the largest grassland reserves on the Victorian Volcanic Plain (234 ha) with a population size of >500 plants.

    * Lake Borrie Spit, Western Treatment Plant: contains ~250 plants, and is a secure Ramsar site which is actively managed for its biodiversity values by Melbourne Water.

    * Deep Lead Flora Reserve supports relatively small population in high-quality vegetation. The site (dominated by swampy Yellow Gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon) forest) is atypical for Spiny Rice-flower and is at or near the western limit of its range and thus considered important population despite the small population size.

    * Truganina Cemetery: contains >300 plants and is an intact small native grassland within an active cemetery. A Public Authority Management Agreement (PAMA) exists between the Cemetery Trust and DEECA.

    * A small parcel of private land between the rail reserve and Hamilton Highway, east of Cressy supports ~1,900 plants, and private land at Creswick-Newstead Road, ~2000 plants.

    * Skipton Common (~1,416 plants). The population has become a focal area for the local community through school activities and the Ballarat Environmental Network management.

3.3                 Habitat
Spiny Rice-flower prefers intact grassland remnants, lowland grasslands, grassy woodlands and open shrublands (DSE 2008, 2005b; Brennan & Herwerth 2005; Barnes et al. 2006; Carter & Walsh 2006; Foreman