Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00153:body:0:p22
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00153
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 59875–62811

75 percent of pandanus trees were destroyed (Smith & Smith 2000).

2.2.8      Mining and industrial development
Mining and industrial development pose a threat to Littoral Rainforest, especially in Queensland where these activities are increasing in some regions. For example, in the Gladstone area, ports and gas terminals are under construction or proposed on Curtis Island, and the development of an alumina refinery south of the city has resulted in clearance of vegetation on Boyne Island to create room for tailings dams (BAAM 2013).
In northern New South Wales, sand mining historically posed a significant threat that resulted in the destruction of numerous stands of Littoral Rainforest (Floyd 1990b), including near Harrington just south of Port Macquarie (Williams 2002). Sand mining is now primarily limited to North Stradbroke Island and Cape Flattery on southern Cape York in Queensland (BAAM 2013). At Cape Flattery sand mining is responsible for the ongoing clearing of vegetation in patches of Littoral Rainforest, while on North Stradbroke Island sand mining is not directly threatening any known patches of Littoral Rainforest but may be indirectly impacting the ecological community through hydrological changes (Worboys 2006).

2.2.9      Exotic pathogens
Exotic pathogens may impact upon the integrity and survival of patches of Littoral Rainforest. Of the greatest concern is the exotic fungal pathogen from South America known as myrtle rust (Puccinia psidii) which infects species in the Myrtaceae family, a prominent plant family in Littoral Rainforest. Myrtle rust is known to infect dominant canopy species of the genus Syzygium and may thus pose a significant threat to patches of Littoral Rainforest (Queensland Herbarium 2011; Keith 2004). The spread of myrtle rust is difficult to control as the pathogen is wind dispersed. However, fungicides can be used effectively to treat individual infected plants (Carnegie & Cooper 2011).
Myrtle rust infestations are known to overlap with parts of the range in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Myrtle rust predominantly effects new plant growth and does not appear to kill most of its host species, with the exception of some particularly susceptible species such as Rhodamnia species and native guava (Rhodomyrtus psidioides) (BAAM 2013). Nevertheless, as the potential effects of myrtle rust are increased in the seedling stage, impacts to recruitment and changes to patterns of species dominance may become evident over longer timeframes. Conversely, some species may evolve resistance to the effects of myrtle rust over time, thus reducing the scale of potential impacts (BAAM 2013).
Native pathogens may also impact patches of Littoral Rainforest. For example, the root rot pathogen Phellinus noxius is known to affect tree and shrub species found in Littoral Rainforest. P. noxius is known to lead to the death of its host plants by attacking tree