Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00346:reg:3:p9
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00346
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 9/10)
Character Range: 48914–52143

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 2011, 2012). The common ground layers of the habitat consist of Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass), Rytidosperma spp. (wallaby grasses) and Austrostipa spp. (spear grasses) (Carter & Walsh 2006; DEWHA 2009). Other species associated with Spiny Rice-flower include Acaena echinata (Sheep's Burr), Calocephalus citreus (Lemon Beauty-heads), Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Common Everlasting), Eryngium ovinum (Blue Devil), Plantago varia (Variable Plantain), Ptilotus erubescens (Hairy Tails), Schoenus apogon (Common Bog-sedge) and Goodenia paradoxa (Spur Goodenia) (Carter & Walsh 2006). Extant populations of Spiny Rice-flower are observed to persist in a wide range of grassland conditions, including disturbed and degraded patches such as railway lines and roadsides.
Spiny Rice-flower populations are predominantly associated with the Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, and the Natural Grasslands of the Murray Valley Plains threatened ecological communities (TECs) (TSSC 2016). They also occur in several other TECs listed under the EPBC Act (Foreman 2005, 2012) including the Eucalyptus leucoxylon (Yellow Gum) and E. microcarpa (Grey Box) grassy woodland TEC in the Goldfields region, and Allocasuarina luehmannii (Buloke) open grassy woodland in the Wimmera region (Table 6).
The populations are established on heavy grey-black clay loam basalt-derived soils in south-western Victoria (southern populations) and red clay complex sedimentary soils in north-central Victoria (northern populations) (DEWHA 2009; TSSC 2016). Populations are often found on a flat topography but may also occur on slight rises or in slight depressions and some populations are exposed to temporary inundation (Foreman 2012).

Habitat critical
Habitat critical to the survival of a species or ecological community refers to the areas that are necessary for activities such as breeding or dispersal; long-term maintenance of the species including the maintenance of pollinators; areas important to maintain genetic diversity and long-term evolutionary development; or necessary for the reintroduction of populations or recovery of the species. All known habitat for wild and translocated populations is critical to the survival of Spiny Rice-flower (see 3.3 Habitat). This includes all grasslands, grassy woodlands and open shrub-lands occupied by all known extant populations, areas of similar habitat surrounding and linking known populations, habitat at sites where plants were known to occur until recently, and additional occurrences of similar habitat that may contain undiscovered populations of the species or be suitable for future translocations.
No Critical Habitat as defined under section 207A of the EPBC Act has been identified or included in the Register of Critical Habitat

3.4                 Important populations
An important population is a population that is necessary for a species' long-term