ENV Management Plan

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PORT OF MOURILYAN

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

July 2009


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Port of Mourilyan Environmental Management PlanRevision 0 - Approved July 2009

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Contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Port of Mourilyan 11.2 Overview of Port Environmental Management 21.3 Document Use and Review 2

2.0 KEY LEGISLATION 42.1 State Legislation 42.2 State Planning Policies 42.3 Commonwealth Legislation 5

3.0 PORT ENVIRONMENT 5

3.1 Climate and Coastal Conditions 63.2 Areas of National Environmental Significance 63.3 Cultural Heritage 73.4 Seagrass 93.5 Marine Fauna 113.6 Intertidal Sand and Mud Flats 11

3.7 Fisheries and Aquaculture 113.8 Coastal Vegetation 123.9 Terrestrial Fauna and Birdlife 143.10 Natural Amenity 143.11 Water and Sediment Quality 143.12 Port Environmental Buffer Areas 15

4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES 17

4.1 General Environmental Management 174.2 Emergency Response 174.3 Water Quality 194.4 Acid Sulphate Soils 224.5 Air Quality and Noise 224.6 Hazardous or Flammable Goods 234.7 Flora, Fauna and Natural Amenity 234.8 Dredging 23

5.0 GLOSSARY OF TERMS 23

6.0 REFERENCES 23

APPENDIX 1 25

Ballast Water Management Plan 25

Document Control Drafted Approved Released

Version 0Edits made to reflect transition from Ports Corporation Queensland to

Far North Queensland Ports Corporation Ltd Effective 1 July 200925 June 2009 26 June 1 July 2009


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Port of Mourilyan Environmental Management Plan

Revision 0 - Approved July 20091

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Port of Mourilyan

The Far North Queensland Ports Corporation Ltd (referred to as FNQPC, the Corporation inthis document) manages six trading ports and four community ports throughout northernQueensland.

The Port of Mourilyan is one of the trading ports managed by the Corporation. The port islocated around 100 km south of Cairns. The port limits are defined in theregulations of theTransport Infrastructure (Ports) Regulation 2005. The port includes the lower Morseby Riverand stretches along the coast from just north of Goodman Point, south to Double Point.(see Figure 1 below).

The port activities are concentrated in Mourilyan Harbour, with no intensive port activityoccurring outside this area. The harbour is at the mouth of the Moresby River. It is 15 km

south of Innisfail, at a latitude of 1736 S and longitude of 1460 7 E .

FIGURE 1 : LOCATION OF PORT AND PORT LIMITS


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The commercial facilities in the harbour consist of a bulk sugar and molasses terminal, withan enclosed conveyor to a single shiploader and a single loading berth. Other facilitieswithin the harbour include a pilot boat jetty, Coast Guard jetty, public jetty, boat ramp andcommercial vessel mooring piles.

The port serves the sugar industry mills at the towns of Babinda, Mourilyan, SouthJohnstone and Tully. Sugar is the main product exported from the port. Other productexports currently include molasses and cattle, with new export opportunities being sought tosupport regional development.

1.2 Overview of Port Environmental Management

It is our policy is to manage its ports in a pro-active manner to minimise any impacts fromport operations or new developments. We have a structured environmental program thatinvolves environmental assessment, monitoring, protection and rehabilitation. It strives forcontinual improvement in the control of port and port user activities to maintain a healthy portenvironment. The detailed environmental policy, procedures and practices of the Corporationare documented in its Environmental Management System, which is based on theinternational standard ISO 14001.

This Environmental Management Plan for the port is complementary to, and consistent with,the Corporation s Environment Policy that is documented in its Environmental ManagementSystem and on its web site.

Under our Environmental Management System, new projects undertaken on strategic portland will require a project-specific Environment Management Plan to be developed by theproponent and then approved prior to commencement of the project. This plan must addressthe potential environmental issues from the project and the actions needed to minimiseimpacts. Our environment staff can supply a standard checklist of potential issues and willwork with a project proponent to determine the environmental issues that need to beaddressed.Larger projects will normally require a full Environmental Impact Statement.

1.3 Document Use and Review

This Environmental Management Plan (the Plan) for the Port of Mourilyan has beendeveloped to document in detail the environmental areas of significance within the Port ofMourilyan and the current environmental management practices and controls used to protectand enhance the port environment.

This Plan will be used in determining environmental standards for the on-going developmentand operation of the port. This Plan is designed to complement the Port of Mourilyan LandUse Strategy to ensure that any development in the Port of Mourilyan is carried out in anenvironmentally sustainable manner and in a manner consistent with the planned strategicdevelopment of the area.

This Plan is also intended to provide a reference document for current and potential users ofthe port, government agencies and the local communities. This Plan is not a statutorydocument and is not required by legislation.

The following information is presented in this document:

Section 2 presents the key legislation and policies that need to be considered in portoperations and developments.


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Section 3 provides a general description of the environmental values in the Port ofMourilyan and surrounding areas, including areas designated as an environmentalbuffer.

Section 4 describes potential industry or operational impacts in the port and presents theenvironmental control measures to be employed in the port.

Appendix 1 documents the ballast water management plan prepared for the port. This isin a form suitable for distribution to shipping to describe local conditions.

This Plan will be reviewed and updated as needed to ensure that it reflects any significant

changes that may occur within the port. It will be completely reviewed at least every sixyears and a new document issued.

The Corporation will seek community, industry and relevant government agency feedback onany major changes to this Plan and will incorporate external feedback where appropriate.Minor changes to the Plan will be carried out throughout the life of the Plan and these minorrevisions will not necessarily be subject to external consultation. Examples of minor changesnot requiring consultation are changes in the description of goods handled in the port,legislation changes, property lot subdivisions or number changes or other minor changes inthe Land Use Strategy, changes to port limits or the incorporation of new environmentalinformation. Major changes to this document that would be externally consulted include anychanges to the declared Environmental Buffer areas.

Photo of sugar loading facilities and main wharf.The entrance to the harbour is shown with Goodman Point in the

Background. Molasses tanks are in the centre of the picture.


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2.0 KEY LEGISLATION

2.1 State Legislation

Far North Queensland Ports Corporation Ltd (FNQPC) has responsibilities conferred on it byState legislation (Transport Infrastructure Act 1994 and Transport Operations (MarinePollution) Act 1995) for the safe and efficient management of the port and its infrastructure,

and for managing pollution from shipping activities. The jurisdiction of the Corporation at thePort of Mourilyan includes all land under the Corporation's control, as documented in theCorporation s Land Use Strategyfor Mourilyan, and all waters within designated port limits,as defined under the Transport Infrastructure (Ports) Regulation 2005 (see Figure 1). Thegeographical extent of this Plan applies only to the area under the jurisdiction of theCorporation.

Port activities carried out by either port users or operator must comply with all relevantgovernment legislation. The key State legislation for protection of the environment is theQueensland Environment Protection Act 1994. The Queensland Department of Environmentand Resource Management (DERM) is responsible for ensuring compliance with this Act.Under the Environment Protection Act, the Corporation has an approval to operate the portas the port authority under the Transport Infrastructure Act. However, this does not provide

any umbrella approvals for the individual activities of port users. Port users are required tohold all the relevant environmental authorities or licences issued by state administeringagencies for their day-to-day activities, which might include environmentally relevantactivities such as stockpiling, loading or unloading in bulk, fuel or chemical storage, sewagetreatment, aquaculture or boat repair and maintenance.

Significant new developments in the port are likely to require approval under the IntegratedPlanning Act 1997. For projects proposed on Strategic Port Land1, the Corporation would bethe Assessment Manager under the Act. Further information is provided in the Corporation sLand Use Strategy.

Another piece of key State legislation that could affect port development or operation is theFisheries Act 1994. It should be noted that under this Act, marine plants, which include

seagrass, mangroves, saltmarsh and other tidal plants, may not be removed, damaged oreven trimmed without a permit from the Primary Industries and Fisheries. The Act alsoprohibits work in a declared fish habitat area without a permit, although no such areas wereproclaimed in the port at the time of writing.

2.2 State Planning Policies

The State Coastal Management Plan was published by the EPA in August 2001. This Planseeks to protect and manage Queensland s coastal resources. In considering assessabledevelopments on Strategic Port Land, the Corporation will have regard to this plan in itsdecision-making as Assessment Manager under the Integrated Planning Act.

1Strategic Port Land is land owned by the Corporation that has been designated as land required for port

purposes and approved as such by the Minister for Transport. Strategic Port Land is listed in the Land UseStrategy and Plan.


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2.3 Commonwealth Legislation

Projects that may have an impact on issues of national environmental significance couldrequire assessment and approval under the Commonwealth Environment Protection andBiodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Examples of triggers of the Act include impacts onWorld Heritage areas; Ramsar wetlands of international significance; nationally threatenedspecies and communities listed by the Commonwealth; migratory species protected underinternational agreements; nuclear actions; or Commonwealth marine environment. Suchprojects will need to be referred to Environment Australia by the project proponent to

determine if Commonwealth approval is required.

The disposal of dredged material at sea (outside internal State waters) is covered by theEnvironment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981. Under this Act, any such disposal requiresan approval from Department of Water, Heritage and Arts (DEWHA).

3.0 PORT ENVIRONMENT

All port facilities and Strategic Port Land in the Port of Mourilyan are located at MourilyanHarbour, which is at the mouth of the Moresby River. The environmental resources andvalues provided below are focussed on this area as the main area of interest for portoperations or development.

3.1 Climate and Coastal Conditions

The Port of Mourilyan is located in one of the highest rainfall zones in Queensland andconsequently is subject to highly variable seasonal salinity regimes. During the wet season(Dec-May), the Mourilyan Harbour becomes a highly stratified salt water/fresh water system.Larcombe and Taylor (1997) recorded temperatures ranging between 24C and 32C andsalinities ranging between 0.84 and 33.5 parts per thousand. The estuary is tidal for

approximately 20 km upstream of the Harbour.

Intertidal habitats include rocky shores at the harbour entrance that extend partly into theharbour. With the exception of several small sandy beaches, the intertidal region upstreamof the berth is predominantly comprised of sand and mud flats and broad mangrove forests.The near shore sub- tidal system is predominantly comprised of fine black silts and clays,high in organic matter in the dry season but flushing during the wet system leaves apredominantly sandy bottom.

The Moresby River catchment covers approximately 147 km of coastal plain less than 10 mAustralia Height Datum (AHD), with over half of the area still undeveloped. Sugar cane, beefcattle and tropical fruit farms account for over 40% of the land use in the catchment.

3.2 Marine Parks and Areas of Significance

Approximately one quarter of the Moresby catchment is described as wetland or mangrovecommunities. The majority of the coastal wetland areas are listed as part of the WorldHeritage Wet Tropics Estate or State Marine Park (see Figure 2 below). Parts of therainforest in the Moresby and Basilisk Ranges are also listed Wet Tropics World Heritageareas.


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The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area covers the waters to low water mark along thecoastline in the region. Mourilyan Harbour itself is not included in this World Heritage areabecause these are internal waters of the State, but the remainder of the waters within portlimits are within this World Heritage Area.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park extends from the tip of Cape York down the Queenslandcoast to around Bundaberg. I t has a number of small coastal areas excluded forQueensland s trading ports. Changes to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park recently

implemented have brought a large part of the area within the existing port limits into theMarine Park. Mourilyan Harbour and the shipping channel leading into the Harbour remainoutside the Marine Park.

Any activities carried out in the Marine Park need to be consistent with the zoning usesallowed for the Marine Park area. Works in the Marine Park will require any necessary GreatBarrier Reef Marine Park Authority approvals prior to commencement, even when the area isalso within port limits.

FIGURE 2 : REGIONAL AREAS OF STATE OR COMMONWEALTH SIGNIFICANCE


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3.3 Cultural Heritage

A full cultural heritage assessment of port land was commissioned in 2001 and isdocumented in a report by Duke & Collins (2001). The information below has been takenfrom this report.

3.3.1 Cultural Heritage Places and Values

The port and surrounding region is the traditional country of the indigenous Mamu groups.

The rich abundance of the land, together with the presence of permanent watercourses,permitted local groups to establish semi-permanent base camps .

There are two areas of cultural heritage significance in or adjacent to the port were identifiedin the 2001 cultural heritage survey:

The Camp Point area just inside the Harbour entrance (south side of harbour) isknown to be associated with both traditional Mamu settlement and is also thearea where the Dalrymple pitched his expedition party s tent (see below). Thiswas adjacent to a native camp site that was noted in Dalrymple s log, which waslikely to be one of the Mamu group s base camps. The exact location of theDalrymple camp site is not known. It straddles Port land on Lot 326 on PlanNR6424 and the Department of Defence s land on Lot 553 on Plan NR5319. This

area has archaeological potential. Lot 326 has been designated asEnvironmental Buffer Area, which preserves the land from development.

A midden is located adjacent to the Seaforth Valley track from Mourilyan Harbourto Robinson s Beach. The site is near the boundary of landholdings on Lot 326and Department of Defence land on Lot 553 on Plan NR5319. The site isapproximately 30 x 40 metres. Cultural material has been noted at the site. Thissite is considered of both local and regional significance. As discussed above,these landholding are designated as Environmental Buffer Area, which protects itfrom any development. Public access to the site is not allowed due to its culturalsignificance.

We intend to continue to work with the Department of Defence to develop a jointmanagement plan for both of these sites in consultation with the Mamu people to ensuretheir protection and preservation.

3.3.2 European History

The first European contact with Mourilyan Harbour was by Captain John Moresby andLieutenant Mourilyan in 1872 during a search for survivors from a shipwreck. The area wassubsequently explored by an expedition led by George Dalrymple in 1873. Dalrymple statedthat the harbour:

both as to scenery and utility for commercial purposes, isundoubtedly prepossessing. Not only is it completely land locked, butwe carried five fathoms in, deepening to twelve, ten, nine, eight,seven, fathoms up to our anchorage, about forty feet from shore atCamp Point. Once within the port, three men of war can swing in theten and twelve fathom basin, and there is a natural wharfage alongthe north and east shores for the amount of shipping at presentmaking use of Brisbane.

(Dalrymple 1874:622)


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Land clearing for agriculture was carried out near the harbour in 1883. Works in the harbourstarted in 1883 and the Port of Mourilyan was officially established in 1892. Over the years,the harbour entrance was widened and deepened to allow larger vessels to use the port.Construction of a concrete wharf was commenced in 1958.The bulk sugar terminal wasofficially opened on 1 October 1960. The first of the molasses storage tanks, with a capacityof 12,000 tonnes, was erected in 1965. In 1973, the sugar storage shed was increased insize due to record tonnages being processed. Additional molasses tanks were added overthe years with four molasses storage tanks with a capacity of 39,000 tonnes now in the port.

3.3.3 Historical Significance

There are no structures of known historical significance listed under the QueenslandHeritage Act 1992on land owned by the Corporation at Mourilyan.

The port itself is of regional historical significance for its importance to the north Queenslandsugar industry. However, infrastructure in the port has changed to meet the changingindustry needs and no existing buildings or structures were found in the cultural heritagestudy to be historically significant.

3.4 Seagrass

Seagrass plays a vital role in coastal ecosystems. It provides food and shelter for diverseorganisms. It provides a nursery ground for juvenile fish, prawns and crabs and helps tostabilise coastal sediments, as well as to trap and recycle nutrients. In the ports, seagrassbeds can survive entirely immersed in seawater and can typically be found in tropical watersin less than 10 metres depth.

Seagrass in the Mourilyan Harbour has been monitored twice yearly between 1993 and1997 as well as in 2000 in a joint program between the Corporation and Primary Industriesand Fisheries. An annual survey has taken place since December 2001. This program hasbeen one of the most extensive seagrass monitoring programs undertaken in Queensland,providing valuable information on the natural variability in seagrass meadows. TheCorporation is continuing long-term annual seagrass monitoring as an on-going indication of

the environmental health of the port.

Seagrass meadows show variations between seasons and years, reflecting changes inenvironmental conditions. Reductions in seagrass can occur due to natural events such ascyclones and floods or due to human influences. The area of seagrass in Mourilyan Harbourtypically varies between 65 to 71 ha in Summer and 47 to 68 ha in Winter. The area ofseagrass found in one of the earliest monitoring studies is shown in Figure 3.

Meadows in Mourilyan Harbour are mostly low biomass along the shallow banks within theharbour and the periphery of Armit and Walter creeks. High biomass meadows are locatedalong the Seaforth Valley mangrove fringe, the sand banks between Armit and Walter Creekmouths and adjacent to Lily and Bradshaw Islands (McKenzie et al, 1998).

Five species of seagrass have been identified. These species are Halodule uninervis,Halophila decipiens, Halophila ovalis,Enhalus ocordoides, and Zostera capricorni. TheHalophila dominated areas are more highly variable than the more stable Zostera dominatedareas and monitoring of change in these areas can be a useful indicator of less significantchange.


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FIGURE 3: SEAGRASS DISTRIBUTION IN MOURILYAN HARBOUR IN 2008


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3.5 Marine Fauna

The seagrass meadows in the Harbour could be used by turtles for feeding. Turtle species inthe region include green turtles (Chelonia midas), flatback turtles (Natator depressa),hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) and loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). However,no turtle sightings have been reported and the area is not considered to provide a suitablenesting area for turtles.The seagrass meadows in the Harbour represent a potential food source for dugongs, butnone have been observed in the Harbour.

The large areas of mangroves along the Moresby River provide habitat for crocodiles(Crocodylus porosus) and these have been observed in the Harbour. Crocodiles are listedas a vulnerable species in the regulations of the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

3.6 Intertidal Sand and Mud Flats

Yabby banks are present along the intertidal zone throughout the harbour. Polychaeteworms, crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms can be found on, and in, these intertidalmud and sandbanks. Crabs, teleosts, amphipods and gastropods are also present.

Gastropod molluscs and crabs may be present on the upper banks adjacent to mangroves,while mudskippers and other species of gobies are obvious on sections closer to the water.These animals are particularly important as prey items for many of the species that areexploited commercially (e.g. prawns, bottom-feeding fish).

3.7 Fisheries and Aquaculture

A Marine Park is located upstream of the Harbour on parts of the Moresby River andMourilyan Creek. The National Park Zone of the Marine Park is closed to both recreationaland commercial fishing. The Estuarine Conservation Zone of the Marine Park is open to allfishing except trawling.

Commercial fishing activities are restricted to gill netting, with target species beingbarramundi, grunter and salmon. Mud crabs are also commercially sought.

Trawlers outside of the Harbour trawl for tiger prawns, king prawns, banana prawns andendeavour prawns. The combined prawn catch is approximately 100 tonnes each year forthe Moresby River coastal region.

Recreational fishing is permitted outside the Marine Park National Park Zone. The targetedfish include barramundi, grunter, salmon, mangrove jack, fingermark, silver bream. Mudcrabs are also caught.

Aquaculture is a rapidly expanding industry along the Queensland coast, with twoaquaculture farms already established in the Moresby River catchment area (barramundiand prawn hatcheries) and several more proposed for the area. Their operations arelicensed under the Environmental Protection Act with new facilities also requiring approvalfrom the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The impact to the environment fromaquaculture relates to a potential deterioration of water quality caused by the elevatednutrient levels from terrestrial pond water discharge and faecal build-up beneath cageculture operations. A water intake to one of the aquaculture farms is located within theharbour.


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3.8 Coastal Vegetation

A Vegetation Master Plan has been developed for the Port of Mourilyan (NRA, 1997). TheMaster Plan documents vegetation on port land and recommends areas of vegetationconservation importance in or adjacent to the port that has been used in the designation ofEnvironmental Buffer areas. The document also provides details of the flora and faunasurveys of these areas.

There are large areas of vegetation surrounding the port facilities. In the western areas ofthe port land holding, between Amit and Walter Creek, there are mangrove forests and anarea of mesophyll vine forest on Ethel Hill. There are only a few young mangroves at themouth of Walter Creek. Along Walter Creek, two main mangrove communities occur. One isdominated by Rhizophora stylosa. The second is more diverse with several types ofmangroves present.

On the eastern side of the harbour,mangroves occur on port land designated asEnvironmental Buffer Area (see Section3.12). The mangrove zone varies in widthfrom several metres at Camp Point (near theharbour entrance) to several hundred metresin the Seaforth Valley area. Rainforest liesbehind the mangroves. Although therainforest appears relatively intact, theoccurrence ofAcacia and Eucalyptusspecies amongst the more mesophytic(rainforest) species indicates pastdisturbance to the `forest in this area. Themangrove zone becomes more extensivesouth of the permanent moorings further intothe harbour.

Rainforest exists at Goodman Point on the north west side of the harbour entrance. Therainforest shows signs of considerable disturbance in the past with sections dominated byregrowth around 30 40 years old. The vegetation on the steeper slopes to the northcontains large specimens of Lepidozamia hopeiand Intsia bijuga and is considered to besignificant vegetation.

These areas of vegetation have been designated as Environmental Buffer Areas in the LandUse Strategy, as discussed further in Section 3.12.

To help protect and revegetate areas upstream of the port, the Port has for several yearssupported revegetation efforts of the Johnstone Shire Council (now Cassowary CoastRegional Council) in the riparian zone of the Moresby River catchment.

Photo: Vegetation at Camp Point andGeorgie Hill.


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FIGURE 4: COASTAL RESOURCE S IN MOURILYAN HARBOUR


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3.9 Terrestrial Fauna and Birdlife

Rainforest, mangrove communities and transitional zones containing Melaleuca spp.surround the port. These habitats provide for a high diversity of wildlife synonymous with thewet tropics region that includes the southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius). Thecassowary is listed as endangered in the schedules of the Nature Conservation (Wildlife)Regulations 1994 under the Nature Conservation Act1992. In north Queensland, the highestknown population densities of cassowaries occur around Mission Beach and Woopen Creek.Results of a fauna survey around Mourilyan Harbour by Natural Resource Assessments Pty

Ltd (NRA, 1997), and existing data, suggest the possibility that the cassowary population inthis area may be similar to that of MissionBeach. NRA recorded a total of 68 other bird species in the area during the same survey.

Upstream of the harbour, the intertidal areas of the Moresby River and Armit Creekreportedly support one of the highest populations of whimbrels, a species protected underJAMBA and CAMBA, in Australia. The number of species utilising this area is potentiallyinternationally significant. The area between Hall Point and Double Point, particularlyRobinson s Beach and Brown s Beach, provide a staging site for the whimbrels each dawnand dusk prior to their flight to and from the North Barnard Islands for night-time roosting.

These beaches also support feeding and nesting sites for the protected Beach StoneCurlew. This species forages on small crabs that are abundant on the beaches.

3.10 Natural Amenity

Mourilyan Harbour and the surrounding district are of significant value for their naturalbeauty. The lack of artificial structures along most parts of the river system presentopportunities for people to experience some of the extensive, diverse aspects of the complexand relatively pristine rainforest and wetland systems contained within the small catchment.The central reaches of the Moresby River and Mourilyan Creek are recognised for theirnatural environmental values and have been protected under conservation and NationalPark status. Local residents and tourists use the lookout points on Goodman Point to viewthe ocean and rainforest landscapes.

3.11 Water and Sediment Quality

The Moresby River catchment has no major industries or sewage treatment plants. Largeareas of the catchment are used for sugar cane production. There are currently twoaquaculture farms discharging into the catchment area, with private interest shown inestablishing more in the future.

A variety of vessels use the waters within the port, including bulk transport ships for theexport of sugar and molasses; ships for the export of cattle; fishing boats; cruising yachtsand other recreational craft.

A baseline survey of water and sediment quality has been carried out in the port and is

documented in the PCQ Ecoports Monograph Series No. 7 (Port of Mourilyan. Water andSediment Quality Monitoring Baseline Surveys). The results of the survey indicated thatthe overall water and sediment quality was generally good. Nutrient levels in the waterhowever can be elevated in the upper estuary, possibly related to agricultural run-off orseepage from septic systems. Faecal coliforms have also been elevated on occasions. TheCorporation is undertaking some on-going monitoring of water and sediment as part of itsmonitoring program for the port.


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3.12 Port Environmental Buffer Areas

The Land Use Strategy fo r the Port of Mourilyan identifies land designated as EnvironmentalBuffer Area in the Port. These are areas with significant ecological or cultural significance.These areas are protected and managed to conserve their existing values. It is intended thatthese areas will be protected into the future.

Four areas of land have been designated as Environmental Buffer in the Land Use Strategyas detailed below. A map providing the locations of these lots is provided in the Land Use

Strategy.

Lot 325 on Plan SP 131199 (previously Lot 325 on Plan NR 6423), which is in thesouth west of the port: This is a heavily vegetated area of 120 ha in its naturalstate between Walter and Armit Creeks. It contains areas of undisturbedmangroves and rainforest. The dominant mangrove species is Rhizophorastylosa. The area includes Ethel Hill, which is covered by mesophyll vine forest,which contributes significantly to the natural visual amenity of the area. The areais adjacent to and contiguous with the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area thatspans the Moresby River.

Lot 326 on Plan NR 6424: This is an area of 26 ha. It extends along the southern

bank of the Moresby River from the harbour entrance upstream to a pointopposite the mouth of the Armit Creek. It has significance as a mangrove area.The mangrove zone varies in width from several metres to several hundredmetres. Behind the mangroves is rainforest. There has been past disturbance ofthis rainforest. This lot contains two areas of cultural heritage significance asdetailed in Section 3.3.

Lot 255 on Plan SP117968 (previously part of Lot 254 on NR7345). This lot is 2.7ha and stretches along the harbour from the harbour entrance at Goodman Pointto the start of the port facilities. The lot is largely mesophyll vine forest, butcontains a small section of existing road and a car park area. The rainforest areahas suffered considerable disturbance in the past and is dominated with regrowthapproximately 30 40 years old. Vegetation on the steeper slopes contains large

specimens of Lepidozamia hopeiand Intsia bijuga, which are considered to besignificant vegetation. Two tree species in the area (Acmena divaricata andQuassiua baileyana) are listed as rare in the Nature Conservation (Wildlife)Regulation 1994. The forested area contains a population of representativerainforest mammal fauna, although no mammals of conservation concern wererecorded during faunal surveys of the area (NRA, 1997).

Only one bird species of conservation value was noted in the forested area. Thiswas the cassowary. It has been observed in the area during fauna surveys andthe forested ridgeline through the area was considered to be a movementcorridor for the cassowary.

Part of Lot 554 on Plan SP117968(previously part of Lot 554 on Plan NR 7548).

The total lot has an area of 32 ha, of which around 70% is designated asEnvironmental Buffer and is protected. The lot is adjacent to Walter Creek and issubject to some tidal inundation. The lot contains wetlands and mangroves andsome previously disturbed terrestrial vegetation. Cassowary visit the conservationarea, most likely to feed on crabs and the conservation area is considered part ofits foraging area.

The lot is adjacent to Lot 556 on SP 117968, which has a designated land use ofPort Related and Support Industry this area is above the high water mark and


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has yet to be developed. Development of Lot 556 will require consideration ofpotential impacts on Lot 554 such as stormwater run-off quality and noise.

There are two land parcels of Lot 554 that are excluded from the EnvironmentalBuffer area (see map in Land Use Strategy). The first is directly adjacent to Lot556 and this is designated as Port Handling and Support Industry. The secondpart of Lot 554 excluded from the Environmental Buffer includes a strip of theforeshore that is designated as Harbour and Access for future port marineinfrastructure. Part of this area is reclaimed land.

The above Environmental Buffer areas have high conservation value. They were surveyed in1996 by Natural Resource Assessments Pty Ltd and the fauna and flora values aredocumented in the Vegetation Master Plan for the port (NRA, 1997). We intend to protectand enhance the ecological values of these two areas by not allowing infrastructuredevelopment on them and ensuring suitable management measures are in place for their on-going protection.


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4. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES

4.1 General Environmental Management

The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) overseesenvironmental regulation of port users and their activities. This regulation includes licensingactivities in the port and any monitoring of compliance with licence conditions.

As detailed in our Environment Policy, the Corporation strives for ecologically sustainableoperations and development of its ports, which is consistent with Queensland Transport sEnvironmental Policy for Queensland Ports . This may result in the Corporation setting

higher environmental standards on operations or new developments than required byenvironmental legislation or licences. This is achieved through a detailed environmentalassessment of all proposed projects on port land or in waters within port limits and auditingof both Corporation and port user activities.

We will require a detailed Environmental Management Plan to be prepared by the projectproponent as part of the approval process for any new development. This Plan would bedeveloped in consultation with PCQ. Larger projects will require preparation of a formalEnvironmental Impact Statement (EIS).

To assess the overall state of the port environment or to detect any changes occurring, wealso undertake regular scientific monitoring of key environmental values. Results from thesemonitoring programs are made publicly available.

4.2 Emergency Response

4.2.1 Management of Emergencies

As port operater, we have a statutory responsibilities and powers under the TransportInfrastructure Act 1994 to maintain the safety and security of the port. This Act gives the portauthority the power to control movement of vessels in the port, to inspect ships or to moveships moored or goods left against the authority s direction.

We have developed an Emergency Response Plan that covers situations such as cyclones,marine incidents, bomb threats, fire, explosion or fatalities. Copies of the Response Plan areheld at the Port office, by the Regional Harbour Master and by a number of port users andother key agency contacts.

Where a non-marine incident is caused through the activities of a port user on port land, theinitial response is the responsibility of the port user, with notification required to theCorporation. If the incident has the potential to escalate beyond the boundaries of the portuser s responsibility, we maintain the right to initiate external resources and responseagencies to assist in reducing the impact of the incident on other port users.

4.2.2 Cyclone Procedures

Detailed cyclone procedures are provided in the Port Emergency Response Plan and areconsistent with Queensland Transport s Maritime Cyclone Contingency Plan for Port ofMourilyan. Below is a summary of key actions during the approach of a cyclone. Alertphases in the port provide a guide for action as a cyclone or severe heavy weatherapproaches an area. The alert will be announced by the Regional Harbour Master over VHFChannel 16.


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CYCLONE ALERT SCHEDULE

Alert Phase Storm/Cyclone Position Action by Port Users

Yellow Alert A cyclone exists anddestructive winds arewithin 20 hours from port.

Port Authority will liaise with port users toadvise of Yellow Alert

Emergency Services are placed on alert Ship s Masters are advised to prepare to sail

on short notice. Loading is to be stopped. The ship s load is to

be brought to satisfactory handling trim if timeand draft permit.

Small craft are to move to cyclone mooringareas (see Note 1)

Vessels must not impede the progress ofsmaller craft to higher reaches of the river orcreeks.

Tug: Unless required to assist in the departureof a vessel, the tug will vacate the main wharfand either seek shelter further inshore orproceed to sea. If required to assist a vessel,the tug will remain at the wharf until the vessel

departs and then seek shelter or proceed tosea. Port Authority will monitor & plot cyclone

movement and liaise with Harbour Master.Blue Alert Destructive winds are

less than 16 hours fromPort

All vessels should be moored in theirdesignated areas and final preparations andtying off completed.

Port Authority will liaise with port users & QT onfinal arrangements

Red Alert Destructive winds areless than 6 hours fromPort

The Port is closed. The Port area should be completely evacuated

and all vessels secured in their positions ofshelter.

Vessels are not to leave their cyclone mooringsuntil the official ALL CLEAR has been given bythe Regional Harbour Master.

Note 1 : Once a vessel is moored in its cyclone mooring position, they should contact theMourilyan Emergency Control Centre (Innisfail Police) on 4061 1244 to advise where theyare moored and how many people will be remaining on board. If no-one is remaining onboard, a contact number is to be left.

4.2.3 Management of Oil Spills

Oil spills in port waters could result from a variety of sources including groundings, collisionsand sinking of vessels; illegal discharges from vessels; accidents when transferring waste oilto storage facilities on shore and accidents when refuelling vessels.

To reduce the risk of oil spills occurring, Queensland Transport ensures the safety ofnavigation, including the provision of navigation aids. The Corporation provides pilotageservices for the arrival and departure of ships from the port to reduce the risk of human error.This pilotage service is to be transferred to the control of Queensland Transport in mid 2002as part of a rationalisation of pilotage services across the State.


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Mourilyan is equipped for smaller spills of oil. The Port Area Officer-in -Charge is responsiblefor provision of the first strike response to an oil spill within the Port. Queensland Transportprovides resources out of Cairns, or other centres, for larger spills.

The response plan for an oil spill is documented in the Port of Mourilyan Oil SpillContingency Plan, which was developed and is regularly updated by the Corporation. Thisplan is complementary to the Queensland Coastal Contingency Action Plan, REEFPLAN,and the National Plan to Combat the Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Noxious andHazardous Substances (National Plan) for larger spills.

4.2.4 Management of Fires

For any fire within the Port, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service will be the responseagency who will respond to and fight the fire. This will be for both land and marine fires. Dueto the small size of the Port of Mourilyan, there are no dedicated fire fighting personnel in thePort.

The Port has fire hydrants strategically located through the port. Fire hoses and a salt waterpump are located on the main wharf for use in fire fighting. The Port holds limited stocks offire fighting foam in drums, which are stored with the oil spill equipment. For a marine fire,the tug/s in the port can provide a major fire fighting resource that is available to QueenslandFire and Rescue through the use of water pumps/cannons on the tug.

4.2.5 Location of Buildings and Infrastructure

The location of key buildings and infrastructure are documented in our Infrastructure Plans,which are internal documents. A map of the infrastructure of the Port can be provided togovernment agencies on request. The Corporation will include these maps in the EmergencyResponse Plan for the Port in the near future.

4.3 Water Quality

4.3.1 Stormwater

The bulk sugar facility has been cut into the side of a hill. The main stormwater drain in the

Port is a concrete-lined drain running the length of the sugar shed to collect stormwater fromthe higher ground and divert this clean stormwater around the sugar terminal site. Thisstormwater drain runs under the western end of the sugar shed through an underground line,then through sections of lined and unlined open drain to the Harbour.

Three underground stormwater drains are located at the eastern end of the Port takingstormwater from the area of the Molasses tanks and the single adjacent residential housedown to the Harbour, entering near the eastern end of the Main Wharf and near the bitumencar park. There are few sources of contaminants into this stormwater system.

Locations of stormwater drains and other services are recorded on engineering drawingsheld by the Corporation (Drawing 30249/ 35 to 39). Elevations throughout the port are alsocontained on these maps.

As a matter of policy, best practice stormwater management devices will be installed in anyfuture major developments of port land.

4.3.2 Management of Discharges from Shore-based Industries

The Department of Environment and Resource Management p rovides the environmentalauthority for discharges from shore-based industry and determines the appropriate


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environmental standards for these discharges to protect environmental values. Apart fromthe sugar storage facilities, there is little industry currently on port land at Mourilyan.

Discharges may occur upstream of the Harbour from aquaculture and agriculturaloperations. Responsibility for control of the environmental performance of these upstreamindustries rests with either DERM or the Cassowary Coast Regional Council.

4.3.3 Management of Marine Waste and Contaminants

There is little demand for waste to be offloaded from bulk ships in the port and the wastefacilities currently provided in the port to bulk ships is limited to general garbage (whichexcludes quarantine waste). This service is provided to ships by an independent wastecontractor on a user-pays basis. Garbage collection facilities for recreational or othercommercial users of the port are provided by the Corporation at the public boat ramp. Oilywaste collection facilities for small craft are available for use (see photo below). Fishingboats and smaller craft will typically not have sewage holding facilities and may be a sourceof contamination in the port waters.

Tributyl tin (TBT) is used as an antifoulant and biocide in the hull paint on large vessels (over25 metres) to prevent the growth of marine organisms on the hull. TBT can however harmmarine organisms if it enters the marine environment. This may occur through paint beingremoved from a hull or from a small amount of leaching of TBT from the paint.

Internationally, less toxic alternatives to TBT are being sought and an international phase-out of the use of TBT is currently proposed by the International Maritime Organisation.Due to the potential for discharge of marine pests, and paint residues, including TBT, hullcleaning is banned within the Port of Mourilyan.

Photo of waste oil reception facilities provided at the Port

4.3.4 Management of Ballast Water Discharges

With over 200 species of exotic marine organisms known to have been introduced intoAustralian waters, the introduction of foreign marine organisms through ships' ballast andhull fouling is a major concern for Australia. In southern waters of Australia, populations of


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some species, such as the 'North Pacific Starfish' (Asterias amurensis) in Tasmania, haveincreased rapidly to the extent that they now pose a serious threat to some native speciesand to valuable commercial fisheries and aquaculture operations.

The Port of Mourilyan typically receives around 40 overseas ship visits a year. Ballast wateris discharged from the ship as it comes into port and at the ship s berth as it loads product.The annual volume of ballast water discharge in Mourilyan has been estimated at around194 000 tonnes (Hilliard et al, 1997). The place of origin (source ports) of this foreign ballastwater includes Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Phillipines, Japan and Indonesia.

In risk studies carried out and documented in the PCQ Ecoports Monograph No. 14 ( BallastWater Risk Assessment 12 Queensland Ports. Stage 5 Report Executive Summary &Synthesis of Stages 1-4 ), the Port of Mourilyan was found to have a low relative risk of theintroduction of pest species from overseas ports, based on normal voyage patterns.Singapore was the only source port in a high risk category due to the highest level of riskbiota indices, the highest volume (30%) of ballast water discharge from source ports, as wellas similar regional water temperatures. All other ports returned values low enough to beplaced in lower risk categories, indicating relatively little threat of pest introduction (Hilliard etal, 1997). There is a possibility for secondary transposition of exotic marine pest speciesfrom other Australian ports.

As part of the port environmental monitoring, a marine baseline survey and surveys for

exotic organisms in the port to detect the presence of any pest species was completed in1999 and no pest species were found. It is intended to carry out follow up surveys for pestspecies on a regular basis, at a frequency to be agreed on a national basis. This detailedmonitoring is being supplemented by inspection every three months of larval traps installedin the port, which provide for early detection of any encrusting species in the port.

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) is the government agencyresponsible for prevention of foreign marine organisms into Australian waters. AQIS hasintroduced controls on ballast water discharge. Ships with ballast water that are considered ahigh risk for introduced marine species and which have not exchanged ballast water mid-ocean are now not allowed to discharge into Australian waters (up to 12 nautical milesoffshore). A Ballast Water Management Plan is provided in Appendix 1.

4.3.5 Cattle Exports

Cattle exports began in 1995 from the Port of Mourilyan. The typical operation involves thecattle being trucked to a holding yard about 4 km away from the port. Here they areinspected by AQIS for their quality of health prior to shipping. The animals are dippedapproximately 24 hours prior to shipping. The animals have access to water and feed at theyards and on the ship. Monitoring of the impact of cattle exports on water quality within theharbour during loading operations has shown it to be negligible. The direct transfer of cattlefrom semi-trailers to ship via ramps results in minimal wastes and manure entering theharbour. The total amount of waste collected from the ramps and wharf deck equates toapproximately one wheelbarrow per 1200 cattle and any spillage is collected and utilised asfertiliser on gardens within the port. A specific Environmental Management Plan for thisoperation has been developed and is implemented by the Port Supervisor during each

shipment.

4.3.6 Vessel Cleaning and Slipway Operation

There are no slipways or vessel cleaning facilities currently operating in the port. Slipwaysrepresent a major potential source of contamination if not properly managed. Because of thehigh environmental importance of the port area, vessel cleaning or slipways would not beconsidered an appropriate industry in the port. Such a facility, built to the standards


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recommended by ANZECC in its Code of Practice for Anti-fouling and In-Water HullCleaning and Maintenance, is unlikely to be cost-effective when large slipway facilities areclose by in Cairns.

4.3.7 Management and Enforcement

The Corporation has a trained Port Supervisor located in the Port. The Port Supervisor is anauthorised officer under the Transport Infrastructure (Ports) Regulation 1994. The PortSupervisor may issue directives to vessels to ensure the safety or efficient operation of the

port or to enforce port regulations or the requirements of Transport Operations (MarinePollution) Actwith regard to discharges from vessels.

The Supervisor will respond to oil spills in the port and may board vessels for samplingpurposes during an investigation of a spill.

Penalties for contravention of a port notice or legal direction of the Port Supervisor can beapplied.

4.4 Acid Sulphate Soils

Because the port land is of low elevation, there is a risk of acid sulphate soils being presentin the area. Acid sulphate soils contain pyrites or iron sulphide. While they remainundisturbed, they do not have any detrimental impacts. However, if the soils are exposed tothe air, the iron sulphide will be oxidised to form sulphuric acid. Any water run-off from theexposed acid sulphate soils will reduce the pH of the receiving waters and release iron andaluminium from the soil into the water body.

Acid sulphate soils have been mapped in the Moresby River catchment (Dawson and Smith,1997) and studies indicate their potential presence in intertidal flats and mangrove areas inthe region, particularly along Walter Creek. Disturbance of acid sulphate soils should beavoided where possible. If disturbance cannot be avoided, the appropriate treatment of thesoil must be determined prior to commencement of works.

As part of any development application in the port, testing for the presence of acid sulphatesoils in the area of any planned significant soil disturbance is required. If acid sulphate soilsare present, a management plan for the acid sulphate soils must be developed prior tocommencement of works.

4.5 Air Quality and Noise

As the Port of Mourilyan is primarily a sugar bulk-storage facility, incorporating an enclosedconveyor system, particulate and noise levels tend to be low. Lessees are required to obtainand maintain relevant licences and approvals under the Environmental Protection Act.

The export of cattle creates minimal dust, as the access roads are bitumen. Early noise

monitoring of the cattle loading operation indicated noise was of little concern. Movements ofsemi-trailers and other wharf activities create the most noise.

4.6 Hazardous or Flammable Goods

There is currently no fuel terminal or facilities to store significant volumes of flammable orcombustible fuels in the Port. A small diesel storage tank is located in a bunded area at thewestern end of the sugar shed for sole use of the sugar terminal. This is supplied by roadtanker. No dangerous goods are imported through the Port.


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Minor refuelling of vessels is carried out in the Port. This refuelling can only be carried outunder a Fuel Permit issued by the Corporation. Conditions associated with the Permit havebeen developed to minimise any safety or environmental risks.

Before any new imports of dangerous goods through the Port could be considered, a riskassessment would need to be carried out. The requirements for such cargoes are detailed inthe Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Actand the Transport Operations (Marine Safety)Regulation. The Australian Standard AS3846, The Handling and Transport of Dangerous

Cargoes in Port Areas, documents the requirements and recommendations for safe handlingand transport of dangerous goods in port areas. The standard provides the minimumacceptable safety requirements for port facilities and their operating practices.

4.7 Flora, Fauna and Natural Amenity

The Land Use Plan has designated areas of conservation value on port land asEnvironmental Buffer Area. These areas and their environmental values are documented inSection 3.12. This Environmental Management Plan seeks to protect these designatedareas from development.

The potential impact of development in areas adjacent to the environmental buffer zones areconsidered in project impact studies, to minimise any significant adverse impacts, such as apossible deterioration in the quality of stormwater run-off. Developments will have dueregard to the flora and fauna values documented in this Plan.

4.8 Dredging

The Corporation is responsible for maintaining navigable depth in the Port of Mourilyanshipping channel and harbour, undertaking maintenance dredging when required. Dredgingof the berth pocket and swing basin has been required roughly every four years in the pastdue to natural siltation of these areas.

Historically, the bulk of the material removed from the harbour has been used forreclamation of port land, although two potential sea disposal sites outside the Harbour havealso been identified for use when land disposal is not possible. More recently, bed levellinghas been used in the port to reduce the frequency of dredging. Bed levelling moves thedeposited material to a natural deep hole in the centre of the Harbour. Evidence to-dateindicates that this practice has been successful, both in being cost-effective and in havingminimal environmental impacts, although the frequency of bed-levelling may be greater thannormal dredging.

The Corporation carries out extensive monitoring of dredging operations, which includesanalyses of sediment prior to commencement of the dredging and monitoring of dredgingplumes and sediment transport during dredging. This is complemented by the long termmonitoring of the health of the seagrass meadows and modelling of currents to help predict

any potential impacts.


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5. GLOSSARY OF TERMS

the Corporation Far North Queensland Ports Corporation Limited (FNQPC)

dB(A) decibels (A weighted), which is a measure of noise intensity

DERM Department of Environment and Resource Management

EPBC Act Commonwealth s Environment Protection and BiodiversityConservation Act 1999

LA90 A- weighted sound pressure level exceeded for 90 percent ofthe time

QT Queensland Department of Transport

6. REFERENCES

Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council, 1997. Code of Practicefor Antifouling and In-water Hull Cleaning and Maintenance.

Dawson H.A. and Smith D.G., 1997. Extent of Acid Sulphate Soils in the Moresby RiverCatchment. Department of Natural Resources, Brisbane.

Duke A. & Collins S., 2001. Cultural Heritage Review Port of Mourilyan. Prepared for PortsCorporation (internal document).

Hilliard, R. W. and Raaymakers, S., 1997. Ballast Water Risk Assessment 12 QueenslandPorts: Stage 5 Report Executive Summary and Synthesis of Stages 1 4. EcoPortsMonograph Series No. 14. Ports Corporation of Queensland, Brisbane.

Larcombe, P. and Taylor, J., 1997. Port of Mourilyan Water & Sediment Quality MonitoringBaseline Surveys, January 1995February 1996. EcoPorts Monograph Series No. 7. PortsCorporation of Queensland, Brisbane.

McKenzie, L. J., Rasheed, M. A., Lee Long, W. J. and Coles, R. G., 1996. Port of MourilyanSeagrass Monitoring Baseline Surveys, Summer (December) 1993, Winter (July) 1994 .EcoPorts Monograph Series No. 2. Ports Corporation of Queensland, Brisbane.

Natural Resource Assessments, 1997. Ports of Mourilyan and Lucinda VegetationMasterplans. Prepared for Ports Corporation of Queensland (internal document).

Port of Mourilyan Oil Spill Contingency Plan. (this is a controlled circulation document.


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APPENDIX 1 - PORT OF MOURILYAN - BALLAST WATERMANAGEMENT PLAN

1. PORT DETAILS

The Corporation manages the Port of Mourilyan. The port facilities are located in MourilyanHarbour and consist of a bulk sugar and molasses terminal, with a single shiploader andloading berth. Other facilities within the port include a pilot boat jetty, Coast Guard jetty,

public jetty, boat ramp and commercial vessel mooring piles. The Mourilyan Harbour issituated at latitude 1736 S, longitude 14607 E, at the entrance of the Moresby River, 15 kmsouth of Innisfail.

ChannelsThere is one shipping access channel to Mourilyan Harbour. This channel enters the portbetween Goodman Point on the north headland and Hall Point on the South headland. Thechannel is approximately 96 m wide at its narrowest point between the two headlands, and isapproximately 700 m long. The channel extends beyond the harbour entrance for 100 m. Asecond natural channel diverges north east from the first channel for 1,100 m before turningEast at the marker buoy toward deeper water.

AnchorageThere is no designated shipping anchorage within the harbour. A designated anchoragearea is located outside the harbour entrance on the southern side of the access channel.Ships anchor 2-4 nautical miles offshore to accept pilots prior to entering the port.

Port EnvironmentThe Port is in a very high rainfall area. The Mourilyan Harbour itself is a unique marineenvironment of high environmental value. There are large areas of seagrass within theHarbour that attract and support a myriad of marine life. The intertidal area supports avariety of birdlife, including a number of protected species.The area supports a large fishing and aquaculture industry.

2. BALLAST WATER DISCHARGES

Approval for Ballast Water DischargesThe Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) is responsible for determining anyconditions imposed on the discharge of ballast water taken up in a foreign port. All ships arerequired to comply with AQIS regulations or orders. Ballast water controls were commencedin July 2001 which prohibit the discharge of any ballast water deemed to be a high risk inAustralian waters. A Decision Support System has been implemented by AQIS to quantifythe risk of a ballast water discharge based on a number of factors, including environmentalconditions in the port of the ballast water origin.

Discharge of high-risk ballast water is not authorised in port waters and discharge can onlyoccur in an area specifically designated or approved by AQIS for this purpose. If AQISshould authorise any discharge of a designated high-risk ballast water in port waters, suchas for an emergency situation, the Corporation requires notification of this from the ship andAQIS to allow the volume and location to be recorded for future port surveys.

If a ship wishes to discharge sediment from ballast storage tanks, sediment should only bedeposited in a designated place approved by AQIS on arrival. Due to the sensitive marineenvironment in Mourilyan, there are no suitable areas for discharge of sediment within theMourilyan port limits.


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Ships travelling from other Australian ports are requested to carry out the discharge ofballast waters as far as practical outside port waters to help prevent the secondarytransposition of exotic marine species.

Port Facilities for Ballast WaterThe technology to effectively treat ballast water is not yet commercially proven or readilyavailable and the port does not currently have any holding or treating facilities for ballastwater.

Normal Location of Ballast Water DischargesShips should discharge ballast water in open waters as far offshore as possible, leaving theminimum amount of ballast water for discharge in the port consistent with safety. The maindischarges of ballast water in the port will typically occur at the ship s berth as loading iscarried out.

Considerations in determining a location for a Ballast WaterDischargeUnder new ballast water controls introduced by AQIS in July 2001, the discharge of high-riskballast water is not allowed within 12 nautical miles of the coast. AQIS encourages the mid-ocean exchange of ballast water to reduce the risk of introduction of foreign marine speciesas a practical way to reduce the risk of introducing foreign marine species into Australian

waters.

Given the high ecological and commercial value of the area, it is important that no exoticmarine pests are imported through ballast water or by other means. The entire port area isconsidered to be an environmentally sensitive area and there are no areas in the port orclose to the port that are suitable for the discharge of even moderate risk ballast water.

If a ship has moderate risk ballast water and has not exchanged ballast water adequatelymid-ocean, the Corporation does not allow it to be discharged within or close to the Port ofMourilyan. However, as AQIS is the agency responsible for ballast water management, theywill decide if any ballast water can be discharged within Australian waters and where thedischarge is permitted.

An intake to an aquaculture farm is located at the end of the ship berth and discharges atthe berth need to take this into consideration.

3. BALLAST WATER UPTAKE LOCATIONS

Water quality in the harbour is good. Most of the harbour area is suitable for ballast wateruptake, as is the open waters outside the harbour. The water in the harbour can containsome faecal coliforms due to seepage from septic systems in the upper catchment andslightly elevated nutrient levels from this and aquaculture farm discharges upstream.

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