Friends of Grasslands (FOG) and Conservation Council ACT Region (the Council) have today called on the Federal Minister of the Environment, Tanya Plibersek, to immediately intervene to save the Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon by stopping the construction of the Northern Road around Canberra Airport that would bisect its habitat. Construction of this road has begun in recent days despite the Canberra Airport Group having failed to prove they can do so without significantly impacting the Dragons.
President of FOG, Professor Jamie Pittock said “We are shocked to learn that the Canberra Airport Group has begun construction of the Northern Road that threatens to slay Canberra’s Dragon.”
“Canberra Airport is home to one of just three Dragon populations known to remain on just 40 hectares of habitat in the Majura and Jerrabomberra valleys, in the eastern Australian Capital Territory and outskirts of Queanbeyan.
“In 2022, Minister Tanya Plibersek identified the reptile as one of 110 endangered species nationally to be recovered under her new Threatened Species Action Plan,” Pittock said.[1] “At that time the Minister asked CAG to demonstrate the road could be built and operated without increasing the risk of extinction for the Dragon population, without destroying habitat that is critical to the Dragon’s survival.”
“CAG have not published any documents that show they will meet the conditions. Instead, they have started to construct a road that will destroy vital habitat.”
Chief Executive of the Council Dr Simon Copland said:
“The bulldozing of this habitat, which is vital to the Dragon’s survival, is absolutely devastating. It is not acceptable. While captive bred populations of the Dragon are increasing,[2] this is pointless if there is no large connected areas of its habitat left to maintain populations in the wild.”
“We call on Tanya Plibersek to step in to revoke approval for this road under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and to halt the destruction of this habitat.”
“It is essential that the Minister act now before too more invaluable habitat is destroyed. Every moment counts for this beautiful lizard. Minister, step in before it is too late!”
Background – the Dragon
The Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon (Tympanocryptis lineata) was only identified as a separate species in 2022, when taxonomists split the former (threatened) Grassland Earless Dragon into four species. The Canberra Dragon species is now only found on 40 hectares in three small locations in the eastern Australian Capital Territory.
Dragons are the ‘goldilocks’ indicator species for healthy grasslands as they need enough space between tussocks to hunt insects but also enough grass to hide from predators. This ‘just right’ grass cover is the ideal habitat for a number of endangered animal and wildflower species on natural grasslands.
Background – the Northern Road
In 2009, a delegate of then Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett granted a conditional approval to the Canberra Airport Group for its ‘Northern Road’. At the time, the road was approved to go around the habitat for a significant population of Dragons living on and adjacent to the Airport (see enclosed diagram).
The condition said, before a final approval would be granted, a strategy was needed to demonstrate the road could be built and operated without increasing the risk of extinction for the Dragon population.
During the Black Summer in 2019 – 20, a fire burned near the southeast corner of the Airport. Canberra Airport Group went to the media saying the road needed to be “sorted out” for the safety of people working in Fairbairn.[3] Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison got involved.[4]
Five months later, in May 2020, a delegate of then Environment Minister Sussan Ley gave the final go-ahead. A more direct route was approved, right through the middle of the Dragons’ critical habitat. A strategy based on observations (labelled “equivalent research”) was approved. The new route bisects 360 hectares of current and potential habitat at the airport and adjoining Defence training area.
Incredibly, Dragon habitat was said to no longer exist between two parallel lines (see map) that today are the road reserve[5]; yet, at the same time, the delegate accepted the road would not fragment the Dragons’ habitat. Both things cannot be true. The strategy that was approved does not account for the increased risk of Dragon mortality due to collisions.
In August 2022, the Federal Government’s Threatened Species Scientific Committee published a consultation paper on a proposal to recognise there are not one but four species of Grassland Earless Dragons.[6] Canberra Dragons occupy a small area centred on the Majura and Jerrabomberra valleys. There are just three small populations.
Based on this new information, in September 2022, Professor Pittock asked that the Northern Road approval be revoked on the basis the Canberra species is not, as previously thought, widely distributed with tens of populations. Since then, there has been a promise to re-examine the case.
[1] https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/publications/action-plan-2022-2032, p. 44
[2] https://the-riotact.com/canberras-little-dragons-are-making-a-big-comeback/841242
[3] Rollins, A., Whyte, S. (27 January 2020) Barr lobbies for northern airport road, In The Canberra Times, p. 3
[4] https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/71975.pdf, p. 6
[5] https://epbcpublicportal.environment.gov.au/_entity/sharepointdocumentlocation/7f72d2ff-35e5-ec11-bb3c-002248d3b211/2ab10dab-d681-4911-b881-cc99413f07b6?file=2009-4748-Variation-to-Conditions.pdf, p. 9
[6] https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/nominations/comment/four-species-grassland-earless-dragon