Aurora – The 10,000 lot Aurora Estate, north of Melbourne, is being planned by VicUrban to be a model for future sustainable urban development. Biosis Research has had a long association with VicUrban and our team has been working closely with the client and the design team to achieve the project’s environmental, social and economic aims.

Historical and Maritime Archaeological Assessment for a Boat Storage Facility – Rozelle Bay – Port areas are a focus of much re-development activity in Australia at present, and they often have an intricate history. Our Sydney office has been working with the developers of a proposed boat storage facility at Rozelle Bay on an archaeological assessment of site. The project detailed the historic developments on the site, from land reclamation works in 1909, through to the use of the site as a container storage facility until 2004. The assessment also included a maritime archaeological component that investigated the potential for remains associated with the timber industry that utilised the bay for 46 years within the development area. This project, while being a new development, allows for the integration and continuation the historic site usage, that is, as a part of Sydney's maritime working heritage.

Growling Grass Frog (Southern Bell Frog) and Green and Golden Bell Frog Projects – The Growling Grass Frog is a nationally vulnerable species that lives in waterbodies and along watercourses in south-eastern Australia. Biosis Research has extensive experience in conducting surveys and habitat assessments for this species. Our numerous projects have also included establishing and conducting a long-term annual monitoring program for the nationally significant population of the species at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee and a survey for the species along Kororoit Creek to locate sites currently occupied by the species and provide recommendations to Melbourne Water for ongoing management of the Creek and its occupants. The Zoological team from our Melbourne office have considerable expertise in relation to this species and frequently provide our clients with ongoing advice on mitigation strategies including provision frog underpasses and drift fences to facilitate safe movement of frogs between areas of habitat either side of major roads, and relocation strategies

Mt Buller Ski Field Vegetation Management Plan – The Mt Buller Alpine Ski Resort is located in a unique and sensitive natural environment that has significant biodiversity and scenic values, as well as a range of tourism and recreational opportunities. Winter recreation within the resort is managed by Buller Ski Lifts (BSL) who engaged our Melbourne Office to prepare a Ski Field Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) to guide its staff and contractors when undertaking vegetation management works within the ski field. The VMP is a two part plan that includes both management recommendations and operational guidelines.

Recovery Plan for the Endangered Mountain Pygmy-possum on Mt Buller – The Mountain Pygmy-possum is an endangered marsupial that lives in alpine boulder fields associated with some of Australia’s highest peaks. The population at Mt Buller Ski Resort was only discovered in the 1990s. Biosis Research was engaged by the Mt Buller Alpine Resort Management Board to prepare a Recovery Plan to ensure the species’ long term survival on the mountain. Biosis Research developed the Plan through a series of focussed workshops and discussions with the Board, the ski resort managers (Buller Ski Lifts), Dean Heinze (a researcher who has expert knowledge of the species in Victoria) and the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Net Gain Assessments in Victoria – The Victorian Government’s Net Gain policy in relation to clearing of native vegetation has added to the complexity of developing land. Biosis Research has built expertise in the complicated methodological and policy issues that Net Gain raises, and our botanical staff are acknowledged experts in the area. Our advice has been critical to achieving a Net Gain outcome for many developments in Victoria.

The importance of good advice in the area of Net Gain is shown by our experience on a large residential development on the northern fringe of Melbourne that contained remnant native grasslands. The developer was initially advised by its environmental consultants that it would be able to build on a significant proportion of these native grasslands and still meet the Net Gain requirements. This advice was, however, based on incorrect assumptions about the Net Gain policy, and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) did not accept the resulting development plan. Considerable delay and costs were incurred as a result. The developer commissioned Biosis Research to redo the Net Gain analyses, advise on a significant redesign of the subdivision layout, and conduct further negotiations with DSE. While a positive outcome was eventually achieved, this case study clearly shows the importance of obtaining well-founded technical advice about Net Gain.

Review of Biodiversity Legislation – As part of developing their National Biodiversity Strategy, Australand engaged Biosis Research to conduct a review of State and Commonwealth biodiversity legislation.  Through this process, we identified the implications of government legislation and policy to Australand’s specific business activities within each State and tailored a strategy for Australand to assess land acquisition and product development feasibility. This work will guide the development of a formal National Biodiversity Strategy for Australand Holdings.