{"id":"F2022L01053","name":"List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC178) Instrument 2022","slug":"list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec178-instrument-2022","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":102542,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2022L01053-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC178) Instrument 2022","content":"![Commonwealth of Australia coat of arms](image.001.png)\n\nCommonwealth of Australia\n\nList of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC178) Instrument 2022\n\nI, TANYA PLIBERSEK, Minister for the Environment and Water, pursuant to paragraph 184(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by including in the list of threatened ecological communities in the endangered category:\n\nDunn’s white gum (Eucalyptus dunnii) moist forest in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland\n\nas described in the Schedule to this instrument.\n\nThis instrument commences the day after registration.\n\nTanya Plibersek\n\n...................................................................................\n\nTanya Plibersek\n\nMinister for the Environment and Water\n\nDated............5th August 2022....................................\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1\n\nDunn’s white gum (Eucalyptus dunnii) moist forest in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland\n\nDunn’s white gum (Eucalyptus dunnii) moist forest in north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland is an assemblage of native plants, animals and other organisms constituting at maturity a type of wet sclerophyll forest with a typically tall canopy of eucalypts, notably Eucalyptus dunnii (Dunn’s white gum), and typically a structurally complex understorey of rainforest trees, shrubs, palms, vines, ferns, herbs and shade-tolerant graminoids.\n\nThe canopy consists of Eucalyptus dunnii (Dunn’s white gum) in pure stands or in combination with E. saligna (Sydney blue gum), E. grandis (Flooded gum), E. microcorys (Tallowwood) and/or Lophostemon confertus (Brush box). Some rainforest trees that are more typically found in the mid-layer can also occur in the canopy.\n\nIn most cases, the understorey is composed of regenerating eucalypt species and mature rainforest species including Araucaria cunninghamii (hoop pine), Diploglottis australis (large leaf tamarind), and Toona ciliata var. australis (Australian red cedar). The understorey may also contain colonising rainforest species in the families Myrtaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lauraceae, and Meliaceae, as well as tall shrubs and vines. These may include Neolitsea australiensis (green bolly gum), N. dealbata (hairy-leaved bolly gum), Alectryon subcinereus (native quince), Cryptocarya rigida (rose maple), C. glaucescens (forest maple), Diospyros australis (black plum), Polyscias elegans (celery wood), Acacia maidenii (Maiden’s wattle), Rhodamnia rubescens (scrub turpentine), Syzygium smithii (common lilly pilly), Croton verreauxii (native cascarilla), Cordyline petiolaris (palm lily), C. stricta (slender palm lily), Cissus hypoglauca (native grape), and C. antarctica (kangaroo vine).\n\nIn long-unburnt patches of the ecological community the ground layer is dominated by ferns (commonly including: Adiantum formosum, Lastreopsis spp., Hypolepis glanduligera, Doodia aspera, and Dennstaedtia davalliodes), vines (commonly including: Solori involuta, Palmeria scandens, and Rubus hillii), and forbs (commonly including: Pollia cristata, Alpinia caerulea, and Alocasia brisbanensis). Graminoids typical of the ecological community include shade tolerant species such as Imperata cylindrica and Lomandra longifolia.\n\nThe ecological community occurs in the NSW North Coast bioregion and adjacent bioregions in South Eastern Queensland and New England Tablelands, with a scattered distribution north from Dorrigo and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales to Warwick and Canungra in Queensland. It is more commonly found at the margins of rainforests on the lower slopes of hills and escarpments and in the valley bottoms but may also occur on upper slopes and basalt ridges. It typically occurs on deep, fertile soils, and is largely confined to fertile basaltic derived soils, or fine-grained sediments of colluvium or alluvium depending on upstream environments.\n\nThe ecological community also includes a variety of fauna species, including several species that are listed as threatened at a national or state level.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument changes the statutory list by adding the named ecological community into the endangered category, extending Commonwealth-listed coverage to that vegetation type and its associated fauna across the specified NSW and Queensland bioregions. It does not amend other entries or set out procedural or regulatory mechanisms; those follow from the EPBC Act rather than this instrument."},"complexity_factors":["Single, narrowly targeted amendment: adds one named ecological community to the list.","Legal authority explicitly invoked (paragraph 184(a) of the EPBC Act) — requires cross-reference to that Act to see practical effects.","Technical, detailed ecological description in the Schedule necessitates expert ecological judgement to identify on‑ground occurrences.","Geographical phrasing (e.g. 'scattered distribution', margins of rainforest, multiple bioregions) may create mapping and boundary‑definition ambiguity for regulators and land managers.","Immediate commencement (day after registration) limits lead time for affected parties to respond or seek clarification."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this does:** Adds \"Dunn’s white gum (Eucalyptus dunnii) moist forest in north‑east New South Wales and south‑east Queensland\" to the Commonwealth list of threatened ecological communities in the endangered category. The Minister for the Environment and Water makes the listing under paragraph 184(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the instrument commences the day after registration. The Schedule describes the community's composition, soils, typical locations and notes it contains fauna, some already listed as threatened."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument performs exactly the function intended by the EPBC Act — adding a specific ecological community to the threatened list. The detailed botanical description in the Schedule is standard practice for this type of instrument and does not represent scope creep."},"complexity_factors":["Single operative provision: one amendment adding one ecological community to one category (endangered)","No defined terms section — relies entirely on the descriptive Schedule","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the empowering provision (EPBC Act section 181 and paragraph 184(a))","Straightforward conditional logic: if the land matches the Schedule description, it is protected","Scientific description in Schedule is detailed but purely descriptive rather than legalistic","No exceptions, exemptions, or nested conditions","Total length: approximately 2 pages"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument lists Dunn’s white gum moist forest — a wet forest type in parts of north‑east New South Wales and south‑east Queensland — as a nationally threatened ecological community. \n\nThat triggers federal protection: landowners, developers and state governments must account for the listing in planning, and activities likely to significantly impact the forest (clearing, development, logging) may require assessment and approval by the federal Environment Minister."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec178-instrument-2022","history":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec178-instrument-2022/history","analysis":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec178-instrument-2022/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec178-instrument-2022/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec178-instrument-2022/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec178-instrument-2022/documents"}}