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Nook Quarry – AG & BJ Riley

Phytophthora cinnamomi-status of quarries

Quarry: Nook Quarry Date of inspection: 27/08/08

Altitude: 335 m Reinspection due: On request

Substrate: Conglomerate Type: Consolidated and unconsolidated

gravel deposits

Grid Ref: 445238 E, 5425713 N Owner: AG & BJ Riley

Drainage: Excellent

The quarry floor is clean and dry (Figure 1). Good outfall drainage is provided, with

sumps in place (Figure 2). A spoon drain in place at the top of the quarry (Figure 3)

prevents water runoff from entering the active quarry area.

Overburden:

The older areas of the quarry have been well scalped back from the quarry face. A newer

area of the quarry, which has been recently blown, did not have the overburden scalped

back and the quarry area has suffered slight contamination with topsoil (Figure 4).

Field symptoms: None seen

This quarry is supporting a wide variety of reliable indicator species including: common

heath (Epacris impressa), bearded heath (Leucopogon virgatus), Banksia marginata,

goldey wood (Monotoca glauca), trigger plant (Stylidium graminifolium), golden pea

(Aotus ericoides) and Amperea xiphoclada (Figures 5 & 6). All appeared healthy and

were regenerating well on disturbed areas (Figures 7 – 9), indicating an absence of

P. cinnamomi. Common heath is regenerating at the outflow of the lowest sump. This

indicates that the water flow from the quarry is free of P. cinnamomi (Figure 10).

Samples tested for P. cinnamomi: Nil – Not required as no field symptoms were

observed.

This quarry is currently considered to be P. cinnamomi-free

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Nook Quarry – AG & BJ Riley

Management issues/recommendations:

This is currently a well-managed, P. cinnamomi-free quarry, which is a valuable asset.

The following recommendations will help to ensure that the quarry stays clean into the

future:

• P. cinnamomi is easily carried by water or in mud. Ensure the quarry floor remains

well drained and no water ponding occurs in working areas.

• Ensure any trucks coming into the quarry are clean and do not drop mud into

working areas. Request a wash-down procedure if trucks are working in a muddy

area.

• P. cinnamomi can not survive in clean dry gravel, but can spread where soil and root

matter are incorporated. The topsoil should be scalped back from the active quarry

face.

• Where rehabilitation is required, spreading a thin layer of topsoil carrying the seeds

of native species will speed up the regeneration process, but in all other cases topsoil

should be well separated from the working area and the quarried material and

preferably stored down-hill from the active area.

• Do not allow imported topsoil to be dumped within the quarry. This is one of the

quickest ways of contaminating a clean quarry with both disease and weed problems.

Treat any weed problems promptly, should they arise.

Figure 1. The quarry floor is hard, dry and uncontaminated by any other material

Commercial-in-confidence

Nook Quarry – AG & BJ Riley

Figure 2. Good outfall drainage is

provided and is working effectivelyFigure 3. A spoon-drain at the top of the

quarry prevents water flow into the quarry

Figure 4. Contamination

of the quarry area with

topsoil can largely be

prevented by scalping

back the overburden.

Clean gravel does not

support P. cinnamomi.

Commercial-in-confidence

Nook Quarry – AG & BJ Riley

^ Figure 5. This quarry supports

good indicator species such as

bearded heath and Amperea.

Figure 6. Healthy regeneration of

these species indicates an absence

of P. cinnamomi. >

Figure 7. Good regeneration of indicator species is

establishing on the scalped slope. Many native species

have ground-stored seed and will regenerate after severe

disturbance.

Figures 8 & 9. Golden

pea, bearded heath and

trigger plant (all reliable

indicator species) are

regenerating in the gravel.

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Nook Quarry – AG & BJ Riley

Figure 10. Common heath

thriving at the outfall of the

lowest sump indicates that

the all of the area above is

clear of P. cinnamomi.

Sue Jennings

Biology & Conservation Branch

Forestry Tasmania

sue.jennings@forestrytas.com.au