BirdLife Australia says interconnector threatens a critically endangered bird, the black-eared miner

A vital power interconnector with NSW that will help shore up SA’s electricity supply is close to approval, but an unlikely hurdle to it being built has emerged.

The black-eared miner is critically endangered, and they have been recorded in the area close to where the interconnector would be built. Picture: Dean Ingwersen

Birdlife Australia says the proposed electricity interconnector between SA and NSW would destroy part of the most important remaining habitat for a critically endangered species, the black-eared miner.

Conservationists have sent 1400 emails to the Federal Government calling on it to reject part of the project.

BirdLife Australia spokesman Sean Dooley said interconnector proponent ElectraNet should use a different route to the one proposed through Calperum Station, 10km north of Renmark.

“This special area is one of only five natural areas singled out and named by our federal nature laws as critical habitat for a particular endangered species,” he said.

“That this project is proposing to go through it just beggars belief.”

Calperum Station is home to other vulnerable species too, such as the red-lored whistler, regent parrot, and the mallee striated grasswren.

ElectraNet spokeswoman Megan Lloyd said it had voluntarily referred the project to the Commonwealth under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act for public comment.

“ElectraNet does not believe the proposed route will destroy or fragment existing habitat,” she said. The interconnector would cut through about 12km of critical habitat where black-eared miners have been recorded.

An ElectraNet document summarising the project says 1ha of land would need to be cleared for each kilometre of the new powerline, including tower footings and an access track. That would be just 0.003 per cent of the “defined critical habitat area”.

And if an existing cleared track that follows a seismic survey line is used, only half that area would be required.

A high-voltage transmission line similar to the interconnector to be constructed between Robertstown in SA and Wagga Wagga in NSW. Picture: ElectraNet

ElectraNet also points out that black-eared miners occur mainly in old-growth mallee that has not been burnt for decades, but the area in question was burnt in 2014, and nearby Taylorville Station was burnt in 2006.

“Since the 2006 fire, there have been no records of black-eared miner within 10km of the proposed alignment,” the document states.

“Consequently, construction of the proposed project is unlikely to affect any populations of black-eared miner.”

A spokesman for the State Government said the project would go through a full and rigorous environment assessment by both state and federal agencies, to ensure it meets the highest standards.

“This includes demonstrating how impacts are avoided and minimised, and residual impacts are offset,” he said.

“I urge BirdLife Australia to submit its concerns to both the state and federal reviews.”

The federal Environment and Energy Department said it was “assessing the likelihood of impacts of the project on matters of national environmental significance, including threatened species”.

“A decision on whether the project requires a full assessment under national environmental law will be made in mid-July,” a spokesman said.

Endangered:

Black-eared miner (Manorina melanotis)

The black-eared miner is one of Australia’s rarest endemic bird species.

Species

One of four species of honeyeater in the Manorina group. A dark, stocky bird, it is dark grey above, paler underneath, with a black face mask and orange/yellow bill and legs. It is one of Australia’s rarest endemic bird species.

Habitat

The black-eared miner lives in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia. It prefers old-growth mallee that has not been burnt for 40 years or more. The mallee eucalypts they prefer in the Murray region grow on very fertile land which has been selectively cleared for agriculture. For this reason, much of their former habitat has been destroyed.

Threats

Habitat clearance and degradation has been a major threat to the black-eared miner. Also, yellow-throated miners moving into their habitat and interbreeding with them is a problem.