Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Queensland and NSW floods 2022

Visit recovery.gov.au to see what help is available.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Climate change
    Climate change Driving climate action, science and innovation so we are ready for the future.
    • Climate science and adaptation
    • Australia's climate change strategies
    • Emissions reduction
    • Emissions reporting
    • International commitments
    • Climate Active
    • Climate change publications and data
    • Australia’s National Greenhouse Accounts (Emissions Data)
    Stronger action on climate change

    Stronger action on climate change

    See how the Australian Government is committed to taking more ambitious action on climate change.

    Find out more

  • Energy
    Energy Building a secure and sustainable energy system for all Australians.
    • Energy policy in Australia
    • Energy ministers
    • Renewable energy
    • Energy publications
    • energy.gov.au
    • Energy Rating
    • Commercial Building Disclosure Program
    • Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)
    • Your Home
    Decorative image

    Australian Energy Employment Report survey

    Share insights to help the energy workforce plan for the future

    Find out more

  • Environment
    Environment Improving stewardship and sustainable management of Australia’s environment.
    • Bushfire recovery
    • Climate change and the environment
    • Biodiversity
    • EPBC Act
    • Environmental information and data
    • International activities
    • Invasive species
    • Land
    • Marine
    • Partnerships
    • Protection
    • Report a breach of environment law
    • Threatened species & ecological communities
    • Waste and recycling
    • Wildlife trade
    Decorative image

    Read our Nature Positive Plan

    Our plan sets out the Australian Government’s commitment to environmental law reform

    Find out more

  • Water
    Water Improving the sustainable management of Australia’s water supply for industry, the environment and communities.
    • Coal, Coal seam gas (CSG) and water
    • Commonwealth Environmental Water Office
    • Water policy and resources
    • Wetlands
    Water matters

    Water Matters

    Keep up with the latest news on the department's work in managing Australia's water resources.

    Read the latest edition here

  • Parks and heritage
    Parks and heritage Managing Australia’s iconic national parks, historic places and living landscapes.
    • Australian Marine Parks
    • Australian National Botanic Gardens
    • Booderee National Park
    • Kakadu National Park
    • Christmas Island National Park
    • National parks
    • Norfolk Island National Park
    • Heritage
    • Pulu Keeling National Park
    • The Great Barrier Reef
    • Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
    The reef

    Great Barrier Reef

    Australia is protecting and conserving this World Heritage Area.

    Find out more

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Climate change
    • Australia's biological resources
    • National Environmental Science Program (NESP)
    • Our science strategy
    • Australian Biological Resource Study (ABRS)
    • State of the Environment (SoE) reporting
    • Bird and bat banding
    • Supervising Scientist
    Our climate is changing

    Our climate is changing

    Find out more about how climate science helps Australians with the impacts of climate change.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We lead Australia’s response to climate change and sustainable energy use, and protect our environment, heritage and water.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Decorative image

    Juukan Gorge response

    Read the Australian Government's response to the destruction at Juukan Gorge and the recommendations

    Read the response

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Climate Change, Energy, Enviroment and Water

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Environment
  3. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)
  4. EPBC Act publications and resources
  5. Referral guideline for the vulnerable water mouse Xeromys myoides

Sidebar first - EN - EPBC

  • EPBC Act
    • Our role in protecting the environment
      • What is protected?
      • EPBC Act lists
      • Business improvements
      • Our performance
        • Quarterly performance report
          • Response to 2020 ANAO Audit Report
      • Advisory committees
        • Indigenous Advisory Committee
      • Independent reviews
        • Hawke Review 2008
    • EPBC Act reform
    • Protected Matters Search Tool
    • Referral and assessment
      • Shared assessments with states and territories
        • ACT bilateral agreement
        • NSW bilateral agreement
        • NT bilateral agreement
        • Qld bilateral agreement
        • SA bilateral agreement
        • Tas bilateral agreement
        • Vic bilateral agreement
        • WA bilateral agreement
      • Information about your industry
        • Farmers
        • Mining industry
        • Local governments
        • State agencies
        • Indigenous
        • Commonwealth agencies
      • What are significant impacts?
      • Pre-referral meeting
      • Cost recovery
      • Strategic assessments
      • Environmental offsets under the EPBC Act
        • EPBC Act environmental offsets policy
        • Environmental offsets guidance
          • Offset policy principles
          • Offsets mitigation hierarchy
          • Direct and indirect offsets
          • Advanced environmental offsets
          • Offsets assessment guide
      • Register of exemptions
    • Advice for applicants and approval holders
      • Self assessment
      • Pre-referral meeting
      • Referral applications and proposals
      • Decisions on referred actions
      • Actions without approval
      • Community consultation
      • Surveys and data
      • Bushfires and other natural disasters
      • Action management plans
      • Renewable energy projects
      • Fees, exemptions and waivers
      • Decisions on assessment method
      • Approval notices, conditions and making changes after approval
    • Public comment and decisions
    • Compliance and enforcement
      • Compliance audits
      • Audit outcomes
      • Infringement notices
      • Report a breach
      • Advice for approval holders during COVID-19
    • Permits and other regulation
      • Conservation agreements
    • EPBC Act resources

Referral guideline for the vulnerable water mouse Xeromys myoides

2015
Department of the Environment
Download
Referral guideline for the vulnerable water mouse Xeromys myoides (PDF 1.1MB)
Referral guideline for the vulnerable water mouse Xeromys myoides ( 483.5KB)
Water mouse national distribution map (PDF 2.2MB)
Water mouse distribution map - South East Queensland (PDF 3.8MB)
Water mouse distribution map - Gladstone area (PDF 3MB)
Water mouse distribution map - MacKay area (PDF 2.7MB)
Water mouse distribution map - Northern Territory (PDF 3.1MB)

About the guidelines

The primary intent of this guideline is to help proponents proposing actions within the distribution of the water mouse to avoid significant impacts. This guideline has been developed in consultation with species experts, ecological consultants and state government representatives and the general public. It was first released as a draft in 2009 and now finalised it includes improved structure and clarity, including an upfront summary, new research findings and a reference list and updated survey guidance and distribution mapping. It is recommended that proponents consider this guideline when proposing actions within the modelled distribution of the water mouse. Generally speaking, conformance with this guideline will ensure that proponents are best placed for a streamlined assessment of their action, and for achieving the assessment decision and outcomes they are seeking if they choose to refer their action. Conformance with the principles within this guideline will also help minimise offset obligations under the EPBC Act if assessment is required.

Guideline summary

The water mouse is listed as Vulnerable on the threatened species list under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). It is a nocturnal rodent that inhabits mangrove communities and associated saltmarsh, sedgelands and clay pans, as well as coastal heathlands and freshwater wetlands. Where these habitats have intact hydrology, active nest sites and prey resources, they are habitat critical to the survival of the water mouse. This habitat is threatened by urban and industrial development and by unsympathetic agricultural practices where it continues to be cleared or degraded by changes in hydrology. Of parallel concern is the growing evidence of foxes predating on water mice and habitat degradation by feral pigs. Cats are also considered likely predators. Modelling under global sea level rise scenarios has predicted water mouse extirpation in c.50 years assuming ongoing predation and habitat loss from urbanisation.

The national recovery objective for the water mouse is to improve its conservation status and habitat through habitat protection, reduction of threats, research and increasing public participation in recovery activities. Actions interfering with water mouse recovery are highly likely to have a significant impact and will require referral to the Department prior to any commencement of the action.

This guideline contains ecological information important for decision-making, advice about undertaking surveys and mitigation standards.

The following points summarise this guideline:

  • The water mouse is one single nationally important population
  • Fundamental to avoiding significant impacts on the nationally important water mouse population are:
    • protecting habitat critical to the survival of the water mouse
    • avoiding any adverse effects to habitat critical to the survival of the water mouse and
    • retaining dispersal opportunities for the water mouse
  • Proponents proposing actions in suitable water mouse habitat are encouraged to undertake targeted surveys for the water mouse, applying the primary survey techniques outlined in this guideline
  • Proponents proposing actions in habitat that is already known to be critical to the survival of the water mouse should adopt less invasive survey approaches and instead focus on mitigation measures and field studies verifying habitat, hydrology and connectivity to improve effectiveness of the mitigation measures
  • Referral to the Department is likely to be required when habitat critical to the survival of the water mouse is adversely affected
  • Adopting the standards in section 6 of this guideline will assist in avoiding adverse effects on habitat critical to the survival of the water mouse.
  • Referral to the Department is unlikely to be required if the standards in section 6 are met.

Further information

  • EPBC Act policy statements
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 03 October 2021

© Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.