Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance

The following are excerpts from the January Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society Newsletter.

GEORGES RIVER

The Georges River begins its journey approximately 60km south-west of Sydney in the town of Appin. From here the river flows north towards Liverpool, through the Chipping Norton Lakes Scheme, then east until it reaches Botany Bay. It was an important focal point for Aboriginal life and culture in the southern Sydney region, offering both food, transport and dreamtime links. The early 1800′s saw European settlers migrating to areas along the river and it became increasingly important as a transport route. There is some evidence of agriculture associated with early settlement, but this was limited by the ruggedness of the landscape and limited suitability for farming. Widespread clearing and expansion of urban development after WWII changed the landscape of the river and impacted on water quality. The prevailing view at the time was that intertidal areas (wetlands and swamps) were wastelands, unsightly and a threat to public health. Removing mangroves made it easier to dump waste to raise the ground to a “healthy” level suitable for sports grounds. Opposition to this devastation lead to the establishment of O.F.F. and other environmental groups from the 1950s. The NSW National Parks and

Wildlife Service (NPWS) was established in 1967 and the Georges River Combined Councils Committee [GRCCC] in the 1970s. www.georgesriver.org.au/

NATIVE VEGETATION – GEORGES RIVER N P

Georges River National Park (NP) is a small urban reserve of over 500 hectares with fifteen disconnected portions of mostly vegetated land that lie north and south of the river between Sandy Point and Salt Pan Creek, Lugarno. North of the river, the Park lies within an urban-residential setting.

The largest portion of the reserve is on the southern banks between Sandy Point and Mill Creek, and its southern boundary links to the Woronora Plateau. The first declaration of the Georges River reserve was in 1962 responding to dramatic human induced changes to the catchment area. It was designated a national Park in 1992.

Some remarkably undisturbed examples of the original environments remain. However, despite its proximity to a large urban population, the native vegetation had not been the focus of a detailed vegetation mapping study. NPWS saw the need for such a study with the results to be added to a recently completed map of native vegetation across the Sydney Catchment Area (SMCMA). This study h a s  n o w  b e e n  c o m p l e t e d . T h e first draft of its report was published in November; the final report will be out soon. www.environment.nsw.gov.au/parkmanagement/

DHARAWAL STATE CONSERVATION AREA

“The Bulli Seam Operations, BHP’S 30 year plan to longwall coalmine in the Appin to Wollondilly region, was approved 3 days before Christmas. The plan has been modified from its original proposal and now excludes any mining activity in more than 98% of the Area. (more…)

The follow is and excerpt from Rockdale City Council Environmental News

Bushcare

Been wanting to get involved in a hands on environmental activity that gets you outdoors where you learn new things? Check out our upcoming bushcare days below, no experience necessary, children welcome!. Please give the relevant bushcare contact a call if you are coming down.

Coolibah Reserve

Meet at end of Hannam St, Turrella

Wednesday 15 February 5:30pm to 7.30pm for bushcare & planting

Wednesday 14 March 5:30pm to 7.30pm for bushcare

Bushcare contact: Mia Dalby-Ball mia@dfe.net.au, 0488 481 929 (more…)

The following gleanings are from recent Oatley Faura and Fauna Society Newsletters:-

CAMPHOR LAUREL: A PEST TREE

It was introduced to Australia as an ornamental species about 1822 and established in the Sydney Botanic Gardens in 1854. Its value as an ornamental tree was actively promoted in municipal parks, gardens and school grounds. 10 years ago, OFF News noted that this tree was a pest, 

invading natural habitats all along the coast, with its root system damaging pipes, fences, foundations, and preventing the growth of other species. It reported that Kew Gardens in U.K. found the roots of camphor laurels to be covered with tiny oil exudation glands that seasonally pump toxins into the soil and water courses, and impact on native wildlife. Surprisingly still well regarded by some, camphor laurel is now a declared noxious weed, but not in all localgovernment areas.

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ 

BIRDS IN OATLEY PARK

The Park provides a sanctuary for many species of birds, some of which nest within its boundaries Others simply use the park and itstidal boundaries as part of their wider search for food and shelter, returning regularly to the park, but nesting elsewhere. It is difficult to say exactly how many bird species can be found within the park at any one time; numbers vary depending on the season and availability of food. 

BIRDS OF OATLEY PARK

In a recent email to OFF, Warren Mallard made some interesting comments on the birds he remembers from Oatley Park in the 1950s. He notes, “Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters were the most prevalent, and there were colonies of Dusky Wood Swallows nesting at the end of Lime Kiln Bay. Grey Thrushes also nested in the area. A White-breasted Sea Eagle nested for a number of years in a large Angophora costata   at the end of Lime Kiln Bay,but left once Peakhurst houses sprang up. Southern Yellow Robins were common, nesting with Silvereyes in the Melaleuca forest of Lime Kiln Bay. There were two species of Quail also in the park, and there were no Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Noisy Miners, Rainbow Lorikeets, or Scaly-breasted Lorikeets. ”Warren’s notes open up the question of how different is the birdlife now. Official lists are from about 1975 basedon much earlier observations. One list contains 114 species; another more than 145, so there is a need for a new list for Oatley Park, Lime Kiln Bay, and Oatley Heights Park, noting behaviour and locations. It will take some time to complete, as a number of birds are summer visitors or only vagrants. The completed list will then go on the OFF website.

PROTECT OUR NATIVE ANIMALS IN THE BUSH

Stay on walking tracks in bushland.

• Admire wild flowers and plants – do not pick them.
• Leave natural features such as fallen timber on the ground.
• Leave yabbies, tadpoles, and water bugs in the creeks.
• Remove all your rubbish from the bush.
• Use your compost bin for garden green waste.
• Walk, rather than ride a trail bike.
• Keep equipment and boots clean. Spray with 70/30 mix of metho & water to stop spreading the fungal disease , Phytophthora
• Keep pets at home, particularly cats, and especially at night.

RECYCLING FOOD SCRAPS

Food scraps such as banana peels, apple cores, vegetable trimmings, bones, eggshells, and pizza crust are a wasted resource in landfill. As they decompose, they generate methane, but when composted, they produce oxygen, valuable to soil and plant health. They can now be safely collected and processed, and a growing number of municipalities provide special food scrap bins.

www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/

Our thanks to Hon. Editor: John Davoren for his excellent Newsletter reports

Submitted by Tessa Barratt, Member Fairfield Creeks and Wetlands Group 

IMAGINE you are sitting on a bench in a quiet, green area, listening to the calls of birds whilst watching lizards tan on the rocks by the stream.  You’re in a well maintained clearing, surrounded by indigenous trees and bushes that host a variety of native animals.  Now imagine this same area overgrown with weeds and cluttered with rubbish and car parts, the stream choked with litter and foreign plants.  This is what the De Freitas Wetland used to look like, but now, thanks to council workers and dedicated volunteers, it is the haven formerly described.

The De Freitas Wetland is located near the Make Peace Oval athletics track and is fed by Prospect Creek, which meanders through Smithfield, Fairfield and Carramar.  The area was purchased by the Fairfield Council in the mid 90’s.  Since then, contractors and council workers have weeded and cleared the area, created a beautiful natural garden for visitors, planted new trees and installed Gross Pollutant Traps in the stormwater drains to protect the area from litter. 

More recently, members of the Fairfield Council and the Fairfield Creeks and Wetlands group participated in a tree planting event, the purpose of which was to enrich the area with native vegetation.  From 10 in the morning til noon, workers and volunteers filled a barren piece of land with new shoots.  After that they celebrated with a barbeque in the nearby garden.

The planting of native vegetation is essential for the regeneration of the area.  Without efforts to protect and restore our wetlands, they could soon disappear and the consequences to both humans and the environment could be dire. Wetlands play an important part in the health of our streams.  They filter silt and other pollutants, intercept runoff and protect the surrounding areas from flooding by regulating the flow of water.  They also provide vital habitats and breeding grounds for birds, fish and other creatures.  Many species of flora (plants) and fauna (animals) are endangered in our region and without community vigilance face a high risk of extinction.  

If you’re interested in preserving the local environment and want to contribute, the best way you can help is by joining one of the environmental community groups.  Fairfield City’s website (http://www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au) provides a list of groups and a volunteer membership form.  If you sign up to this, you will be alerted of tree planting events, clean ups and more. 

Participating in community events provides people with an opportunity to work together to protect our natural surroundings; it is also a good way of making new friends and expanding your knowledge.  After taking part in such events as the tree planting in De Freitas, one comes away with a positive feeling of accomplishment and community spirit. 

For more information about these groups, contact the Fairfield Council on 9725 0222.

 Wolli Creek is a major tributary for Cooks River. The creek rises from springs at The Pole Depot, Penshurst, Penshurst Park, Olds Park, Narwee, and northern Beverly Hills. Wolli Creek is first mentioned in historic record during the December 1810 visit by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, who passed over it following a visit to Townson farms at Kogarah Bay, then visiting Mrs. Hannah Laycock’s farm, “King’s Grove”, built between Wolli Creek and William Street. Old maps show a chain of ponds to Kingsgrove Road’s north, in the then creek bed. The land was clay with tea tree cover and large forests surrounding. The upper creeks converge into a single creek in Beverly Hills.

The municipal boundary for Rockdale, Hurstville and Canterbury is formed by the creek from Beverly Hills to it’s mouth at Cooks River, Tempe. In the past this has led to inter local government rivalry.

During the Great Depression (1929-1936), the southern creeks were bricked as State government unemployment projects organized by Hurstville Municipal Council. The creek is notorious for its flood prone nature. During the 1920s, low level flooding covered properties around King Georges Road, Beverly Hills and the Post Office was often inaccessible and known as the “Duck Pond” with water birds floated on the surrounding creek waters. Drainage could not contain the waterflow. The last major flood was in the early 1970s, when houses within 50 metres of the stormwater canals were inundated. Further north, East Hills Railway line was cut by flood waters at Bexley North. A diversion canal was built along Edgbaston Road, crossing below King Georges Road, Morgan Street and the railway line, taking water away from the shopping centre.

Our walk commences at Bexley North Railway Station, crossing to the north of Bexley Road, the creek is crossed and changes from cement stormwater canal to natural waterway. In recent times this bridged crossing became famous when evening news reports showed a driver being winched to safety from a car stranded in flooded creekwater on the bridge. Signs advise danger when heavy rain falls.

Entrance into Wolli Creek Regional Park is sign posted by a blue post with “TVT” (Twin Valley Track) just off an ashfelt path. From the bridge, the park and creek are overgrown by morning glory, privet and other noxious plants, but through the work of Wolli Creek Preservation Society and other bushcare organisations, the bushland behind this screen holds many wonders. Sydney Red Gum, Turpentine and other native trees form a magnificent canopy. The creek water is brown and holds evidence of recent heavy rainfall (domestic rubbish and other litter). A little further on a well signed water cleansing basin has been erected, taking stormwater from urban runoff, cleansing it before flowing into the creek. From this point the track follows an access road into a mowed grass meadow below housing, then enters another bushland area. Throughout this section invasive noxious plants flourish. A waterfall gully is seen and large native gums and turpentine flourish. The track is treacherous at this point where some backtracking may be needed by the unwary eye.

Crossing a metal bridge, over a creek, large Turpentines flourish, then the track opens into another mowed grass meadow beside the creek to the west of Earlwood RSL Club, on the eastern bank. In this area preparation is being made for native planting. The Creek continues in an overgrown state with privet and morning glory in profusion.

Crossing Hamill-Law Avenue, we leave the western portion of the Regional Park, entering the Central portion. Girrahween Park, a meadowed area, bordered by a bridged creek and a picnic area is crossed and some remedial work in being undertaken along the creek bank, water is a dirty brown and with willows and flame trees in profusion. During the 1980s the creek channel was cleared by a bucket and scoop, but much waste, lain on banks regenerated. Two channels were created between the road bridge an sewer aqueduct to the east.

The track follows an obvious sewer access trail, with overflow points along the way. Some magnificent native plants and trees and a profusion of butterflies are seen in this section. The track travels through damp sandstone, which once may have been rainforest type vegetation. Reaching its highest point, the track passes a number of natural sandstone overhangs, which may have been shelter for local aboriginal peoples. Unfortunately rock art of a different kind has defaced the sandstone. The track turns further north, passing a brick and cement tank, holding water. The tank seems quite old and is overgrown with vegetation.

Approaching Nanny Goat Hill’s base, Wolli Creek comes into clear view on a reeded sweeping bend. This area was previously a horse grazing area, but the peninsula was replanted by the Wolli Creek Preservation Society, forming a native bird habitat and wetlands. To the east of this wetland, Bardwell Creek enters Wolli Creek under the East Hills Railway line. The air is rich with bird calls. Walking around Nanny Goat Hill’s base, the track enters Turrella Reserve, leaving Regional Park’s Central portion. A short detour takes walkers to Nanny Goat Hill’s summit and excellent surrounding views.

Turrella Reserve and areas east and south were once Chinese Market Gardens. A weir was build conserving water for the gardeners. A Fish Ladder has recently been built allowing fish to traverse and breed above the weir. A substantial water quality project is being undertaken in the Reserve with a creek and saltmarsh project near completion. A large tree surveys the project as a centre piece. Weed eradication is underway and well placed signage describes past and future reserve use. Some willows will be removed from the watercourse, improving waterflow. From the weir to creek’s mouth, mangroves grow in abundance. Tidal flow is good, but rubbish abounds in the waterflow.

Moving to the northeast, the track enters the Regional Park’s Eastern section to Waterworth Reserve. Much work has been undertaken, removing lantana, privet, bamboo and other noxious plants in this area. One delight is walking down Jackson Lane, where a row of 1912 sandstone housed are seen, a pleasant reminder of yesteryear. A local resident stated houses are a good 10 degrees cooler in summer. Each is well loved and well kept. Moving towards the tiled sewer viaduct, more solid work has been undertaken by Wolli Creek Preservation Society, with a sign advertising vacancies for bushcare workers, a reminder that volunteers have made the walk a pleasure.

Crossing into Waterworth Reserve, a large sign reminds walkers this area was once property of Frederick Wright Unwin,a Sydney Solicitor, who build a bridge, connecting Sydney with Undercliffe. For some years this park was known as Tempe Tip where a famous resident, a deceased circus elephant, was buried without rites, on his demise.

The walk takes about 2.5 hours from Bexley North Station to Tempe Station. The track is easy walking most of the way with some climbing over sandstone. Wolli Creek Preservation Society is congratulated on their hard work, advocating for and maintaining the Regional Park.

Find out more

WolliCreek Preservation Society

Plan of management

www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/parks/PoMFinalWolli52-53Strategies.pdf

www.sydney.cma.nsw.gov.au/cooks-river/project-news/Page-5.html

Noxious Plants

Privet