Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance

You have to question the wisdom that lists Bondi Beach on the National Heritage Register but omits Botany Bay. 

Sure Bondi is a tourist icon but in terms of national identity, culture, historical significance does it rank before Botany Bay.

According to the criteria by which the items on the list are judged “Australia’s national heritage comprises exceptional natural and cultural places which help give Australia its national identity. Such places are a living and accessible record of the nation’s evolving landscapes and experiences.National heritage defines the critical moments in our development as a nation …”     Phillip first stepped ashore on January 18, 1788 at Yarra Bay on the north of Botany Bay just beating the French.  How defining is that.  Almost eighteen years earlier it was Cook who explored, recorded and named Botany Bay.  Thereafter whenever reference was made to the fledging colony it was to Botany Bay.  And now the Minister for Environment, Heritage and The Arts and representative for the waters and bed of Botany Bay is Peter Garrett.  Mr Garrett’s first additions to the National Heritage Register are Bonegilla Migrant Camp Block 19 and Bondi Beach. 

For further details on the Register http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/national/index.html

IT IS NOT JUST TASMANIA‘S ENVIRONMENT THAT SHOULD BE PROTECTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

We hear a lot about the Pulp Mill in Tasmania but in Botany Bay we also have dozens of species and communities protected under Commonwealth law.  Various marine species around Bare Island are included - the Weedy Sea Dragon, pipefishes, White’s Sea Horse (see photo) and many more live around the Island and whales and dolphins are regular visitors.

The Energy Australia Botany Bay cable from Kurnell to La Perouse will impact an area near Bare Island.  Because of the possible impacts on Commonwealth Protected Species, Energy Australia was required to write to the Department of Environment and Water Resources(DEWR) for an assessment of their development.  The process is called a ‘referral’ to the EPBC Act.  That referral was written in July 2007.  On December 3, 2007 DEWR ceased to exist and staff and sections within this department were incorporated into the Department of Environment, Heritage and The Arts with our local member, Peter Garrett, as Minister.  On December 4, still calling themselves DEWR, staff of the former department issued a determination on the Energy Australia referral. (more…)

The latest issue of Environmentally Speaking from Botany Bay Explorers: click here - enviro-speaking-14.doc

Sydney Water is building a desalination plant at Kurnell powered by wind energy and is calling for nominations from community groups, businesses and the public to take part in Sydney’s Desalination Project Liaison Group.Sydney Water Managing Director, Kerry Schott said the group would provide an important forum for Sydney Water and its partners to work with representatives of the local community.

“The aim of the group is to have open communication about the project, address community issues and provide feedback to group members and the public”, Dr Schott said.

“An independent chairperson will chair the group.

“Sydney Water is committed to working with local communities during the construction of major projects”.

People interested in nominating for the liaison group should read the Terms of Reference and complete an Application Form. For further information call Sydney Water on 1800 685 233 (freecall).

Sydney Water will assess nominations in consultation with Sutherland Shire Council.

Nominations close 3.00pm, Friday, 21 December 2007.

Each International Buy Nothing Day since 2002 we have attempted  raising awareness of the link between the expansion of Port Botany and the growth in imports and the loss of most of Penrhyn Estuary and Botany Beach under the Port expansion.  The first attempt scored a reference in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald and a short clip on the SBS news.  This year we handed out thousands of flyers and sent off press releases but unfortunately could not compete with an election as well as rain.   But we did get positive responses from people at the Walk Against Warming march;  most of those were unaware of the recreational and bird habitat significance of the area. 

A few of us did show up on Saturday morning to greet a dozen or more cormorants sitting on Penrhyn jetty.  On either side of the pathway to the jetty A4 laminated posters were nailed to wooden posts.  The posters were headed Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance and the content was critical of BBACA.   

We don’t know who went to the trouble of composing this, laminating copies and nailing them to posts around Penrhyn but it was obviously someone who watches our website,  is adequately resourced to make up the posters and confident enough to nail them to Maritime/Sydney Ports property at Penrhyn. (more…)

The Botany Bay Coastal Catchments Initiative (BBCCI) is conducting workshops over the next few months to give a brief overview of the BBCCI and to seek stakeholder input into “resetting” or agreeing on some interim environmental values and levels of protection for the estuaries and freshwater waterways of the Botany Bay and its catchment.The workshop only takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours and can be brought to you. It will allow you to have your say on how you use/value Botany Bay’s waterways (including upstream freshwater catchments), what are the main pressures on them, what management measures you think will help protect the waterways. You will also be participating in setting some interim aquatic ecosystem protection levels for Botany Bay, its estuaries, and freshwater waterways.

Please contact John Dahlenburg at the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority to book a workshop for your council, council area, community group or organisation - Phone (02) 9895 6244 or email bbcci@cma.nsw.gov.au

Click here for Botany Bay Catchment Map

Click here for ABORGINAL LAND COUNCILS IN SYDNEY MAP

Click here for sub-catchments: CMA map  

Under the Sydney Metropolitan CMA breakdown the Botany Bay Catchment does not exist.  We have the Eastern Beaches sub-catchment, which covers the north of Botany Bay to the the CBD fringe;  the Cooks Catchment; and the Georges Catchment will includes all of Kurnell.  Comparing this map with the Southern Sydney CMB map of the 2002 Blueprint we find that Waverley municipality is now in the Parramatta subcatchment(previously Botany Bay) and Cronulla South is in the Georges Subcatchment(previously Port Hacking - Hacking has also shrunk in the south).  

START THIS ELECTION DAY BY SAYING NO TO AFFLUENZA:    Saturday 24^th November 8-11am Penrhyn Boat Ramp, Penrhyn Road, Port Botany for Birdwatching and Photography and Contemplation

… 27% of Sydney’s ‘trade’ = the export of empty containers.  

The majority of our greenhouse pollution is embedded in the goods we buy and transport. A third container terminal, intermodal terminals, tunnels and other $multi-billion infrastructure are being built in Sydney to accommodate the export of empty containers and other ‘trade’ that congests Sydney.  Some of the trade would provide opportunities if located elsewhere in NSW.

Further details on BUY NOTHING DAY:  http://www.bnd.dk/english.htm  and/or email chairperson@botanybay.info or just turn up with thermos, binos and camera.

For a no nonsense commentary on why we should ’shift to thrift’ read Richard Glover at http://www.smh.com.au/news/richard-glover/desire-and-the-green-cure/2007/10/18/1192300941282.html  Glover says that  ”The really radical response to global warming - the one you won’t find in any of the glossy green magazines - would be to rehabilitate the concept of thrift. The advertisers would hate it, but we could once more celebrate it as a virtue - in just the way it used to be celebrated by generations of Australians.”

With the introduction of GST cars and other consumer goods became cheaper while getting things repaired became dearer.  Likewise activities, such as getting the kids taught to swim or play musical instruments,  became 10% more expensive.  Governments have been encouraging us to increase our ecological footprints with the mantra that “GROWTH IS GOOD” without distinguishing ‘good growth’ from ‘bad growth’. 

Further details on Birdwatching: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/ - This particular day we will also remember Lance Ferris, The Pelican Man, who died 14/10/07.  Under the Ports expansion plan the Pelicans which now grace the area have been identified as birds to be actively discouraged.  20 million years of unaltered perfection the Pelicans are now considered a nuisance. 

Gary Blaschke spoke for BBACA and gave a well-balanced presentation with plenty of passion.  He included an apology to the Aboriginal peoples of Botany Bay for 200 years of mistreatment of the Bay.  The backdrop of moving pictures of Botany Bay treasures and other iconic images was prepared by John Tourrier and reminded the audience of what we stand to lose.  Gary Blaschke presented the Minister, Nathan Rees, with this document Desal Plant Issues  - a summary of desal issues.  These are taken directly from the EPBC referral and the Environmental Assessment.  The many shortcomings are articulated in their own words. 

The La Perouse Precinct Committee has written to the local member (for North Botany Bay area), Michael Daley, to express their fears about increased cancer risks, particularly for children living near the proposed route of the 2 x 132kv cables and those attending La Perouse Primary School which is also located on the proposed route.  The Precinct Committee is calling on Mr Daley to ask the Planning Minister, Mr Sartor, to have the cables located away from residential and school property.  The cables will be buried but this does not reduce the risk, see EAA submission to IPART.  The Precinct Committee’s letter and links to the Sydney Morning Herald report of 23 August 2007 and links to ABC reports of 22 and 23 August follow: (more…)