Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance

Bardwell Creek is a major catchment for Cooks River. The Creek rises in Hurstville Local Government Area, before crossing into Rockdale City Council area at Croydon Road. One arm commences near Hurstville Station and joins a second arm rising at Woodville Park. This section was drained during the early 1900s. The system flows towards Bexley Golf Course, through bricked stormwater canals draining all Hurstville CBD gutters.

A second creek system rises at Hurstville Oval, flowing through closed drains before entering Bexley Golf Coarse. Bexley Golf Course has stormwater harvesting which cleanses water of all floating rubbish, before entering a small lake. Water then pumps to a south west corner retention dam and is used for watering the course, before flowing back into the stormwater system. Bexley Golf Course pays for removing rubbish from the creek system and siltation from the lake.

Flowing onwards the creek opens into bricked canals crossing under Stoney Creek Road, towards Bexley Swimming Centre. Another drainage canal enters the system on the swimming pool’s northern side. A strong sound of flowing water from the Swimming Pool canal here, maybe an overflow from the pool.

The creek continues through native bushland and reserve maintained by Rockdale Council. On a creek bend, evidence exists that a white substance has flowed down the canal wall from a development site. The valley is walled by sandstone and native vegetation. An upper level concrete path has been established called the Prime Ministers Walk. Commencing at Bexley Road, this walk has plaques commemorating all Australian Prime Ministers from Sir Edmund Barton to Julia Gillard. A new plaque is created with election of a new prime minister and a second plaque replaces the first when the prime minister leaves office.

Adjacent to Ellerslie Road, a pedestrian bridge crosses the creek and a grate has been established to remove floating rubbish. Unfortunately the centre panel has been removed allowing rubbish to litter the creek with plastic bags and other refuse as it changes from a bricked canal to natural creek. Bricked canal section is owned by Sydney Water and the natural creek is administered by Rockdale City Council. Recent heavy rains have increased this problem. Down stream magnificent Sydney Red Gums, wattles and turpentine are seen with majestic tree ferns. Some creek path sections have been sown with native kidney grass. The creek water is clean and small fish were observed.

The track passes below busy Bexley Road at Jubilee Bridge, built during Queen Victoria’s Jubilee and opened by Hurstville Mayor, John Spoule, in 1897, an obelisk marking the occasion. At that period this portion of Rockdale Council was Bexley Ward attached to Hurstville Council.

North of Jubilee Bridge the Creek takes a turn for the worst, bushcare and water quality wise. A large drain empties into the creek to the bridge’s north and much floating rubbish covers banks, planting, trees and creek bed. Morning Glory, privet and other noxious weeds grow in profusion, smothering native trees and plants. Further on major bushcare projects have been undertaken with a whole valley bank cleared and native plantings made with degradable cover in place stopping erosion. In the centre are early colonial dwelling foundation ruins. Passing further north a lengthy traditional bushcare regeneration area was observed before entering Bardwell Valley Golf Course.

The course was created from a municipal garbage tip prior to 1969. At this point water becomes discoloured with siltation and the creek is barely visible from the bank, through undergrowth. Privet and other noxious growth abounds. Crossing from the east bank at the golf clubhouse over a bridge, be careful of low flying golf balls.

Leaving the golf course, the creek approaches Bardwell Road Bridge. The creek is better maintained, flowing into Coolibah Reserve. The Reserve is established on land, once cultivated as a local market garden. A boom is hung across the creek at this point catching floating rubbish. Crossing to the north bank, first sight is a gaggle of geese and ducks, obviously friendly and ignoring the “don’t feed” signs. They flock from the creek when humans approaching. The creek meanders through the reserve in two courses, where major restoration work has been undertaken with clean water flow and native vegetation, much different to the southern creek portion.

Bardwell Creek passes below East Hills Railway line to the south of Turrella Station, entering Wolli Creek and in turn, Cooks River and Botany Bay.

Impressive work has been undertaken by Wolli Creek Preservation Society, who provides bushcare personnel, Rockdale City Council, through its biodiversity programme and various State and Commonwealth bodies providing funding.

Major works are required to eliminate floating rubbish from urban runoff, especially from Hurstville CBD. Bushcare requires major funding and people power. But each small step helps the long term goal.

Learn more of Wolli Creek Preservation Society

www.wollicreek.org.au

 The following figures were given on a daily basis for beaches within the Botany Bay and Georges River for the week commencing Sunday 15/12/2011. The pollution is said to be caused by stormwater overflow from various land sources. A high percentage is from sewerage outflows.

* Rainfall data has been used to predict the likelihood of bacterial contamination at swimming sites in Botany Bay and lower Georges River. When pollution is likely, swimmers may be at increased risk of contracting illness and swimming at these sites should be avoided.

Statistics from “Beachwatch” website, NSW Department of Environment and Heritage

Following Orica Kooragang Island chemical spill incidents, much action has taken place reviewing public safety issues. The NSW government has amended the Protection of the Environment Act, reinstating Environmental Protection Authority independence and requiring, with hefty fines, “Immediate” reporting of incidents.

One issue not openly addressed was publicly available “Emergency Plans”. During an Orica Community Consultation Meeting, members requested a run through of the “Emergency Plan” should an incident occur at the Orica Plant in Denison Street. While adequate information was given by the company, “within their fenceline”, concern was expressed, the Botany and wider community were in the dark when it came to the more general issues beyond the fenceline with state emergency services. A recent Botany incident saw residents standing around on a cold winter evening, waiting for instruction when a factory incident occurred.

During the December Community Consultation meeting, Police Officer, Shaun Rae, gave a presentation, relating the new all authority co-operative Emergency Plan for Botany Bay Local Area Command, administered from Mascot Police centre.

The Plan relates to Port Botany, All Botany Industrial complexes and the general community. Local Command have developed a state of the arts, computer generated Emergency Response. The preparation process identified a number of critical issues, like need for more accessible water points for emergency services on major routes. These matters are being addressed immediately by authorities concerned.

The plan takes in exit routes, evacuation centres, demographics, even who owns each pipe under roads, allowing police immediate redress to the appropriate person responsible.

Should an incident occur, Mascot Police processes the Emergency Plan to all Police vehicles on installed computer screens with emergency command organizing all emergency services. Should the computer system go down, Emergency Plan hard copies are available for all emergency service personnel. The Police Service is working on every form of technology to inform community members of what is expected during an emergency, including texting, facebook, twitter as well as the more traditional door knocking.

This Emergency Plan is a NSW first, reflecting a new approach generated by Botany Bay Local Area Command. BBaCA congratulates Shaun Rae and the developmental team for a great outcome.

 Scott Reserve is on Botany Bay foreshore (separated by Riverside Drive), east of Captain Cook Bridge at the mouth of Georges River. Land was once swamp and sandhills, but has been developed into housing and suburbia.

A Victorian villa stands in Napoleon Street, with a large Port Jackson Fig of ancient years gracing the reserve, obviously part of a much larger property before subdivision.

A tidal stream (Bado-Berong Creek) passes through the reserve from a northerly point (Park Road) on Sans Souci peninsula, flowing towards the Bay through areas inhabited by horse paddocks, part of the land is an expressway reserve. Evidence of oysters is shown near the steam’s mouth.

A salt marsh has been created by State Government initiative during the last ten years. The salt marsh is habitat for at least six native bird species. Eelgrass grows profusely within the stream bed. Original plans were to assist Eelgrass to propagate, growing into the Bay via the access stream. Some evidence shows this is slowly happening, with small growths within the channel under Riverside Drive, entering the Bay. Sadly the Botany Bay sand drift seems to hamper this project. Much work has been undertaken laying sandstone blocks re-enforcing the stream bank. Some mangroves are commencing to grow within the creek bed.

Rockdale City Council has a planned bush regeneration plan for the reserve. On Saturday, 10^th December, 2011, a party of twelve enthusiastic planters, worked for two hours, planting 500 locally propagated natives.

The area north of the reserve is badly degraded, with noxious weeds visible. One species is Turkey Rhubarb, a vine, with a bulbous growth and root system. To eradicate this species, the bulbous growth and root system must be entirely removed during weeding. This is a time consuming effort.

Rockdale City Council Environmental staff are congratulated on the planting programme. Bushcare volunteers deserve a big cheer for their work on this site.

Read more:

Turkey Rhubarb

www.hn.cma.nsw.gov.au/multiversions/3760/FileName/turkey.pdf

Eelgrass

www.ceoe.udel.edu/kiosk/eelgrass.html

Rockdale City Council Biodiversity Strategy

www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au/Pages/pdf/AboutCouncil/Biodiversity-Strategy.pdf

 The following figures were given on a daily basis for beaches within the Botany Bay and Georges River for the week commencing Sunday 04/12/2011.

* Rainfall data has been used to predict the likelihood of bacterial contamination of swimming sites on Botany Bay and Georges River. When pollution is likely swimmers may be at increased risk of contracting illness and swimming at these sites should be avaioded.

Statistics from “Beachwatch” website, NSW Department of Environment and Heritage