Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance

Known as Sydney’s most polluted waterway, Alexandra Canal is a man made tributary, commencing near Huntley Street, Alexandria then flowing into Cooks River and Botany Bay.

The original waterway was Shea’s Creek, which meandered from Alexandria before the 1890s. Someone during the late 1880s had an idea to link Sydney Harbour to Botany Bay via a canal system. With high unemployment during the Great Depression of 1890, when people actually died of starvation in Sydney’s streets, unemployment schemes were created by the NSW Government, putting men to work. This 3.9 klm canal was excavated by hand and faced with sandstone. Intact original sections of the “fascine-dyke sandstone construction” are apparently rare examples of late 19th century coastal engineering works.

During construction scientists were called in to record the finding of dugong bones displaying butchery marks, aboriginal stone axes and remnants of an ancient forest.

With Alexandria and St Peters becoming industrialised, tanneries, brickworks and other noxious industries were built around the canal which became an industrial sewer. It is hard to believe barges traversed the canal delivering and recieving materials from such industries.

The once grand dream (more…)

Seagrasses play an important role as habitat for marine life. Through Botany Bay development, 74 – 84% of grasses on the Bay bed have disappeared. Projects such as Sydney Airport runways, Port Botany and the Energy Australia Cable between La Perouse and Kurnell have decimated this important habitat.

Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance proposes seagrass replanting should be made a priority. State, Commonwealth and local government as well as communities and corporate entities must come on board to revitalise marine life within the Bay.

Further useful information is found on:   

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/364921/Habitat_basics_factsheet_web.pdf

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/areas/aquatic-ecosystems/estuarine-habitats-maps/IINSW_EstMac_map41.pdf

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/areas/aquatic-ecosystems/estuarine-habitats-maps/IINSW_EstMac_map40.pdf

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.

Sydney Water have announed that last Tuesday (2 October) the contractors at the Desal site at Kurnell found a tibia (shin) bone while clearing some sand in a remote corner of the site.Police were called and an investigation commenced. On Monday this week (8 October) further bones were found and Police with sniffer dogs are continuing their search.
The tibia bone appears to be less than 100 years old.
It is being DNA and carbon tested which will take about 3 weeks.The Blue Water joint venture (Veolia and John Holland) and Sydney Water are cooperating fully with the Police.
The construction is continuing, as the location of the bones is a long distance from the main construction site.