Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance

The following article was published in the Canterbury Bankstown Express newspaper and written by reporter ADAM VIDLER. We congratulate Adam and his article and express our sadness to Chris Bartlett’s family.

THE Mudcrabs, the Cooks River eco-volunteers, will hold a celebration of the life and achievements of group founder Chris Bartlett this Sunday.

The event will be held at 4pm at Rosedale Reserve, at Croydon Park, opposite the Beamish St footbridge on the Cooks River.

Mr Bartlett, of Earlwood, founded the volunteers group in 2005. He died on December 23 of after a battle with liver cancer.

The Canterbury Citizen of the Year in 2009 was born in England and migrated to Australia as a boy.

He worked as a patrol officer in Papua New Guinea before independence and as a school teacher in Sydney before retiring.

The committed environmentalist always travelled by bicycle.

The Mudcrabs group, which now has more than 450 members, is affiliated with the Cooks River Valley Association.

The Mudcrabs work most almost every weekend along the Cooks River and have removed thousands of cubic metres of litter from the over the past seven years.

They have also planted more than 10,000 native plants along the river.

Chris was a strong advocate of container deposit legislation to try to limit the amount of litter getting into the river.

He lectured to school groups about the benefits of natural resource management and how to bring the Cooks River back to health.

Mudcrabs member Peter Munro said Chris was also committed to animal welfare and would take in and care for many abandoned or stray animals.

“Chris will be sadly missed by all who knew him,’’ he said.

The following link shows the original article from the Canterbury Bankstown Express:- http://express.whereilive.com.au/news/story/goodbye-to-mudcrabs-founder-chris-bartlett/

The following article is quoted from the Canterbury Bankstown Express for the information of those living beyond the paper’s circulation area. Our thanks to Jessica Clement for her fine reporting of this issue. Please note the Petition on the Cooks River Valley Association website. We recommend that you download the petition and circulate it amongst your friends and neighbours then forward it as noted on the website.

FOR more than 100 years, the Cooks River has delivered contaminated and filthy water to Canterbury, Campsie and Earlwood, through to Botany Bay.

A century-and-a-half ago it was the woolwashers and tanneries that contributed to the foul deluge.

Today, a university has found our ageing sewerage infrastructure is to blame.

Armed with this knowledge, residents led by the Cooks River Valley Association, have decided enough is enough.

“We need to show Sydney Water that this is the time to change their priorities and pay serious attention to the Cooks River,’’ association water quality co-ordinator Gayle Adams said.

A University of NSW study completed late last year pronounced the 23km waterway to be nothing but an “open sewer’’  carrying enough raw sewage to be deemed hazardous to human health.

The study, by Dr Stuart Khan, concluded that ageing sewers, some almost 100 years old, were leaking effluent into the river.

This confirmation has renewed calls for a clean-up.

“We’d hope that one day we could have this river restored to the point where it is safe to swim in at least one location,’’ she said.

Councils recommend nobody swim or kayak in the river. Fishing is banned.

A Sydney Water spokeswoman affirmed its commitment, in conjunction with councils, to protect the river’s health.

She said the organisation was designing plans to naturalise 1.1km of the river’s banks this year and would routinely monitor 19 stormwater drain in the catchment area.

PETITION
WHO:The Cooks River Valley Association has started a petition to clean the Cooks River and make it safe for swimming and human use
TABLED:They hope to have the petition tabled in parliament
HELP: Download the petition at www.crva.org.au or email info@crva.org.au
PLUS: Residents are also urged to contact their state MP to have the river cleaned

Canterbury Bankstown Express link to original article:-  http://express.whereilive.com.au/news/story/waterway-nothing-but-an-open-sewer/

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

The following figures were given on a daily basis for beaches within the Botany Bay and Georges River for the two weeks commencing Sunday 08/01/2012. 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

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.

 The following figures were given on a daily basis for beaches within the Botany Bay and Georges River for the week commencing Sunday 01/01/2012. 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

 Macarthur community and those living further afield, read with amazement, platypus had been found in Georges River. Many had dreamed, and some had thought they saw them in the upper reaches, and it was true. Sadly these iconic Australian natives were found trapped in yabby traps, dead.

Campbelltown-Macarthur Advertiser reporters, Robert Close and Megan Gorrey, report gruesome finds and outcomes in the paper (see below).

A local wildlife spotter found the drowned animal caught inside a yabby trap about 50 metres downstream from The Basin at Kentlyn.

Local koala expert, environmentalist and Advertiser columnist Robert Close was upset the animal was dead, but said the discovery of the fully grown, 48cm-long male platypus was still more proof of their presence in the river.

“It’s quite amazing we should have two sightings in two weeks when I’ve been looking for 20 years,” Dr Close said.

“The chance of having two incidents within two weeks is very slim.”

(Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser 09/11/2011)

Robert Close said, “In addition to the articles on the recent deaths of platypuses in the Georges River due to yabby traps and fishing lines, it must be stressed that it is illegal to use yabby traps in freshwater streams east of the Newell Highway.

These traps may be used legally only in farm dams and estuaries and require a fishing licence.

Unfortunately, a platypus was found drowned a few months ago in a crab trap at Maroota near Richmond, which is in the upper reaches of the tidal section of the Hawkesbury River, where crab traps can be legally used.

Once caught in a trap, platypuses have only two minutes to escape before they drown.

So people wanting to catch yabbies, should use the old manual methods.

The platypus is the world’s most unique mammal and we have it in our local bushland; let’s not risk its survival for the sake of a few yabbies.”

(Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser 23/11/2011)

Local NSW State member, Walt Secord raised the matter of platypus being trapped in State Parliament, asking whether the State Government would consider erecting signs warning fishermen against the use of traps in the region’s waterways.

“It is believed to be the first time in three decades that platypuses have been discovered in the Georges River near Campbelltown,” he said.

Georges River Environmental Alliance member Sharyn Cullis said the platypuses should prompt the Campbelltown council to pay more attention to local waterways.

“The discoveries make Campbelltown the double-whammy of wildlife really, to have koalas and platypuses.”

Campbelltown Council has announced it will install signs at main fishing spots along the Georges River to educate fishermen about responsible use of fishing line, tackle, plastic bait bags, nets and traps.

The council plans to erect the signs at key points along the Georges River and at Menangle River Reserve on the Nepean River.

It also plans to mount a public awareness campaign about the platypus and the need to protect its environment through information on the council’s website and the community newsletter.

(Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser 30/11/2011)

In a later article, Robert Close reported, “The recent serendipitous discovery of two dead platypuses in the Georges River, after fruitless organised searches over several years, has focused attention on the potential of the Georges River bushland — with its koalas, wallaroos, swamp wallabies, gliders, possums and echidnas — to become a tourist attraction.

The mammal diversity is not the only feature; the vegetation and ruggedness of the Georges River Gorge, of course, are superb and much more accessible than the mammals.

Then there are the birds which are many and varied and which often visit our suburban backyards.

Pam Hindes, whose home adjoins Spring Creek, shares her garden with a Satin bower bird and its bower and has the pleasure of watching the deep blue-coloured male performing in the bower. Even though I live three kilometres from the bush, bower birds occasionally visit but none has found our garden suitable for constructing a bower.

To my great delight this week, however, we were visited by three Gang-gang cockatoos, two of which had the distinctive red head and wispy crest of the mature male. These quaint grey parrots, with their wheezy rattle of a call are remarkably tolerant of humans and my visitors didn’t fly away as I approached with my camera.

Usually in December they would nest in tree hollows of tall mountain forests. They usually visit drier, lower woodlands in winter so I hope nothing is amiss. Their conservation status in NSW is “vulnerable”.

Other unusual visitors to my garden this week were a King parrot and a trio of Channel-billed cuckoos. The former, also red-headed in the male but with a green body, is usually found in rainforests or wet sclerophyll forests. The latter are very large cuckoos with massive bills and a raucous call that sounds like a kookaburra’s introductory notes.

Unfortunately they sometimes call all night! They’ve just arrived from New Guinea to where they’ll return in March after laying their eggs in magpies’ and currawongs’ nests.”

(Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser 14/12/2011)

Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance, reprints this information for members living beyond the Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser circulation area, congratulating the editor and reporters, especially Robert Close for their quality reporting of environmental matters.

Online articles:

www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/second-platypus-found/2351986.aspx

www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/mac-koala-platypus-drowns-in-trap/2367083.aspx

www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/platypus-sightings-spark-warnings-to-fishermen/2376111.aspx

www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/mac-koala/gorgeous-georges-gorge/2391774.aspx

Platypus facts:

Understanding Opera House Yabbie Traps, illegal in Georges River. www.aabio.com.au/documents/TrappingYabbieswithOperaHouseTraps.pdf

 The following figures were given on a daily basis for beaches within the Botany Bay and Georges River for the week commencing Sunday 25/12/2011. 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

 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

Bob Wlashe reports: 

Support for World Heritage Listing of Royal National Park (RNP) continues to widen – confronting leaders of the campaign with great expectations of a not-too-distant decision, first by the Australian Government, second by the United Nations agency UNESCO.

Special visit to Sydney. Dr Geoff Mosley, leading authority on national parks, made a special trip from Melbourne to Sydney on September 5 to discuss ways to expedite the campaign. He is commissioned to write the main Report, and he presented three pages of “Selection Criteria” to an early morning meeting, after which he was driven to familiarise himself with key areas of the Park and its adjacent “Reserves” (Holsworthy Military Reserve, Garawarra State Conservation Area, Heathcote National Park).

Let’s improve on “stand alone” qualities. Dr Mosley says he believes RNP can achieve Listing based on its own magnificent “stand alone” features, but he suggests we should go beyond its abundant flora/fauna qualities by specifying also “cultural landscapes”, e.g. that RNP is one of the oldest in the world, is truly representative, and is wholly contained within a city – all these being properties that “combine the world of nature and man” including recreation, military uses, mining, science, education, and nature conservation.

What is the hoped-for time frame? With hard work being put in on his draft Report, Dr Mosley is aiming at presentation in December. It will pass though many critical hands, and will then assume final form by March 2012.

A role model for other areas of the Sydney Basin. We believe our final Report, by revealing new wonders, will stimulate the extension of the past work on features of Greater Blue Mountains National Park (part of the Sydney Basin) – and this could prompt other areas of the Basin to make claims for Heritage Listing. (The Basin extends from Batemans Bay in the south, to Newcastle in the north, and to Lithgow and Mudgee in the west.)

A “Lobby Book” will follow. Completion of the Report will be the signal to put together a very attractive “Lobby Book” containing supportive statements from authoritative persons, together with brilliant photos of key features of RNP. Armed with this, we will make approaches to MPs, Councillors and the media – that is, we will “go public” in a major way.

For more information:

www.firstnationalpark.org.au