This walk follows the Bay to Bay walk and cycleway from Flemington Station to Canterbury Station. The Bay to Bay walk and Cycle track runs from Homebush Bay to Botany Bay, mostly following Cooks River to it’s mouth.

Cooks River rises near Rookwood Cemetery, in Strathfield Municipality. The first appreciable water is seen in wetlands adjacent to Freshwater Park, much work having been undertaken with wetlands reconstruction. Cooks River flows through natural river bed in this section with sandstone retaining walls built, protecting river banks from erosion. Wadding birds are established in this area, close to a Golf Course.

Crossing under Cave Street bridge, the scene changes dramatically when the river course flowing through wide concrete stormwater drains. Just below the bridge a pollution boom stands damaged in the river bed.

The stormwater drain is clean except for green growth, making a ribbon pattern in the centre channel. Near Palmer Avenue and Verona Street three large sewer pipes cross the canal and soon after two large stormwater pipes enter the watercourse. The green weed stops growing just past this point. To the right of the river is Centenary Drive, with large soundwalls and an industrial area, to the left the suburb of Strathfield. Adjacent to this point the first water borne PET bottle and aluminium can were observed.

The track crosses below Liverpool Road and ambles through parks, riverbanks maintained with tree planting, native grasses and mulching. A this point Dichondra also known as Kidney grass has been planted. It is named Kidney grass because of the shape of the leaves. Dichondra is an attractive groundcover used as a substitute for traditional lawn grass, forming a living mulch that inhibits weeds and reduces evaporation. It will grow readily in most climates and in fertile free draining soil. Thus the council has gained a low maintenance parkland covering.

The first major tributary enters from the right as a concrete stormwater canal. Cox’s Creek flows from an area adjacent to Enfield Marshalling Yards. At this point the stormwater canal base changes from a flat surface to a groove within which the water flows. The canal is quite wide and has signage noting a flood prone area.

Crossing under Punchbowl Road/Georges River Road Bridge, the track leaves Strathfield Council area and entering Burwood Council and on the right bank Canterbury City Council. A cycle trail has been established on Canterbury Council side as well as the Bay to Bay track on Burwood Council side. Near the Bridge a historic marker informs those interested, the name “Punchbowl” Road was established as the area was bowl shaped terrain, producing large amounts of fruit and food during early colonial times. A map shows the early grants and roads. Taking the track on Canterbury side, avoids trekking through suburbia as many properties are built to the riverbank on Burwood Council side. Canterbury Council does not use Kidney grass on their parks and must pay a large maintenance bill for lawn mowing.

Crossing back to Burwood at Second Ave Campsie, the head of tidal flow is reached. Another stormwater drain enters the river from Campsie and the only shopping trolley is notes in the river. Eight ducks swim happily by with leaves the only form of pollution. Crossing Burwood Road, some pollution is noted from PET bottles. Burwood Council seems to have a long grass policy in their parks.

West of Brighton Ave Bridge, mangroves have established to Canterbury Railway Bridge. A creek (stormwater drain) flows into the river at this point from Burwood. The drain had large amounts of leaves floating down stream.

From here to Canterbury Road, must be the unloved PET bottle graveyard. The riverbanks are piled with them, having been trapped by tidal flow amongst mangroves. This scene is copied on both river banks sides and a disgrace to modern civilization. Why anyone pays money, purchasing tap water in PET bottles is beyond imagination. PET bottles travel many kilometres through gutters, pipes and stormwater canals, gracing the river with their presence.

The Cooks River’s ugliest portion is behind Canterbury Racecourse, where mounds of PET bottles reside. Nearing journey’s end, the massive Canterbury three arched railway brick viaduct is reached. A good sized fish leaps from the river and splashed below surface again. This later area is within the City of Canterbury. Much work in undertaken keeping parks and gardens well kempt but little is achieved along River banks. Floating rubbish fowls the River, reducing visitors image of the area and polluting the River and later Botany Bay.

The walk took about 2½ hours and is possible to break into smaller sections. With the lower Cooks River section mentioned earlier, it covers some 8 kilometres, Bay to Bay.

 The following figures were given on a daily basis for beaches within the Botany Bay and Georges River for the week commencing Sunday 27/11/2011. 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

At the November Botany Industrial Park Community Consultative Committee, the Local Area Police chief, Commander Karen McCarthy, gave a presentation on the Botany Bay Disaster Plan. She outlined critical traffic challenges – the difficulties facing emergency response teams as well as the impacts caused by breakdowns. A truck breakdown on General Holmes Drive can result in gridlock on roads into the CBD. For every 10 minutes that the M5 is blocked another 1/2 kilometre of traffic is added to queues on the Eastern Distributor. One of the recommendations of the Emergency Plan is for a Road Network Assessment to be conducted. Note that in the the Government’s submission to Infrastructure Australia “Port Botany and Sydney Airport and Transport Improvement Program” dated November 2011, Police NSW are not included in the list of Agencies consulted! Nor are the Police included in the recent Amendment to the Protection of the Environment Legislation as one of the agencies to be notified – the agencies listed are EPA, Local Council, Fire & Rescue, Health and Workcover. This new regime arguably encourages a lower degree of coordination than the previous as no one Government Agency takes overall control from the beginning of an event.
For far too many years major traffic generating developments in this region have been approved without adequate planning being conducted. The Port Expansion is the prime example. It was approved for a cap of 3.2 million TEU on the premise that the rail share for container movements was increased from around 20%(2004 figures) to 40%. Recently at Budget Estimates Hearings it has been revealed that instead of the rail share increasing in recent years it has fallen to 14% . Reference is made to raising the cap and dropping the rail target to 28%. How is Sydney going to cope with the additional heavy vehicles. Mayor of Botany Bay Municipality, Ron Hoenig, is not optimistic - read his blog post of 23/11/11
The Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance(BBACA) campaign against the Port Expansion focussed on the negative impacts for the biodiversity and amenity of Botany Bay but also on the inadequate road and rail network supporting port operations. BBACA maintained that an expanded Port would strangle Sydney and impact the efficiency and productivity of the region. The cost of building a supporting road and rail network is far more expensive than alternative expansions, eg. Port Kembla, but when Treasury evaluated the cases presented by each of the Port Corporations (Sydney, Kembla, Newcastle) they did not factor in the supporting infrastructure costs for Sydney and argued that freight from Kembla would add additional costs.
No amount of reason, including the recommendations from a Commission of Inquiry, could dissuade the Iemma government from approving the Port Expansion. The O’Farrell government now has to deal with the consequences of that decision and the Police and other emergency agencies have to work out how they are going to cope with a full scale disaster in this region when even a minor breakdown can produce gridlock.
Recent posts: LINK 1 LINK 2 LINK 3

The following post is by the organisation mentioned below and ancourages us all to support a Bottle and Can Refund Scheme. Whatch the video below”
 
As environment ministers prepare to release another study into a bottle and can refund scheme and the beverage industry led by Coca Cola engages in greenwash with their ‘more bins’ project, environment groups today released a video exposing Coke’s sins, to mark the start of a ’hot summer of campaigning’.
 
“When ministers release the so-called ‘packaging regulatory impact statement’ in a couple of weeks, the battle for Australia to have a bottle and can refund or container deposit scheme (CDS) will really heat up.  Coke is leading the opposition and promoting a $20mpa scheme to have more bins, despite every study showing this would do little to reduce litter or substantially increase recycling.  It’s an inducement to ministers to fail on litter and recycling,” said Jeff Angel, National Convenor of the Alliance of 18 environment groups.
 
“The short video on Youtube exposes the record of Coke and its allies and calls on people not to believe the greenwash anymore”, said Ian Kiernan AO, Chairman of Clean Up Australia.  “With Coke mounting a renewed lobbying campaign and threatening legal action against the Northern Territory government for its CDS – we can’t stand by and let their bully boy tactics stall or stop much needed action. “
 
“With the recent release of an international study by PricewaterhouseCoopers showing the massive benefits from a CDS – recycling rates above 80%; better quality recyclate to make new bottles;  and excellent coexistence with kerbside recycling – we are more convinced than ever that a CDS is the way to go”, said Mr Angel.
 
“And so is the public (as every opinion poll has shown in the last 5 years).  Our campaign over summer will be aimed at exposing the environmental irresponsibility of Coke and its allies and mobilising people to put pressure on ministers and MPs.  Everyone is sick of the procrastination and endless time-wasting studies,” Mr Kiernan said.
 
Further information:  Jeff Angel  0418273773 OR 02 9211 5022; Ian Kiernan 0418232288
 
• Australian Conservation Foundation • Arid Lands Environment Centre • Clean Up Australia
• Conservation Council of South Australia • Conservation Council of Western Australia
• Environment Centre of the Northern Territory • Environment Tasmania • Environment Victoria
• Friends of the Earth • Greenpeace Australia Pacific • Local Government & Shires Association of NSW
             • NSW Nature Conservation Council • Queensland Conservation Council
• Tasmanian Conservation Trust • Total Environment Centre • Two Hands

Video Link: http://youtu.be/EqNWfbOMqd0

The following figures were given on a daily basis for beaches within the Botany Bay and Georges River for the week commencing Sunday 20/11/2011. The pollution is said to be caused by stormwater overflow from various land sources. A high percentage is from sewerage outflows.

 Beach                                                                        Safe                             Polluted

Congwong (La Perouse)                                         2                                  5

Frenchman’s Bay(La Perouse)                            2                                  5

Yarra Bay (La Perouse)                                          2                                  5

Foreshore (Botany)                                                  1                                  6

Kyeemagh                                                                     3                                 4

Brighton le Sands                                                       3                                  4

Ramsgate 1                                                                   3                                  4

Ramsgate  2                                                                  3                                  4

Dolls Point 1                                                                 3                                  4

Dolls Point 2                                                                3                                  4

Carss Park                                                                    2                                  5

 Oatley Bay                                                                  2                                  5

Como                                                                             2                                  5

Oatley Park                                                                 3                                  4

Silver Beach                                                               3                                  4

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

Talking of the geographical make up and early history of Cook’s River, Fred Larcombe wrote in “Change and Challenge – the History of the Municipality of Canterbury NSW”, “the area is located on the physical division, the Cumberland Plain. The presence of Wianamatta shales produced the predomination of heavy clayey soils with some loams. The area generally was an open forest of eucalypt varieties, and a very sparse undergrowth permitted a grass cover to develop. In the river basin there were accumulations of alluvium and close to the stream a thick scrub in abundance. As the river neared its mouth outcrops of sandstone appeared while along the northern edges gravel was present (T.M. Perry, Australia’s First Frontier).

The river and its hinterland first caught sight of the type of people, who could despoil their natural beauty, when James Cook on 29 April, 1770, sailed into the “tolerably well sheltered” Botany Bay. Cook discovered the “very fine stream” afterwards to bear his name, and his map of Botany Bay shows he travelled up it at least as far as the Wolli Creek junction, but made no particular comment. Cook’s “fine meadow” was probably the swamps at the river’s estuary. (GA Wood, The Discovery of Australia).”

A fine walking/cycle track has been established from Botany Bay to Homebush Bay on Parramatta River following along Cooks River. An easy walk of about 1.5 – 2 hours is taken from Tempe Station to Canterbury Station.

Leaving the station on the western side and crossing busy Bayview Street, the track leads to the river, south of the Bowling Club. It is well signposted. At this point Wolli Creek is clearly visible to the south, being one major tributary to the River. Following the track, two storm water canals are observed, both draining Marickville/Sydenham, which were flood prone and during pre-European time, home to a large wetlands, home to migratory bird. Major pollution traps have been installed by Sydney Water at this point with a sloping concrete road for removing accumulated refuse.

A little further on Thomas Holt’s Mausoleum is observed. Holt had a hilltop mansion, called “The Warren” overlooking lower reaches of Cooks River. The only remnants are a large pine tree, Port Jackson Figs, sandstone gates and foundations. He decided to build a crypt beside the river, now bricked with sandstone and marked by a historic plaque.

Along this stretch (Marrickville Council) sandstone has been lain in creek beds, reducing erosion and siltation to the river. Mangroves line the banks. There was little pollution observed other than blossoms from “Snow in Summer” floating on the river surface looking like soap suds. At this point a former major polluter was observed. The Aquaduct for sewerage piping with it’s ornate tiles crosses the river on it’s way to the southern outfall. When build, this piping had pressure valve outlets which spewed sewerage directly into Cooks River and Wolli Creek. Through hard work by community groups such as Cooks River Valley Association and it’s predecessor, government stopped this practice, eliminating one source of river pollution.

At Steel Park, Marrickville, baby fish were observed in the river. The banks and mangroves were free of pollution including the notorious PET bottle which infests other waterways.

Crossing the bridge at Illawarra Road, the pathway continues on the River’s southern bank, (Canterbury Council) following property back fence lines. Of note is a model of an elderly lady in a modern dress standing at the back of a property, a great security system.

The first PET pest bottles were observed adjacent to Macquarie Road, Earlwood. These were accompanied by bark and tree leaves in profusion, an example of unchecked street stormwater runoff. Two seats and a sandstone plinth in memory of Mrs. Ailsie Stafford, a tireless member of Cooks River Valley Association was observed. She passed on 06.05.1990. On this stretch were many open stormwater pipes running into the river, with no observable litter traps.

The whole track at this point is surrounded by cricket fields and a Golf Course. The River has steel capping holding banks in place and grass verges running to river’s edge. Some pines line the river. More PET bottles and a largish fish observed jumping from the river near Vera Street.

The track crosses Wardell Road and the main track crosses the river at this point by bridge to the northern bank. Another track was taken along the southern bank, observing some ducks on the river and less well kempt parkland. Along this stretch open pipeslines are observed leading into the river conveying street drainage to the river with no observable litter traps in place. More PET bottles were observed with silt build up on the outside

To the north is seen the Canterbury Sugar Works, once the greatest employer of labour in the district and to some extent, reason why the suburb exists. Sugar cane was brought by ship from the 1840s to a harbour on the river bank and then processed into sugar products. The Sugar Works, later a meat processing works, was heritage listed, but mysteriously burned by fire and then was restored and is now part of a residential complex. A yellow pollution monitoring buoy is stationed to the east the river. The buoy records electronically and feeds information to a central point. Readings are reported quarterly for community information and scientific research..

To the west of this point is Cup and Saucer Creek, first mention by Governor Macquarie in his epic colonial journey in December 1810. The creek is now a storm water drain. Once crystal clean water, then becoming a grossly polluted waterway from established industry in the area. A major remediation project was established by the Sydney Catchment Management Authority, Canterbury Council and Sydney Water. Creek water is diverted from the stormwater canal through various treatment mechanisms including a retention basin and wetlands and flows back into the stormwater canal, cleansed. The wetlands is habitat to numerous native birds.

Following the track towards Canterbury Road, the river is quite polluted, joining a concrete and brick canal further west. The track passes through a series of plaques honouring sports people from Canterbury and then into Coronation Row, honouring Queen Elizabeth II at the time of her visit in 1953. In the garden bed are two plaques of note, former Cooks River Valley Association office bearers, Major Frank Nicholas, president 1952 – 57 and WGW (Bill) Dowd, president 1957 – 1963. These plaques remind us of the tireless work by members of the Cooks River Valley Association, who advocate, maintain and cleanse the River and the Mudcraps group who work tirelessly removing rubbish from the river and creek system. All volunteers with hearts of gold for the environment.

In a follow up article, Kate Carr presents the case for Sydney Water

Despair for Cooks River laden with filfth

17 Nov, 2011 07:00 AM

The following article is reprinted from the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, forthe information of members living beyond the paper’scirculation area. Thanks to Kate Carr for her excellent article.

Filth flowing freely in Cooks River

BY KATE CARR

27 Oct, 2011 04:00 AM

A REPORT on the Cooks River which found high levels of raw sewage and traces of pharmaceuticals in its waters came as no shock to those who live nearby.

The report, by researchers at the University of NSW, found waste water was constantly flowing into the river through broken and leaking sewers.

Peter Stevens from Wolli Creek Preservation Society said the tragedy was that it was well known the river was being polluted by the sewerage system.

‘‘The issues are known,’’ Mr Stevens said. ‘‘But it has just been a matter of the state government not getting to fixing it.’’

Mr Stevens said community groups had done their best to improve the river’s health but had been let down by the government.

‘‘The community has put in heaps and heaps of time improving the surrounds of the river and testing the water but there are some things the community can’t do, like fixing the sewerage system,’’ he said.

The Leader asked NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker whether the government planned to fix the sewerage system but did not receive a response before going to press.

A spokeswoman for Ms Parker pointed to a now defunct program rolled out by the previous Labor government, the Cooks River Sustainability Initiative, and $2 million granted in 2008 by the federal government under former PM Kevin Rudd, as examples of state government efforts to improve the river, but did not outline new funding or plans.

‘‘The NSW government recognises the important role of the Cooks River Alliance — a group that involves eight local councils — to continue the environmental management and preservation of the Cooks River,’’ the spokeswoman said.

South West Enviro Centre vice-president Gary Blaschke has lived near the river for 50 years and manages a wetland system upstream at Chullora.

He said $6 million in funding was needed to clean up the river.

‘‘Up until now there has just been tokenistic stuff done,’’ Mr Blaschke said.

‘‘[The river] has been used and abused by every government that’s been around and it’s been neglected by every government.’’

He said the river needed a series of offline wetlands to filter and purify water.

Full article: www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/environment/filth-flowing-freely-in-cooks-river/2337215.aspx

Editor: BBaCA is making contact with the University of New South Wales to clarify the report and seek further action from government.

 Charles Gream of Fairfield writes for BBaCA 

I live on a creek and see the effects of containers in and around it as well as the many other creeks in my local government area. Of course, anyone, anywhere is likely to see containers polluting our environment, such is their prevalence.

I believe introducing a container deposit scheme will go a long way to reducing the incidence of containers in our environment and the damage they cause.

That is why I jumped at the chance to be a volunteer for the Total Environment Centre on Thursday, which was part of this year’s Australasian Waste and Recycling Expo at Darling Harbour. The Centre is one of many concerned groups that are pressing governments to act on this and other environmental problems.

It was a great day that included the presence of Lisa from the Centre, Silke from Two Hands Project and other volunteers. People attending the expo showed much interest in the subjects and the display.

If you care for our environment, please complete the on-line letter to the NSW Minister for Environment, Robyn Parker at:

http://www.tec.org.au/packaging

There are many other sites of relevance. These are a few:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Total-Environment-Centre/187360609812?ref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/twohandsproject?sk=wall

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cash-for-Containers-Campaign/119661504744578

http://www.facebook.com/CleanUpAust

Editor: Anyone around before the 1960s will remeber the habit of children collecting empty bottles and returning them to the “Bottle-o”. There was little container problems in those days and ongoing South Australian experience supports the practice. Thanks Charles for your time and article.

Spring is in the air and what better way of spending a spring Saturday than join Fairfield City residents on an Environment Tour (Sat. 15 October 2011).

Fairfield City Council has a long term commitment to water quality along it’s catchment which enter’s Georges River at Chipping Norton Lakes, near Liverpool.

Flying Fox Reserve

Over the past 10 years, a Flying Fox colony was established within a reserve beside Cabramatta Creek, in Cabramatta. A count of approximately 10, 000 flying fox, Grey-headed Flying Fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) and Little Red Flying-Fox (Pterropus scapulatu) inhabit the area during season. Major habitat restoration has been undertaken with residents educated in better netting practices, protect fruit trees and flying-fox welfare.

Limited bush regeneration has established a well cared for reserve and signage helps visitors understand the site’s significance.

Panorama Reserve

Major bushcare has been undertaken in this reserve, funded by the Environmental Trust. Noxious weeds including privet have been removed and creek care re-established. A clear comparison is shown looking to the creek southern bank which is in Liverpool City Council. This portion is clearly overgrown.

Nalawala

During 2008 Nalawala Urban Sustainability Hub was established, including a Community Hall, Native Nursery and Bike repair Shed. The tour took morning tea at the Community Hall, experiencing the variety of actions Fairfield City Council environmental staff have undertaken in the long term environmental plan which is being rolled out. Eddie Ferry deserves congratulations on imaginative signage, one of which shows how a PET bottle or cigarette butt, dropped in Fairfield catchment eventually finds its way to Botany Bay.

The Community Nursery, overseen by Daniel, is run by volunteer staff, who propagate natives from seed to mature plants. This is a creditable effort by Daniel and his team. 

Gregorace Place Gross Pollutant Trap (GPT)

Fairfield City Council staff organized regular cleaning of the Gross Pollutant Trap at Gregorace Place, during the tour. The GPT collects rubbish from a 185 hectare catchment in Bonnyrigg. The trap works using centrifugal force dropping waste to the bottom of a large concrete cylinder. A large crane with a bucket removed litter on a cycle of monthly, bimonthly or quarterly, depending on the GPT size.

Water flows, clean of solids, back into the Henty Creek system and on towards Georges River. Signage reminds locals the GPT cost nearly $250,000 to install, removing 50 tonnes of pollutants per year. Syringes are captured by the GPT.

Wilson Creek

Wilson’s Creek flows into Clear Paddock Creek. A major environmental project was undertaken on this site beside Bonnyrigg Sports Club. The creek was deeply eroded and the creek bed was relocated to an area to the right of the older creek bed. Effort was put into flood mitigation with sandstone blocks placed in the river bed and a curving creek bed reducing erosion. The banks were planted with indigenous planting from Nalawala Native Nursery and landscaping established. A raingarden was established along the club driveway, cleansing the water flowing from the street before flowing into the creek. Raingardens are gutters with openings which slow water into a sand gutter with agricultural piping which conveys cleansed water to the creek through a piped system.

Detention Basin W3

Massive works have been undertaken between Smithfield Road and Edensor Road, with a stormwater drainage converted into a Detention Basin, slowing storm water flow, establishing useful amenities  and encouraging natural habitat for indigenous flora and fauna. 15,000m3 of earth was moved to construct this massive project.

 Big thanks to Eddie Ferry, Nicole Thomas, Erin Sellers and Daniel (Fairfield City Council Staff) for a truly enlightening experience of what can be achieved with long term planning and commitment.