City Celebrating diversity

Fairfield City Council S VISION HA A DID YOU KNOW Fairfield City RE has 5 Creeks running through its A clean, green city with restored waterways, cleaner air neighbourhoods? Maybe there’s and a wide range of open spaces that support increased one close to where you live. bio-diversity as well as recreational opportunities. In some places they may look like concrete drains, but many residents (From Fairfield City Council’s Vision) can still remember the 5 Creeks as clean playgrounds for young and CLEAR PADDOCK CREEK old: swimming, fishing and picnics AFTER COMPLETION OF THE “RESTORING THE on their banks. WATERS” PROJECT C 5 REE E K H S T •

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During the 1960s, the creeks began to suffer from stormwater pollution, uncontrolled sewerage and industrial waste. Many creeks were replaced CLEAR PADDOCK CREEK, by concrete channels and the natural ST JOHNS PARK BEFORE playgrounds disappeared. RESTORATION Now we realise that the creeks are more than drains: they are important to preserving the environment and enrich community life.

The “Restoring the Waters” project in the upper reaches of Clear Paddock Creek, St Johns Park, demonstrates clearly what we can do to “reclaim” the 5 Creeks. Near the St Johns Park Bowling Club, curved grassed banks have replaced a 500 metre section of concrete channel. Stone riffles aerate the water, improving its quality. This careful “restoration” has not only enhanced the natural environment but exists in harmony with its human landscape. Photo courtesy of Turpin & Crawford of Turpin courtesy Photo A VISION for

OUR Creeks in a “safe environment” – a safe waterway for community Creeks that are “clean” CRE use while keeping properties - good enough for fish to thrive. 5 EK protected from flooding. E S H CLEAN CREEKS •

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A SAFE ENVIRONMENTS

PROSPECT CREEK Strategic Plan CREEK CROSSING Mid stream at Fairfield - 23kms for the 5 Creeks One of the decorative crossings keeping access to our creeks safe was prepared with active community Creeks with involvement Creeks with an “enhanced “people places” and has as its natural environment” – picnic areas connected by vision: – creeks in a natural landscape pedestrian and bicycle paths. setting habitat for native animals, birds and insects. PEOPLE PLACES NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS Creeks surrounded by “complementary development” – development that fronts the creek instead of the creeks being considered as a “drain in the backyard.”

CYCLEWAY One of the well known bicycle paths BIRD LIFE One of the many species of bird enjoying the clean environment of our creeks

COMPLEMENTARY DEVELOPMENTS

JOHNSTON PARK from VISION to PLAN to ACTION with artistic flair We will achieve this Vision through the 5 Creeks Strategic Plan by:

• guiding decision making An innovative part of this consultation process was the implementation of an arts • consolidating all Council projects, program involving cultural mapping. programs and policies connected with the 5 Creeks System Together with school and community cultural associations, this program explored, • producing a prioritised action plan. by way of stories and myths, the significance of the 5 Creeks. The 5 Creeks Strategic Plan includes the values and issues that the community see as important Excursions were held to identify special for our 5 Creeks. These have been expressed community places and artistic impressions through creative community consultation, made of creek life. The program also researched visioning and intensive planning workshops. the unique aspects of each of the 5 Creeks.

GEORGES RIVER Chipping Norton Lake KEEPING the EASILY ACCESSED VISION ALIVE WELL USED PROUT CREEK 0.8km The community selected the following WELL MAINTAINED three issues as being critical to the success of the 5 Creeks vision:

• Creeks that are well used

• Creeks that are well maintained

• Creeks that are easily accessed

LOWER PROSPECT CREEK LITTER BOOM Orphan School Creek Home to the Flying your PART Fox Colony in the VISION

Here are simple things you • PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOGS Many school children have also can do that will make a big – a lot of dog waste ends up helped plant trees and shrubs by in the creeks. the creeks in our “Kids Environment difference to our 5 Creeks: Education Program (KEEP)”. • WHY NOT JOIN one of the many • PICK UP LITTER in front of community groups who actively Maybe a school near you has your homes and in your street participate in making the 5 Creeks participated in an award winning – everything that is dropped Vision a reality: “Kids‘n’Creeks” project. into gutters ends up mostly in - Fairfield Creeks and Wetlands Group our creeks. - Cabramatta Creeks Flying • WASH YOUR CARS ON THE Fox Committee GRASS, not on the street because all detergents washed down the drains - Carers of Stockdale Reserve courtesy Photo of Daniel Smart end up in the creeks. - Friends of the Farm.

DEFREITAS WETLAND TREE PLANTING Prospect Creek 23kms Burns Creek 1.9kms creation Par d Re al ks an Fa cycleways cilities and

STOCKDALE RESERVE Upper Orphan School Creek 11.6kms ESTIMATED CREEK Introducing LENGTHS OUR 1 Prospect - 23km

2 Cabramatta - 7.9km 1 3 Orphan School - 11.6km

4 Clear Paddock 3 - 3.6km 4 5 Green Valley 6 - 5.6km 7 6 Burns - 1.9km 5 7 Long 8 - 0.9km 2

8 Prout - 0.8km

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CLEAR PADDOCK CREEK Home of the “Restoring the Waters” 3 Project 3.6kms long ORPHAN SCHOOL CREEK 5 11.6 kms long

GREEN VALLEY CREEK 5.6 kms long 2

CABRAMATTA CREEK 7.9 kms long

PROSPECT CREEK 1 Historic Lansdowne Bridge 23kms long VOLVEM IN E Y N T IT N A

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View of Upper Prospect Creek as it winds through the residential and industrial areas of Smithfield

MORE INFORMATION

THE KIDS ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION POLLUTION SPILLS IN YOUR STREET PROGRAM Call our Bush Regeneration OR LOCAL CREEK Call our Environment Officer on 9725 0394 & Health Branch on 9725 0298 or the Department of Environment Conservation CONCERNED COMMUNITY GROUPS on 131 555 (24 hours). For serious pollution Call our Catchment Management Branch spills, call the Fire Brigade on 000. on 9725 0869 LOCAL STUDIES CENTRE THE STRATEGIC PLAN Call our City Whitlam Central Library 9725 0347 Outcomes Department on 9725 0860 COYNE & CO. DESIGN TEL. (02) 8585 1350 & CO. COYNE V ncil websit isit Cou e Fairfield City w ity.nsw.go ww.fairfieldc v.au

July 2005 Printed on 100% recycled paper on 100% recycled Printed