STEP Matters Number 130, August 2005

Walk Pennant Hills Fire Trail Further along the creek we pass In this Issue and , the feature for which this stretch Walk Pennant Hills Fire Trail is well known, Whale Rock. A and Devlins Creek, Lane short distance on, we turn off Cove National Park...... 1 Date: Sunday 28 August Devlins Creek and rejoin Byles Talk on Exotic Plant Invasion Time: 12:45 pm for a 1 pm start Creek and return to our starting and Bush Regeneration...... 1 Place: Day Road picnic area point. Gordon Creek Bridge...... 2 carpark near the end of Those who wish will be able to Day Road, Cheltenham Membership Renewals Due .....3 visit AHIMSA, the National Trust Grade: Medium — an initial hill property at the end of the walk. Conference: The Great climb, then easy walking Greenhouse Gamble ...... 3 at first on a level fire trail, National Threatened which then drops down Talk on Exotic Plant Invasion Species Day ...... 4 to the lower creek level and Bush Regeneration and back to the start UTS Draft Heritage LEP ...... 4 Date: Tuesday 6 September Bring: Water, walking shoes/ Wingham Brush ...... 4 Time: 8 pm boots, appropriate hat, binoculars (optional) and Place: St Andrews Church Hall wear sunscreen (Vernon Street, South STEP Committee Turramurra) Leader: Bill Jones (9498 6052) President Contact: Michelle Leishman We cross Byles Creek and come Michelle Leishman (9489 8972) quickly to an area where a Committee second creek enters Byles Do join us for this rescheduled Tim Gastineau-Hills Creek. This presents an talk when Dr Michelle Leishman, Bruno Krockenberger opportunity to see weed-free STEP’s president, will tell us Neroli Lock rainforest species. about recent experimental John Martyn findings on the factors that We will follow the track up the contribute to the success of Tony Morrison hillside on to the ridge top with Ann Perry exotic plants in urban bushland sandstone vegetation. At on Sydney’s Hawkesbury Helen Wortham the top of the hill, we will pass Sandstone. Michelle will also through some of the diverse flora discuss the implications for bush of Sydney sandstone. Here we will Diary Dates regeneration. search for some of the rare and 28 Aug Walk in Lane Cove threatened species located on National Park these ridge tops. We will compare this vegetation with that found 6 Sept Talk on Exotic Weeds across the in 25 Sept Walk West Head Wahroonga and Turramurra. Farewell to Jenny Schwarz, a (details to be advised) dedicated and long-serving We continue down to Devlins 18 Oct Annual General Meeting committee member, who has Creek at its junction with the Lane (details to be advised) recently relocated to Cove River, observing changes in Tasmania. We’ll miss you 11 Dec Christmas Barbecue species. By comparison with the Jenny, but we hope you enjoy (details to be advised) area seen at the beginning, this your sea change. creek is very weedy and yet there are special birds found here.

STEP Inc Community-based Environmental Conservation since 1978 PO Box 697, Turramurra, NSW 2074 [email protected] www.step.org.au ABN 55 851 3472 043 Newsletter of STEP Inc, Number 130, page 2

Gordon Creek Bridge Point (Primrose Park, Mosman) important part of the system for John Balint treatment plant. There was no Ku-ring-gai was the West Middle sewage system north of Harbour submain extension north For many years on my walks Chatswood, generally individual along the western side of Middle through the magnificent bushland septic tanks and night soil Harbour to collect sewage from in I often wondered collection was used. Lindfield, Killara and Gordon. This about the origins of the old timber was completed in 1927 and In the early 1900s a new scheme bridge over Gordon Creek. Initially involved tunnelling through the was developed for the north side of I thought it might have been part of rocky ridges of East Lindfield and the harbour based on the an early road through the district. East Killara. However my research has led me discharge of raw sewage into the to discover some of the fascinating ocean. A Parliamentary Standing The old timber bridge over Gordon story of Sydney’s early sewerage Committee on Public Works held in Creek is one remaining visible part development, the important role 1916 considered the proposal to of this system. It was built as an the Gordon Creek Bridge played in build a Northern Suburbs Outfall to aqueduct to take the West Middle this and has led me to try to save discharge sewage into the ocean Harbour submain over Gordon this historic structure from certain at Blue Fish Point at North Head Creek. Walkers following the demolition. (the location of the current walking tracks along the western treatment plant). The committee side of Creek, in One hundred years ago, at the stated in their report: what is now , time of the move to Federation, the have used this bridge for some North Shore was caught up in a Many complaints have been received by the Health seventy years. major environmental and health Department particularly in the crisis over the sewerage system or The bridge has deteriorated due to Shire of Ku-ring-gai … as to the lack of maintenance and was really the lack of it. The population difficulty of dealing with the waste closed in 1998, preventing walkers on the North Shore had expanded water from dwellings, and the rapidly in the late 1900s, spurred disposal of effluent from septic from following the heritage tracks on by overcrowding in Sydney and tanks. In particular, Roseville is through the pristine bushland from the opening of the Turramurra to gradually being built upon, and as Roseville to St Ives, a distance of St Leonard’s railway in 1890. The settlement becomes more some 10 kilometres. panic that occurred with the 1900 marked frequent complaints are received as to the disposal of the A heritage assessment carried out plague in Sydney also assisted the waste water. in 2003 by National Parks boom in development on the North nominated the bridge as having Shore. Manly residents were not so high local heritage significance and enthusiastic. Manly had recently Prior to this in the 1880s the recommended an engineering installed its own sewerage system assessment to estimate the cost of Sydney sewerage system south discharging into the ocean north of of the harbour had been restoration. Unfortunately funds Blue Fish Point. The rock cutting have not been forthcoming for this, developed to collect sewage and can be seen when you walk discharge it untreated into the but there is now hope that this through the car park at Shelley assessment may be done in ocean at Bondi and Long Bay Beach and look out over the (Malabar). This was obviously a 2005/6. In the meantime the bridge ocean. They believed, based on is still under threat of demolition major improvement for the their experience, that the northern people of Sydney compared to and is effectively being demolished beaches would be badly polluted through neglect. the previous system of combined by this new outfall. Alderman sewage and stormwater Ellison Wentworth Quirk of Manly The bridge is an impressive timber discharge directly into the stated in evidence to the structure, 80 metres long and harbour. However it did set an committee that ‘there is a stands some 15 metres above the important environmental possibility of its ruining, not only creek. You can have a look at the precedent for Sydney that is still the main Manly Beach but all the bridge, using your new Middle raising controversy today. beaches as far north as Harbour map. Either walk down Meanwhile on the north side of Barrenjoey’. The committee the fire trail from the end of Barrie the harbour, disposal of sewage decided, based on so-called expert Street, East Killara, or walk in was being handled by opinion, that this pollution would along the fire trail from Arterial overloaded and unhygienic not occur. How wrong they were. Road, Lindfield, near Soldiers Memorial Park. systems. The system north of the Construction of the outfall system harbour included a septic at an estimated cost of £2,236,000 If you have any information on treatment plant at Chatswood was completed in 1930 under the history of the bridge and the (Scott’s Creek) discharging into Chief Engineer Ernest de Burgh. tracks leading to it, or want to be Willoughby Bay, septic treatment William Hudson of Snowy involved in saving the bridge, tanks at Balmoral, and the North Mountains Scheme fame also please contact John Balint on Sydney sewerage system worked on the outfall project. An 9498 7527. discharging through the Folly Newsletter of STEP Inc, Number 130, page 3

Membership Renewals Due Conference: The Great The objectives of the conference If the year ‘05’ is printed Greenhouse Gamble are: underneath your address on the The Nature Conservation Council • to provide a scientific update next page, your membership is of NSW (NCC) is convening a on climate change; due for renewal. conference entitled The Great • to raise awareness of, and Greenhouse Gamble on focus on, the impacts on Please complete the form at the biodiversity and resource bottom of this page, indicate any 15 and 16 September at the Powerhouse Museum. NCC is management and identify any changes needed to the address research gaps; label, and mail the completed currently calling for papers on the impacts of climate change on • to define links between form and payment (by cheque current legislation, policy and made payable to STEP Inc) to: biodiversity and natural resource management. programs and our climate The Treasurer future; and Step Inc Increasing temperatures, reduced • to develop tools to integrate PO Box 697 rainfall and more frequent extreme climate change implications Turramurra, NSW 2074 weather events are already into policy and planning showing up endangering our particularly focusing on You can also use the form to environment. integration of good science order any of our publications. The environmental, social and and regional/local knowledge You may be interested to know economic impacts of climate into climate change response. that we’ve sold approximately change are becoming apparent as Major conference themes will be: 1400 of our new Middle Harbour we gamble with the very processes • policy and management maps since they were launched necessary to maintain the healthy approaches for a systematic in November last year. and resilient land systems and climate response diversity of the planet. Contact Helen Wortham if you • impacts on terrestrial and have any problems (9144 2703, Preparing to incorporate climate marine ecosystems including [email protected]). change and its predicted impact alpine, inland and coastal into resource management and river systems and fisheries biodiversity policies is vital in order • social, economic and to adapt to, abate and mitigate environmental risks and these impacts. NCC says now is strategic responses the time to set the associated • integrating climate change priorities, which it plans to be aired into community conservation and defined at this conference. activities and campaigns For more information contact Melinda Cook (9279 2522, [email protected]).

Unit cost Number Cost ($) Membership (only complete if 05 is shown on address label on next page) Single (per financial year) $16 Family (per financial year) $20 Life $200 Field Guide to the Bushland of the Upper Lane Cove Valley $30 Maps of Walking Tracks (cost of maps to non-members is $20) Lane Cove Valley $15 Middle Harbour Valley. Sheets 1 and 2 and Roseville Bridge $15 Middle Harbour Valley. Sheets 3 and 4 Northbridge and North Harbour $15 Donation (donations of $2 or more tax deductible)

Total cost E-mail address ...... Newsletter of STEP Inc, Number 130, page 4

National Threatened Species UTS Draft Heritage LEP Nancy Pallin, with her Bat Society Day On 26 April, Ku-ring-gai Council hat on, was involved in the project, since the Brush is home to a large National Threatened Species adopted the Draft (Heritage colony of Grey-headed Flying Day on 7 September is intended Conservation) Local Foxes. It is also home to brush to raise awareness of the plight Environmental Plan (LEP) No 30 turkeys and many other bird of more than 1600 Australian for the UTS Ku-ring-gai Campus. species as well as skinks, diamond native species and ecological The LEP will now go to the pythons, tree snakes, several communities at risk of extinction. Minster (Assistant Minister for possum species and insectivorous It is held on the same date the Planning, Dianne Beamer) for bats. last known Tasmanian Tiger died approval/gazettal so that the UTS in captivity at Hobart Zoo in site can be listed as a Local All the weed eradication and 1936. The day is also the start of Heritage Item. The Minister will, bushcare work was done by a Biodiversity Month, which runs no doubt, be guided by the NSW group of volunteers, and National for all of September. Heritage Office, who will asses Parks and Wildlife Service has Ku-ring-gai Council’s proposal constructed boardwalks to allow The Threatened Species and provide the Minister with a better public access and to ensure Network (TSN) is a community- recommendation. it does not impact adversely on the based program which promotes Brush. activities during Biodiversity The UTS rezoning application will Month to raise awareness and to have come before Ku-ring-gai Wingham Brush, which has now help celebrate the work of Council before this goes to press been declared a nature reserve, is dedicated groups and individuals. for a decision to accept or refuse virtually adjacent to the Wingham TSN encourages community the rezoning proposal. The main street and two schools back groups, government agencies, unanimous decision by on to it. These schools as well as conservation organisations, Ku-ring-gai Council to approve other schools from Port Macquarie industries and schools to run the Draft Heritage Conservation and the Hunter region use it to events in their local areas. LEP is a good sign. study conservation and ecology. TSN offers free information kits The area of the Brush was about threatened species to hand Wingham Brush originally intended for wharf out at events and provides a Australian Landcare magazine development for the river traffic, calendar of events for Biodiversity reports that Land and Water but as the river became less used Month on-line at has awarded a the wharf extension did not take www.wwf.org.au/tsn. Information Community Fellowship to John place and the Brush was left in its can also be obtained from Alison Stockard, a Wingham dentist, for natural state, except for an almost Colyer (8202 1222, 0410 636 538, his work at Wingham Brush, overwhelming weed infestation. [email protected]). where a 9 hectare remnant of Wingham Brush is worth the 15 km rainforest has been restored to detour from the motorway at Taree its natural state over the last 25 since it is easy to access and is an years. excellent example of sub-tropical rainforest.

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