DRAFT PROPOSED UPPER GEORGES RIVER NATIONAL PARK I CONTENT Overview Page 3-4 Existing National Parks & Corridors Page 5 Map of proposed National Park Page 6 Map of GMPGA development & Georges/ Nepean River wildlife corridor Page 7 Map of Koala sightings along proposed Georges River Parkway Page 8 State Planning Environmental Policy Amendment Page 9 Flora Page 10 Platypus Page 11—12 Fauna Page 13—15 Avifauna Page 16—20 Existing Georges River National Park Page 21 Lot DP Numbers Page 22— Patricia Durman National Parks Association of NSW Inc (Macarthur Branch) [email protected] PO Box 792 Campbelltown NSW 2560 2 The Upper Georges River National Park would be mostly contained within the present Georges River Regional Open Space in the Campbelltown City Council area. Other than in wet times, the vast majority ol water entering the Georges River at the Woolwash (Airds) is collected within O’Hares Creek and its tributaries. This is further increased from creeks within the Holsworthy Military Area and a few small creeks from the Campbelltown Council area. The proposal does not include open space within the Wollondillyshire Council area, as we be- lieved that all land along the river was in private hands. It also does not include the Old Wedderburn State Forest as a large part of this area is owned by the Aboriginal people and a part of that is leased as an airport. This Proposal does not protect the important wildlife corridor between the Georges and Nepean Rivers west of the Appin/Campbelltown Road. Neither does it include the area between Wedderburn Road Causeway and Appin Road along Kellicar Road where a proposed development of 355 houses would block the movement of native animals between the two rivers. It is hoped that these important areas can be either purchased or very significant wildlife corridors incorporated into every development to allow native animals to continue to disperse between the two rivers and protect creek lines. KOALA The last healthy and expanding Koala population within the Sydney Basin has chosen to live along the Georges River corridor mostly within the Campbelltown City Council region. This has been confirmed in the Draft Campbelltown Koala Plan of Management and by many years of studies by Assoc..Prof. Robert Close University of Western Sydney. The Koala population is now known to have spread south into the township of Appin , west into the Nepean River catchment and east across the Holsworthy Military Reserve to Heathcote Road. (Campbelltown Koala Research and Database) PLATYPUS The only known population within Georges River has been found within Campbelltown City Council region. A copy of Dr. Tom Grant’s Records have been included within this proposal and these records have been previously entered onto the NPWS Wildlife Atlas. THREATENED PLANT AND WOODLAND COMMUNTIES From the tiniest ground orchid to Cumberland Plain Woodland and Shale Sandstone Transition Forest an impressive array of flora has been well documented in the past, and falls within the Proposed National Park area. Further studies do need to be undertaken. LANDSCAPE Hawkesbury Sandstone is the dominant landscape forming rock and gives rise to a structural plateau, roughly coincident with the top of the sandstone dissected by steep gorges. 3 THREATS TO THE REGION: Subdivision, Proposed High Speed Train, Georges River Parkway and its spurs (still shown on maps) which will go through prime Koala habitat, Spring Farm link Road which will break up another corridor, and thus reduce Noorumba Reserve, where Koalas have been recorded. Appin Road is already currently a high risk for Koala mortality and the planned upgrade of Campbelltown to Appin Road to at least 4 lanes will increase the mortality rate for Koalas and other native animals. Inappropriate use of motorised bikes, dumping, litter and sedimentation run off into streams is also an ongoing problem SOUTH 32 EMPLACEMENT AREA The Emplacement Area blocks movement of native animals from the Georges River to the Cataract River plus Southern Sydney Water Areas. Large areas of bushland are still being cleared. The present regeneration of woodland on old emplacement areas using local species may open this corridor to native animals sometime in the future. ABORIGNAL HERITAGE This has been well documented in the past, in and near to the river gorge, including artefacts, rubbing grooves, drawings, a birthing cave and the Bull Cave. Most of this discovery and re- cording was done by the Sydney Pre History Group in the 1970’s WILDLIFE CORRIDORS It has been long established by local council and state government that the Georges River Regional Open Space between Appin and Glenfield should be protected and yet no serious legislation is in place to ensure its protection. The only sure way of ensuring the long term continuing protection of the area is to declare an Upper Georges River National Park. If government of all levels is serious about the protection of the viable Koala population then the Upper Georges River National Park and Wildlife Corridors between the Georges and Nepean Rivers must be established during planning for the Greater Macarthur Priority Growth Plan to maintain the present free movement of native animals. The Dharawal Nature Reserve, National Park and State Conservation Area is part of the link between the coastal National Parks, the Holsworthy Military Area, drinking water catchments, the Nepean River, and then on to the Blue Mountains. The Upper Georges River National Park would be an extension of the wider corridor which if well planned would also link to the Nepean River and its various National Parks and drinking water catchments. The Georges River Regional Open Space Study Campbelltown City Council (March1976) states that The Regional Open Space is not a temporary land holding which can be used for speculation, exploitation, or industrial purposes. 4 An Upper Georges River National Park would enhance existing wildlife corridors. EAST Royal National Park Garrawarra State Conservation Area Heathcote National Park Illawarra Escarpment Holsworthy Military Area SOUTH Dharawal State Conservation Area Dharawal National Park/Nature Reserve Drinking Water Catchments WEST Nepean River Drinking water catchments NPWS Link to the Blue Mountains NORTH Georges River Holsworthy Military Reserve Local threats: West Cliff Emplacement Area Inappropriate subdivision Loss of existing wildlife corridors Widening of Campbelltown/Appin Road Proposed High Speed Train Proposed Georges River Parkway Proposed Spring Farm Link Road 5 Map of Proposed Upper Georges National Park shown in blue Proposed Georges River Parkway Road Proposed Upper Georges River National Park Identified in Blue Dharawal State Conservation Area Dharawal National Park 6 Campbelltown City Council area shown by yellow outline Proposed Georges River Parkway Proposed Development Proposed Upper Georges National Park Greater Macarthur Priority Growth Area Last wildlife corridor left Please note : The map does not show all between the Georges and private or developer owned land for Nepean Rivers privacy reasons. 7 Map of reported Koala sightings along the proposed Georges River Parkway and Proposed Upper Georges River National Park Proposed Georges River Parkway 8 GREATER MACARTHUR PROPOSED STATE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING POLICY AMENDMENT EXPLANATION OF INTENDED EFFECT JULY 2016 Part 3 – Land Use – Environmental Conservation and Recreation Zones Part 3 iden- tifies land use provisions for certain land zoned Environmental Conservation or Pub- lic Recreation under the Growth Centres SEPP. No amendments are proposed to Part 3. In addition as the proposed SEPP will not rezone any land, the provisions in Part 3 will not apply in the Greater Macarthur Priority Growth Area. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THE KEY OUTCOMES OF THE CONSULTATION INCLUDED: Natural areas should be conserved and linked and biodiversity and heritage pro- tected. What will be done to protect flora and fauna and the linkages between the Nepean and Georges Rivers? THE DEPARTMENT WILL PROTECT FLORA AND FAUNA BY: Under taking the biocertification of native vegetation to protect flora. Identifying fauna corridors. Planning for wetlands, ponds and treatments to protect water quality in rivers. Implementing air quality protection initiatives. 9 FLORA Plant communities vary along the river, but generally in very good condition. Eucalyptus wood- land, inc. E saligna, sieberi, crebra, tereticornis, gummifera, maculata, haemastoma, pilularis, amongst many. Acacia/wattle family is well represented, and closely related, the pea family pro- vides amazing colour at this time of year. Eriostemon and crowea provide lush looking wax flow- ers, while the heath family has Epacris, Leucopogon, Woolsia as well as some less common mem- bers of this family. Proteaceae are the Grevilleas, bottlebrushes/Banksias, geebungs/Persoonias, mountain devils/Lambertias, Native parsley/Lomatia. Several species of all of these. Callistemon/ bottlebrush, Melaleuca. Turpentine trees in the more fertile soil. Plenty of grasses and ground cov- ers, including lilies and ferns. Amongst the rocks in the river, Lomandra fluviatilis, which is rare and endangered. We have a number of less common/rare and endangered species in the area. Elizabeth Michie Kentlyn Apocynaceae Cynanchum ◊+ elegans Araliaceae Astrotricha ◊+ crassifolia Convolvulaceae Convolvulus ◊ erubescens Dilleniaceae Hibbertia ◊ nitida Elaeocarpaceae Tetratheca ◊ neglecta Ericaceae - Both TSCA and ROTAP listed species col- Epacris ◊ coriacea Epacridoideae