Newington Nature Reserve Circuit This 48-hectare nature reserve protects rare remnant forest and wetland habitats that collectively support over 240 native plant species and over 200 native bird and animal species. The Reserve also preserves a rare example of a complete estuarine zonal succession – a gradation of mudflats, mangrove forest, saltmarsh meadows, Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest and Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest is revealed as the land slopes upwards from the Parramatta River. The nature reserve was once part of a large armament depot that was managed by the Australian Department of Defence until its closure in 2000. Explosives storehouses, laboratories, roads and rail were constructed across the depot throughout its 100-year history, R and undergrowth in remnant forest was controlled to reduce fire 7 i v risk. e Parramatta River r Now, the remaining lands of the armament depot are listed on W Circular Quay the NSW State Heritage Register (as Newington Armament Depot a l and Nature Reserve) due to their natural and cultural significance. k Sydney Olympic Park The remnant wetlands and forest are protected and conserved as a nature reserve under the NSW National Parks and Wildlife 6 Ferry Wharf Act 1974. Access into the Reserve continues to be restricted to 5 prevent disturbance of sensitive wildlife and trampling of critically endangered vegetation, prevent introduction of pests and disease, and enable natural regeneration of previously disturbed areas. Take this self-guided nature walk along the perimeter of Newington Nature Reserve to see and learn about these threatened species d and communities. R r B 4 u e Parramatta River r t 2 r o a w a w 8 y r e r Wa l k R i v R e d v 3 l i S Wharf Wilson 1 No Access Pond Park a y h w Stadium 9 a t P e g a v u a Newington 10 S Visitor e Woo-la-ra Wentworth Point Nature Reserve i s Centre The flats u o Wetland L B u 11 s e s o n 20 l y 19 12 Key Walking Route t 18 S Newington H o l Armory k e n Alternate Route r S t o s BirdLife Newington Nature e Discovery Centre Reserve Forest i Drinking Fountain m 13 a 17 J Bin Silverwater Toilets 14 Nuwi Narwang Wetland ay w Wetland Rhodes ath Parking P 15 ge va au se S 16 ui o L Homebush Bay H o l k e Bird r Hide Wentworth O B u l t u Common o n s Haslams A w v Reach e a Waterbird y Refuge y a Newington w h t B u s O n l y a P o n P k w k s y e c g a a J v u i e a r S o r j e a s i M k u al o W L Kronos Hill g n i R Haslams Haslams Brickpit Creek Pier Restricted Access Flats The Pyramid Northern Kevin Coombs Ave P Water o n Feature d a Badu Haslams g e L A Mangroves Field i n k GIANTS u s Stadium Under t construction r P6a a H i l l R d e a d Qudos a r l Sports Monster P i n d a e Bank Skatepark r a A v Halls G Sydney y e O l d H i l l S P6 s e a L A o w i Arena R n h v t h k O Showground y a i a o v r P u r Education r e l w e M y Centre g y r a D v P1 g Bicentennial Park u m D w S a r Olympic Park v e AP e Cathy o w y s p e k i s e a P6d i u u P6e o k v Freeman Station R r r a L o i a P c n a y k P Park r B d u r S E M e t B v g d A R r h v s e P8 n w ANZ d r a Stockroute s F Park v e Betty Cuthbert d o n A u i w n Stadium a t t l D A v e i o b l l e Novotel E Bicentennial e V i c F t o r i a A v e b n l & r e m a ibis H Park n c Brushbox St o Concord v e Fig k A e H r Grove West s e a B A F r n Pullman r v w D a e D Hotel e e r t D r g n i a l e n G d i e n t F c e R k i l B g o i a h r r g U ibis W Village Athletic Aquatic e s budget t Green r S Centre o Centre e Australia Ave Lake Belvedere t p v Quest S Marker A p p a k C r e c i n a d Ave a r u l r Tom Wills C r G o P2 P3 a P2b o e u r L n Sports t e h a Tom Wills r S D Field S t Oval r h D Waterview in a Tom Wills l a Bicentennial Warm Up r B i a P3a Oval i c n Park e n e Arena S n v t e A P2a Genea North e i v e n A r Netball S Strathfield i e y t r d B Quaycentre l i c n i r k l a Centre h S M 4 P7 Lidcombe P M D r Un a r d r o v e r e G r t o Tennis L a D r e w To Parramatta a o r d y o m w Hockey o a r a a R B o g and Penrith Centre d e y P4 h t t Centre s R a u d S b t R e d o m To CBD H NORTH M 4 M 0 250m 500m o t o r w a y 1. Pop in to the Visitor Centre (Building 5. Spot the White-bellied Sea-Eagle; 9. Coastal Saltmarsh is an 143) learn about the historic often perched on the Mangroves ‘endangered ecological community’. Newington Armory site and see along Parramatta River. This raptor This community alongside mudflat what activities are available! Don’t is a threatened species in NSW. A habitat in the Reserve provides miss out on your chance to ‘Ride the pair nests in the forest of the Reserve important feeding and roosting Rails’ on the Heritage Train (formerly and you can watch the action on habitat for local waterbirds and used to transport missiles, torpedoes EagleCAM. This is the only known protected migratory shorebirds. and other WW2 munitions) to loop nesting site for this species along the Sydney Olympic Park has the around the Armory on a guided tour entire length of the Parramatta River. largest remaining stand of Coastal to learn about the historical purpose, Saltmarsh throughout the entire design and operations of this site. 6. Grey Mangroves (Avicennia marina) length of the Parramatta River, and Building 143 was built in 1897 and are classified under legislation the second largest stand in Sydney. was originally the Cooperage of the as ‘protected marine vegetation’. depot; where gunpowder barrels Sydney Olympic Park has the largest 10. The tidal mudflats at the heart of were registered, inspected, repaired remaining stand of mangroves the wetland are inhabited by a and sent for storage. along the entire length of the rich community of marine worms, Parramatta River. These trees are molluscs, crustaceans and other 2. The Wangal are the first custodians well adapted to living in the intertidal invertebrates. These organisms of the land, air and waters now zone, with specialised roots, leaves play a vital role in breaking down known as Sydney Olympic Park. and seeds to deal with regular organic matter, and are the dietary To learn more about this rich inundation of salty river water. staple of many fish, waterbirds and indigenous history, explore the Mangroves provide many essential internationally protected migratory Murama Healing Space; serving ecosystem services such as filtering shorebirds. The Sharp-tailed as a gathering place for the entire stormwater runoff before it enters Sandpiper is a migratory shorebird community. It is an inclusive and rivers and oceans, and serving as that breeds in Arctic Siberia. This peaceful space where First Nations a fish nursery for many species of summer migrant travels down the peoples can learn, lead, and share fish that live the majority of their East Asian-Australasian Flyway the rich indigenous culture of Sydney lives in the ocean. They are also a to Australia for warmer climates, Olympic Park. We pay respect to sink for blue carbon, the name for spending their non-breeding all First Nations People and our carbon stored in coastal and marine season here during our spring and community Elders past, present and ecosystems. summer. The sandpipers utilise the emerging. mudflats of this Reserve between 7. Can you see the Tawny Frogmouth September and March to build up 3. Peek through to Wharf Pond to find that often roosts here hidden in their fat reserve before the long swamphens,moorhens, teals and a tree? The Tawny Frogmouth northward migration; completing grebes.