Badgerys Creek Airport Proposal: HOW MANY MORE HANGING SWAMPS Flaws, Fiddles and Falsehoods MUST WE LOSE BEFORE THEY WILL BE The guest speaker at our general PROTECTED? meeting on Friday 25 August will be Noel Thank you to those members who provided Child. Noel is a successful and well- information on hanging swamps they know of which recognised environmental scientist and have been totally or partially damaged. engineer with over 30 years experience in Blue Mountains Swamps look as if they will get a variety of senior level appointments and no legal protection. The NSW Scientific Committee assignments within both the corporate and has been assessing our nomination to have this weed control (gorse) and private sectors. He has been involved in community listed under the Threatened Species possible planting on private the Sydney second airport issue for Conservation Act. land as well as in the almost a decade, having provided The Scientific Committee “recognises the National Park. Please bring technical advice to the former Federal conservation significance of Swamps” but did not water, morning tea, lunch Airports Corporation, the NSW Govern- believe that there is a risk of extinction. It implied and wear warm clothing, ment, and more recently the Western that this community was “vulnerable” and stated that long sleeves and wet weather Sydney Alliance. there is no provision for vulnerable ecological gear if necessary. The Debate about the need for a second communities under the Act. activity usually lasts 3-4 major Sydney airport, and the location of It does not make sense to wait until the swamps hours. any such facility, has proceeded for some are irretrievably degraded before they are given some The area will benefit fifty years. During the past twenty years, legal protection. If this community could satisfy the from the more the merrier — successive politically driven site selection criteria of being under threat of risk of extinction, it lots of hands will be a great and assessment processes have promoted would be too late and too expensive to restore. help. We can attack this Badgerys Creek in Western Sydney as the The Management Committee is approaching Bob noxious weed if we can get preferred second airport site. Debus as our local member as well as the Minister for adequate numbers to assist in These processes have proceeded to a the Environment to change the Act to give hanging this worthwhile activity. very large extent in the manner of a self- Join in, feel the pleasure fulfilling political prophecy. The need swamps some legal protection. We would like to see a new category which allowed for the listing of from really making a for, and siting, of a major second airport difference! For more has not been established on the basis of “vulnerable ecological communities” just as information ring Laura Hays, any objective analysis of underlying individual plant species can be listed as either Bushcare Officer on 4782 strategic factors, but rather on the basis of “vulnerable” or “endangered”. 7692 or email perceived bureaucratic and political need. It would strengthen our case considerably if there [email protected] At the meeting Noel will discuss the was proof of a high level of community support to many deficiencies of political, decision make this change to protect our swamps. You can ... More Activities making, and assessment processes to date, help by writing a simple letter to Hon Bob Debus, Some other Highlights of the and explore the prospects for a Member for Blue Mountains, 3/107-109 Macquarie Great Grose Gorse Walk are: sustainable, responsible and functional Road, Springwood 2777. Blackheath Golf Club , new future transport strategy. Hanging swamps are a very complex community activity, controlling noxious The meeting at the Conservation Hut, and vital to the functioning of our Upper Mountains nasties. 9.30, Mon 28 Aug. Fletcher Street, Wentworth Falls, will creeks and waterfalls. There is a need for protection Weedbusterlympics! start at 7.30 pm. Visitors are welcome. now, before they become degraded and just an item of Braeside area, Blackheath. scientific interest. If you want further information Come and see who can September Workshop contact Lyndal Sullivan 4782.1635 (ah). remove a square metre of The Impact of Fire on Biodiversity Montbretia, bag it and carry The loss of biodiversity of species is Meredith 4782.4823. it to scales the quickest! Sat one of the most serious environmental 2 Sept., 9.30 to 1 pm. issues in Australia today. Can bushfire Attack Gorse AGAIN! Wentworth Falls, former STP , bush hazard reduction be justified if species are The next Great Grose Gorse Walk is regeneration bush edges of weed plume. being lost? 19 August to 3 September. BMCS is Tues 5 Sept, 9.30. The impact of fire on biodiversity organising an activity day on Sunday Contact Cath Ireland (NPWS) will be discussed at a special meeting. 3 September. The site is at Blackheath, 4787.8877 (a.h. 4787.8061) for details of A panel of speakers who have expertise in corner of. Cross and Cleopatra Streets. other events and to register. fire ecology, including a speaker who will We will be meeting at 9am. It is to be a address the need to keep the community safe from fire, will “““Hut News ”, the newsletter of Blue Mountains Conservation SocieSocietyty Inc. address the meeting. There will be P.O. Box 29, Wentworth Falls, 2782 Phone 4757 1872 Fax 4757 1753 an open discussion with an Email: [email protected] Web page: http//www.pnc.com.au/~bmcs President: Robin MosmanMosman, Ph/Fax 4757.1354 First ViceVice President: Meredith BrownhillBrownhill, Ph.4782.4823 opportunity for questions. Second Vice President: Imre GahlGahl, Ph.4784-3286 CorrespondenceCorrespondence Secretary: Frances LoveLove, Ph.4757.2585 Meetings This event will take place along Secretary: Heather HullHull, Ph.4739.1493 Email [email protected] with other public events as part of Membership Secretary: Ross CosterCoster, Ph.(H)4759.1837 (W)4759.1247 Fax 4759.1095 Email [email protected] Earth Alive — Biodiversity Month Treasurer: Les CoyneCoyne, Ph:4757.3327 Fax:4757.2820 Email [email protected] Publicity: Jim Wallace 4784.3305 in September. The date is Friday 8 Land Use: Lyndal SullivanSullivan, Ph.4782.1635 Walks Convenor:Convenor: Bill GrahamGraham, Ph.4759.1692 September at 7.30 pm at the Plant Nursery Manager: David ColebyColeby, Ph/Fax:4784-1395 National Parks Officer: Lachlan GarlandGarland, Ph.4754.2796 Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls. Bushcare: Laura HaysHays, Ph.4782.7692 Email [email protected] For more information phone Education Subcommittee Convenor: Meredith Brownhill, Ph.4782.4823 Bushfire Rep: Hugh PatersonPaterson, Ph.4751-2303 Email [email protected] Projects: Don MorisonMorison, Ph.4782.9974 or 4759.2128 KathyKathy Gott, Ph.4739-8124 Martin BeveridgeBeveridge, Ph.4758.9829 Helga EsamieEsamie, Ph.4787.7690 Email [email protected] Mike PurtellPurtell, Ph.4751.2143 Email [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Christine DaviesDavies, Ph.4787-7246 Fax 4787-7777 Email [email protected] Hut News , No. 157, August 2000 — Page 1. bird aviaries, barbecues and clothes lines Grose River with sewage effluent? Don Morison’s are permitted without Council approval. A sewage pipeline from Blackheath to column will This occurs under a policy called the the sewage tunnel at North Katoomba “Local Approvals Policy”. There is would close yet another major point return next currently a review of this policy. You source of pollution in the head-waters of month. can collect copies at Council offices and the Blue Mountains National Park, make your comments by 4 September. bringing to nine the total of This draft policy has some changes decommissioned sewage treatment plants. Land Use Report from the existing policy. Many The transfer scheme has already ensured If you want further information or requirements have been added like that the Kedumba River is clean enough can help with any of the following ensuring that water tanks are “colour for swimming once more and many other items, phone or fax Lyndal Sullivan matched to background”. Unfortunately areas have benefited. 4782.1635 (ah). there are no requirements to safeguard On the other hand if the local Threat of Hanging Swamp to be sold the homes of our native friends. This Blackheath plant is to be supported, the for Housing Development in Leura policy does not clearly exclude these question that we in BMCS should address State Government has plans to sell “minor” developments from is will the effluent be highly treated so it off 12 housing lots behind Leura Primary environmentally sensitive lands. can be reused or just discharged to the School for residential development. Some, but not all, privately owned Grose River? The only realistic reuse Most of this land is covered by a hanging environmentally sensitive lands are option is for drinking water, as swamp. Over half of the area is steep zoned Environmental Protection. In duplication of the water lines would be and zoned “environmental protection”. theory developments are not permitted enormously expensive and no areas of Immediately behind the school are on EP lands (but this is not reinforced in suitable farm land exist nearby needing five very weed infested lots which need this policy). Other sensitive lands have irrigation. It follows that Sydney Water some attention. The Crown Land starts been identified as “environmental and the Blue Mountains Conservation just north of where Churchill Street constraint areas” and others have not Society must convert Blue Mountains' intersects with Mount Hay Road. been identified at all. This policy will residents to drinking a shandy of treated If this land is to be developed, the continue the “death by a thousand cuts” clean and reused water.