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The SMCMA Wetlands Program identifies significant wetlands in the
Sydney
region through a prioritisation technique developed in collaboration with Wetland Care
Australia
. This prioritisation technique provides a decision support tool for wetland rehabilitation investment across
Sydney
based on values, such as presence of threatened species or Endangered Ecological Communities (EECs), whilst accounting for threats, such as the level of weed invasion and poor water quality. This project will rehabilitate and encourage the effective management of priority wetlands in the Sydney Region by working with local land managers and community groups.
Stage 3
The primary activity of Stage 3 is the development or updating of Wetland Plans of Management (PoMs) for wetlands in the Sydney Metropolitan CMA (SMCMA) area. A Wetland PoM is a document that identifies issues affecting the wetland and outlines how that wetland and surrounding area is intended to be used, improved, maintained and managed in the future. They are essential documents for land managers to effectively manage wetlands and by their nature require a certain amount of work to be done to identify the status of a wetland. This activity, to provide incentive funding to land managers to update or develop PoMs, will increase the level of knowledge of wetlands in the Sydney region, help landowners direct their own funds into priority actions and provide a basis to seek grant funding for the wetland.
At the same time this program will contribute funding towards wetland rehabilitation works at one site in the
Sydney
area.
SMCMA officers will also continue to investigate the status of wetlands in
Sydney
and improve the GIS data available by reviewing the current GIS layer "The extent of wetlands in the SMCMA region 2007". This data from the updated PoMs will be included and further work done to categorise identified wetlands into the categories provided by the NSW Wetland Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting (MER) Strategy developed by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW). The output will be a more accurate layer of the location and classification of wetlands in
Sydney
for dissemination to land managers in the region.
Coordinator/Project delivered by: Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority
Project Partners: Fairfield Council, Parramatta Council, City of Ryde Council, Campbelltown Council, Strathfield Municipal Council, Sutherland Shire Council and Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water.
Funding Source: Caring for Our Country
Total funding amount: SMCMA: $150,000
Project timeframe: July 2008 to November 2009
Status: Active
  
Project Progress:
Plans of Management
The aim of this project is to identify key wetlands within the SMCMA area that require a Plan of Management, which will guide the protection of those wetlands and improve the condition and/or extent of the wetland. Six wetlands were identified, including:
Park Central -
Marsden
Park
(Campbelltown Council)
Park Central (
Marsden
Park
) is a regional park surrounded by high density residential and commercial (mainly medical related) land uses. Exceptionally high levels of public usage of the site occur from both residents and visitors. There is a remaining stand of the Endangered Ecological Community, Cumberland Plan Woodland. Water quality has been an ongoing issue since construction of the wetland was completed. Continuing development of the catchment exacerbates this issue.
Black swans have nested in this wetland and raised signets. Whilst bell miners are present, the current habitat also provides for extensive small bird habitat. The proposed Plan of Management will aim to improve habitat and water quality monitoring of the wetland. Further, the POM will assist in managing and controlling animal and plant pest species.
Marsden Park, Campbelltown
Cabramatta Wetland (
Fairfield
Council)
Cabramatta Wetland occurs in both the
Fairfield
and
Liverpool
City
local government areas and is the largest in-line fresh water wetland in the
Georges
River
catchment. The wetland is highly significant, providing habitat for rare and threatened flora, fauna and ecological communities. The wetland occurs within the Chipping Norton habitat area, which was ranked as having ?high? priority in the Rapid Fauna Assessment of the SMCMA. The site provides habitat for significant migratory birds including the Clamorous Reed-warbler and Rufous Fantail, in addition to species listed in CAMBA and JAMBA including the White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Cattle Egret and Latham?s Snipe. Threatened species such as the Eastern Yellow Robin and Regent Honeyeater have also been observed within the wetland area. The wetland is bounded by a riparian corridor of the Endangered Ecological Communities:
River-flat
Eucalypt
Forest
on Coastal Floodplains and
Swamp-oak
Floodplain
Forest
. Preliminary studies have shown that the wetland is performing valuable ecological functions by improving water quality of the creek.
Currently, there is no Plan of Management for the wetland although there are notable issues requiring management, such as weed invasion, stormwater infrastructure, erosion and sedimentation issues, rubbish dumping and feral animal infestations.
Cabramatta Creek Wetlands
Baludarri Wetland (
Parramatta
Council)
Baludarri wetland contains both an endangered
Swamp
Oak
Floodplain
Forest
community of the
Sydney
Basin
freshwater wetland as well as a continuous stretch of Endangered Coastal Saltmarsh in
Sydney
Basin
saltmarsh. The site is an important fish nursery on the
Parramatta
River
and is also used by many species of birds including Cattle Egret (JAMBA and CAMBA listed), Sacred Kingfisher, Flycatcher species, Black Shouldered Kites, as well as other fauna including lizards and frogs.
Baludarri Wetlands
Dunbar Park - Marsfield (City of Ryde Council)
The constructed wetland at
Dunbar
Park
is about 5 years old, and is the only wetland in the Ryde local government area. It has the very important role of treating stormwater runoff from the predominantly impervious residential Mars Creek catchment. The wetland system provides habitat for wildlife and is a focus for recreation users of the park and residents immediately adjoining the park. A regularly used walkway and resting/playground areas in the park adjoin the sedimentation basin, swale and wetland system, making it a prime location for appropriate interpretive land signage to promote the wetland and how it functions as an ecosystem.
Dunbar Park
Cox's Creek Reserve (Strathfield Municipal Council)
Cox's Creek Bushland Reserve is a 1.65 hectare remnant of
Cooks
River
Castlereagh
Ironbark
Forest
located in the suburb of Greenacre. The reserve is situated in a mixed residential/industrial area in the south of the Strathfield local government area. The site is dissected by two open watercourses forming part of a low lying alluvial floodplain of Cox?s Creek, which is a minor tributary to the
Cooks
River
. The site is now the only remaining remnant of a series of paperbark swamps that were originally located near the junction of Roberts Road and Juno Parade. Prior to Council management, the reserve was subjected to rubbish dumping, clearing, damage from vehicles and impacts from storm water surges.
The site provides habitat for threatened species including Litoria aurea (Green and Golden Bell Frog), Acacia pubescens, Wahlenbergia multicaulis and the
Endangered
Ecological
Community
Cooks
River
Castlereagh
Ironbark
Forest
.
Cox's Creek
Marton Park (Sutherland Council)
Marton
Park
wetland is an example of the Sydney Freshwater Wetlands that occur on the
Kurnell
Peninsula
. The wetland is an endangered ecological community (under provision of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995) that creates unique habitat for flora and fauna and also provides a resource to the general community for recreation, education and conservation. The wetland has been observed as providing habitat for a diversity of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and invertebrates including: Black Swans, White-faced Heron, Egret, Pacific Black Duck, Snake-necked Turtle and Red-bellied Black Snake. Threatened species that have been recorded using surrounding wetlands in the area as habitat include: Green and Golden Bell Frog, Wallum Froglet and Large-footed Mouse-eared Bat.
Marton Park Wetlands
Rehabilitation works:
Funding has been provided to rehabilitate Towra Point wetlands.
Towra Point Wetlands Invasive Species Control
Towra Point Nature Reserve is the largest wetland of its type in the
Sydney
Basin
and is a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) as well as listed on the national Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia (DIWA). Approximately 90% of saltmarsh and 50% of mangrove communities in the
Sydney
region are located at Towra Point. The diversity and size of different vegetation types supports many biological interactions and a complex food web that includes 24 threatened species and 6 endangered ecological communities.
Threats to Towra Point include invasive species such as Bitou Bush, Lantana, annual weeds and rabbits. This project will focus control works on these species over an area of 10 hectares at Towra Point. Works will involve manual weed removal, weed control using herbicide and rabbit control.
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