By Duncan Leys, President, and Andrew Wood, Blue Wren Subcommittee convenor

Figure 1. Main entrance gate to Glebe’s Hill at 12 Maxwell Road. Note the missing wire on the right gate panel through which people could easily enter the site (photo: Duncan Leys).

In last month’s Bulletin, Duncan reported the discovery in the City of Sydney’s archives of multiple reports about the significant contamination of Glebe’s Hill written in 2010 by JBS Environmental Pty Ltd. In response, the Society wrote in August to the Lord Mayor asking whether the Council has taken any steps to remove surface contaminants from the site or to monitor any changes in the water table, as recommended in the JBS report. And importantly, asking what progress has been made towards making the site safe permanently.

We also highlighted our concern about the condition of the site. Photographs taken recently showed that the site was not secure and the embankments are eroding beyond the containment fence line (Figure 1).

The status of the pathway (Figure 2) that runs along the southern boundary of the Hill (i.e. between the Hill and the Tramsheds) is not clear. It is open to access from either end. It has a locked gate part way down, which is ineffective as people can simply walk around it. 

Figure 2. Pathway along the southern side of Glebe’s Hill. Note the debris washing down the embankment and/or dumped on the pathway. (photo: Duncan Leys).

In our letter, we proposed a win-win solution – a win for the City of Sydney and a win for the people of Glebe and Forest Lodge!

  1. The City should secure Glebe’s Hill and its associated adjacent pathway. Secure fencing should be installed and signs placed warning of the contamination of the site and that public access is dangerous and not permitted. The two sites (the Hill and the pathway) should be considered as a single expanded Hill as there are now alternative, safe ways to walk from Glebe to Annandale.
  1. The City should designate the expanded Glebe’s Hill as a wildlife refuge.  With funds awarded to the Society in 2022, the School of Life and Environmental Science at the University of Sydney investigated the flora and fauna of the site. Their report concluded ‘The Glebe’s Hill project presents a significant opportunity to enhance urban biodiversity in the City of Sydney in a way that supports nature and people.’ Their recommendations included the planting of native species with staggered flowering periods to support pollinators and other wildlife.  The JBS environmental report stated that it is safe to enter the Hill for above ground activities, such as weeding and planting of native tube stock, provided there is no mechanical disturbance of the ground.
  1. The Society recommends that, due to its significant expense, no major remediation of the Hill should occur.  Major remediation would involve encapsulation of the contaminated material, surface capping of part or the entire site, treatment off- or on-site, or off-site disposal – all of which would be at great expense.   As an alternative, partial encapsulation may make the site sufficiently safe in order to build an observation walkway through the site (possibly on the bitumen-covered area of the Hill) for restricted and limited public access to enable the study of the resident wildlife.

We noted that these would be relatively simple, economical solutions that would create safe, limited access to Glebe’s Hill and bring the public closer to wildlife. 

We received a short but prompt response from Mary Ghaly, Public Lands Coordinator, City of Sydney:

 ‘The Lord Mayor has asked me to contact you in relation to the attached letter. I was asked to urgently attend to the broken fence as imaged in the attached. This work was completed last Friday, 15 August. You will hear from staff shortly who will address your other comments/requests.’ (See Figure 3).

Figure 3. Main entrance gate to Glebe’s Hill, following the City’s repair on 15 August of the missing wire on the right gate panel (photo: Andrew Wood)

More information

A full copy of our letter to the Lord Mayor on 6 August 2025

Notes summarising the findings of the various contamination reports

JBS Environmental’s 2010 reports on an Interim Environmental Management Plan and Remedial Options 

Sydney University report into biodiversity on the Hill