By Andrew Wood, convenor, Blue Wren subcommittee, Bulletin 10/2023, December

Glebe’s Hill, from across Johnstons Creek. (Image: Andrew Wood)

At last, some good news – on Wednesday 15 November the final contract (Approval Temporary Access over Council Land) to permit the start of work on the Innovation and Ideas Grant was signed by the City of Sydney and the Society. It will enable the University of Sydney to commence its observations of fauna and flora on Glebe’s Hill, located between the Tramsheds and the light rail line, and six other reference parks and reserves in the local government area. The Society will now transfer $29,000 to the University’s Integrative Ecology Group led by Professor Dieter Hochuli. 

A contract between the City and the Society to permit the handover of Grant funds to the Society was signed in February, and a Research Collaboration Agreement between the Society and the University of Sydney was signed in April. The City awarded the Society the Grant, entitled ‘Glebe’s Hill – unravelling its biodiversity secrets and potential’, in November last year and it took more than 200 email chains, corresponding to over 1,000 emails, to complete the three contracts associated with the Grant. In Spring next year, the University will give a report to the Society about its research findings and will also present their results at a public information session to be held at the Harold Park Community Hall.