The City of Sydney has released the final draft of its Urban Ecology Strategic Action Plan. Urban ecology is described as ‘the study of the relationship between living organisms and their environment in an urbanised context’. The City’s vision for the Plan ‘is to restore and conserve resilient urban ecosystems that support a diverse range of locally indigenous flora and fauna species, and in so doing to create a liveable City for all of its inhabitants’. (p4)
Glebe features significantly in the Plan. Our suburb holds a number of examples of remnant indigenous vegetation as well as planted and naturally regenerating plant communities. Most importantly, Glebe Foreshore Walk East to Orphan School Creek is nominated as one of the six high-priority sites identified to be given special attention for their biodiversity values.
Examples of indigenous vegetation in Glebe, either remnant or re-introduced, include: Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest species in Orphan School Creek and St John’s Anglican Church grounds; Coastal Saltmarsh along Johnstons Creek Canal and Rozelle Bay foreshore; possible remnant Eucalyptus botryoides in Lewis Hoad Reserve, and planted and naturally regenerating stands of Mangrove in Bicentennial Park and The Anchorage.
Glebe Foreshore Walk East to Orphan School Creek covers a number of pocket parks adjoining Johnstons Creek Canal – AV Henry Reserve, Minogue Crescent Reserve, Lewis Hoad Reserve, Canal Reserve, JV McMahon Reserve, Wigram Road Reserve and Spinder Reserve in Leichhardt LGA – as well as the major waterfront parks. This corridor is nominated as a high-priority site because it displays:
- a relatively continuous area of open space from the Glebe Foreshore to Forest Lodge, a distance of 2.5 kilometres
- remnant and re-introduced endangered species
- very high flora species diversity as a result of bushland restoration works
- diverse fauna habitat features
- high potential to expand bush restoration works
- the greatest potential to provide an almost continuous habitat corridor in the LGA
- potential for naturalisation of Johnstons Creek Canal.
The contribution of the Glebe Bushcare Group to bush regeneration along this corridor is acknowledged in several places in the Plan, as is the work of the Blue Wren Group at Paddy Gray Reserve.
Ernest Pedersen Reserve, in Ferry Road, is also given as an example of a pocket park at which habitat planting and other habitat enhancements could be undertaken.
Actions and timeframe, stretching over the next 10 years, for the enhancement of the Glebe Foreshore – Orphan School Creek corridor cover such things as the establishment of representative patches of likely original vegetation communities, incorporating bush restoration and habitat enhancement principles into landscaping of new open space, and naturalisation of Johnstons Creek Canal (already approved as part of the Johnstons Creek Parkland Masterplan).
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Hello
The parcel of land you are referring to is known as The Hill. Although it is Crown Land it is under the control of City of Sydney.
It is a site that was included in the 2013 Johnston’s Creek Parkland Masterplan. The masterplan is still available on the City’s website at https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/strategies-action-plans/johnstons-creek-parklands-master-plan. You will be able to find the sections relating to The Hill in these documents.
Some years ago, , when I was Environment convenor for the Glebe Society, we wrote to Council asking about their intentions in relation to completing the whole Masterplan, including the proposal in relation to the Hill. We were told that there was no further work on the Masterplan proposed. The problem with the site is that it was used, prior to the transfer of this area from Leichhardt to City of Sydney, as an informal dumping ground, and it is contaminated, without much documentation of what is involved. The proposal in 2013 was to cap the site and take advantage of its height and the views offered. However, Council has apparently decided that dealing with the contamination is too challenging.
Regards,
Jan Macindoe
Hello,
I emailed the Tram Museum about the abandoned site between the Harold Park Tramsheds and Jubilee Park light rail station, wondering if it had been connected with tram operations.
Matthew from the museum wrote the following:
“A search on Land Registry Services online shows the parcel of land as ‘crown lands’ for both DPs that show up against 12 Maxwell St. I remember when the goods line was being converted to light rail, that site was used as a materials and plant staging area.
“I suspect the ‘danger’ now is someone’s dumped asbestos there. I do not know of any historical attachment with the tram depot or the goods line. It may well be that wedged between the railway and the tram depot the land was unusable and its some how managed to survive being sold off. I guess it’s too small to build an apartment block on.”
I’m thinking of Rob Stokes on his appointment as Minister for Open Spaces committing to “have the first right to identify and protect existing Government-owned land that should be preserved as parkland or public space.” and wonder if the Glebe Society has discussed with him12 Maxwell St for dedication to regeneration.
As a northern tablelands person I’m impressed with the remnant vegetation and sandstone. Would love to see Blue Wrens, Thornbills and Red- Browed Finches here- along with the honeyeaters