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Warriewood Wetlands Project

Warriewood Wetlands

History

Stand of Casuarina glauca trees.

The Bicentennial park was originally proposed in late 1977 and early 1978 by the Narrabeen Lagoon commitee and interested members of the community. They saw that there was a major shortage of puplic open space in the Ingleside, Elanora, and Warriewood suburbs and proposed a lineal park and enviroment reserve linking Ingleside to the sea.

The Bicentennial park has many important objectives, some of which include:

to protect an important catchment area for Narrabeen Lagoon,
to protect a rich and significant wildlife refuge for local and migratory bird species,
to protect the last remaining viable freshwater wetlands in the Northern Sydney region,
to provide a rich source of the original flora of the area,
to provide much needed passive and active recreation areas central to the north Warringah area,
to provide a rich study area for all levels of education,
to provide a buffer area between the planned urbanisation of the present rural areas of Ingleside from Warriewood.

Housing and roads come right
to the edge of the reserve areas.

After the idea received strong and widespread puplic support, the Bicentennial park commitee was formed in November 1978. Since that time, the commitee has been actively involved in promoting the park and reviewing all proposals for Warriewood valley in light of their potential impact on the park.

The State Government was quick to recognise the value of the Bicentennial park proposal. In 1978 the minister for lands, Mr W. Crabtree dedicated to Warringah Shire Council, free of charge, 11 acres of former water reserve land along Irrawong Rd through which Mullet creek flows, and this is an important connection between the recognised beauty of the Warriewood Waterfall and the wetlands proper. This was an important step in linking the existing parks between Ingleside and the sea.

Children from Elanora Heights
Primary School recording what
they can see, hear, smell and feel as they enjoy the waterfall area
during their Wetlands excursion.

Outlook across the Wetlands from near Katoa Close.

The Warriewood wetlands covering some 26 hectares are the focal point of the park. Thus the gazettal of IDO142 in 1978 was an important step in protecting the wetlands and establishing the park's viability.

The IDO provides for the ultimate purchase of the wetlands by the Council which recognised this commitment by allocating and investing funds to meet the acquisition cost when required. In 1979, the Council initiated negotiations for the purchase of privately owned portions of the wetlands.

Scene near Katoa Close

The reed beds are home to
many water bird such as wood ducks and the Dusky Moorhen.

Action by the community resulted in the Council acquiring, at no cost, 12 acres of IDO142 wetlands.

In 1981, following submission from the Commitee, the Council adopted Bicentennial Park as its official Bicentennial project. In 1987, the state Government adopted the Warriewood Wetlands as an official 1988 Bicentennial Celabrations, Commemorative project.

Bibliography :

Warriewood Wetland Draft Plan of Management
Pittwater Council 1997

Typed by Julien and Jack 4/5S

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Elanora Heights Primary School Computer Co-ordinator : Judith Bennett

This page was last modified on 11th November, 1998