Sydney Water fixes riverbank at Tempe Recreation Reserve

This is the beautiful Fig tree that has been saved from tidal erosion & deep roots exposed to brackish water.  The work is definitely worth it.

Showing the tree that was saved, the new garden area and the new viewing area.

I am happy to see the beautiful work done by Sydney Water at the point in Tempe Recreation Reserve to restore the river bank & save one of the special fig trees growing here.  Deep roots of the fig tree have been exposed to the air & water due to tidal erosion.  My fear was that brackish water would have eventually killed the tree.

I first wrote about this tree in September 2013. See – http://bit.ly/1ZjG1xt

The riverbank area along what is the beginning of the Alexandria Canal has been fenced off for a few months now.  The exposed tree roots were cut & the area filled with soil.  The bank has been capped with a smooth sandstone wall that slopes to the water.  Slots have been left in the sandstone wall for riparian zone plants.  Some have been planted & look good already.

The area in front of the Fig tree has been fenced to prevent access to the water & I presume to prevent the launching of speed boats from this location.  It appears that a new fence will be erected right to the pedestrian bridge over the Alexandria Canal.

A fairly large garden area of what was once lawn has been created to the left of the Fig tree & planted with native grasses.  A compressed clay path leads between the garden area to a new viewing area where one can stand or sit on the wall & watch the river.   All the trees have been mulched.

I think the riverbank & viewing area look great.  It is a huge improvement on the eroded area & crumbing wall that was there before. The completion date is mid 2016, so we should see the finished outcome soon.  It is wonderful to see work done to save this tree & to enhance the beauty of this park.  Thank you Sydney Water.

New fencing, new sloped sandstone riverbank wall and slots for plants.

My guess is that Sydney Water have done around 100-metres of bank restoration. The new work looks so much better than the crumbing neglected rubbish filled area that was before.

 

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