The habitat trees in Sydney Park – update

The dead habitat trees are visible from some vantage points

‘Habitat trees’ are trees that have been killed because they are considered dangerous due to dropping limbs or other issues, but left on site.  Their canopy & their branches are removed.  The trees are ringbarked & artificial hollows are carved into the remaining wood.  Sometimes, nesting boxes are also attached.

The idea is that even though dead, the trees continue to provide habitat for hollow-dependent wildlife.  About 350 Australian animals use hollows for either roosting or nesting.  It takes around 100-150 years for a tree to even start developing hollows, so our wildlife is at a distinct disadvantage with tree hollows being very scarce across Australia.

I was really pleased to see the changes around the ‘habitat trees’ in Sydney Park.  I last wrote about these trees here – http://bit.ly/2fQ9DkG

The area around both trees has been extensively planted making what I consider viable habitat for a range of species, especially small birds. Instead of two highly visible standing dead trees, the City of Sydney Council has surrounded these trees with densely planted living trees, shrubs & understory plants. To me it looks like the bush.

I am not good at estimating distances, but my guess is that it is at least 25-metres of thick bush around the two habitat trees.  Already a number of living trees are the same height as the two dead trees.  This provides supreme cover & safety for any wildlife who are using the man-made hollows.

I think what has been created here is perfect.  Real habitat has been provided for wildlife & we are not left with what could be considered an eye-sore of looking at two heavily pruned dead trees.  The trees have blended into the new landscape and are not the only thing ones eyes focus on.

You can sit in comfort at a number of places near this area & watch & listen to the birds making it great for bird photography too.

The dead trees almost disappear from other angles. I love that City of Sydney Council plants densely in some areas.

What I love about Sydney Park – part 2

You can just see the black fencing around the pond. This unobtrusive fence keeps both dogs and people away from the ponds and protects the waterbirds.

 

This is a series of posts because there is much I love about Sydney Park.  You can read points 1- 5 here  – http://bit.ly/1U1Y9Ib

 

6.  The fencing around the ponds & wetlands – Unfortunately in years past a number of black swans in the ponds were killed by dogs.  The council has dealt with this by installing fencing around the ponds to keep dogs & people out, providing safety for water birds.  Unobtrusive black fencing was used & hidden amongst lush vegetation.  It is great to see the safety of the wildlife given priority over human beings.  Installing fencing that does not detract from the landscape is quite a skill. City of Sydney Council has achieved this in my opinion.

Look towards another pond and the fencing is even harder to spot.

7.  The dog pond – Recently a ‘dog water station’ was created. Now that dogs cannot enter the ponds or wetlands, they have their own place to get cool. It’s great to see happy dogs enjoying themselves.   It’s also great entertainment for others who don’t have dogs.

One very happy dog enjoying the dog water station. He was told to sit for the photo.  Out of view were two or three other dogs who were playing together before I took this photo.  They wanted to keep their privacy 🙂

8.  The water feature – Last year long terracotta half-pipes were installed to carry water to the ponds. Not only do they look good, but they also create a peaceful sound effect of falling water, which is very relaxing.  There are park benches around this area, so plenty of room for people to sit & chill out.  The vegetation in this area is growing well with new trees & lots of different plants.  The birds like this area too, presenting some great opportunities for photographers.

A small section of the terracotta pipes that pour water making a lovely sound. These are in a number of places throughout the ponds. I like them very much.

9.  The AIDS Memorial Grove – This is a forested area adjacent to Barwon Park Road. Every tree & plant here has been planted by volunteers since the Grove’s creation in 1994.  I am a huge fan of memorial trees as they represent life, growth & beauty & have great meaning to those who have lost someone they love.  The AIDS Memorial Grove is a wonderful & respectful way for the Council to acknowledge the huge numbers of people who have died because of AIDS-related illnesses.  This initiative also allows the community to participate in creating an area of peace & beauty, which I think is quite a healing opportunity that brings people together.

10.  The half-half hill – I call this the half-half hill because half of the hill is planted with native grasses & the other half is lawn.  It is creative & lovely to look at.  The hill offers duel use – one side for people & the other side for wildlife.  The native grass side leads to a valley that incorporates a large swale with thick planting along either side – perfect for wildlife, yet still visible for people.  You don’t need to stand still for long before you see birds in this area.

The half half hill. A simple, but creative idea that I have always liked.  Obviously this is the lawn side, but you can see the native grasses creating a spine. 

11.  Seats – I love that there are so many park benches & other places for people to sit in this park. I love that these seats are scattered everywhere meaning that we don’t all need to be corralled on top of each other.

There are seats in open places, park benches in secluded places, seats surrounded by plants & trees, seats at lookouts, seats under trees, seats in the sun, seats in the AIDS Memorial Grove, seats overlooking the ponds, seats beside the ponds, seats at the café, seats at the playground & even a park bench on top of the hill looking over the whole park.

Seats comprise of park benches, slabs of sandstone beside planted areas, concrete & wood structures, concrete ledges & even a small amphitheater of concrete steps built for people to comfortably sit.

Not everyone wants to or can sit on a blanket on the grass.  This is the realm of the young &/or healthy. People with physical disabilities find it difficult when there are no seats, so do the elderly or people who are unwell.  Sitting down on the ground can be a difficult option for those with a sore or restricted body.

Lots of seats allow people to walk a longer distance, knowing that there are places where they can stop & rest for a bit.  In my opinion, far too many of our parks are not set up to allow those that need seats to be able to use the parks because of the lack of seating.  I have been thrilled to see an elderly couple down at the river at Mackey Park sitting on one of the new park benches installed by Marrickville Council in 2015.  I’ve never seen them before, yet most evenings you can see them on the bench, watching the river & chatting to each other.

Seats allow people to get out of their homes because they offer safety.  Sick people & old people need parks & green spaces just as much as everyone else – more in my opinion.  However, the infrastructure is often not there to support them.  Generally, all that is offered is park benches in or near the playground & this is not the place people without children want to sit.

We all get old & most of us will find ourselves in need of places to sit at some stage in our life.  Being out in nature, in green spaces has been proven to have an enormous positive benefit on people’s physical, mental & spiritual health.   However, they have to be able to access it in a way that is safe for them to do so.  Plentiful seating provides this to a great degree.  The City of Sydney Council has, in my opinion, created a space that is open to everyone regardless of limitations.

On last thing – there are a number of park benches in Sydney Park that do not have a slab of concrete underneath them, which I really like.  I’ve never quite understood why so much concrete is needed to install a park bench.  Simple is good.

Here ends part 2 of why I love Sydney Park.  More later.

My favourite seat in Sydney Park.  It blends into the surrounding environment so well that I often miss it. Recently I counted 11 species of tree and shrubs, all within 2-3 metres of this park bench. It is a quiet place away from the path. People need places like this because they allow people to really slow down.  Parks should have peaceful areas.  

Not officially seats, but we have sat here on a number of occasions. Seats don’t always have to be formal and I am sure the council saw these sandstone blocks as potential seats when they installed them.

There are bench seats here with shade and privacy. This kind of seat is common in areas where there is a view.

There are also quite a few picnic table setups too. I seem to remember that there are no more than two of these in each location, so we are all not piled up close to each other. Another thing I like is that there are no barbecues – therefore no smoke and no piles of coals everywhere.  

 

What I love about Sydney Park – part 1

The City of Sydney Council has done much to make Sydney Park a truly excellent park.  From its history of being brick pits to a garbage landfill dump, it has been transformed into a sparkling jewel in the Inner West.  Nothing is stagnant in this park.  Every time I visit I see changes.  There is always new growth & new trees planted.  The council seems to plant trees all year round.  New public art appears, as do extra features, extra seats & new areas of plant cultivation. It’s an ever-changing landscape that I know is much appreciated by those that frequent this park.  I am not alone in thinking Sydney Park is special.

This will be a multiple set of posts because there is a lot I love about this park.

No n sightlines here, except for along the path, yet no-one is scared. It is great to see real habitat like this, especially so close to the city. I stood here and counted 11 species of tree in this one location.

1. The trees – Instead of the usual fare of trees around the periphery or in patterns or rows, trees are everywhere. While there are large expanses of lawn, it appears to me that the City of Sydney is planning for biodiversity & shade.  There is no shortage of places to sit underneath a shady tree & you don’t need to be on top of each other to find this.  This is helped by the size of the park – a whopping 44 hectares, but the landscape design has obviously made strong decisions to allow people to find spaces alone or with others.  There is plenty of choice.

There is a huge variety of native trees, which produce food for wildlife.  There are also hundreds of Fig trees, which when mature are going to look stupendous.  Some were planted recently, while others were planted when the park was opened in 1991 or soon after.

Throughout the park are mini forests with thick understoreys that are filled with chattering birds.  Casuarina are not the dominant tree & have been kept in one forest.

The two National Tree Day planting sites are developing well.  It is really pleasing to see such large expanses transforming into forested areas when one has participated in the planting of these.

I love that there are trees outside the perimeter of the park, around the perimeter & also in areas all through the park.  Trees are a major feature of this park & for me it is excellent to spend time in such a heavily treed park.    There are some gorgeous trees in Sydney Park, even in the car park.

I also really like that the trees are so thick in the area opposite the roundabout that you cannot see into the park in this area.  I am used to see-through parks, where you can see the cars where you are & cars at the opposite side of the park & hear them as well.  Even at the edges of Sydney Park, there are areas where you can feel like you are away from roads & traffic.  Peace is a big aspect of Sydney Park.

2. The understorey – It is obvious that much planning has gone into creating an understorey to create viable habitat & improve biodiversity. Instead of what we see along the Cooks River where small groups of trees have been thinned out & the understorey removed to provide absolute visibility from one side to the other, the City of Sydney Council seems to be unafraid of areas where sightlines are poor.  There are multiple shrubs, grasses & other plants growing under the many trees creating areas of thick, lush & viable habitat that must improve biodiversity by providing safe areas for wildlife.

People don’t appear to be afraid of these bushy areas either.  I’ve seen many women walking alone or with a young child.  People seem to respect these areas as well.  I have never seen people destroying these areas of bush.  That many areas are loosely fenced off may be helping by sending a subtle message to keep out.  Areas of recent regeneration are more formally fenced off with signs explaining why.  There is quite a bit of educational content in these signs as well.

One of the National Tree Day sites in Sydney Park – lovely thick understory lightly fenced off and respected by the community.

3. No graffiti & very little litter – I’ve long believed that if a place is beautiful, people will respect it & I think this is happening at Sydney Park. There is litter, but it is not obvious, nor is is much.  Tree trunks have not been tagged, nor have other structures like buildings, seats or paths, as far as I have seen.  I have not seen tree bark gouged out with people’s initials either, except on one very old Fig tree & this probably predates the formation of the park.

4. The ponds – Central to Sydney Park is its pond system, which collects stormwater from the local areas, cleans it & creates a fresh water haven for waterbirds & other wildlife. Three ponds follow the slope of the land, while a fourth pond is tucked away in the lower corner surrounded by a circle of thick trees.

The stormwater harvesting system began in early 2013 & although already looking fabulous, is still a work in progress. Around 850-million litres of stormwater is captured & cleaned every year.  A bio-retention system collects water & filters it through plant roots & soil before it enters the ponds.  Water is also circulated to stop it going stagnant, creating a living vital space for wildlife.

The ponds themselves are beautiful creations & even more beautiful since the wetlands were added & planted last year.  There are a number of cairns that might offer homes for insects & lizards, while big logs & wooden piers offer natural perches for waterbirds.  The island has been left to grow wild, which is fantastic for the birds.  Dead trees have been placed hanging over the water, again offering a natural place for waterbirds.  Last week half a dozen little black cormorants were perched on one proving my point.   There are areas of thick reeds for nesting & for eating.

I love the viewing stations that allow people to interact with friendly waterbirds who come for a look.  I also love the new area where the water travels down the hill that has stepping stones allowing people to walk across the water.  This area is lush with plants & is exceptionally beautiful.

This area is exceptionally beautiful in my opinion. It is new, so will only improve as the plants and trees grow.

Little black cormorants

I was admiring the artful placement of this log when a pelican hopped up and had a scratch.

Habitat for wildlife. On the left you can just see a wren perched on this log. This log is one of many placed in the new wetland areas.

5. Water for birds – It’s not hard for a bird to have a drink in Sydney Park. As a result, there are lots of birds because it is a nice safe place to live. There are lots of water bubblers scattered around the park & they all have a bowl at the bottom, ostensibly for dogs to have a drink, but it is not unusual to see birds drinking from this bowl either. To me not having access to fresh water for birds in parks is cruel & goes against every attempt to improve local biodiversity.  Councils can have statements & biodiversity policies, but if there is no fresh water available for wildlife in parks & along biodiversity corridors, then this is a token approach in my opinion.  Every living beings needs to be able to have a drink, including birds, insects & lizards & they need better & more reliable access than stormwater drains & puddles.

6. 

   It’s only a water bubbler, but the water bowl at the bottom can mean life for a bird or other small animal.  Plus there are many of these throughout the park.

Beautiful Arthur (Paddy) Gray Reserve in Glebe

Such a lovely surprise to be able to wander along a bush path in an inner city park.

Another area of great habitat for al birds, especially little birds.  You can just see houses in the background, but it is easy to ignore them and focus on the lovely landscape.

Quite by accident we discovered the loveliest bush-like park in Glebe, within spitting distance from Sydney CBD. Called Arthur (Paddy) Gray Reserve, it is in Hereford Street Glebe.

According to the plaque Arthur Gray Reserve was originally dedicated in 1958 to commemorate Arthur (Paddy) Gray (b:12 June 1892 d:19 July 1977), who was a cricketer for New South Wales & first Grade Rugby League for Glebe.   In 1998 the park was upgraded & officially reopened by Leichhardt Council. Wow, did they do a good job!  As I understand, the park is now under the management of the City of Sydney Council.

This park is full of native trees & shrubs to encourage & provide habitat for urban wildlife. There is an old Cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli) at the entrance surrounded by the loveliest grass I have ever seen. The Cockspur originates from South America & unfortunately has naturalised in coastal districts of eastern Australia.   This tree can be a problem along waterways & wetlands, but not likely a lone tree in an inner city park where the local council manages any spread.

There are many Spotted gums, a fig or two & also a Moreton Bay Chestnut (Castanospermum australe) that stands alone as a feature tree.  Right now it is covered in lime green bean-like seedpods that are very attractive.

Many grasses & shrubs or varying sizes have been planted for the little birds, especially Blue Wrens. The Glebe Society’s ‘Blue Wren Group’ planted locally native shrubs & grasses to encourage biodiversity in the park. Dead logs are scattered around for the benefit they provide. The Blue Wren Group regularly holds bird surveys that anyone can participate in for free.

There are three areas of lawn – not too large, but large enough to run around & play or exercise. This park allows you to wander bushy paths & find one of the many bench seats to sit & listen to the birds & watch them if lucky enough to spot them.

I stood there & felt amazed that I felt like I was in a bush area, yet was actually in a densely populated area so close to the CBD.  The volunteers have done a fabulous job creating a safe habitat for urban wildlife, as well as a place filled with beauty & much sought after peace for the community.

This is my kind of park. I highly recommend a visit if you like to feel that you have got away from crowds, noise & the sight, smell & sound of traffic. The first thing I noticed was how great the air smelt when I walked into the park. It’s beautiful & a local treasure.

There is an old old Cockspur coral tree at the entrance surrounded by a densely planted garden bed that develops  ed into a bush pocket.

I loved the grasses in the garden bed surrounding the Cockspur coral tree, which you can just see the lower branches. The grasses were great to touch & looked like they would have once been full of seeds. If I am correct, they would be another source of food for little birds.

The grassed area with newly planted gums in amongst older trees. A beautiful and peaceful place.

Guided by dragonflies in Bicentennial Park

The raised boardwalk through the Badu Mangroves.

The path beside The Pond.

A small section of The Pond through a screen of Bulrushes.

We spent a very interesting afternoon at Bicentennial Park, part of the Sydney Olympic Village in Homebush yesterday. There is so much to do there, as the park spreads over 40-hectares. We started off on a long walk through the stunning Badu Wetlands.

The wetland starts with a Casuarina forest. The trees are young, but close together & the ground is thick with needles. Then the mangroves start. The raised wooden boardwalk takes you past different aspects of the mangrove forest. In some areas lush green plants grow in the under-storey. In other areas the ground is filled with water & millions of pneumatophores poke up above the shallow water. Pneumatophores are roots that obtain oxygen for the mangrove tree & can be found many metres away.

Anywhere where there is water you can see schools of tiny fish darting around in the sunshine. Some were living in around 10-centimetres of water. The mangroves did not have much of a smell, but what I did smell was nice. The area is obviously healthy with water transference happening to prevent stagnation.

Apart from the mangroves there are lots of Casuarinas, some eucalypts and some paperbark trees. There are also plenty of birds, including waterbirds.

Of special enjoyment was the abundance of dragonflies that were everywhere. They appeared quite curious flying close for a look & following us on our walk. I would not be exaggerating if I said we saw 50 dragonflies – blue, red, black & brown. Since it is special to see a dragonfly in Marrickville, I found seeing so many exciting. Plus I have never taken a walk with dragonflies as my escort.

Mangroves are carbon sinks with their carbon sequestration similar to rainforests, so they are extremely important in managing climate change. They are complex ecosystems rich in biodiversity & serve as a nursery for fish, both fresh & saltwater, plus crabs & other crustaceans.

I am very happy such a large area of mangrove wetland has been preserved & not given over to development. There is plenty of development with multiple high-rise next to the park with more being built, which you can see anytime you face the right direction & look up. These are tall buildings.

Once you walk through the mangroves the path takes you to The Pond, which is much larger than I anticipated. The pond itself is gorgeous & very natural. There are many islands in this body of water & the vegetation everywhere is lush. I found it beautiful & was sorry when this walk ended.

The bitumen path beside The Pond is suitable for wheelchairs. The raised wooden boardwalk through the mangroves may be suitable too, but might be a bit bumpy over the wooden slats. I love that there are areas for wildlife only & it is clear that people should not enter.

From here we walked up a hill to see what we could see. This took us into an area with rows of tall eucalypts, a large area of lawn, then rows of London plane trees. It reminded me of Canberra. Large groups of people were picnicking in the shade of these trees.

We found a hedged garden. The Murraya hedge is in bloom, so the perfume of oranges was in the air. Inside is a path that followed formal plantings of flowers. There are lots of Salvia for the bees & they were enjoying themselves. There are two large canopy trees with a bench on either side. Each bench was being used by a person taking time out to read.

In the middle if this formal garden is a large Iceberg rose with many blooms & a plaque underneath that read – “Love is all that we have, the only way that we can each help the other. ~ Euripides (480-505 BC. Greek Playwright).”   

We followed a long tree-lined pedestrian promenade that has a waterplay area at one end & the Treillage Tower at the other. I declined climbing it, but there were many people up there enjoying the view.

From here we went to Lake Belvedere, a very large lake surrounded by picnic areas & the location of a café/restaurant. The lake had many coots, black swans & ducks swimming around. I could see two darters resting on a tree on an island. Massive fish could be seen.  I think they were Koi, but it doesn’t matter because they do not allow fishing.   There are also eels according to some children I spoke with.  According to the signs there are many species of water birds living there & guided bird walks are held regularly.

This is a wildlife paradise, as people are kept out of their areas & stopped from killing them. Programs like wildlife classrooms teach people the benefits of wildlife, so we get to look, learn & watch. There are also a number of signs explaining what people should not do & why. I like this approach a lot.

There are scattered picnic kiosks & lots of shady areas to set up a picnic.  The lake has a large pier where people can interact with the ducks, fish & black swans that come to say hello hoping for food that the signs say not to provide & for good reasons too.   The lack of food doesn’t stop the fish & birds from being friendly though.

One other thing that I really liked about this park is the trees. There are lots of trees & good variety of species.  I was particularly pleased to see that, like Sydney Park, they have planted hundreds of Hill’s Figs. They provide a wonderful sight planted along the roads & of course, are great trees for wildlife.

It’s been around a decade since I visited & the improvements are remarkable. I recommend a visit, as there is plenty to see & do. There are areas full of people & areas where you could be anywhere – where it is quiet & there is only you & nature. Places like this are precious.

A grassed area with the hedged garden, rows of trees and waterplay in the distance gives an idea just how large this park is.

A small view of Lake Belvedere showing a promenade and part of the pier on the left.

Only because Black Swans are so special.

 

Glorious Redfern Park

Part of the central path to the fountain installed in 1889. The Canary Island palms are the tallest I have seen.

Some of these veteran Canary Island palms have a bend, which I think is rather nice.

Magnificent veteran Fig with incredible aerial roots. Two thirds of this tree is not in the photo.

After decades of driving past & wishing I could stop & go inside Redfern Park, today I finally did & boy, it was well worth it.

A bit of history – prior to 1885 the land that became Redfern Park was deemed “a dangerous ‘pestiferous bog’ known as Boxley’s Lagoon.” In 1885 Redfern Council (now the City of Sydney Council) gazetted the 12-acres to form Redfern Park. It was designed as a “Victorian pleasure ground” & thankfully, retains much of this feel today.

In 2014 Redfern Park was awarded the ‘Green Flag Award’ for recreation & relaxation & recognised as one of the top parks in the world. I was not surprised when I read this, feeling that my absolute pleasure at this park was justified.  More of the park’s interesting history can be found here – http://bit.ly/1fcFLvk

The park is surrounded by truly magnificent Fig trees. Many have incredible aerial roots that hang down to within a 1.2 metres from the ground, while others have a canopy spread of around 20-metres.

There are also Cabbage & Canary Island palms at the impressive sandstone entrance gates & also in lines throughout the park. There is a massive & perfectly shaped London Plane tree showing how regal this species can look when it doesn’t need to be pruned for powerlines. There is also a gorgeous River Red Gum that makes me think of Central Australia. With today’s blue skies it was easy to imagine this. Much to my delight there is also a Bottle tree.

This list of the registered significant trees in Redfern Park came from the City of Sydney website – see http://bit.ly/1mrY8I9 I must say it is wonderful to be able to find out details of the trees planted, their history & significance.

There are a whopping 86 protected significant trees in Redfern Park making it a jewel less than 2-kms from Sydney CBD.

• 21 Deciduous Fig trees (Ficus superba var. henneana)
• 4 Moreton Bay Figs (Ficus macrophylla)
• 8 Port Jackson Figs (Ficus rubiginosa)
• 3 Norfolk Island Pines (Araucaria heterophylla)
• 1 Queensland Lacebark (Brachychiton discolour)
• 1 London Plane (Platanus x acerifolia)
• 1 River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis)
• 1 Maiden’s Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis)
• 31 Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis)
• Indian Bean (Catalpa speciosa)
• 10 Washington Palms (Washingtonia robusta)
• 2 Date Palms (Phoenix dactylifera)
• 2 Jelly Palms (Butia capitata)

Part of the park includes Redfern Oval – home of the South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Club.   There is succession planting of both Fig trees & Canary Island Palms surrounding this oval. The roof of the stands of the oval is covered in solar panels – another good thing to see.

Showing the historic gates & a gorgeous residential street beyond. Look at that canopy & lush verge gardens. I bet it is a great street to live in.

The oval has multiple large gates that when closed form a fence.  However, they were open to allow the public access to the oval. People were all through this park & oval & it was obvious that is a popular place to spend some time. There were dogs both on leads & leash-free. People were picnicking in the centre of the oval while others walked or ran. To me it was great to see this area opened for use of the public.

There was one barbeque facility & people were cooking while we were there.

Inside the park is a gorgeous ornate fountain that was installed in 1889 & refurbished in 1991.  The fountain area is a delightful & peaceful place to sit & watch the water & passersby. The fountain also provides an important water source for the many birds that call this park & local area home. Water in a public park was very pleasing to see. I wish other parks also provided fresh water for birds.

There is also a well-maintained & attractive war memorial that was erected in 1919 to commemorate 137 local men who lost their lives in the First World War 1914-1919.

The children’s playground was simple, but lovely. Rather than all the entertainment coming from the playground, children were running around the park & exploring.

Close-up of the water sculpture called “Lotus Line’ designed by Fiona Foley. It’s utterly gorgeous in my opinion.

A marvelous feature in this park is a water sculpture called “Lotus Line’ designed by Aboriginal artist & academic Fiona Foley. Multiple lotuses stand tall & around these shoots spouts of water. It is a waterplay park with a difference & still spouting water in winter.  Kids were playing ‘karate chop’ with the waterspouts & able to do this without getting wet. I imagine it is a different scene on hot summer’s days.

Ms Foley also designed large seedpods & other sculptures for the children’s playground. Kids can enter or climb these art works. They were very beautiful to my eye & rather than detract from the surrounding landscape, added another almost secret dimension.  Her artwork in Redfern Park is very nature-orientated, which I think is a good thing as it engages children’s consciousness & hopefully makes them more respectful of the environment.

One other thing that I found impressive & smart on Sydney City Council’s behalf was that all the garden beds were planted with the one plant. I think it is called Philodendron ‘xanadu,’ though I may be wrong.  The wide garden beds around the periphery of the park & under the trees were thick with this lush plant & they served to block out much of the sight of the busy passing traffic.

Mono-planting if done well, as it is in this case, can look terrific. There were no empty garden beds or areas that looked dead or only covered with mulch. The garden beds also served to provide a safe habitat for any ground dwelling wildlife.  Also, most trees in the park were surrounded by a generous ring of mulch, so no chance of injury from a whipper-snipper or lawn mower & also very good for the continuing health of the tree.

Another view of the Canary Island Palms, this time from the south side of the park.

What I found astounding was the lack of litter in this park. There were no cigarette butts, drink cans, bottle tops & other litter, even under the trees & in the gardens.  I saw one bottle & a couple of tissues in our two-hour stay & the park was full of people.   A colony of Australian White Ibis lives in the park & not a sigle one of them has leg injuries from discarded string or the like.

What makes one section of the community treat their park well, while another a short drive away thinks nothing of leaving everything they don’t want behind? I don’t think I will ever understand this.

There was no graffiti, but there was chalk drawings on the pavement done by children.   One of the messages said, “Don’t worry about a thing. Be happy.”

There was no evidence of any kind of vandalism either.   All the newly planted trees were left untouched. No tree trunk was spray-painted. Neither were the historic sandstone entrance gates, bench seats, bins or other structures. The fountain looked new, not 126-years-old.  Respect for the environment is obvious in this park.

Redfern Park is special.  I highly recommend a walk on a sunny day to take in the delightful sights of so many magnificent trees & the other wonderful aspects of this marvelous park. Don’t wait decades like I did before you take a step back into history when parks were elegant places for promenading & people watching. Casual clothing is accepted these days, but probably not in the 1880s.  I would give Redfern Park ten stars for beauty, ambience, amenity, art, sport, community & peace.

An incredibly lovely Victorian fountain that not only looks beautiful & sounds peaceful, but is also a fresh water source for local birds & other wildlife.  Seatung surrounded the fountain.

One of the magnificent trees in Redfern Park.  Everywhere one looks there is beauty.

Phenomenal Red River gum in the background with one of the artworks by Fiona Foley. This one could be climbed or entered.  

Sublime Fig tree in Redfern Park. Note the landscaping that protects the trees, adds beauty & habitat, but also separates the park from the street beyond.

Looking twards the centre of the park from under a massive canopy of a veteran Fig tree.

The ‘Lotus Lines’ water scupture was enjoyed by myself, a meditating man, some children wo are just visible inside & these dogs.

 

Stormwater harvesting in Sydney Park

View of part of the new works looking up the hill.

The cascade area with permeable paths & seating scattered throughout.

We went to Sydney Park last weekend after a gap of a few months. The changes are astronomically good.  No wonder City of Sydney Council has been awarded a Green Flag for Sydney Park. They deserve it.

Sydney Park covers 44-hectares & a fair section of the park consists of a series of swales, ponds & lakes, that together harvest stormwater from surrounding streets. The harvested stormwater will be used to irrigate the park & top up the wetlands.

The Water Reuse Scheme commenced in April 2013 & appears to be nearing completion. The works will cost $10.5 million & harvest & clean a massive 850-million-litres of stormwater per year.

Even the work around the drains looks attractive.

Stormwater is diverted through underground pipes
 & taken through pollutant traps & series of bio-retention beds to filter & clean it from all sorts of pollutants, such oil from roads.  
The water then travels to a retention pond that gradually fills the four lakes & wetlands further down the hill.

All this provides a wonderful habitat for a range of wildlife, especially waterbirds. Harvesting stormwater is not only sustainable, but also works towards preventing flooding in areas outside the park.

You only need to look around to see the extent of works done by City of Sydney Council around this project. There are many swales that travel beside the pathways throughout the park.  Even when there is not a swale beside the path, there is a groove at the side of the path that channels water to swales & then to small ponds or wetlands. The ponds & wetlands serve to clean the water before it reaches the lakes. They are fabulous little spots of biodiversity & very nice to look at.

Paths meander down to this new watercourse. It looks to be that people will be able to cross on these sandstone platforms. It’s very beautiful.

The large swale that was defined by the Cabbage palm trees is now a watercourse. I was pleased to see that the the palms were retained. A great deal of work has been done here.   Thousands of plants have been planted.  There are large wetland areas, new attractive seating, permeable paths, lookouts & areas where one can quietly reflect. Gabian walls are used everywhere.   They not only look attractive & act as retaining walls, but also provide habitat for insects & lizards.

The problem of dogs killing the black swans has been permanently fixed by fencing.  The Council has chosen fencing that is not intrusive to the eye.  It will keep both dogs & humans out, which is very good.  A dog water station is being installed for the dogs to cool off.

Every piece of furniture – seats, tables, benches, fencing, railings, bike racks, lighting & bins – is attractive.  City of Sydney Council has chosen carefully for durability & aesthetics.  These things make the park very attractive to me.

There are newly planted trees everywhere & they all seem to be Australian natives.  Trees are planted in groups together providing safer habitat for wildife & more visual impact for people. The trees also act as a wind break, as well as offer shade. I did not see one seating arrangement that did not include one to three shade trees planted around the seating. There is lots of seating dotted everywhere, especially where there is a nice view.

Huge log surrounded by vegetation offering good protection for wildlife.

Everywhere are islands of dense planting, all with a variety of Australian native plants. Native grasses are used, but they are not the main plant used. Many of the bushes were in flower providing food for wildlife. Large logs are left in areas surrounded by lots of plants. An animal could be standing beside the log & you would likely not see them. Dead wood is great to leave in the environment.

Another thing we noticed was the lack of litter & the lack of coal fire barbeque smoke. There were no plastic bags flying around everywhere, no piles of coals, no balloons, string, toilet paper & other litter that I am so familiar with.  Sydney Park was exceptionally clean. There was no graffiti either.  This says to me that the community respects the beauty this park provides & with this respect comes a sense of responsibility. I wish this attitude could permeate all our parks.

View from the bottom path. The poles have been here for years & birds are often seen perched on them.  It is nice to see winter colour too.

The emphasis has obviously been on creating a park that has much beauty & really is a refuge for both people & wildlife. City of Sydney Council does not seem to be concerned with sightlines, which I think is great. Unless you are at the perimeter of the park or on the hill, you cannot see traffic. The odd airplane flies across, but this only adds an element of interest.

This park is a haven for both people & wildlife & something the City of Sydney should be exceptionally proud of.  The trees are still young & are still being planted, so I can only imagine just how beautiful it will be when the hundreds of Fig trees for example, grow to maturity.

If you haven’t been to Sydney Park for a while, I highly recommend a visit. There were thousands of people there last weekend, but the park is big enough to not feel crowded. There are many quiet places, as well as busy places like the playground – something for everyone.

Lastly, there is a volunteer bushcare group that work in Sydney Park from 9.30am – 2.30pm every Wednesday & some Saturdays. Some of their great work was visible around the wetlands. For more information email –sydney@conservationvolunteers.com.au

New walkway through & around the new wetlands.  The original island was retained.

The new wetlands are very large & surround the lakes. It’s obvious how much work has gone into creating these. Wildlife are going to benefit immensely.  There are channels to bring in water, as well as irrigatuion pipes for when needed. The pile of logs will offer perches for the birds.

Showing the first retention pond in the background. Note the nice seating, permeable path, attractive fencing, gabion wall & the new tree.  Concrete is kept to a minimum.  

A range of seating offering privacy from others while surrounded by beauty & with a good view.

At every opportunity islands of green appear. I think they look great. Mini islands of biodiversity.

 

Oatley Park

The beach at Oatley Park is a gorgeous place.

The bush is filled with many spectacular Angophoras like this one.

One of the many lovely views of the river. This one looks down to the beach.

Last week friends took me to Oatley Park for a “tree experience.”   My first question was, “Where is Oatley?” For those of you who haven’t been to Oatley Park, I highly recommend visiting, as it is absolutely glorious & this is not an exaggeration.

Set on a promontory that goes down to Jew Fish Bay  & Lime Kiln Bay in the Georges River, Oatley Park is one of the jewels of Sydney.

Originally called Peakhurst Park, it was established in 1888. In 1908 Hurstville Council became the trustees & have managed the park since. They are certainly doing an excellent job.

Oatley Park is a massive 45-hectares of natural bushland, so there is plenty to see. There is a road for cars & a road surface cycle loop. There were many cyclists braving the hill while I was there & I was told it is very popular for cyclists.

Near one of the car parks is a stone castle, which I understand was built during the depression. The council hires this out for weddings & other functions.

The beach itself is breathtaking. The bush filled with large trees, many of them spectacular Angophoras, reaches right down to the white sandy beach & a shark net totally encloses Jew Fish Bay.  I am told bull sharks frequent the Georges River, so the net allows for safe swimming. There is a pier for fishing or sitting & a small barbeque area.   The trees provide afternoon shade on the beach, which I am sure is a major attraction.

Walking track in Oatley Park. The Council has left it as natural as possible, which is great.

There are also many walking tracks that take you in all sorts of directions & which give exceptional water views through the trees. The land also has large outcrops of sandstone that add to the remarkable beauty of the place.   Everywhere you look you see phenomenally beautiful trees – giants compared to what we are used to in Marrickville LGA.

Many of the trees have hollows & dead wood is left on the ground or left standing insitu. This park is left in a natural state & it is easy to imagine how it would have looked prior to white settlement.  There is significant Aboriginal history with rock carvings somewhere in the park.

We came across many native shrubs & plants in flower. These were delicate little flowers that are almost lost to the eye unless one is observant.  We found ourselves clustered around various plants on the track commenting on the beauty of these flowers.

Parking would be at a premium in the warmer months. Although the issue of parking could be seen as a hassle, I like that car parks have not taken up much of the area.  There is only the bitumen of the roads, no kerb & guttering, very few signs & the place looks as natural as possible.

Another walking track

What astounded me was that despite the car parks being full, indicating that lots of people were in Oatley Park, there was absolutely no litter to be seen. The beach was spotless, as was the road to the beach. The barbeque area was also litter-free & so were the two bush tracks we walked.  There was no litter in the river either.

The only piece of litter I saw was a tissue in a bird’s nest.  There was no graffiti or tagging either & trees were left without carving or the marks of humans. It was very refreshing to notice this & to me, shows the respect given to this precious area by the community who use it.

Driving through Oatley we all commented that the parks & streets were also free of litter & graffiti. Graffiti appeals to many, including me on occasions, but when it is not visible in an area, there is a sense of cleanliness & peacefulness. This is something I have not seen in Sydney for many years.

I would highly recommend visiting Oatley Park. There are no shops in the park, so you will need to take your own food & water.  It is a perfect place for children as there is so much for them to explore on the beach.  Also, being flat, the water is safe.  My friends said that a smile never left my face & this did not surprise me.  I loved the place & give Oatley Park a 110 per cent rating.  Hurstville Council should be really proud of their work here.

Address – 1 Dame Mary Gilmore Drive Oatley – only 18kms from Sydney’s CBD.

Sandstone is a major feature of the land here.

A selection of the wildflowers we saw on our bush walk.

Cooks Park Dolls Point

Anti-litter sign at Cooks Park at Dolls Point. These were at every entrance, in the car park & also on many sides of the toilet blocks & other buildings. The park was clean & so were the waterways.

At one of the pedestrain entrances.  I believe this educates & fosters pride for the environment.

I went to Cooks Park at Dolls Point last weekend & was impressed by many aspects of this section of the park. I say “this section” because Cooks Park travels for 8.5kms through seven suburbs from the Cooks River, along the length of the Botany Bay foreshore all the way to the Georges River.   The section at Dolls Point is near the Georges River end.

This sign was on three sides of the toilet block – visible, but unobtrusive.

My friend took me specifically to see the massive sign at the entrance to the park that said – “LEAVE ONLY YOUR FOOTPRINTS.”   The sign said it was part of a “Litter abatement plan – an action plan to reduce littering in Cooks Park.”

These signs were at all pedestrian entrances, in the car park & at the entrances to public toilets.  To say I was impressed was an understatement.  Especially after a long walk through the park & only three pieces of litter were picked up.

Cooks Park is as busy as our parks along the Cooks River, but it is not suffering piles of barbeque coal & tons of litter flying or lying around.  There was no string or discarded fishing line either & a significant number of people were at the park while we were there.  I’d say Rockdale Council’s litter abatement plan is working.

Dead trees have been left in place for their beneficial impact on local ecology.  I love that there is very few concrete paths in this park.

This is filled with magnificent  trees.  The Pines, Norfolk Island pines & Coral trees are all classified ‘culturally significant.’  Many of the trees are veterans & historic to the area.  No tree has grass growing right up to its trunk.

My friend said she loved Cooks Park because she needed to strain her neck to look up at the trees. It’s true. More than half of the trees are exceptionally tall.  Rockdale Council has also left dead trees in situ & there are large logs lying around to improve on biodiversity.

The park itself is a biodiversity hotspot & is full of birdlife, as well as marine life at the water’s edge. I watched a young eel swimming in only 10 cms of water & have seen velvet snails & sea slugs as well – all without going into the water. The Cunjevoi season is incredible to see & is visible from the pedestrian pathway.

I have always been impressed by the work Rockdale Council has done along the park & also the creeks that are part of the ‘Wetland Highway,’ – an important biodiversity corridor for the area. Even having a ‘Wetland Highway’ is a wonderful concept.

The stormwater canal, which I thought was a creek until I looked at a map, is fenced off & the banks have been left in a natural state.  Dead trees have been left in the water & it was easy to see the benefit these would bring to fish.

Juvenile Ibis taking a drink in the stormwater canal – a boon for wildlife.

Something else I really liked was the mosaic landscapes on the walls of various buildings in the park.  These depicted the park & environs at sunrise, daytime & by moonlight.  I thought they were exceptionally beautiful & think these mosaics would foster pride in the park.  They also add rather than detract from the surrounding beauty.   There was no graffiti that I noticed & no trees sprayed with tags.

The toilet blocks along the length of Cooks Park are being clad in wooden strips that immediately give them an updated look, but also discourage graffiti & of course, make the buildings sit well in the natural environment.

There has also been extensive dune restoration work along a large section of the foreshore near the actual point.  The dunes have been sculpted, string netting has been laid & planting has started.  It looks great now & will be fantastic once all the plants have grown.  It will also be wonderful habitat for the wildlife.

Cooks Park has something for everyone.  It is well worth a visit, especially if you like trees, birds & nature.  There is so much happening here, that your focus is not only on the water.

Mosaic on one of the buildings in the park depicting sunrise.

Another mosaic, again showing the iconic trees in this park. This one depicts daytime.

This one depicts the moon over Botany Bay – again with the iconic trees.  

The very natural stormwater canal. So nice to not see concrete!

Veteran Coral trees.  Imagine these in flower.  Birds would be everywhere.

The shared pathway lined with Tuckeroos. These are the shortest trees in the park.

Dune restoration work has started.  

 

 

 

 

Enmore Park upgrade completed

Brand new advanced Fig tree near the southern entrance planted in an empty space of lawn.

Two new trees that will grow into landmarks 

Marrickville Council’s upgrade of Enmore Park in Marrickville is complete & it does look very good.  Fifteen trees were on the removal list because they were either underperforming or had become a risk.  Unfortunately four of the trees were very old Port Jackson Fig trees.  It is great to see that two of the trees earmarked for removal have stayed.  One will be banded & the other had a reduction prune & some TLC with the hope that it will respond.

The trunks of the Fig trees that had hollows have been placed on the Cooks River side of Mahoney Reserve to provide habitat for wildlife as they slowly decay fertilizing the ground as they do.  They look interesting & can be seen from the shared pathway across the river, as well as in Mahoney Reserve.

Council planned to plant sixteen new trees.  I did not count them, but it is obvious that there are plenty of new trees in the park.

The size of the new trees is excellent.  They are all advanced plantings of between about 4.5-metres to 6-metres high.  Not only does this look impressive, but it will also radically reduce chances of vandalism & increase the chance of their survival.

Council staff told me that they now source trees from a different supplier & that the trees are of excellent stock.  It certainly looks like it.   Many of the trees needed removal because they were poor stock, so this is money now well spent.

Council planned to replace the trees with –

• Port Jackson Fig (Fifcus rubiginose) x 3 trees.
• Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla) x 2 trees.
• Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) x 2 trees
• Smooth-bark Kauri (Agathis robusta) x 3 trees
• Chinese Elm (Ulmus Parvifolia ‘Todd’) x 3 trees
• Black Booyong (Argyrodendron actinophyllum) x 2 trees
• Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimisifolia) x 1 tree

Also visually impressive is that all the grass that once grew up to the trunks of the trees in the park has been removed & now each tree is surrounded by woodchip mulch.  This will protect the trunks from mechanical damage by mowers & whipper-snippers as has happened in the past. The mulch will also feed the trees, help retain water moisture levels & keep the roots cool.

Some trees have a small circle of mulch around them, while others, particularly around the perimeter, are surrounded by a landscape of mulch.  This defines the areas around trees & helps prevent compaction.

I am not sure, but it looks like one area on the Black Street side of the park has had the ground raised & covered with mulch.  This has the effect of buffering the playground.  It may have always been raised in this section, but this is the first time I observed this.

There are also two areas where grass is being regrown & Council has planted native grasses on the outside of the south entrance.  There were also four new Banksias just inside the entrance.

I think Marrickville Council has done a great job with Enmore Park.  The new trees should make a positive difference, especially as the Kauri & Black Booyong will grow very tall & should become landmark trees in the area.   As Enmore Park is the municipality’s oldest park, it is great to see some special tree species planted.  The rest of the trees will benefit from the mulch, which looks quite attractive.  The park looks cared for now.

This area has many old Fig trees & has been an area of dry compacted dirt for as long as I can remember. The mulch will help these trees significantly.  You can see more mulch around the other Figs in the background.

Another area that was compacted dry dirt is now an area that will protect the tree roots.

New advanced Fig to replace the large Fig tree on the Victoria Road side of the park.

Jacaranda – advanced planting

Perfect protected place to grow a tree. I think the inner circle of plants is new.

New & advanced.

Another new tree in a protected area.

It doesn’t look much in the photo, but mulching & planting of grasses & Banskias here at the southern entrance has made quite a difference. It should look great when they all grow.