Wolli Creek Regional Park
Most people enjoying the bushland and waterways of Wolli Creek Valley assume that the bushland is already under the protection of a Regional Park. It’s not. Some progress has been made, but the State Government’s 1998 commitment is still a long way from being met.
For more information about our campaign to get the Regional Park completed, see the Regional Park page.
Progress in setting up the Regional Park has been slow, in part because of the complexities of land ownership and the problems of resolving problems with them. There were over 100 different lots within the park boundaries, some of them in private hands. Some required subdivision before transfer, one has sensitive Sydney Water infrastructure across it, and one has minor contamination. And NPWS needed additional resources to enable them to undertake the extensive work involved in surveying, mapping and dealing with the various owners.
Some open space that could have been added to the park or kept as a buffer has been slated for sale to fund the purchase of the various small pieces of private land that have to be acquired to make the park continuous.
Rescued from this fate was Wolli Bluff, overlooking Waterworth Park, with its rugged rock outcrop and splendid array of native plants, which the Department of Planning agreed should go into the park.
Other elements lost as open space and probably to be developed for residences are:
- Open space below Wolli Bluff. Here we have been promised only that a 5m buffer strip will be left and that any building on the site will be limited to single storey.
- Vacant land on the south side of Unwin Street nearby, although a narrow strip at the lowest part of these blocks has passed into NPWS hands – too little even to support a proper riparian zone, let alone allow for a pathway outside that zone.
- A house block that will be subdivided out of a large Dept of Lands block below Hocking Avenue, Earlwood for sale. Here at least we have been able to reduce the size of the block to be sold.
- Private land forming an extension to Highcliff Road, Undercliff.
The bulk of the remaining land belongs to State Government agencies and the City of Canterbury and ought to be transferred immediately. But there are some small portions currently in private hands that will require compulsory acquisition. The gazettal of the bulk of the outstanding land should be the signal for the formal lifting of the road reservation for the M5, something that the Society has been fighting for since its formation in 1984.
The M5East Expansion
Increasing traffic congestion around the airport and Port Botany has prompted planning for expansion of the M5East corridor by building a second duplicate M5East tunnel. In November 2009 the RTA issued an Overview of the overall M5 corridor expansion and began community consultations with submissions to close on 19 February 2010.
If the M5East Expansion went ahead, it could have disastrous consequences for the Wolli Creek Valley at the Bexley Rd end.
A new four lane tunnel has been proposed by the RTA, but its location was only vaguely indicated and there was no discussion of possible east-facing ramps (and no mention of the inevitable exhaust stacks). This possibility threatens bushland at the western end of the Wolli Creek Regional Park and an RTA spokesman has refused to rule out the forced acquisition of houses. We know that the RTA has already had people designing a re-alignment of the creek west of Bexley Road and has persistently held on to the bushland to the east.
West of King Georges Road the M5 would be expanded to three lanes each way, with four lanes each way between King Georges Road and Bexley Road. This would be another major ramp-up of hard surfaces in the Wolli Creek catchment leading to an increase in flash floods, and to pressure both to upgrade the Bexley Road crossing over the Creek and to widen the creek downstream, probably in a concrete channel. Plus of course a major increase in noise and fumes for those living close to the motorway.
In an answer to a Question on Notice, the NSW Premier wrote:
“The M5 East Expansion is a high priority road project and a key element of an integrated plan for the development of Sydney’s transport network. In February 2010 we released the Metropolitan Transport Plan – Connecting the City of Cities. The plan included the M5 East Expansion on a list of projects identified as being beyond the 10 year funding guarantee, however it is able to be brought forward if additional funding becomes available. Some land near Wolli Creek may be required for any future M5 East Expansion. However, land held by the Government evaluated as surplus will be released as soon as possible.”
o The Overview also included an extension along the old F6 reservation and thus through the only large open space in Tempe. Residents there and their supporters ran a strong campaign (Tempe 2020) opposing this extension, gaining much support and media coverage.
o In August 2010, Federal Infrastructure Minister Albanese, announced that he was not willing for the Commonwealth to fund the Southern Sydney Arterial Road part of the project, leading to celebrations among Tempe 2020 activists. Albanese’s dropping of the Southern Sydney Arterial Road section is to be expected. Not only was it a very poor idea, but the community opposition threatened both his own federal seat and that of the NSW Deputy Premier, Carmel Tebbutt (the two are related). And celebrations may be premature. Portfolios change after elections and Albanese may not have any influence. Once the State election is out of the way in March 2011, such a funding decision can be readily reversed.
o Also in August, the RTA reported that: “As recently announced, this new access road will not go through Tempe Reserve.” But Tempe Reserve is only one short section of the extension, and they also wrote: “Extensive analysis of alternative access options for the eastern end of the corridor is underway. The preferred option [is] to provide a new four lane arterial road from the M5 East tunnels to the airport, the port and the industrial land to north of the airport. Now, that doesn’t sound like a recognition that the road is not going to be built, but a determination that it will built on the very road reservation that needs to be retained as open space – the only (ugly) alternative would involve the demolition of houses.
o The installation of the trial air filtration at the eastern end of the existing M5E tunnel using equipment advocated by the community (Residents Against Polluting Stacks) was abandoned by the RTA at about the same time, with dubious claims about the cost and the interruptions required, but little or no fanfare. If you are not announcing, but are planning, significant changes at the end of the tunnel, you don’t want to be installing something that might complicate the changes, especially as it might result in the community solution showing the up the RTA’s failings on filtration.
o Albanese remained silent on the rest of the M5 proposal. This can be taken as a tacit commitment to it and we should hang on for an announcement of funding for it between the two elections, probably n
Highcliff Road Earlwood
A developer recently purchased a property located at the end of Highcliff Road Earlwood, enabling access to a lower section of three adjacent blocks that he owns that extend all the way down to the creekline. The lowest section of these, which includes the Undercliffe track of the popular Two Valley Trail, has long been designated as land for the Wolli Creek Regional Park under National Parks management.
Canterbury Council recently decided to postpone a long awaited decision to rezone this private land. Immediately after the Council decision, the developer began chain-sawing down trees on the blocks.
The timing of the clearing may just be coincidental, but this deferral decision by Council is a heavy blow. It has been known for years that the lands in question were to be rezoned for inclusion in the Regional Park. The State Government carried out extensive consultations with residents prior to Ministerial approval being given in 2004 to the Plan of Management for the Regional Park. This decision by Council is further evidence of procrastination by both levels of government extending over those twelve years.
Council’s long delays have put recoverable bushland below the cleared area at risk of damage or even destruction, even though it includes mature trees, native vegetation and wildlife. This vital linking corridor should be protected from direct damage or any indirect damage through work on the higher sections.
Waterworth Park
Waterworth Park is outside the revised boundaries of the Wolli Creek Regional Park, close to the junction of Wolli Creek and Cooks River. In 2005, The Touch Football Association sought Council agreement to an increase in the number of pitches on Waterworth Park, wanting to go up from four to ten pitches.
Late in 2005, Canterbury Mayor Furolo issued a press release indicating expansion of playing field areas and new picnic facilities along Wolli Creek.
This proposal would cost at least $150,000 to level the park, eliminate many mature trees and remove or significantly impact upon the other vegetation which is important native bird habitat.
The Society developed a preliminary position paper and a set of counter-proposals which included a modest expansion of the vegetated area and extensive bush restoration work to reduce weeds and improve native habitat. This would enable the bush ‘feel’ of the Wolli Track component of the Two Valley Trail to be continued almost to the junction with the Cooks River. Read the position paper and letter.
Since then we have been urging the Mayor to commit to the development of a Plan of Management specific to Waterworth Park to ensure that its natural values are enhanced and the competing proposals for its use can be properly addressed. This request has been declined. Council intends to address the issue only through any Development Applications that may be lodged.
Henderson St Development Turrella
New twist in Henderson St Development Saga
There has been a series of interesting moves over the proposed industrial units on the creek at 13 Henderson Street, Turrella.
In attempting to meet the pre-conditions for consent set by Rockdale Council, the developers appear to have found that their buildings went over the high pressure ethane gas pipeline. This would prevent them going ahead with the original DA, for which they had the agreement of adjacent property owner Allkotes, subject to other conditions being met. A revised DA was the result, rearranging the buildings to avoid the pipeline without improving the elements of concern to the Society. However this no longer had Allkotes’ agreement, needed to provide the access road on the creek bank that we have so strenuously objected to.
The revised DA has now been withdrawn. At the same time Allkotes has two of its buildings up for sale. These adjoin No. 13 and possibly offer alternative access to the land.
We expect further episodes in this saga, and hope for an improved outcome.
A Development Application was submitted to build 20 industrial units on a contaminated site directly fronting onto Wolli Creek opposite Turrella Reserve near the Henderson St weir. This was given a conditional deferred consent by Rockdale City Council in December 2008. WCPS campaigned strongly against the proposal.
Council also received over 300 letters of objection supporting the Society’s stance, including the owners of several nearby industrial units. See the Society’s submissions on the original development proposal here. See our response to the revised developer proposal here.
Despite the intrusion of buildings and access road construction well into Council’s own 30m foreshore building-free zone, the development is currently set to go ahead. The developer had until June 2009 to meet three pre-conditions:
- satisfy Council engineers on revised arrangements for on-site stormwater control;
- arrange a right-of-way access across the adjacent Allkotes site to Henderson St;
- submit a risk assessment plan in relation to the ethane pipeline which runs across the site.
If these were met, the developer would then have three years in which to commence development.
In December 2009 the developer submitted a new DA with changes to layout to deal with the pipeline issue and a request to have the deferred commencement extended to five years.
It did not address the issues that were of concern in our earlier objections. The Society sent in a further letter of objection in January 2010. See it here.
In its 2009 approval Council issued a 27-page set of conditions to be met by the construction and no doubt many of these will be repeated for the new application, but whether all of them can be adequately policed is doubtful.
The Future of Wolli Creek
The committee is dealing with many issues related to the future of Wolli Creek with local and State authorities, including the Sydney Catchment Management Authority. We need help on some of these and offers are always welcome.
And we are always seeking information from our older residents with long memories of the valley. If you have any memories or knowledge about this or have research skills to offer you may help us.
Get in Touch
The Society seeks to use members and others in the community to monitor the issues critical to our concerns. If you would like to be a part of this process or want to find out more, please contact Peter Stevens on 9554 3176 or let us know at info@wollicreek.org.au and we’ll be in touch.