We call on the Premier to rectify an error which we believe has occurred in relation to the imminent sale by auction of crucial lots of publicly-owned, open space land immediately adjacent to Wolli Creek Regional Park at Wolli Bluff. For more see the recent WCPS media release
Out of the blue, the Department of Planning has listed two blocks of bushland at Wolli Bluff for sale by auction on 2 April. This is contrary to the expectations we had after meeting with several NSW State politicians.
The land has been combined into one large block, suitable only for developers.
For many years WCPS has been campaigning to create a green corridor linking the Wolli Creek Regional Park to the Cooks River Valley. Our plans for the corridor include government-owned bushland at the Eastern end of the Regional Park. Our plans have been supported by Canterbury Bankstown Council and the local member, Sophie Cotsis.
We accept that Sydney needs more housing, but this should not come at the cost of open green space. Premier Chris Minns said so himself in a media appearance at Turrella Reserve on 8 March 2024:
“If we’re going to build houses, particularly closer to the CBD, we need to preserve and protect as much green space as we possibly can. … We can’t just build houses; we have to build world class beautiful parks, and that means preserving every bit of green space that we can possibly get our hands on.”
Despite the encouraging words, these two blocks of bushland that should form an important part of the green corridor will be lost on 2 April, unless the sale is stopped.
What you can do:
Ask the Premier to immediately withdraw the sale of bushland adjacent to Wolli Bluff (16-18 Bayview Avenue Earlwood)
https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/premier-of-nsw/contact-premier
Here are some points you might like to include in your email:
At this stage, a barrage of emails from voters is our best chance to save this scarce and valuable green space.
Christopher Jordens
President WCPS
In spite of threatening rain during the day, the weather turned in favour of our annual Bat Watch Picnic in Turrella Reserve, even providing a nice fresh breeze for kite-flying. Up to 400 people came on the night to enjoy the park and celebrate the bats that live in our Valley.
Thanks everyone for a wonderful Bat Watch evening – especially our lovely volunteers. So many people were kept very busy making kites, painting faces, reciting poetry and much much more. The members of the Bat Picnic Committee said, “The face painting and kites were very busy as always and I don’t think those volunteers got much of a break; sorry. The masks and egg carton bats were also popular, and we think all the small people left with one of each.
The new play equipment drew more families early on, and the playground was busy all evening. Sadly, the new composting toilets were not such a success with such high numbers of people.
Lots of good info to read here at
https://wollicreek.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Feb-Update-2025.pdf
See reports on the new playground at Turrella Reserve, conditions on the walking tracks and repairs to the Turrella footbridge. See the Johnston Street bushcare site ten years after it was saved from Westconnex. And a rare sighting of a dancing Peacock Spider in the valley! There are also some great summer pictures from Dave Noble and Philip Le Mesurier.
A decade after it was saved from Westconnex, I recently visited the Johnston Street bushcare site and was amazed at how much work the bushcare team has done there. No longer choked by weeds, substantial areas of regenerating bush now look so open and beautiful. Wrens flit through bushes in dappled light and many turns of the track reveal another open view.
The walking track through the western end of the Regional Park leads from Johnston Street through bushland forest to the western park entrance on Bexley Road. This area was the site of one of the very first bushcare grants that the Society received, in the mid 1990s. Careful removal of vines and weeds in places revealed some brilliant bushland underneath and WCPS knew straight away it was worth saving.
Bushcare Coordinator Paul Ibbetson says,
“We have worked hard to open up the dense weedy canopy, vines and asparagus fern to let light in and encourage regeneration. Native plants do better in open, dry, sunny conditions. It’s a lot of work to manage and control the weeds. The bush does not come back by itself. We are very proud of our small team’s results. But we would love some more willing volunteers in our Wednesday morning sessions.”
Contact bushcare@wollicreek.org.au if you are interested in helping the team
Bushcare team member Deb Little says,
“We’re glad we campaigned so hard to save this bushland from Westconnex in the early 2010s. We were at risk of losing several hectares of native forest to a ‘cut and cover’ motorway tunnel. ”
As part of the Society’s protests, Deb organised several National Tree Day events to celebrate this bushland and highlight the threat of Westconnex. Many people participated in her ‘Hug a Tree Day’ in 2012, ‘Inspired by Wolli’ in 2013 and ‘Tree-mendous Wolli’ in 2014.
See more photos of these events at flickr.com/photos/wolli_events/albums
Bushcare Coordinator Paul Ibbetson says,
“This area was farmed, you can see remains of stone fences and terracing, so the bush was very disturbed, trashed in fact. It’s remarkable how much it has recovered. We are now seeing nice patches of native ferns and orchids and even the formerly very rare Cabbage Tree Palms are coming back. We’ve seen Eastern Yellow Robins and a Tawny Frogmouth too.”
Laura Zusters
BIG CHANGES FOR THE BETTER
Many of you probably noticed the fencing that was erected around the Turrella Reserve playground last year as work commenced on a long-awaited upgrade. In December, the new and improved playground and facilities were finally opened.
On my walk in early January, I checked out those new facilities. Most notable is the new play equipment, which is distributed between gardens with new plantings and connected by crushed gravel paths. The playground is shaded by mature trees, which have been preserved. There are three new picnic tables under shelters connected by a concrete pathway, as you can see below.
Several new park benches have also been installed, as well as two sets of ibis-proof rubbish bins with recycling bins next to them. Four of the older picnic tables are still located nearby.
There are now two unisex toilets in the playground. Editor’s note: These long-awaited toilets are a huge improvement for school groups, track walkers and seniors. Though the composting toilets didn’t cope long with the large numbers of people at the Bat Watch Picnic in March and blocked up early in the evening.
There are also two new electric barbecues with taps and a water fountain with NPWS branding next to the public toilets.
I was baffled by a piece of solar-powered infrastructure facing the toilets, until I took a closer look. The CCTV cameras, siren and red lights indicate that its main function is surveillance. Finally, NPWS have also installed a new walking track sign nearby, at the north end of Turrella Creek, that runs into Wolli Creek.
Chris Jordens
WCPS President
Two blocks of bushland at the foot of Wolli Bluff at the Eastern end of the Regional Park have just been listed for sale by auction on 2 April. You can view the ad here.
WCPS has been campaigning with residents of Unwin Street, Earlwood, to retain green space between the Eastern entrance to the Regional Park and Waterworth Park, as seen in the sales photo above from mcgrath.com.au. Our plans include a “gateway” to the park that would make use of a few blocks of bushland, some contaminated and unsuitable for residential development. Our plans are supported by Canterbury Bankstown Council and the local member, Sophie Cotsis.
We accept that Sydney needs more housing, but this should not come at the cost of open green space. Premier Chris Minns said so himself in a media appearance at Turrella Reserve on 8 March 2024:
“If we’re going to build houses, particularly closer to the CBD, we need to preserve and protect as much green space as we possibly can. … We can’t just build houses; we have to build world class beautiful parks, and that means preserving every bit of green space that we can possibly get our hands on.”
Despite the encouraging words, these two blocks of bushland that could have formed an important part of the green corridor will be lost on 2 April, unless the sale can be stopped.
We’re asking members to write a brief email to the Premier asking that the sale of bushland adjacent to Wolli Bluff be immediately withdrawn.
You can email the Premier at ElectorateOffice.Kogarah@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Please copy your email to Sophie Cotsis at canterbury@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Also, please copy your email to your local member (if it’s not Chris Minns or Sophie Cotsis).
Here are some points you might like to include in your email:
At this stage, a barrage of emails from voters is our best chance to save this scarce and valuable green space.
Christopher Jordens
President WCPS
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