Articles, Plans, Reports

1. 2019 Masterplan: Lawson Creek and environs

In June, 2019 Blue Mountains City Council approved a “Crown Lands Masterplan” for the former Lawson golf course site and adjoining public precincts, after many years of public consultation with and submissions from all of the stakeholders and the broader community. See:

https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/documents/2019-06-25-council-meeting-business-paperhttps://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/documents/2019-06-25-council-meeting-business-paper

The Masterplan delivers new environmental protections for Lawson Creek and its riparian zone and woodlands, and maintains and creates a range of community recreation and leisure facilities on the site. The South Lawson Park Bushcare Group was pleased to be part of these consultative procedures and presented written and verbal submissions to BMCC. The contribution of the bushcare group to the Masterplan consultation process was mentioned in local media:

https://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/story/6242896/future-secured-for-old-lawson-golf-course-site/

Here are excerpts from the approved Masterplan. The full plan can be viewed at http://bmcc.nsw.gov.au

(Source: Lawson Crown Lands Masterplan 2019 Blue Mountains City Council)

2. BLUE MOUNTAINS FAUNA INVENTORY PROJECT, FIRST EDITION 2019

Blue Mountains Bushcare Network (Paul Vale) initiated a fauna survey project in 2018, and the results were published in 2019. A total of 455 bird, mammal, frog, reptile and fish species were recorded in the survey. All of the members of the South Lawson Park Bushcare Group (and particularly Jess Bear and Rhys Pattingale with their 2018 Fauna Survey) and the Bushcare Officer contributed to the fauna survey. We submitted approximately 70 fauna species! See the complete report here: https://www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/bushland-management/native-animals

3. Lawson Creek recovery: Gecko (Sept 2019) and AABR articles

4. Stygofauna Monitoring Project Report 2011: Extract

In 2011 BMCC and Macquarie University conducted a joint stygofauna monitoring project in a number of Blue Mountains’ swamps, including Lawson Creek swamp. South Lawson Park Bushcare members monitored water quality in the stygofauna sampling bore in Lawson Creek swamp adjacent to the former golf course and approximately 1km upstream from Adelina Falls, on a monthly basis (See Streamwatch).

The results of the actual stygofauna monitoring and subsequent species analysis for Lawson Swamp are presented in the attached extracts from the report on the project.

PDF: Stygofauna Lawson stygofauna Extract

5. Site Work Plan 2019-2020

This is the Bushcare Group’s 2019-20 work plan for the entire bushcare site: Work plan 2019-20 South Lawson ParkDownload

6. Gecko article: History of Bushcare Group

This is an article written by Erst Carmichael to celebrate the launch of the Bushcare Group’s new film. It also contains some interesting information relating to the early days of the group. Published in the Blue Mountains Bushcare Gecko magazine of March 2017.

Film Celebrates South Lawson Bushcare’s Values and Achievements

Last year marked 20 years for this stalwart group of volunteers and they have successfully confronted just about every issue a Bushcare group can face – not just weeds but serious erosion and the ongoing impacts of urban development. To celebrate this achievement the film Blue Mountains Bushcare: South Lawson Park has been produced by Peter Ardill and Vera Hong. Directed by Vera Hong (Seconds Minutes Hours Productions) the film examines bushland values, the ongoing threats that urban bushland faces and how the bushcare group has managed these challenges. The film contains some beautifully filmed scenes of the Lawson Creek catchment and is available for viewing at https://vimeo.com/verahong/south-lawson-bushcare Thanks to Greater Sydney Local Land Services, the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and Blue Mountains City Council for project support and funding.

The South Lawson Group first started in mid-1995 with the then only Blue Mountains City Council Bushcare officer, Virginia Bear. Our aim was to regenerate and maintain the health of the upper catchment of Lawson Creek, which flows into Bedford Creek and the Nepean River.

The early years were spent mostly at the top of the Waratah St/Honour Ave section of the reserve (see map below) where Japanese honeysuckle, Privet, Montbretia, Blackberry and Broom were major invasive weeds. Some seed collecting, planting and track work were done, the latter with help from TAFE students under the guidance of a Bushcare Officer/TAFE teacher.

We expanded our weeding to the creekline and over the years to the surrounds of the BMX track and soccer field. In more recent times we have been extending the riparian buffer zone along the creek and swamp of the former golf course area by planting and allowing the bush to regenerate naturally. Some of us are also actively involved in Streamwatch and this process has been both informative and complementary for our Bushcare work.

Extending the buffer to the riparian corridor by planting with local natives.

The main vegetation communities along the creek are Eucalyptus woodland, Blue Mountains Swamp and a riparian strip of assorted native plant species, including rainforest species. The threatened species Persoonia acerosa and the endemic species Acacia ptychoclada are also present.

Our group is very committed and we are fortunate to have a few bush regeneration practitioners amongst us. Our website is also worth a look at: http://southlawsonpark.bushcarebluemountains.org.au It has some interesting photos and excellent educational material’.

This entry was posted in Groups, News, Planning, Weeds and tagged bushcare, South Lawson Park Bushcare, Volunteer, Weeds on 29 March, 2017 by Bushcare Office.

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7. 2017 Blue Mountains City Council Senior Citizens Awards (Bushcare Blue Mountains March 2017)

8. 2011 Bushcare Legend Award (Winter Gecko 2011)

9. Streamwatch Awards

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10. Article Gecko Winter 2022 Bushcare Officer

Gecko_Winter2022 Bushcare Officer article prepared by members of South Lawson Park Bushcare Group
Gecko_Winter2022 Bushcare Officer article prepared by members of South Lawson Park Bushcare Group

11. Conservation Society Hut News 2023 Lawson Creek degradation

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