Information Sheet (sub-catchment)
S3 - Floodplain of the Upper Parramatta River
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1. General Description
The Floodplain of the Upper Parramatta River comprises Domain
Creek, Coopers Creek and Finlaysons Creek.
Finlaysons Creek begins at Canal Road in Merrylands West,
near the Sydney Water Supply Canal then flows to the north
east through Wentworthville to join with the Toongabbie River
at Westmead in Milson Park. The creek flows mainly in a concrete
channel throughout its length. The creek corridor includes
several suburban parks such as Centenary Park, Hewitt Avenue
Reserve, Beechwood Avenue Reserve, Central Gardens Nature
Reserve, Leeton Street Park, Monterey Street Park, Irwin Place
Park, Vernon Street Park and Milson Park. The linear network
of parkland connects with large areas of open space at Toongabbie
Creek and eventually to Parramatta Park and Lake Parramatta.
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Coopers Creek
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Coopers Creek corridor extends from the southern side of Old Prospect
Road in Greystanes, under the M4 Motorway and the Great Western
Highway, through South Wentworthville to its confluence with Toongabbie
Creek upstream of Westmead Hospital. Apart from the last 100 metres,
the creek is entirely engineered with covered and above ground concrete
channels.
2. Map Title
Floodplains of the Upper Parramatta
River Map
3. Geology
Finlaysons Creek along with Greystanes Creek, Pendle Hill Creek,
Blacktown Creek, and Coopers Creek, drain from the south west of
the catchment to join with Toongabbie Creek north of the railway
line. These creeks flow across the Cumberland Plain, which is a
low, undulating plain underlain by horizontally bedded sediments
of the Wianamatta Group, mainly Bringelly Shales. These shales
are generally composed of claystones, siltstones and carbonaceous
shales with sparse sandstone lenses. The sediments were laid down
in a coastal alluvial plain during the middle-late Triassic, (200Mybp).
The creek bed has been engineered along much of its length so rock
exposure is rare, in the lower reaches, near Toongabbie Creek natural
creek qualities such as riparian vegetation and sandstone outcrops
are evident.
4. Geomorphology
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Finlaysons Creek is largely confined to concrete channels
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The natural channel of the creeks have been largely lost
due to engineering. The creek beds have been confined to a
two to three metre wide concrete, fenced channel through most
of their length. The creeks wind through drainage easements
behind housing in their upper reaches. Where the easements
are very narrow the creeks have been contained in a deeper
concrete channels to prevent erosion and ease flooding. The
upper reaches of Finlaysons Creek form the border between
the Georges River Catchment and the Upper Parramatta River
Catchment.
The creeks flow across the Cumberland Plain, which is a low,
undulating plain underlain by horizontally bedded shales.
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5. Soil
Types
Finlaysons Creek sub-catchment soils are generally fine-grained
silts and clays. The predominant soil landscape in the sub-catchment
is Blacktown, which has been formed by residual geomorphic processes.
These soils are generally of low fertility and less than 100 cms
in depth.
In terms of all three
creeks, much of the creek has been altered by engineering with concrete
drains and mown, grassed reserves so little natural vegetation and
soil exposure remains.
6. Vegetation communities
Finlayson’s Creek is in a concrete channel for over three quarters
of its length however there are some isolated but significant stands
of remnant vegetation.
- Grey Box Woodland. In Central Gardens Nature Reserve 1.5 hectares
of woodland occurs, including important understorey species such
as Bursaria spinosa and grasses such as Lomandra
filiformis and Themeda australis.
- Scattered indigenous woodland canopy trees are found in Lytton
Street Park, Milson Park, Monterey Street Park, Darcy Road Park
and Centenary Road Reserve. These latter stands are surrounded
by mown grass with no remaining understorey.
- Forest Red Gums occur in isolated stands in Centenary Park,
Monterey Park and Centenary Road Reserve.
- Swamp Oak and other River-flat Forest species are found at Milson
Park and at the confluence with Toongabbie Creek.
There is little remnant vegetation along Coopers creek. Indigenous
species are confined to scattered trees along the creek channel
and at park edges, examples being:
- Remnant Blue Gum River-flat Forest and riparian complex at Arunga
and Hopkins Street Reserves
- Scattered Grey Box Woodland at Carolyn Street Park
- Indigenous canopy trees in mown grass at Monty Bennett Oval
and Ringrose Park
- Casuarina glauca (Swamp She-oak) and Eucalyptus moluccana
(Grey Box) have been planted along the Cumberland Highway
Old Prospect Road Reserve contains a fenced off area of indigenous
canopy trees, shrubs and ground cover.
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7. Biodiversity
Little native habitat survives in the Finlaysons Creek corridor
due to engineering and mown grass open space. The Swamp Oak
(Casuarina glauca) and other River-flat species at
the creek’s confluence with Toongabbie Creek provide habitat
for birds and small reptiles. The concrete channel is not
conducive to vegetation or aquatic animals. Weeds infest the
natural banks in the lower reaches of the creek.
The remnant community at Arunga Reserve is a significant
fauna habitat in the Coopers reek corridor. The creek is almost
entirely engineered, the channel form does not allow for riparian
or aquatic vegetation therefore provides little habitat for
fauna.
8. Hydrology
Flow regime is the long term pattern of high flows and low
flows in creeks and rivers.
Generally there is very little flow in catchment creeks for
the majority of the time. 98% of total flow volume leaves
the catchment 2% of the time, (Master Thesis, Downes, 1998).
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The Gross Pollutant Trap in the Golf course, Domain Creek,
traps litter and leaves as they enter Parramatta Park.
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Dry weather, (base) flows are generally greater in Darling Mills
Creek, Hunts Creek and their tributaries which rise in the Hawkesbury
Sandstone areas in the north east of the catchment. Creeks such
as Finlaysons Creek that originate in the Wianamatta Shale country,
ie in the Cumberland Plain to the west and south, have very little
dry weather flow. The natural banks in the lower reaches of the
creek are eroding due to water velocity leaving the concrete channel.
9. Rainfall
Rainfall measurements between 1969 and 1996 show that there is
a significant variation in the rainfall intensity and average in
the catchment. The highest average rainfall occurs in the north-east
section of the catchment, (headwaters of Darling Mills Creek, 1200mm
per year) and the lowest in the south-west, (headwaters of Toongabbie
and Greystanes Creek, 800mm per year).
10. Landuse
The Finlayson’s Creek corridor is largely comprised of areas zoned
recreational reserve or zoned drainage easements. The creek is encroached
by single story residential development between Leeton Street Park
and the M4 Motorway. Commercial and residential development occurs
adjacent to Lytton Street Reserve.
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 The
ponds in Central Gardens Reserve are not connected to the
creek, but are currently fed by mains water.
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In the reserve there are tennis courts, a Scout Hall and
basketball courts are proposed. A shared cycleway/pathway
extends between Monterey Street Park and the M4. Central Gardens
is used for picnics and tennis.
Coopers Creek runs through a series of open spaces, drainage
easements, under roads and behind residential areas. Most
of the large parks, such as Ringrose Park and Monty Bennett
Oval cater for intensive recreational uses. There is no formal
pedestrian connection along the corridor except for the section
between the railway line to Oatlands Street, Wentworthville.
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11. Social History
and impacts on landuse and the environment (incl Aboriginal history)
The Upper Parramatta River catchment was originally home to the
Dharug Aboriginal people who had inhabited the area for more than
forty thousand years before British settlement in 1788. The local
clan in the catchment was the Burramatta, from which the name Parramatta
came, (burra meaning place and matta meaning eels). Many significant
items of Aboriginal cultural heritage can be seen in the catchment,
specifically in Lake Parramatta and Parramatta Parks, including
such things as middens, tree scars, cave paintings and stone flakes.
The early settlement in Port Jackson faced many difficulties, not
the least of which was the poor soil which would not support imported
strains of wheat and other staple crops. Governor Phillip, who had
explored the upper tidal reaches of the Parramatta River in 1788,
encouraged establishment of new farms on the low lying river flats
by giving land and convicts to the white settlers. This resulted
in the development of the township of Rose Hill which later became
known as Parramatta, the Aboriginal name meaning "the place where
the eels lie down." Parramatta, is Australia's second oldest settlement,
having been established on November 2nd 1788. Lake Parramatta
provided a clean and reliable water supply for the orchards and
market gardens so the township flourished. With the introduction
of rail transport in the 1850’s Parramatta became the main metropolis
of NSW.
Today Parramatta and Blacktown are thriving urban areas and make
up a major regional centre. The catchment area of 107 km2,
is 70% urbanised and contains approximately 80,000 properties and
a population of 220,500 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1999).
The cities of Parramatta and Blacktown are located at the perimeter
of the catchment; Parramatta Central Business District being at
the outlet, and Blacktown at the western extremity.
The long history of intensive use of the catchment has resulted
in significant environmental management problems. Today factories,
residences and commercial businesses cover the area, impervious
surfaces such as roads, roofs and car parks result in more frequent
flooding and all forms of land use, (residential, commercial, recreational
and industrial), have caused severe deterioration in water quality.
12. Community Groups
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There is potential to provide a biodiversity corridor by
linking the parklands throughout the sub catchment. Community
groups could be encouraged to participate in bush regeneration.
Working with the existing group Canal Reserve Action Group
(CRAG) and involving other community members through Vernon
Street Community Centre, Cassia Neighbourhood Centre and Holroyd
Community Development Association would be an ideal place
to start.
Local schools such as Holroyd High, Hilltop Road Public,
Marist High, Catherine McAuley Girls High and UWS Westmead
Campus could be encouraged to continue or become active in
understorey planting, monitoring of fauna and flora diversity
and water quality testing. Active involvement in revegetation
works could be encouraged through all schools and community
centres in the local area.
Educational signage, along the creek corridor could raise
local awareness of the issues affecting the creek.
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 School
water testing is a great way to increase community involvement
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13. Management Measures in Place
Finlaysons Creek:
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Structure
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Location
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Maintaining Authority
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Detention Basin
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Paton Street, Merrylands West
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Private
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Detention Basin & Sub-surface Wetland
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Old Prospect Road, South Wentworthville
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Statewide Roads
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The following structures have been put in place in the Domain
Creek corridor by Holroyd City Council to alleviate flooding and
improve water quality:
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Structure
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Location
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Detention Basin & Sand Filtration/Retention System
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Sydney Smith Park, Houison Street, Westmead
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Two Gross Pollutant Traps
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Sydney Smith Park, Amos Street, Westmead
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Oil & Sediment Separator
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Alexandra Avenue, Westmead
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Oil & Sediment Separator
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Bailey Street Westmead
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Oil & Sediment Separator
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Oakes Street Reserve, Westmead
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14.
Management Issues
Finlaysons Creek corridor contains a number of parks that are notable
for their potential as biodiversity corridors. A corridor can be
created connecting the remnants at the Sydney Water canal with Central
Gardens via Canal Road Park, Hewitt Ave Reserve and Beechwood Reserve.
Other opportunities exist for vegetation links. Some of the parks
such as Lytton Street, Irwin Place, Monterey Street, Darcy and Milsons
Parks, are large enough to sustain areas of indigenous vegetation.
Opportunities which need to be explored include:
- Install litter traps at stormwater outlets
- Encourage the regeneration of Grey Box Woodland at Central
Gardens
- Restore a more natural riparian environment by introducing
sedimentation pools, riffles meanders and constructed wetlands.
- Fence off pockets of indigenous vegetation to encourage
natural regneration
- Undertake staged weed removal
- Introduce "no mow" zones to encourage regrowth
of indigenous species
- Extend the existing cycleway to reduce the impact of pedestrians
on native vegetation
There is very little opportunity to develop
a biodiversity corridor due to the unconnected and intensive
recreational use of the open spaces and the engineering and
dimensions of Coopers Creek. Some habitat creation could occur
in large reserves such as Hopkins Street, Carolyn Street and
Arunga Reserves. The following strategies have been suggested:-
- Investigate restoration of the creek to mimic a natural
state with the introduction of pools, riffles and constructed
wetlands
- Install pollution traps at stormwater outlets
- Conduct staged weed removal and revegetation in Hopkins
Street Reserve
- Replace exotic grasses in the three large reserves with
indigenous woodland, River-flat Forest and riparian understorey.
- Revegetate eroded slopes at Monty Bennett Reserve
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Management
Example: Through fencing off this area in Central Gardens,
the above area in 1993 has been transformed to that below
in 2001
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15. Other Resources and Links
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