Lake Parramatta Reserve is 130 hectares and located within two kilometres of a major urban centre, Parramatta. The reserve was originally protected to maintain water quality in the Lake. This bushland is now recognised as one of the most significant and beautiful bushland remnants in the Sydney Region.

Why is it special?

A lot of the bushland on ridges in the Sydney region was cleared throughout the last 200 years as Sydney expanded.

Large bushland reserves like Lake Parramatta protect forests that have been mostly lost in other parts of Sydney. Some of the larger trees at Lake Parramatta Reserve would be aged up to 400 years old.

Vegetation Communities in the Lake Parramatta Catchment

Vegetation types vary based on changing geology, aspect, soil, rainfall. In the Lake Parramatta Catchment there are five different vegetation communities. Mmore information on vegetation communities inthe upper Parramatta River Catchment can be found in the Green Corridors Vegetation Management Strategy.

Blue Gum High Forest

• Eucalyptus saligna – Sydney Blue Gum
• Eucalyptus pilularis – Blackbutt
• Eucalyptus punctata – Grey Gum

Turpentine Ironbark Forest

• Syncarpia glomulifera – Turpentine
• Eucalyptus fibrosa – Ironbark
• Angophora costata – Sydney Red Gum

Sydney Sandstone Heath

• Eucalyptus gummifera – Bloodwood
• Angophora costata – Sydney Red Gum
• Eucalyptus piperita – Sydney Peppermint
• Banksia serrata – Old Man Banksia
• Banksia ericifolia – Candlestick Banksia

Sydney Sandstone Gully Forest Complex

• Ceratapetalum apetalum – Coachwood
• Glochidian ferdinandi – Cheese Tree
• Pittosporum undulatam - Rapanea
• Rapanea variabilis – Rapanea
• Callicoma serratifolia – Blackwattle

Both Blue Gum High Forest and Turpentine ironbark Forest are listed as threatened plant communities under the NSW Threatened Species Act.

This means that there is so little of this forest type left, that it may disappear altogether. This is why Lake Parramatta Forest is so important.