GREENWICH RAINFOREST RESERVE
COMMITTEE HOME PAGE

COMMUNITY MISSION:

To conserve 35 Innes Rd as bushland,
establish the Greenwich Rainforest Reserve,
thus safeguarding endangered species,
Gore Creek and the habitat
of birds and wildlife.

The owner issued the Community with an ultimatum:
Commence negotiations to purchase the land by mid March
or he will commence development within a month.
With the deadline now expired there is only
a glimmer of hope that someone
will come to the rescue, in time
to save our wildlife habitat
from the chainsaws.

With the Rescission Motion narrowly defeated 5 - 4 votes at the Council meeting on 20th March 2000 there is now little hope in conserving 35 Innes Rd as a special Greenwich Rainforest Reserve. The course of history could have been reversed. Just one too few Councillor had the vision to foresee the future. Council declined, by one vote, a unique opportunity to work with the Community (with the Community doing ALL the work), to maintain our green heritage in its entirety. Our Community was undermined by the egos and personal agendas of a few. They won their pyrrhic victory. In the final analysis environmental concern for the future barely received a mention. Now the destiny of Lane Cove, like most other suburbs is locked on the fast track of development, and time will now determine the pace to which our natural environment is further depleted. The innocent victims, the real losers are our ever dwindling variety of species - struggling for survival, in their confined world, encapsulated by houses, 5 km (radius) from the CBD. The other losers are future generations of residents who will be left to marvel about Lane Cove in the year 2000, & read in the history books of the local library, about how hard the local community had fought, to create a special Greenwich Rainforest Reserve, on the last remaining block of undeveloped bushland.

A minimum of $150,000 was all Council needed to contribute, so the Comunity could apply for a Natural Heritage Trust Grant, under the National Reserve System. The only remaining hope is for a generous benefactor or sponsor - corporate or private. If you can help, please email us at the bottom of this home page. Thank you.

OVERVIEW:

The Lane Cove Bushland Park (Bushland Park) is a confined reserve, which appears very much larger than it actually is. Bushland surrounding the actual park is on private land, giving the impression of an enlarged park. Some of the bush paths pass through private land. Property owners are happy for them to remain this way and bushland on private land is generally not at risk.

35 Innes Road is one of the last blocks of bushland which has not been developed on the lower North Shore. It is also contiguous to the Bushland Park, bordering upon the creek portion of what was 37 Innes Rd, which Lane Cove Council acquired on 2nd March 1988, because it contains "some outstanding wet sclerophyll bushland, a number of large tree ferns and a small creek." 35 Innes Rd is under threat of development. While other bushland is worth adding to the Park, NO OTHER CONTIGUOUS BUSHLAND is at present under threat.

The bushland on 35 Innes Rd is the feeding, breeding and roosting ground for countless birds and wildlife. According to Walter Boles, zoologist, Australian Museum, it is within the territory of the endangered Powerful Owl. Powerful owls are sighted in the bushland environment. To significantly diminish contiguous bushland will severely impact upon the wildlife habitat.

The northern boundary of 35 Innes Rd is a major tributary of Gore Creek - a beautiful small fern-lined creek. The Greenwich Rainforest Reserve Committee are committed to preserving and enhancing this unique, biodiverse Gore Creek environment. Global and local experts from a range of disciplines, have supported the importance of the sites preservation.

Despite massive community opposition, the previous Council, approved a massive building, with the footprint for inappropriate development as close as 5 metres from the edge of the creek...The closest other houses are to the creek is a shed 20 metres away, with most houses set back up to 50 metres. Some Councillors voted for the application with the justification that the owner just wanted to build his house. The owner got his approval, now wants to sell, or will develop and sell!

Development will create a precedent by denying community access to bush paths up our creek (between Innes Rd & Crowther Ave.) The community walkway along the creek will be virtually beneath a future deck. Approval allows for fencing. This sets a dangerous precedence for pathways passing through other contiguous bushland on private property.

35 Innes Rd is located 100 metres upstream from one of the worlds most biodiverse endangered Hygrocybe Communities. This Hygrocybe Community has just been listed under Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act. Hygrocybe are threatened by pollution, runoff & human encroachment. We are also told by overseas academics & mycologists, that to reduce the canopy cover, disrupt the microclimate & humidity level and change the soil moisture composition, could all impact severely upon hygrocybe. If 35 Innes Rd is not acquired & saved as a Reserve, or added to Bushland Park, massive development on this land is inevitable. Hygrocybe downstream are along the creek.

The Lane Cove Council, given the significance of the Lane Cove Bushland Park, has nominated the Bushland Park for Register of National Estate. The nomination is awaiting assessment. If the Bushland Park is so important, surely it should not be put at risk by the Edge Effects, through depleting a large block of bushland on its perimeter?

35 Innes Rd has been the subject of intense community concern for nearly two years. It has also been a topic at nearly every open Monday meeting of the previous Council for 15 months, raised in State Parliament, frequently in the media and 500 (mainly local) residents have supported its conservation via several petitions. Despite building approval from the previous Council, the owner wants to sell to the Community. His asking price is $450,000. The Community, spearheaded by the Greenwich Rainforest Reserve Committee, aim to buy 35 Innes Road, to conserve its wet sclerophyll microenvironment as a Greenwich Rainforest Reserve.

Establishment of a Greenwich Rainforest Reserve will provide rare opportunities for school and tertiary studies / excursions......5 kilometres from the Sydney CBD!

The preservation of this bushland and establishment of a Greenwich Rainforest Reserve has strong support within the community, from the developer, NSW Nature Conservation Council, Members of the New South Wales Parliament, media, Mayor Anthony Roberts, Deputy Mayor Ian Longbottom, several local councillors, scientists / academics, and the vast majority of residents.

If acquired, the Community, spearheaded by the Greenwich Rainforest Reserve Committee can initiate further fundraising activities to establish the Reserve - weed removal, measures to protect the creek ecosystem, preservation and revegetation of indigenous wet sclerophyll and rainforest flora, especially species almost lost to the area (like Cyathea Australis Tree Fern.) An environmentally sensitive walkway can link up with Bushland Park.

We can help ensure the full biodiversity of the Lane Cove Bushland Park is not compromised by major development of bushland contiguous to the Park. We can also protect the existing feeding, breeding & roosting ground of the birds & wildlife, retaining the full supportive bushland environment for the endangered Powerful Owl. We can maintain the ecological integrity of the area by helping ensuring there is no future and inherent danger to endangered Hygrocybe 100 metres downstream, by preventing consequential reduction of soil moisture content, changes to microclimate, microenvironment and edge effects.

A Greenwich Rainforest Reserve, contiguous to the Lane Cove Bushland Park, will allow a fascinating, biodiverse walk through rainforest, wet sclerophyll, along a beautiful fern-lined creek, past endangered hygrocybe, sandstone escarpments, open canopy spring wild flowers and scrubland, to mangroves at the harbour foreshore (mouth of Lane Cove River.) At a time when water quality is an issue, the creek would remain protected.

The Community was given until mid March to come up with the funds, otherwise we were told clearing and construction would commence soon afterwards. The Community required just one MAJOR sponsor (corporate, private or Council), so grants and fundraising could contribute to the remaining expenses. The smaller amounts pledged by individuals were insufficicient for the Reserve to proceed. Unfortunately despite much effort & many proposals, the money required has not been forthcoming. Unless there is a miracle, we expect massive clearing & construction work to now begin late April or early May.

If you would like to sponsor / donate towards a Greenwich Rainforest Reserve, and are able to offer a significant contribution, please contact the GRRC below. A beneficiary could be recognised in the wording of the Reserve. -

Ph. 9439 1396 (Sydney) or from overseas: 61-2-9439 1396 and ask for Don Murchison;
or 61-2-9437 5913 and ask for Tracey Forest.

We are excited to announce that ~
'The NSW Scientific Committee has made a Final Determination to list the Hygrocybeae Community of Lane Cove Bushland Park as an Endangered Ecological Community under Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 . The Hygrocybeae Community of Lane Cove Bushland Park is an assemblage of more than 20 species of fungi. Other species in the Community have been collected but remain undescribed and unclassified...'

The GRRC were strongly supportive of the listing & presented detailed submissions to the Scientific Committee.

The Committee would like to thank everyone who offered so much support:

* In particular the Mayor Anthony Roberts and Deputy Mayor Ian Longbottom.

* Numerous people who have rung the GRRC, written letters, signed petitions & sent emails.

* Lynn Wilkinson, who has been active behind the scenes with Press Releases & media liaison.

* The many academics and experts (both local and in particular overseas) who have advised us on environmental concerns.

* Dr Judy Messer and the Nature Conservation Council for their concern and help.

Help us save 35 Innes Rd for future generations
or it too, may become part of a CONCRETE JUNGLE
surrounding & strangulating a tiny remaining rump of bushland
by the turn of the next century!

Visitors since 15.7.99.