Camden Council partnered with Sydney Water and Downer BMD Joint Venture to remove weeds and restore native vegetation along the creek line within Elizabeth Macarthur Reserve, Camden South.

What did the area look like before?

Infestation of woody weeds led to degraded habitat quality and increased the susceptibility of stream banks to erosion and instability.

The riparian vegetation along the creek lines within Elizabeth Macarthur Reserve were made up of exotic species that have been introduced to Australia including many weed species such as African Olive (Olea europea subsp. cuspidata), Box elder Maple (Acer negundo), Chinese Celtis (Celtis cinensis), Privet (Ligustrum sp.) and Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos).

What works were completed?

Mechanical weed removal and follow up maintenance weeding was undertaken to prepare the site for the planting of 3,000 native species of grasses, shrubs, and trees from the original pre-European River-Flat Eucalypt Forest plant community.

The weeds removed were mulched and left in place on the bank to prevent erosion and the regrowth of weeds.

The works were completed in August 2023 following a community planting event on National Tree Day that attracted 100 community volunteers, in addition to planting by the Kings Bush Bushcare Group and the Camden Council Staff Bushcare Group.

Site Location- pink areas show the extent of the project work. 

How can I help?

You can join Council’s Bushcare program. Led by an experienced and qualified supervisor, the Kings Bush Reserve group meets at Chellaston Street, Camden each Tuesday and on the first Sunday of the month from 9am – 12pm. No experience or tools are required.

Bushcare is a great way to stay fit, meet new people and contribute to your local environment.

What is riparian vegetation?

The plants that are found along waterways are also known as riparian vegetation. This vegetation is important as it helps to stabilise the bank of the waterway, slowing the flow of stormwater, preventing erosion, and filtering out pollutants. It also provides food and habitat for both land and water-based animals including birds, fish and frogs and provides a corridor that allows connectivity of plants and animals. The shade from vegetation can help to stabilise the water temperature and reduce the likelihood of algal blooms.

What is River-Flat Eucalypt Forest?

River-Flat Eucalypt Forest is recognised as an Endangered Ecological Community under state and national environmental legislations and has been in decline due to pressures of land clearing, grazing and invasive plant and animal species. While forests were found across coastal floodplains and river flats in NSW and Victoria, there is now less than 30% of the original area remaining. This vegetation community has an important function in the Nepean River biodiversity corridor by supporting local ecosystems and the surrounding landscape.

Some of the most notable species in this community are:

• Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis);
• Cabbage Gum (Eucalyptus amplifolia);
• Rough-barked Apple (Angophora floribunda); and
• Broad-leaved Apple (Amplifolia subvelutina).

The iconic Camden White Gum (Eucalyptus benthamii) is also a local threatened species associated with this community.

Before- May 2023	After- October 2023

 Funding

This project is proudly funded by Camden Council, Sydney Water and Downer BMD Joint Venture.

Who can I contact if I have any questions?

For more information about the project or to register your interest for Bushcare, contact Council’s Natural Resources Project Officer on 13 CAMDEN or email bushcare@camden.nsw.gov.au.

Hook, Line & Measure is a new citizen science project developed by Council that encourages the community to identify and record the species, size and distribution of fish caught and observed in the Nepean River and other local waterways in the Camden area.

This project helps the community to identify areas for recreational fishing activities and assists Council in collecting baseline data to better understand our waterways and inform the delivery of future waterway projects.

To contribute to the project or view the dashboard, visit the Hook, Line & Measure webpage.

Council entered into an agreement with Sydney Water to deliver a bank stabilisation project along a section of the Nepean River at Fergusons Land Cricket Facility. The project is part of a pilot project to offset nutrients released into the environment from Sydney Water’s wastewater treatment plants.

What did the area look like before?

The project site covered an area up to 200 metres along the Nepean River within the Fergusons Land Cricket Facility, located off Exeter Street, Camden.

This site was selected as it had experienced severe erosion, with some parts experiencing more than 30 metres of riverbank retreat since 2016. Measurements showed that more than 13,700 cubic metres of soil was lost between December 2021 and July 2023 due to the impacts of flood events. That’s enough material to fill almost five and a half Olympic sized swimming pools!

Site Location- the blue areas show the extent of the project work. 

What works were completed?

The on-ground component of these works were completed mid-October 2023 and involved:

• Ecologist surveys;
• Removal of almost 6 tonnes of flood debris;
• Removal of approximately 10,000 m² of woody weeds including African Olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata), Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), and Broad-leaved and Small-leaved Privet (Ligustrumsp.);
• Earthworks to obtain a more stable gradient, maintain flood conveyance and reduce erosion caused by overland flow;
• Installation of two engineered log jams, two natural timber revetments, and three timber structures preventing bank toe erosion;
• Installation of rock ballast, log structures and timber pins along the bank face secured with marine grade steel cabling;
• Planting of 27,000 native plants from the Endangered Ecological Community of Cumberland River-Flat Eucalyptus Forest, including 25 critically endangered Camden White Gums (Eucalyptus benthamii); and
• Installation of herbivore-proof fencing.

Timber for the project was sourced from the Transport for NSW M12 project. This provided a great opportunity to effectively reuse waste as part of a best practice riparian restoration project.

How will these works help the Nepean River?

The bank stabilisation works at Fergusons Land will provide numerous benefits to the Nepean River including:

• Reduced erosion and soil lost from the Fergusons Land bank;
• Reduced nutrients entering the Nepean River during storm and flood events;
• Replacement of woody weeds with native vegetation from the Endangered Ecological Community of River-Flat Eucalyptus Forest which provide better biodiversity value, stabilise the soil, and provide resistance during flood events;
• Protection against overland flows draining from Fergusons Land;
• Reduced flow and erosive potential of flood waters across the bank; and
• Improved fish habitat and habitat for other aquatic and terrestrial species.

This best practice riparian restoration project was led by NSW Soil Conservation Service.

Before- April 2022	After- January 2024

Funding

Sydney Water fully funded the restoration of the 200-metre section of eroded and degraded riverbank within the Fergusons Land site. Sydney Water will continue to undertake maintenance and monitoring of the project site for 10 years.

Who can I contact if I have any questions?

For more information about the project, contact Council’s Catchments Project Officer on 13 CAMDEN or sustainability@camden.nsw.gov.au.

Additional Resources

Nepean River Bank Stabilisation Project Fact Sheet – 2023

Site Plan for the Fergusons Land Project 

What did the area look like before?

The Nepean riverbank was damaged by the flooding events of 2022. To prevent further erosion, Camden Council is undertaking bank stabilisation works at four locations along the bike path at Camden. The project will be completed in two stages; with Rotary Cowpasture Reserve now complete, and Belgenny to Chellaston expected to be complete by December 2024

What works were completed?

Some works at Rotary Cowpasture Reserve were completed in late-December 2023 and included:

• Bank stabilisation and erosion control;
• Addition of large woody debris as fish habitat;
• Removal of weeds including African Olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) and African Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvulata);
• Planting with local native species from the Endangered Ecological Community of River-Flat Eucalypt Forest to stabilise the bank and provide habitat; and
• Maintenance of the plants, including watering as required.

What works are outstanding?

The surrounding riparian corridor will undergo weed removal and replanting in mid- 2024. This will result in minor noise and temporary disruptions to pedestrian traffic as vehicles access the site from Rotary Cowpasture Reserve. All works will occur between 7am and 5pm Monday to Friday, and 7am and 1pm on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays.

Funding

Funding for this project was assisted by NSW Government through its Environmental Trust and funded under the joint Australian Government – NSW Government Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements 2018.

 Who can I contact if I have questions?

If you would like more information about this project or our local waterways, call Council’s Sustainability Team on 13 CAMDEN or email sustainability@camden.nsw.gov.au

Additional resources

Project Flyer – Bank Restoration – Rotary Cowpasture Reserve

Review of Environmental Factors – Bank Restoration – Rotary Cowpasture Reserve