PATAWALONGA CREEK

western Adelaide, South Australia

About Patawalonga Creek:

Map & Site information

Virtual Tour

Newsletter

The Friends of
Patawalonga Creek

CREATED BY:

Introduction

Hidden away in odd corners of the western suburbs of Adelaide, a few remnants of the Reedbeds can still be found.

These vast wetlands, formed where the outflow of the Torrens and Sturt Rivers was blocked by coastal dunes, once stretched from Glenelg to Port Adelaide.

**the Reedbeds in 1890**

The largest of these remnants, a stretch of Patawalonga Creek, lies west of Tapleys Hill Road on land once reserved for a third runway at Adelaide Airport.

**Swamp Paperbarks**

At the core of the site is a stand of Swamp Paperbarks (Melaleuca halmaturorum). These attractive trees, which can tolerate high salinity, are a reminder that this area used to be subject to occasional tidal inundation before the lock gates were constructed at the mouth of the Patawalonga estuary in about 1960.

Patawalonga Creek forms part of the area's stormwater drainage network (see map), recently upgraded by the City of West Torrens to alleviate concerns about the risk of potential local flooding. When fully implemented this project will see greater environmental flows along the remnant section of Patawalonga Creek.

The airport's new owners, Adelaide Airport Ltd, have demonstrated their environmental credentials by embracing the Patawalonga Creek project.

A steering committee which includes community members, botanists, project officers from 'Waterwatch' and 'Our Patch',
the Urban Forest Biodiversity Program and the City of West Torrens, have compiled a draft management plan for the site.

Volunteers from Community Volunteers Australia have been involved in weed removal and revegetation. Students from Immanuel College help to coordinate plantings on the Schools Tree Day, which precedes the main National Tree Day event at the end of July each year.

The Friends of Patawalonga Creek group is in the process of becoming a sub-group of the Friends of Gulf St Vincent, which in turn is a member group of Friends of Parks Inc.

We hold regular work days at the site, on the first Sunday of each month. We have an on-line newsletter. Beside our on-site activities, we hold social events with guest speakers. By focussing on the Patawalonga Creek site, we hope to arouse interest in local environmental history, to promote a greater understanding of wider issues, and to increase communication between other local environmental community groups in the area. This project also offers educational opportunities, hosting of workshops and tours for school and environmental groups.

The Friends can be contacted by phoning 8234 1420, or by email.

<URL=http://www.chariot.net.au/~littoral/pat-ck/index.htm>
This page maintained by Littoral Productions for the Friends of Patawalonga Creek.
Last modified 1st August 2007.