Faulconbridge

Chapman Parade

On Thursday 18 June we set off to do a short bushwalk to Springwood Creek.  According to our information the entrance was from Boland Road or Bednal Road, Springwood.   The approach to Boland Road was a left hand turn off the Great Western Highway heading East and as we were driving on the Highway heading west, we decided to try the Bednal Road  entrance.  However, the entrance was on a steep bend in the road and it was not possible to park the car anywhere near the entrance.  We decided to scrap this walk and instead headed for Chapman Parade, Faulconbridge past the Norman Lindsay House and Gallery.  We drove along Chapman Parade as far as we could, until the bitumen ran out and it became a dirt track.  We parked the car and headed out on foot along the dirt track.

We parked our car by the side of the road, outside this property's open gate. There was a large clearing for cars to turn around and head back, as the dirt track ahead was only suitable for 4WD vehicles.  We set off, through a forest of burnt tree trunks from past bushfires.  The trees quickly regenerate with new foliage, but the trunks remain scarred.

 After the recent rain, there were large puddles of water all along the track and we had to tread our way carefully through the undergrowth and side diversions along the track.  Fortunately, the track was fairly level.

Well, this seemed almost a lake!  I love the reflections of the trees in the muddy water.  There were muddy tide marks caked on the trunks of the trees along the edge of the lake.  Any vehicle crashing through that water would leave a layer of splashed up mud on the trunks.

 As it is winter there were not many wildflowers blooming, but we did see a few Banksias and some Wattles beginning to blossom.  Another month and the bush should be full of Wattle in flower.

Garden fugitives!!  This is what happens when people dump garden refuse in the bush.  This little clump of Agapanthus could get out of control before too long!  I like Agapanthus flowers, but the bush is not the place to see these non-native flowers.

We turned back at this point.  My leg was beginning to ache and we had no idea how long the track was and even if it went anywhere.

I did a little bit of research after we arrived back home and discovered that the dirt track at the end of Chapman Parade is a favourite destination for 4WD vehicles.  The track is horrendous in parts, with a few little steep rocky sections that would probably require a winch, but I guess a lot of fun to off-roaders.  I watched several videos of vehicles negotiating this track and I must say it looked pretty scary!

While we were walking along the track we had to step aside as three 4WD vehicles drove by.  They barely acknowledged us and seemed pretty intent on concentrating on the road.

The bush seems to be a dumping ground for rubbish, but I noticed at least one 4WD club was organising a Clean-up day and asking their members to participate in a cleaning up the bush day and requesting they bring trailers to help cart the rubbish away and take it to the tip.  It's good to know they are trying to get the bush back to a pristine state, even if they are tearing-up the track!

Glenbrook

Glenbrook Lagoon - Turtle Island

Yesterday Ken and I drove down to Glenbrook to visit the Lagoon.  We were here last January and wanted to see how the new Turtle Island was progressing.  At the time of our last visit I was not aware of the significance of the raft we saw floating out on the Lagoon, but I am now fully aware of the nature of this raft.  It is an eco habitat to provide a safe nesting place for turtles.  The project is a collaboration between Blue Mountains City Council, Western Sydney University and local volunteers.  I believe already three nests containing eggs have been found on the floating nesting place, known as Turtle Island.  Glenbrook Lagoon is home to a number of turtle species, including Eastern Long-neck and Sydney Basin turtles.  The turtles face danger, as foxes destroy 95 per cent of their nests so the  island will provide an excellent refuge.  The island contains nest boxes, sand, turf and soil.  The turtles find the materials they like and nest.  The island can hold up to 30 nests.  The floating island will make it harder for foxes to get to the eggs.

Glenbrook Lagoon is a haven for remnant bushland.  It is an active bushcare site and a valued recreation point for the community.  There is a lovely track through the bush and along part of the Lagoon.  It is not possible to walk completely around the Lagoon and at some point the track links up with local streets.

This was our point of entry from where we parked our car.  We were surprised at how cold it was and the trees looked dark and gloomy.  The water level in the Lagoon was much higher than it had been when we were last here in January.

Here is the floating raft known as Turtle Island.  Foxes are able to swim, but it depends on their motivation.  If there is an abundance of food on land then there would be no reason for them to swim out to the island.

This is part of the track, running along the back boundaries of houses in the area.  This track eventually meets up with a local residential street.  However, it is a quiet area and we saw some ducks waddling safely beside the road.

This is part of the remnant bushland.  We were quite shocked at the state of this bush as there were lots of logs and trees lying around and we thought it looked ill-cared for.  However, there may have been a reason to leave the logs and branches in that state as they would provide habitat for the local fauna and other insects and creatures.



We enjoyed our little trip to the Lagoon again, but it was a cold afternoon and we had not brought coats with us, so we did not spend very long outside.  We drove around the Lagoon and stopped to view it at various entry points along the way and then hurried back to the warmth of our car.