Riverside Walk

Follow the River Walk, enjoy vistas along the riverside of Mangroves. The Grey Mangroves lining the riverbanks are protected marine vegetation.

Sydney Olympic Park protects the largest remaining stand of Mangroves along the length of the Parramatta River. Mangrove trees are well adapted to growing in the intertidal zone, with specialist roots, leaves and seeds that have adapted to manage the salt associated with living in a saltwater environment.

As you walk, keep an eye out for birdlife such as Great Egrets, White-faced Herons, Cormorants and the White-bellied Sea Eagle, a threatened species often seen perched on the Mangroves along the river.

Peek through the fenceline, culverts under the pathway connect the wetlands to the tidal waters of the Parramatta River enabling fish to access sheltered habitats behind the weir. The weir is used to regulate flows and achieve the desired ecological balance of mudflat, Coastal Saltmarsh and Swamp Oak Floodplain Forest.

The Tidal Mudflats are at the heart of the wetlands are inhabited by a rich community of marine worms, molluscs, crustaceans and other invertebrates. These organisms play a vital role in breaking down organic matter and are the dietary staple of many fish, waterbirds and internationally protected migratory shorebirds.

Known as the Proof Area or Proof Yard these buildings were constructed between 1939-1941, during the World War 2 expansion period of the Royal Australian Navy Armament Depot (RANAD) Newington.

The Proof Yard was where most armament stores requiring it, were tested or “proved”, which means testing it to ensure it remains within its design specification for functionality and safety.

Buildings 190 and 191 were for the chemical testing of cordite propellant for stability. Buildings 192 and 193 functioned as laboratory rooms, where ammunition was packed and unpacked, and items prepared for proof and in some cases proved. Most of the proof apparatus was located outside.

The Newington Depot only proved smaller items of ammunition that could be safely functioned in a small area, for example, pyrotechnics. Larger items requiring a large land area (such as gun projectiles) were sent to external ranges such as the Port Wakefield proof range in South Australia.

Surrounded by the original landscape of mangroves and swamp oak (casuarina), Wharf Pond is a large freshwater habitat on the northwest corner of the Reserve. This wetlands differs from the intertidal wetland habitat in the Newington Nature Reserve.

Wharf Pond serves as habitat for local waterbirds that feed on freshwater invertebrates, including the Purple Swamphen, Dusky Moorhen, Chestnut Teal, Grebes & Egrets; as well as frog species including the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog. Listen for frogs calling when the weather is hot and humid.

Murama is a community space for healing, working together and a place for connecting to Country.

Explore the collection of public artworks and installations that share accounts from First Nations Australians of the Frontier Wars, intergenerational trauma of the Stolen Generations and acknowledge the Wangal.

Reflect on connection to Country and the importance of listening and sharing experience and knowledge at the Yarning Circle.

Blaxland Riverside Park is located on the banks of the Parramatta River offering open spaces suitable for picnics and recreation. The play space is a much loved destination and features a flying fox, treehouse and waterplay area.

Blaxland Riverside Park has a unique history — the site was originally granted to John Blaxland in 1807.

Walk to the lookout at the top of the Marker for view of the riverside, and the heritage listed Newington House & Chapel. These buildings were the residence and private place of worship of the Blaxland family and sit within the grounds of Silverwater Correctional Centre.

Formerly the Royal Australian Navy Armament Depot Newington, this 52-hectare landscape features over 100 heritage buildings. 

Built in 1897 the military powder magazine was later expanded to meet ammunition storage demands. The depot was an integral part of the ‘Sydney Ammunition Pipeline’, a chain of facilities including Kingswood Armament Depot, Spectacle Island, Rose Bay and Double Bay Powder Magazines.

It is listed on the state heritage register due to its significant as a rare extensive military and industrial landscape.

Building 143 was the original depot Cooperage; where gunpowder barrels were registered, inspected, repaired before being stored in the Gunpowder Magazine.

This building was designed to store gunpowder in barrels. The magazine contains three barrel vaulted storage chambers; shown externally by the three separate rooflines and gables.

Before electricity became available, lighted lamps (either candle or oil) were used to light the chambers at night. However, fire was a considerable threat for a magazine; it would take just one spark… Clever design improved safety. Using a perimeter internal passageway that runs around and between the internal vaults; incorporating small, glazed windows at 5m intervals, the lighted lamps were placed on the exterior sills to illuminate the interior of the chambers.

The Discovery Centre houses an extensive bird book library along with an education room to support the community who are interested in teaching or learning about birds.

Catch a bird’s-eye view of the resident White-bellied Sea Eagles nesting in the adjacent nature reserve on the EagleCAM live stream. These fascinating birds return every year from May to November, to this forest nest site. You may even be lucky enough to spot a chick in the nest!

Discovery Centre – Open Sundays 10am-3pm.
Eagle Cam live stream also available here:

https://www.sea-eaglecam.org/video.html

This freshwater wetland is 1.6km in length and acts as a floodplain, absorbing floodwater from Haslams Creek during very high tides, and runoff from surrounding areas after heavy rain.

The 22 habitat ponds surrounding the irrigation storage ponds provide breeding habitat for many frog species.

In warmer months listen for frogs calling in the wetland. Every frog species has a different call. Can you hear the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog? The Green and Golden Bell Frog population at Sydney Olympic Park is one of the largest populations of this endangered species remaining in New South Wales.

Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest is classified as a ‘critically endangered ecological community’ under both state and federal legislation—only 280 hectares remain in reserves. Sydney Olympic Park supports 20 hectares of this forest; 13 hectares within the Reserve and 7 hectares in bordering regeneration areas, supporting over 240 native plant species. Many animals feed and shelter in this vegetation community including woodland birds, parrots, raptors, possums and microbats.

This remaining forest habitat remained undeveloped due to the presence of the Military depot.

Woo-la-ra is two constructed, grassed elevated landforms: the conical Silverwater Marker and the naturalistic hill known as Woo-la-ra. Pedestrian/cycle paths lead to Woo-la-ra’s summit and provide 360 degree views of the adjacent Newington Nature Reserve, surrounding suburb and parklands.

The grasslands of Woo-la-ra provide habitat for birds not found in other types of vegetation. Listen for Quails and Cisticolas that shelter and nest amongst the tall grasses – these small birds are only found in grassland habitats such as Woo-la-ra.

While you’re on the edge of Woo-la-ra, look up! Can you see a raptor hovering over the grassy slopes?