C1 - Biodiversity Overview

1. General Description
Biodiversity refers to the variety of living things in an environment. Natural and balanced
ecosystems show considerable to high levels of biodiversity. Urban catchments such as the
Upper Parramatta River Catchment include residential, industrial and commercial activity.
Impacts on biodiversity result from the interactions between these activities such as urban
flooding, water and air pollution and
loss of natural habitat for flora and
fauna. Urban catchments also include
areas for refuge and recreation such
as the “green corridors” or “green
belts”. Green belts in the Upper
Parramatta Catchment provide natural
habitat for native species, respite for
people from the urban environment
and areas of recreation such as
swimming, bushwalking and boating.
These bushland areas are small
outposts of the natural environment
surrounded by dominating
urbanisation.

A major reason for the disappearance

of biodiversity in Sydney is the gradual
reduction in the size of habitat areas
and vegetation communities. Often, all
that remain are a number of isolated
pockets of native vegetation
surrounded by agricultural, residential
and industrial landscapes. Isolated,
small patches of habitat may be
Isolated pockets of natural vegetation insufficient to sustain viable
surrounded by urban development are typical in populations of some native species of
the catchment fauna. In such instances, wildlife
corridors, which are lines of native
vegetation connecting separate habitat
areas, are essential for maintaining biodiversity. Wildlife corridors enable fauna to access
larger habitats by encouraging mobility between areas. Corridors may also assist native plant
species to spread and colonise new areas over time. (NPWS, 1998)

2. Map
Refer to Map 1: Rare and Endangered Species Map

3. Description of Types
The largest green belt in the Upper Parramatta River Catchment is in the sub-catchments of
Hunts Creek, which flows into Lake Parramatta, and the Darling Mills Creek corridor. These

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sub-catchments includes the Blue Gum High Forests, Sydney Sandstone Heath and Sydney
Sandstone Ridgetop complexes which are found in the Cumberland State Forest, Darling
Mills Forest and Excelsior Park. (see Vegetation Communities Overview)

Animals likely to be present in the remnant bushland include:

Birds These are by far the most significant fauna by number in this
region. More than 100 species of birds have been recorded in the
Cumberland State Forest while over 50 different species have
been identified in Excelsior Park alone. Common examples include
the White-napped Honeyeater, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater and the
Tawny Frogmouth Owl.
Water dwelling birds such as native ducks eg Wood Ducks and the
Mallard, are common in Lake Parramatta. Domestic white ducks,
which have been released in Lake Parramatta Park, are creating a
severe impact on the less aggressive and slower breeding native
species. Tawny Frogmouth
Owl
Small Mammals Brush-tailed and Ring Tail Possums, Sugar
Gliders, bats and bandicoots are common. Feral predators such as
foxes and cats have a major impact on the small mammal
population and rabbits cause habitat destruction in the more open
woodlands.

Reptiles. The most common lizards

found include the Eastern Water
Dragon, Blue-tongue Lizard and
Flying Fox numerous varieties of skinks. The Red-
bellied Black Snake and the Eastern
Brown Snake are the most frequently encountered snakes in the
catchment.
Amphibians Amphibians are a major part of the biodiversity of
western Sydney. Because some species have managed to
survive even in populated or highly developed areas, many Blue Tongue Lizard
people encounter frogs in their neighbourhoods. There are 31
native species of frogs that occur in the area of western Sydney.
Of these, five are listed as threatened or vulnerable on the Threatened Species Conservation
Act — the Green and Golden Bell Frog, Red-crowned Toadlet, Giant Burrowing Frog, Green-
thighed Frog and Stuttering Frog.
Aquatic Habitats The original diversity of aquatic fauna has been reduced significantly as a
result of urbanisation in the catchment. Poor water quality and engineering of many sections
of creek bed have led to this decrease. Typical fauna existing in the freshwater section of the
Parramatta River and its tributaries are:
• eels,
• carp
• eastern long-necked turtle (pictured)
• Aquatic macro invertebrates including insects (beetles,
moths, dragonflies), aquatic earthworms, freshwater
mussels, snails and limpets, and prawns and crayfish.
Freshwater invertebrates have been identified in the
catchment and are listed in Lee Lau and Associates
(1997).

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Macroinvertebrate studies indicate that there is significant variation of diversity and
abundance of organisms across the catchment. The results also expose a significant
difference in health between the two major sub-catchments in the Upper Parramatta River
catchment, Toongabbie Creek and Darling Mills/Hunts Creek. The ecology of the Darling
Mills sub-catchment is more productive and its ecology less affected by pollution than the
Toongabbie Creek sub-catchment. The ‘healthiest’ creeks in the catchment, according to Lee
Lau & Associates (1997), are located in the Darling Mills Creek system:
• Upper Rifle Range Creek at North Rocks,
• Bellbird Creek at North Rocks,
• Darling Mills Creek at North Rocks and Baulkham Hills.

The Toongabbie Creek sub-catchment does not support a rich diversity of

macroinvertebrates, and it is evident that ecosystem health is poor (Lee Lau and Associates,
1997). Examples of such poor health are:
• Upper Toongabbie Creek at Crestwood Reserve,
• Lower Toongabbie Creek at Westmead,
• Blacktown Creek at Blacktown

This contrast in the sub-catchments can be

explained by the land use of each. Toongabbie
Creek sub-catchment contains large areas of
residential, industrial and commercial
development with only small remnants of
bushland. The creeks in many areas have been
converted to concrete channels. Conversely,
Darling Mills Creek sub-catchment contains
relatively extensive tracts of bushland with
mainly residential land use, and the majority of
the sub-catchment has natural creeks.

Freshwater Fish Based upon surveys of freshwater fish species in NSW, (eg ‘The NSW
Rivers Survey’ (Harris and Gehrke, 1997) native fish that occur or are expected to occur in
the catchment are:

• Recreational fish and other large species - Australian Bass (Macquaria

novemaculeata), Freshwater Mullet (Myxus petardi), Long-finned Eel (Anguilla
reinhardtii), and Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalis).

• Small species - Common Jollytails (Galaxias maculatus), Striped Gudgeon

(Gobiomorphus australis), Empire Gudgeon (Hypseleotris compressa), Australian
Smelt (Retropinna semoni), Flathead Gudgeon (Philypnodon grandiceps), and
Cox’s Gudgeon (Gobiomorphus coxii).

• Alien species which are known to occur in the catchment are European Carp
(Cyprinus carpio), Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and Mosquitofish (Gambusia
holbrooki).

The weirs located adjacent to Charles Street and Marsden Street, Parramatta impede the
movement and migration of fish. It is unknown to what extent migratory fish are restricted by
these structures.

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4. Reasons for Distribution
The combination of soils, geology and climate within the Upper Parramatta River Catchment
creates a highly diverse range of natural ecosystems. The catchment lies at the junction of
two major soil and geological types (see Geology Overview) and there is a significant change
in rainfall pattern from the north-eastern boundary of the catchment to the south-west (see
Rainfall Overview). Remnant bushland on public land is the main refuge of native flora and
fauna but the lack of links between remnants isolates populations making them vulnerable to
urban pressures. However a number of species and communities within the catchment are of
conservation significance and well worthy of restoration, eg Cumberland Plains Woodland

5. Other Resources and Links

• Upper Parramatta River Catchment Trust www.uprct.nsw.gov.au
• Parramatta City Council www.parracity.nsw.gov.au
• Baulkham Hills Shire Council http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au/
• Holroyd City Council www.holroyd.nsw.gov.au
• Blacktown City Council www.holroyd.nsw.gov.au
• Natural Resource Directory www.nrims.nsw.gov.au
• State Forest NSW www.forest.nsw.gov.au
• Department of Land & Water Conservation www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au
• National Parks & Wildlife Service www.npws.nsw.gov.au
• www.dmoz.org
• National Parks and Wildlife Flora and fauna Surveys
www.npws.nsw.gov.au/science/ubbs/ubbs03.html
• Ecology of the Parramatta Region
www.oca.nsw.gov.au/ecology/text-version/science-fauna.cfm
www.oca.nsw.gov.au/ecology/text-version/science-flora.cfm
www.oca.nsw.gov.au/ecology/text-version/science-weeds.cfm
• Cumberland Bird Observers Group www.cboc.org.au
• Nature Conservation Council survey of bushland status
www.nccnsw.org.au/bushland/reference/ubut/HOLROYD.html
www.nccnsw.org.au/bushland/reference/ubut/PENRITH.html

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