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Latham Report
CENTRAL REGION:

Location and Description

See map of the area

Dharawal Nature Reserve  adjoins the south-eastern tip of Dharawal State Recreation Area,  south of Darkes Forest Road and west of the Princes Highway, and forms only a small part of the total 5940 ha of the combined reserves. The first edition of this report (1995) proposed the entire area, which incorporates the O'Hares Creek Catchment, and the O'Hares Creek gorge to the north-west as an 8000 ha Nature Reserve. Because of the area's long standing Special Area status and management as water catchment by Sydney Water, the majority is in a natural state with limited established recreational usage.  For a fuller description of the conservation values of the combined larger area see Section 2.6.1.

The NPA proposes the Loddens Creek / Maddens Plains addition to the south of Dharawal Nature Reserve and State Recreation Area. It would greatly increase the size of the existing Nature Reserve and improve its long term ecological viability.

(Adapted from Douglas & Sheppard 1988).

2.4.4.1 Proposed Loddens Creek / Maddens Plains Addition

The Loddens Creek / Maddens Plains area adjoins the south of Dharawal Nature Reserve and State Recreation Area. It is bounded on the west by the Appin-Bulli Road and on the east by the Princes Highway. Its proposed addition excludes the Southern Freeway corridor.

Loddens Creek forms part of the Cataract River's catchment and is a Special Area.

Area

Unknown

Land Tenure

The land is held in freehold title by Sydney Water as part of the payment for the special dividend made by the then Sydney Water Board to the former Greiner State Government.

State Electorate

Keira

Local Government Area

Wollongong

Geology

Dharawal Nature Reserve is of particular significance for its Upland Swamps which are a conspicuous and spectacular feature of the O'Hares Creek Catchment. They occur on the plateau surface in areas of impeded drainage and sandy humic soils, and are up to one square kilometre in area, although occupying only about 5% of the proposal's total area. They display great geomorphic diversity, ranging from extensive moorlands at Maddens Plains, to large peat-filled valley swamps in the headwaters of Iluka Creek, to small Sedgelands and Wet Heath perched on sandstone benches. They are of great value in maintaining high water quality in the O'Hares Creek Catchment.

Flora

Some of the highest species-richness values in the world have been reported in these swamps (Keith and Myerscough 1993). Unique to the eastern Woronora Plateau, the swamps are floristically diverse in terms of species numbers, assemblages and zonation patterns. They are the richest in NSW, and much more varied than those found in comparable areas of Royal, Heathcote and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Parks, with a total of 140 species having been identified to date.

The swamps are amongst the oldest of their type in Australia and contain depositional patterns, fossilised pollens and macro fossils which record climatic, geomorphological and biological events of the last 12,000 years.

Fauna

The swamps also support a diverse fauna, being important habitat for Swamp Wallabies, Eastern Wallaroos, Marsupial Mice, New Holland Honeyeaters, Swamp Rats, frogs, crayfish and many insect species.

They are therefore of considerable scientific interest. Many of their features are unique to the swamps of the Woronora Plateau and are not adequately represented in the NPWS estate.

Cultural Heritage

Unknown

Reasons for Reservation

The Loddens Creek / Maddens Plains area contains many unusual Upland Swamps, Sedgelands and extensive Moorlands which are not adequately protected elsewhere in the NPWS estate and which therefore warrant urgent attention. Their addition to Dharawal Nature Reserve would ensure ongoing water catchment management by the NPWS.

Threats to Conservation Values

Not specified

Proposal History

1988:      Loddens Creek / Maddens Plains area was included in the National Trust's classificaiton of the Woronora Plateau Landscape Conservation Area and proposal for a nature reserve over the O'Hares Creek Catchment.

1995:      October. NPA proposal for an 8000 ha Dharawal Nature Reserve included the Loddens Creek / Maddens Plains area.

1999:      January. Renewed NPA proposal for inclusion of Loddens Creek / Maddens Plains area in Dharawal Nature Reserve.

Map