Mason Park Wetland is an 8Ha site located 15km west of Sydney’s CBD and is one of eight significant remnant wetlands bordering the Parramatta River.
The Dharug and Eora people hunted and fished in the area for tens of thousands of years. Since 1826, the area has been the subjected to marsh reclamation and landfilling operations, including being a commercial and industrial rubbish tip until the mid-1970s.
Changed hydrology, the recent proliferation of mangroves and a rapid decline in the numbers and species of migratory shorebirds along the East Asian Australasian Flyway, have contributed to the decline of the wetland as a habitat for local waterbirds and intercontinental migratory shorebirds.
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The Science.
A recent in-depth study by InSight Ecology for Strathfield Council outlines all the issues affecting the wetland and provides recommendations about how to restore Mason Park Wetland’s habitat for birds and vegetation, along with urgency ratings. We are committed to following these recommendations outlined on p.49 of the report.
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The Birds.
At the end of last century, Mason Park Wetland was home to a large number and rich diversity of waterbirds and inter-continental migratory shorebirds. At Mason Park Wetland, there is signage to help you identify the birds you see. Or you might like to attend our free monthly bird-watching tours (subject to public health orders), suitable for novices and twitchers alike.
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The Management.
Strathfield Council is responsible for managing Mason Park Wetland under the principles and actions outlined in its Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2030 as well as its legal responsibilities as manager of Crown Land. The area is also subject to international agreements with China, Japan and South Korea to protect the habitat for intercontinental migratory shorebirds.
These beautiful illustrations were created by Alison Ellis
who leads a benthic sampling project at Mason Park Wetland.
