This area off Geelong Rd just after (or before) Lynch's Bridge over the Maribyrnong River has always look interesting but other than a slow walk in the area years ago I have never been there.
The paddock was named after local businessman and councillor, David Newell, who owned the paddock in the late 1800s and used it as a ‘nightsoil’ dumping ground.
Today the park is managed by the Council and is considered an important inner city conservation park.
Like the Maribyrnong River the reserve sits beside, the water is brackish, so plants must be salt tolerant.
I had been following the Facebook page so thought I would go and explore.
About sixty different bird species have been sighted in the reserve, including cormorants, herons, ibis, falcons and a pair of swans. The reserve contains a number a ponds which are interconnected and fed by a storm water system.
Easier said than done to access it.
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| View up Geelong Rd |
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| City in distance |
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| Lynch's Bridge |
Lynch's Bridge is of historical significance for its association with one of the earliest crossing places of the Maribyrnong River where Michael Lynch operated a punt and the associated hotel (the Pioneer Hotel) from 1849.
(Saw recent article and they are building a separate bicycle crossing)
There is no access to the actual wetland other than along the fenced edge and I forgot my binoculars
There is a Lookout that would have been interesting to see stuff, though I did see duck and cormorants.
Seeing the trash below the lookout, restricting the area seems a good idea, but i did continue my exploration of the path along the river.
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| The look out |
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| Rubbish below the look out |
Saw more industrial than natural .
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| The paddock |
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| The oxymoron of grafitti |
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| Neko (japanese for cat) is all over footscray |
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| Walking under the bridges was great views |
1 comment:
What a great walk to do. It has been "developed" so much more from when we tried it years ago.
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