Blackbutt Reserve facts for kids

Blackbutt Reserve is a special nature park in the Newcastle area of New South Wales, Australia. It's a great place to see native animals and enjoy the outdoors. People can visit to have picnics, barbecues, and explore the bushland. It's a popular spot for families and nature lovers.

Where is Blackbutt Reserve?

Blackbutt Reserve is located between the suburbs of New Lambton and Kotara. You can find parts of it on Lookout Road and Carnley Avenue. Since the 1960s, the reserve has had animals on display. It also has picnic tables and barbecue areas for visitors.

A part of the park is also known as Richley Reserve. This name honors Joe Richley, who worked hard to protect the reserve. Today, the park covers 152 hectares, which is like 375 football fields!

The Story of Blackbutt Reserve

Blackbutt Reserve was once a coal mining area. The Scottish-Australian Mining Company owned this land. In 1824, the Australia Agricultural Company found coal here. The first underground mine, called "B" pit, started in 1825.

Over the years, parts of the land were sold off. In the 1920s, the RSL bought some land. They wanted to create gardens for soldiers who had been through tough times. But this idea didn't work out, and the land was sold to the local council.

In 1934, Joe Richley, a leader of the Northern Parks and Playground Movement, convinced the New Lambton Council to buy 6 hectares of bushland. This was an important step to protect the area. By 1937, the council had bought more land, making the reserve 240 acres in total.

In 1938, the land was put under the care of the Newcastle City Council. By 1940, Blackbutt Reserve was 144 acres. In 1949, a small part of the reserve was used for the expansion of Carnley Road.

In 1956, Newcastle City Council bought even more land for the reserve. In 1958, a fire damaged part of Blackbutt Reserve. Weeds like lantana also started to grow.

In 1963, Newcastle City Council started a program to restore the reserve. They worked to remove weeds and bring the area back to health. In 1993, an old mine site within the reserve was made new and opened to the public. It was renamed Richley Reserve.

Highway Plans

In 1966, there was a plan to build a big road, called Highway No.23, right through the middle of Blackbutt Reserve. Many people in Newcastle were upset about this idea. They protested because they wanted to protect the nature reserve.

In 1974, the Federal Government set up a committee to study the effects of the highway. The report said that building the highway would harm the environment. It would disturb birds, damage trees, and cause noise pollution. Because of these findings and public protests, the Highway 23 project was stopped.

Other Ideas for the Reserve

Over the years, many different ideas were suggested for Blackbutt Reserve:

• In the 1940s, people thought about naming it King George V Park.
• In the 1950s, there was a proposal to build a large zoo, like Taronga Park.
• Some people wanted to build a bowling club at the lookout spot in 1953.
• In 1956, the Newcastle City Council considered dividing the northern part of the reserve for houses. But public protests stopped this plan.
• In the 1960s, it was suggested that the reserve could become the Hunter Valley Botanical Gardens.
• The Department of Education wanted to buy part of the reserve for a high school in 1963. However, a campaign led by the Northern Parks and Playgrounds Movement stopped this from happening.
• In the 1970s, a private school was suggested for the site.
• In the 1990s, there was an idea to build a tall observation tower, 60 meters high.