Michael Eades Reserve facts for kids
Michael Eades Reserve is a special place located in the upper Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. This area is home to unique plants that you won't find anywhere else on Earth! For example, plants like Acacia ptychoclada and Grevillea acanthifolia grow only here. The reserve protects this amazing natural environment.
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Amazing Plants and Animals
Hanging Swamps: Nature's Water Filters
One of the most interesting features of Michael Eades Reserve is its "hanging swamps." These aren't like regular swamps. They get their name because they are found on the sides of valleys.
These swamps are special because of the plants that grow there, like sedges, grasses, and shrubs. They are also special because of the rocks underneath. Layers of sandstone, claystone, and shale guide groundwater to flow out onto the valley walls. This water constantly feeds the hanging swamps.
Water for the Mountains
These hanging swamps are super important! They are the main source of water for many creeks and waterfalls in the upper Blue Mountains. In this reserve, Katoomba Creek starts here. It then flows downstream into the famous World Heritage Site of the Grose Valley.
Home to Rare Animals
The hanging swamps are also a safe home for many animals that are rare or in danger. These include the Blue Mountains water skink, the Giant dragonfly, and the Giant burrowing frog. Protecting these swamps helps protect these amazing creatures.
Caring for the Land
Aboriginal Connection
The natural areas of Michael Eades Reserve are very important to the local Darug Aboriginal community. This land has deep cultural meaning for them, both in the past and today.
Community Efforts
The local community still values the reserve very much. Since 1996, many volunteers have worked hard to protect and restore the bushland and creeks here. These volunteers continue their work today. They often team up with the Blue Mountains City Council and other groups that manage land.
Who was Michael Eades?
A Champion for Nature
The reserve is named after Michael Eades (1954–2002). He was a big supporter of protecting the bushland in the Blue Mountains. Michael Eades helped people understand how special and delicate the Blue Mountains environment is.
Protecting Endangered Plants
His work led to the recognition of important natural areas in the Council's Land Environmental Plan in 1991. Michael Eades also helped the federal government officially list the Blue Mountains Sedge and Shrub swamps as nationally important.
He was a strong advocate for protecting the unique plants of the Mountains. He even identified several plant species that were in danger. Michael Eades gave important advice and support to community volunteers. He also helped start the Council's Bushcare Program, which helps care for the bushland.
