Norfolk Reserve, Greenacre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Norfolk Reserve, Greenacre New South Wales
Norfolk Reserve, Greenacre Location in New South Wales
Website	Norfolk Reserve, Greenacre

Norfolk Reserve is a special natural area in Greenacre, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is about 14 kilometers (9 miles) from the city center. This small piece of bushland is surrounded by busy factories and city areas. It is home to some rare plants, like the downy wattle and a vine called Vincetoxicum woollsii.

Geography of Norfolk Reserve

The Norfolk Reserve area gets about 930 millimeters (37 inches) of rain each year. The soil here is not very rich. It is made from old rocks called Triassic sedimentary rocks, specifically Bringelly shale.

Temperatures in nearby Bankstown are usually between 17.5°C (63.5°F) in July and 27.7°C (81.9°F) in January. The lowest temperatures are around 3°C (37°F) in July and 18°C (64°F) in February. It rarely freezes in winter. Sometimes, summer temperatures can go above 40°C (104°F). Summer winds usually blow from the east or southeast, while winter winds come from the west.

History of the Reserve

The original people of this land were the Bidjigal group of the Dharug people. Norfolk Reserve is part of land that was bought by the Urban Transit Authority in 1948. A bus depot opened nearby in 1958. This bushland was kept on purpose to create a natural barrier between the bus depot and the homes around it.

Plants and Trees (Flora)

This area is a dry forest. The tallest trees are mostly four types of eucalyptus trees. These include Woollybutt, Broad leaf Ironbark, Grey box, and Beyers Ironbark. Sometimes, paperbark trees like Melaleuca nodosa and Melaleuca decora also form part of the tree canopy.

About 121 different native plants have been found in this small area. The forest here is called Cooks River Clay Plain Scrub Forest. This type of forest was listed as an endangered ecological community in 1995. This means it is very rare and needs protection. Less than 1% of this original forest type still exists today, in small patches like Norfolk Reserve.

Animals (Fauna)

This small forest reserve does not have many native animals with backbones. However, Bearded dragons and small lizards have been seen here. In the past, rare birds like the Regent honeyeater and bats like the Common bent-wing bat were recorded nearby. Norfolk Reserve might still provide a home for these species if they are in the area today. You might also see the White-throated needletail flying above in summer.

Bush Regeneration Efforts

Work is being done to help conserve and restore this forest. Some common weeds found here include Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), Paddy's (Sida rhombifolia), Bidens (Bidens pilosa), and Fleabane (Conyza sp.). Overall, the plants in the reserve are in fair to good health. The southern part of the reserve is in especially good condition, with very few weeds.