Rosford Street Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rosford Street Reserve |
|
|---|---|
A comfy seating area next to Prospect Creek.
|
|
| Type | Urban park, sports ground, nature reserve, urban forest |
| Location | Smithfield |
| Area | 20.7 hectares (51.15 acres) |
| Operated by | Fairfield City Council |
| Status | Open all year |
Rosford Street Reserve, also known as Rosford Reserve, is a cool park and nature spot in the western part of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's a mix of open grassy areas, woodlands, and fun places to hang out. The park is surrounded by awesome native plants, like tall eucalyptus trees.
Inside the reserve, you'll find Janice Crosio Oval, which is a fenced sports ground. Rosford Reserve is one of the biggest parks in the Fairfield area, offering lots of space for activities and enjoying nature.
Contents
What's the History of Rosford Reserve?
Prospect Creek flows right through Rosford Reserve. Long ago, this creek was a super important place for the local Aboriginal people. They used it to find food. You could even find special piles of shells called shell middens near the creek, which were also very important to them.
After Europeans arrived, around 1883, the area that is now the reserve was about 11 hectares (that's like 27 acres!). People used this land to grow vegetables until 1974.
Later, in the late 1970s, the athletics tracks and a grandstand were built. This area was officially named Janice Crosio Oval in 1995. The park grew bigger over time as the Fairfield City Council bought more land, making it the large reserve we see today by 1987.
Where is Rosford Reserve Located?
Rosford Reserve is pretty flat and easy to explore. It's located on Rosford Street in Smithfield, which is how it got its name! You'll find it at the northern edge of Smithfield.
Other streets like Dublin Street, Hassal Street, Gipps Road, and Rhondda Street are all around the park. Prospect Creek runs through the reserve, and it actually forms the border between Fairfield City and Cumberland Council.
The areas around the park are mostly homes to the south and industrial buildings to the north. Rosford Reserve is also connected to Long Street Park on its east side and Gipps Road Sporting Complex to its west. These other parks are in the Cumberland Council part of Smithfield.
What Plants and Animals Live in the Park?
Before Europeans settled here, Rosford Reserve was a mix of open forests, woodlands, and areas right next to the creek. Today, you can still find a special type of forest called a riparian forest in the northern part of the park. This forest is a small piece of the original Cumberland Plain Woodlands, with Prospect Creek winding through it.
The plants growing near the creek are part of the riparian zone. You'll see tall trees like Eucalyptus amplifolia, Eucalyptus moluccana, Eucalyptus baueriana, Eucalyptus fibrosa, Eucalyptus tereticornis, angophora floribunda, and Casuarina glauca. These trees can grow up to 10 to 20 meters tall!
Underneath these tall trees, there's a layer of smaller plants called the understorey. Here you'll find plants like Acacia parramattensis, Bursaria spinosa, Daviesia ulicifolia, Exocarpos cupressiformis, Dillwynia, and Indigofera australis. Plus, there are more than ten different kinds of native grasses!
The park is also home to many Australian birds. You might spot an Australian raven, an Australian magpie, or a galah. If you go deep into the wooded parts of the park, you might even find the bell miner. The soil in the reserve is a mix of podsols and alluvial soils, which are good for these plants.
What Can You Do at Rosford Reserve?
Rosford Reserve has lots of cool things to do! There's a long track perfect for cycling and walking. It starts from Rhondda Street, where you'll see a huge green field, and goes through the wooded forest in the north. This track can even lead you to other parks nearby.
The park also has a baseball diamond for playing ball, a fun children's playground, and picnic tables where you can enjoy a snack. Along Rosford Street, there's an avenue of planted trees, and even a row of logs that make the park look really nice.
Janice Crosio Oval is a big highlight. It has floodlights so you can play even when it's getting dark, and it's irrigated to keep the grass green. This oval is used for many sports like rugby league, soccer, cricket, and athletics. There's also a grandstand with seats for spectators and a building with facilities.
