Wetherill Park Nature Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wetherill Park Reserve |
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| Type | Woodland, urban park, urban forest, nature reserve |
| Location | Wetherill Park |
| Area | 6.5 hectares (16.06 acres) |
| Operated by | Fairfield City Council |
| Status | Open all year |
Wetherill Park Nature Reserve, also known as Wetherill Park Reserve, is a special green space in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's like a mix of a city park and a protected nature area. Here, you can find open woodlands and bushland filled with native Australian plants, like eucalyptus trees. It also has fun areas for people to relax and play.
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About Wetherill Park's Landscape
This reserve sits on a high piece of land, like a small hill, that is about 62 meters (203 feet) tall at its eastern end. From this spot, you can see a wide view of the area around the park. The reserve is located between busy industrial areas to the north and homes to the south. This makes the park a nice, green break from the surrounding buildings and factories.
Over time, some of the top layer of soil in the park has been washed or blown away by wind and water. This has left the clay soil underneath exposed in certain spots.
Fun Things to Do at Wetherill Park
Wetherill Park Reserve has many cool features for visitors. You can find shady spots perfect for picnics, some even have barbeques! There are also walking paths where you can explore the native bushland. Kids will love the different playgrounds scattered throughout the park.
Inside the park, there's a special monument made of bluestone. This monument remembers the brave soldiers from Wetherill Park who fought and died in World War I.
Animals and Plants of the Reserve
Plants of Wetherill Park
The reserve is home to a type of forest called a dry sclerophyll forest. This means the trees have tough, hard leaves to help them survive dry conditions. Underneath these trees, you'll find grasses, creating a "meadow-like" feel in the open areas.
Many native trees grow here, such as Forest Red Gum and Grey Box. These trees are leftovers from a much larger forest that used to cover this area, known as the Cumberland Plain Woodland. These trees can grow to be 10 to 15 meters (33 to 49 feet) tall, providing lots of shade.
The plants look a bit different from one side of the park to the other. On the western side, the trees are more spread out. But on the eastern side, the plants are thicker, and the ground is covered in more grass.
Recently, new native trees like Paperbarks, She-oaks, and Bottlebrush have been planted. You can also find Bunya pines (Araucaria bidwillii) in the reserve. Some of the older trees have damaged branches or trunks, which is natural. Around the car park, you might notice that Pine logs and old wharf timbers are used to mark the space.
Animals of Wetherill Park
The reserve is a home for many Australian animals, especially birds. You might spot an Australian Magpie, a Galah, a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, an Eastern Rosella, or a Noisy Miner.
Brushtail possums have been seen in the park before, but there haven't been many recent sightings. Frogs and lizards were also commonly seen here in the past.
