Wolli Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wolli Creek |
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Wolli Creek, view from the weir at Turrella.
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| Other name(s) | Wolli Creek Canal |
| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| IBRA | Sydney Basin, St George |
| District | Southern Sydney |
| Municipalities | Georges River Council, Bayside Council, City of Canterbury-Bankstown |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Beverly Hills Park south of Narwee |
| River mouth | confluence with the Cooks River between Arncliffe and Tempe |
| Length | 9 km (5.6 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Cooks River catchment |
| Basin size | 22 km2 (8.5 sq mi) |
| Tributaries |
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| Nature Reserve | Wolli Creek Regional Park |
Wolli Creek is a stream located in the southern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the larger Cooks River system. The name "Wolli Creek" comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "Black's camp."
Contents
Where Wolli Creek Flows
Wolli Creek starts in Beverly Hills Park, which is south of Narwee. From there, it flows generally east through the beautiful Wolli Creek Valley. Along its journey, another stream called Bardwell Creek joins it. Finally, Wolli Creek meets the Cooks River near Arncliffe and Tempe.
For some parts of its path, between Kingsgrove Road and Bexley Road, the creek flows through a special channel. After this, it enters the natural Wolli Creek Valley. The area that drains into Wolli Creek, called its sub-catchment, covers about 22 square kilometers.
Wolli Creek Regional Park: A Natural Treasure
Next to Wolli Creek, in the Wolli Creek Valley, is the Wolli Creek Regional Park. This park is a planned nature reserve that will cover about 50 hectares (the size of 100 football fields!). It's filled with native bushland and public spaces.
The idea for this park came about in 1998 after many people campaigned to protect the area. They wanted to make sure the M5 East Freeway would go underground to save the valley.
While some parts of the park are already set up and managed by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, some areas are still being added. When finished, the park will be a great place for everyone to enjoy nature.
What You Can Do at the Park
The Wolli Creek Regional Park is easy to get to by public transport. It offers many fun activities:
- You can have family picnics.
- Enjoy amazing views of the natural landscape.
- Walk on tracks through rugged sandstone cliffs and bushland.
- Explore different types of plant areas, like parkland, heathland, and woodland forest.
- It's a fantastic spot for birdwatching because so many different birds live there.
Amazing Wildlife in the Valley
The Wolli Creek Valley is a special place for many animals, especially birds and fish.
Birds of Wolli Creek
Because the valley has so many different types of habitats and is in a good location, many kinds of birds can be found near the creek. Between 1940 and 1999, about 175 different bird species were seen in the area! This makes it a great place for bird lovers.
Fish in the Creek
You can find several types of fish in Wolli Creek. Both freshwater and saltwater fish live here, depending on the part of the creek. There's even a special "fish ladder" (also called a "rock-ramp fishway") built at the weir in Turrella. This ladder helps fish swim past the weir, allowing them to move freely to other parts of the creek.
Coastal Saltmarsh: A Special Plant Community
The lower parts of Wolli Creek, where the tide comes in, are home to a unique group of plants called coastal saltmarsh. These plants can handle salty water. Some of the plants you might see include Knobby Club-rush (Ficinia nodosa), Samphire (Sarcocornia quinqueflora), Sea Rush (Juncus kraussii), Seablite (Suaeda australis), and Streaked Arrowgrass (Triglochin striata).
Coastal saltmarsh is very important because it helps clean the water and stores carbon. It is listed as an Endangered Ecological Community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, meaning it needs to be protected.
Images for kids
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Where Wolli Creek meets the Cooks River near Tempe.
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Wolli Creek, looking towards the South Western Ocean Outfall Sewer (SWOOS).
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The fish ladder at Wolli Creek in Turrella.
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Saltmarsh and mangroves along Wolli Creek below Jackson Place, Earlwood NSW.
