Jerrabomberra Drylands!

[Denis Wilson <>]

Guys, guys, (yes, the comments so far have all been from men).

What was Australia like before Captain Cook arrived (or more particularly Arthur Phillip and the rest of the First Fleet?

The whole area is part of an artificially contrived environment - starting as a flood plain originally (well, since settlement), with willows lining the Molonglo. It was part of a dairy farm. Then the Lake was dammed in about 1963. 

Dream of playing with it how you wish (has anyone got the money?), just please don't pretend you are wanting to return it to anything which represents a Natural Swamp. Look at the grasses surrounding the swamp, and look at the trees - dead or alive.

For what it is worth, Mark has a good idea of deepening some of the channels linking the swamp and the Lake.

Cheers

Denis Wilson

On Thu, Jan 24, 2013 at 7:50 AM, martin butterfield <> wrote:

What was the swamp like before Scrivener Dam was built?  Should that be a target for any restoration work?  The exotic trees seem to be very attractive to birds (eg nesting spoonbills and Whistling kites; roosting Night-herons).

Martin

On 24 January 2013 07:39, Mark Clayton <> wrote:

I'm afraid I will have to disagree with Milburn on this one. In Australia
wetlands go through "regular" drying and filling regimes. This helps in
their long term "productivity". If Kelly's Swamp dries out sufficiently it
will give the ACT Government the opportunity to dig out the long term
accumulation of silt and debris (?read dead carp!!!??) including the exotic
trees growing in it (yes, I am an "eco-Nazi!!), deepen some of the
"channels" in the main pond, add more roosting spots and generally clean the
place up a lot. We must also remember that while the area was part of the
natural Molonglo River floodplain it is mainly because of Lake Burley
Griffin that it manages to stay "wet" for long periods of time.

Anyone else care to comment?

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: milburn [
Sent: Thursday, 24 January 2013 12:37 AM
To:
Subject: Jerrabomberra Drylands!

Its time to roll out that stupid Drylands joke again.  The harriers have
switched from the Swamp to the Spotted variety and the collection of
assorted crakes have to sprint in a comedic fashion between that last few
puddles and vegetated cover.  The ducks have mostly departed.

Its a shame the water level could not be controlled.

Milburn

--
Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/

-- 
Denis Wilson
If you're not pissed off with the World, you're just not paying
        attention.
(Kasey Chambers)

"The Nature of Robertson"
www.peonyden.blogspot.com.au