RYDE FLORA and FAUNA STUDY 2007 - City of Ryde - NSW ...

2.0 Introduction
2.1 Background
Biosphere Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd
Ryde Flora and Fauna Survey 2007 7
Ryde Local Government Area (LGA) contains highly valued bushland. The retention
of these bushland areas came about as the result of complicated patterns of land
settlement, difficulties with site access and the establishment of public utility
easements, and not because of long-term conservation planning by the early city
founders. However, regardless of the mechanism for the establishment of the reserves,
the bushland areas have become an important component of the Ryde landscape.
Urbanisation
Urban development did not occur at uniform rates around Sydney Harbour. Areas
south of Port Jackson were inhabited first because the land on the south side of the
harbour was flatter and appeared to be more fertile (Watkin Tench, 1789). Bridges
between the northern and southern sides of the harbour were not constructed until the
1930s and so land clearing north of harbour was less extensive.
With the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1933, the North Shore area
became the focus of rapid urban development. Few farms had been established as
fertile land was confined to a few narrow valleys. A road link to the Hawkesbury
River was established along the ridge top that ran between Middle Harbour and the
Lane Cove River valley. This ridge eventually became the route for the Pacific
Highway.
Access to the Ryde area was difficult as it was bounded by the Lane Cove River to the
east and the Parramatta River to the south. The Hornsby Plateau slopes steeply
southwest into the Ryde area again making passage uncomfortable. The easiest means
of entry was by boat along the Parramatta River or by land from Parramatta.
Eventually punts were established to provide crossing points across the Parramatta
River and it was only then that road networks were established throughout the area.
Initially only river flat areas were opened up for agriculture but orchards and other
small scale farms were established in the valley areas. Agriculture was not to remain
as the dominant land use for long. The demand for land for housing soon outstripped
acreages required for farming and Ryde quickly adopted the heavily-urbanised
features that it still retains. The surge of residential dwellings put great pressure on the
supply of land and all land that was not in very rugged or inaccessible locations was
converted to residential sites or roads.
Remnant Bushland
For Ryde, urbanisation has meant that all of the higher ridge areas were cleared and
settled. Major roads were located at the peak of ridges and smaller, lateral roads
branched from the main thoroughfares to lower levels. Very little of the original
ridge-top vegetation survived land clearing (Howell and Benson, 2000). Fortunately,
several areas of gully vegetation were not overtaken by the urban sprawl and these
remain as green oases in a sea of bricks, tar and cement.