here - Victorian Environmental Assessment Council

Friends of Westgate Park
P o s t O f f i c e B o x 2 3 3 3 R i c h m o n d S o u t h V i c 3 1 2 1
Submission to the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council investigation
of Crown Land and Public Authority Land
December 20, 2010
Westgate Park, located in Fishermans Bend, north and south of the Westgate Bridge between Todd
Road and the Yarra River, is now a natural showcase of indigenous plants of the Melbourne region.
Nine Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVC) have been established in the 40 hectare Park under a major
revegetation plan developed, planted and maintained by our community group, Friends of Westgate
Park.
The Discussion Paper lists Westgate Park under metropolitan parks, classified "Parkland and garden -
sub category, community use areas" P75.
We support this classification and particularly the draft recommendations (c) and (d).
(c) parklands and gardens be used as botanic and other gardens, community parkland or
ornamental plantations;
(d) where relevant, and where compatible with the above, features of cultural significance, natural
surroundings and the local character and quality of the landscape be maintained or restored.
We believe that classifications such as the nature conservation reserve and natural features reserves
should be revised to include similar protection of revegetated and regenerated areas of indigenous
vegetation as well as remnant areas. Otherwise it will be impossible to halt the decline of indigenous
vegetation.
We also support extending the formal boundaries of the park into adjacent under utilised public land,
particularly in the long term probability of increased residential development on current land managed
by the Port of Melbourne.
We also request that the recommendations and categories used in this study be binding on the use of
government land by government agencies
We ask the VEAC to consider in its review our hope that the Park can be:
- recognised for its current and potential ecological values
- visited and appreciated for those values by more people
- extended into surrounding publicly-owned but under-utilised land
- designated for passive recreation to conserve and protect natural habitats

The Friends of Westgate Park
Members of the Friends bring a high level of professional expertise in landscape design, indigenous
vegetation and habitat protection for native fauna. The group has for over ten years held planting,
mulching and weeding days, establishing significant communities of over 300 locally indigenous plants
in the park, many of them locally rare, and gradually removing non-locally indigenous species. The
Friends have planted 220,000 plants in the park.
The Friends collect seeds and use their small nursery to propagate species that are often not otherwise
available and it shares knowledge and plants with other indigenous nurseries.
The group averages over 1000 hours of volunteering work a month through its recruitment, coordination
and supervision of Green Jobs Corps and corporate-sponsored programs and teams of dedicated workers
are now engaged in these tasks for three to five days every week. To put this effort into perspective, this
relatively small park – around 0.003% of the total area under the control of Parks Victoria – has
generated 6.7% of its volunteer hours for the state over the last four years.
In short, the Friends of Westgate Park have assumed responsibility for what is described in their mission
as:
“to maintain and improve Westgate Park as an attractive destination for passive recreational
visitors; and, to provide quality habitats to sustain the native birds and animals that are resident
in the park, or rely on it during seasonal movements.”
The Friends were awarded the National Urban Landcare Award in 2010 for their efforts and credited
with transforming the Westgate Park „… from an inner city waste land to one of Melbourne‟s biological
„gems‟‟.
The ecological, aesthetic and social values of Westgate Park
The Park is very close to the centre of Melbourne – just 6 km from Flinders Street Station - and
plays an important role in surrounding the city and the adjacent industrial areas with green
spaces
This close proximity is important for botany students, tourists and Melbourne residents to see
and appreciate the variety of plants that were once found in the region.
The park‟s design is believed to be unique in featuring so many EVC‟s and significant numbers
of each species. It is also special for the fact that plant communities have been established - not
just trees but mid and under story plants, shrubs, ground covers, creepers and grasses which
significantly increase the habitat values for wildlife. Indeed the current season offers a
spectacular array of blooms and fruit, some images of which are appended. This variety is not
seen in other metropolitan parks to anything like the same extent.
This mass of vegetation has become vital to improving the genetic diversity of seed banks,
particularly for the rarer species of local plants.
Remnant vegetation is not a feature of Westgate Park, however, there are two small areas of
remnant saltmarsh in the area within the Port of Melbourne Corporation land which are in a degraded
state. The park does however contain naturally occurring regrowth from its prior

existence as a saltmarsh/swamp and a few of the saltmarsh plants found in the park are of
significance such as Halosarcia pergranulata (Shrubby Samphire). Given the fact that saltmarsh
is a threatened ecosystem it is important to foster this regrowth and protect the saltmarsh around
the saltwater lake and south west of the park between the Redgum Lagoon and the pump station.
The park features significant lakes and wetlands and these, together with the vegetation, provide
an ideal habitat for both water and land based birds, particularly during prolonged periods of
drought. Over 120 bird species have been recorded.
In recent years and particularly in 2010, the population of amphibians has grown. The Common
Eastern Froglet is present and can be heard most days. Striped Marsh Frog, Spotted Marsh Frog
and the recently discovered Plains Froglet have all been recorded in the past. A threatened
species, the Growling Grass Frog was recorded in the park in 2000 and could be expected to
thrive there if reintroduced after conditions are made suitable by securing greater inflows of
stormwater.
The park is situated in a pivotal location between the lower reaches of the Yarra and Port Phillip
Bay. This area was particularly interesting prior to European settlement with the mouth of the
Yarra being so close to where the park is situated today.
Within the park there are stunning views of the city skyline, the lakes, the Westgate Bridge, the
docks and the Yarra River across to Yarraville and the rolling landscape is punctuated with Lyn
Moore‟s imposing Earth Series sculptures.
More visitation
The Park is seen from the Westgate Bridge by thousands every day but its potential to attract visitors has
not been fully realised. The Friends consider that the revegetation, though far from complete, has
reached a stage where it can be properly appreciated for the above values. Better promotion and signs
identifying flora and fauna of significance would help achieve this, as would better mapping of the
cycling and walking routes connecting the bay to the city via the park. More suitably located toilets,
more sheltered seating at vista points may assist. The Friends are currently considering the value of
constructing a bird hide on the freshwater lake which might attract bird watchers and families. We hope
to promote the park to the growing population of Docklands and Southbank for whom ready access to
public parks is limited.
Extending the Park
A review of the land that surrounds Westgate Park, especially to its south, shows significant areas of
under-utilised land in public ownership. While this is a lost opportunity to improve the environment, the
neglected state of this land is also a threat to surrounding areas through the spread of weeds and feral
animals. VicRoads controls the land under the bridge and the Melbourne Ports Corporation owns the
land adjacent to the park from the River and currently uses the Port Melbourne Council depot in Todd
Road for security operations. We are unclear about the current ownership of this site. The Howe Parade
Extension borders the Park to the south and whilst this must remain an easement, consideration should
be given to a natural extension of what has been done to date at Westgate Park into this and other
adjacent areas.
The Friends have already planted areas adjacent to the river bank and upstream of its boundary.

We would be in favor of extending the formal boundaries of the park into these areas but would also be
willing to plant out areas by agreement with the current owners. We are confident this can be done with
little by way of capital expenditure and additional infrastructure.
There is no doubt that the value of Westgate Park would be enhanced if it was larger.
Habitat supporting biodiversity improves as the size of the protected area increases. This is also true for
visitor experience when park users can seek peaceful solitude when surrounded by a large area of land.
The essential requirements to maintain and extend this important area for biodiversity are a clear
endorsement of this aim from urban land-use planning agencies; and the cooperation and goodwill of the
relevant land managers.
Challenges and threats
- Mountain Bike Racing
The Friends hold the strong view that many healthy activities can be encouraged in the Park whilst
being compatible with the protection of its most valuable assets – the indigenous flora and fauna there.
Parks Victoria is currently pushing to annex a large area of the park for 4 kilometers of purpose-built
mountain bike „dirt racing‟ track at the southern end. The area is designated coast banksia woodland
and grassy open woodland on the Revegetation Plan and already planted by the Friends some years ago.
This form of organised sport is incompatible with the designation of community use areas and would
appropriately be accommodated in a regional park.
There can be little doubt that mountain bike racing would diminish the quality of the habitats and be
disruptive to wildlife. It is also inconsistent with the concept of conservation but it has other
consequences too. It undermines the efforts and the morale of volunteers, diminishes in the public eye
the integrity of the park‟s claim to be improving the environment and it discourages visitors who come
for nature-based passive recreation; to walk, birdwatch or cycle through the park.
We appreciate that mountain bikes are less intrusive than motorised vehicles however organised racing
is about going as fast as possible with all the risks that this implies. The commercial organization that
conducts weekly races in another part of the southern end of the park boasts speeds of 45kph and
averages of 29kph. We consider that racing sites should be located well outside park boundaries so
passive recreation users can enjoy a safe environment consistent with Parks Victoria‟s strategy of
„Healthy Parks, Healthy People‟.
It is worth noting that the go kart track east of the park was originally envisaged to be parklands and part
of Westgate Park but given over to racing in the early 1990s when a track elsewhere was closed. The
fact that the go kart organizers have yet to fulfill their obligation back then to screen the track with
vegetation suggests the natural environment is a low order priority for those with an interest in racing.
Parks Victoria announced recently that it would conduct a „Recreational Activities Impact Statement‟
for Westgate Park. We welcome this but the experience of the go karts leads us to be wary of promises
to protect or repair damaged vegetation or erosion. Furthermore, the appearance of a container full of
track building material suggests that the outcome may be a foregone conclusion.

- Water
Water quality in the lakes and marshes of the park has been a problem almost since its inception. The
rainfall in 2010 has greatly improved water quality and the flora and fauna is growing rapidly as a result.
However without a natural flushing system, silt, contaminates and nutrients build up and have in the past
led to eutrophication. The Friends are seeking advice on a number of options for capturing further
stormwater runoff from surrounding sites and a discharge mechanism and will commission a water
management plan over coming months to assist in improving the quality of water in the park‟s lakes and
wetlands.
- Introduced species
A major barrier to the survival of some the rare indigenous plants in the park is the presence of a big
population of rabbits. There is no management plan in place to control the rabbit population and until
this is done we can expect to have difficulty with plant regeneration.
Potential
Numerous cities, notably Hong Kong, London, New York and Hanzhou, by restoring wetlands to
provide habitat for waterfowl, migrating waders and attendant coastal and woodland fauna, have created
popular attractions for locals and visitors. Whilst birdwatching, indeed ecotourism, is increasingly
important to tourism, these inner-urban wetlands also attract many mainstream travellers, who
appreciate natural environments as a respite from metropolitan crowds and complexity. With proper
planning, sensitive management and ingenuity, and even an expanded land and shoreline area, Westgate
Park, so accessible from Melbourne‟s CBD, could join the list of Australia‟s international icons,
generate revenue and increase our fabled „liveability‟.
Site Visit
A site visit to Westgate Park would really show first hand what this submission is conveying. We
would welcome such a visit and would be please to show those interested around the park.

Westgate Park features significant lakes and wetlands and these, together with
the vegetation, provide an ideal habitat for both water and land based birds,
particularly during prolonged periods of drought. Over 120 bird species have
been recorded in the park.

Westgate Park features significant lakes and wetlands and these, together with
the vegetation, provide an ideal habitat for both water and land based birds,
particularly during prolonged periods of drought. Over 120 bird species have been
recorded here.

Birds frequently seen in the lakes and wetlands include Australasian Grebe (top left), Purple
Swamphen (top center), Black‐winged Stilt (right) and Chestnut Teal (center). All breed in Westgate
Park.

Water quality in the lakes and marshes of the park has been a problem almost since its
inception. The rainfall in 2010 has greatly improved water quality and the flora and fauna
is growing rapidly as a result.

Whole plant communities have been established ‐ not just trees but mid and under story
plants, shrubs, ground covers, creepers and grasses which significantly increase the
habitat values for wildlife.

Birds common in the land based plant communities include New Holland Honeyeater(top
left), White‐browed Scrubwren (top right), Superb Fairy‐wren (left), European Greenfinch
(center) and White‐plumed Honeyeater (right).

The Park now offers spectacular displays of blooms, fruit and seeds from
300 species, many of them rare.

The Howe Parade Extension and Melbourne Ports Corporation land over the southern
boundary is starkly contrasted by the adjacent lush vegetation of the Manna woodland at
the southern section of the park.

The Howe Parade Extension is infested with weed and, in some
places, a rubbish dump.

Red flags map out a route for a 4km ‘dirt track’ through revegetated
areas of the south eastern Grassy Open Woodland section of the Park.