THOMAS Stubbings once plied his brickwork trade on a piece of East Goulburn land that nature enthusiasts want to transform into a wetland.
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The remnants of the ‘Melbourne Place’ brickworks, established in 1863, are still scattered above and below the surface, hinting at another age and the building blocks of Goulburn’s finest buildings.
The Goulburn Wetlands working party wants to construct a different foundation, at the same time honouring the wealth of heritage. For the past three months members have been working on a project brief for Goulburn Mulwaree Council, outlining a plan for a large wetland and recreational area on the Mulwaree chain of ponds.
All up, the party has channelled 650 hours into a professional report free of charge. The group includes teacher and environmentalist Rodney Falconer, farmer Bill Wilkes, former Sydney Catchment Authority officer David
Marsden Ballard, former council engineering director Peter Mowle, retired farmer Ray Shiel, Deputy Mayor Bob Kirk, council officers and others.
Mr Falconer outlined the results to an economic development and tourism advisory committee meeting last Tuesday.
Just a frog’s leap over from Goulburn Golf Course and adjoining May St, the flood prone 13.5 hectare site is a natural choice, says the group. It also taps into several already floated initiatives and resurrects channels and overland flow paths essential for thriving bird and plant life.
More importantly, the 1.5 metre deep wetland, created by redirecting urban runoff and regenerating the area, will act as a natural filter for Goulburn’s stormwater.
“Water plants are the kidneys of the whole system,” Mr Falconer told the meeting.
“They trap nutrients and absorb heavy metals. It’s a way of cleaning water without using expensive engineering.” Mr Falconer said Goulburn was at a critical point in the catchment but it “did not manage its (storm) water in the cleanest possible way”.
“We are also one of only two councils in NSW that don’t apply a stormwater levy. That’s embarrassing,” he said.
For the full story and a related report, please see Wednesday’s Goulburn Post, available from our front office in Auburn St, or at all leading newsagencies across the Goulburn area.
