Oatley Bay is a bay located in the Georges River Council, surrounded by the suburbs of Oatley, Hurstville Grove and Connells Point.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/PortHacking-Sydney-Ria.jpg/220px-PortHacking-Sydney-Ria.jpg)
The bay is part of the Georges River waterway. It is popular for cycling, walking, children's play, picnics and barbecues, and is also used for boating.[1] The area around the bay is built-up.[2] Reserves and parks in the bay include: Poulton Park, Redin Place Reserve, Oatley Point Reserve, Oatley Pleasure Grounds and Moore Reserve.[3]
The bay has a shallow depth, averaging about 1.5 metres, and is the end point for all run-off from the approximately 468-504 hectare Oatley Bay catchment.[citation needed] There is a ramp for access by boat.[4]
Ecology
editThe bay contains endangered flora and ecological communities, with more than two hundred plant species recorded.[3][5] Oatley Bay also has one of the largest areas of mangroves in the Georges River, on the eastern shore at Poulton Park.[citation needed]
There was a history of oyster fishing in the bay.[6]
Ecological damage, protest and regeneration
editThe bay, mangrove swamps, rivers and bushland were damaged in the twentieth century by material dumped into them, partly as a result of the council's land reclamation policy.[1][6] The material dumped included toxic chemicals from industry.[6] Moore Reserve was the site of a municipal rubbish tip.[1] Dredging had also been carried out from the 1930s.[5] All this resulted in "extensive destruction of habitat".[5] Building along the shores of the bay also resulted in vegetation and tree coverage in the parks being almost completely destroyed.[5]
From the 1960s, residents protested about the environmental damage to the bay, and asked that the council act to protect the landscape and its native plants.[6] This has been described as a "campaign ... attempting to defend a damaged and polluted river and the scarred remnants of its endemic bushland".[6] As of 1999, water quality continued to be affected by chemicals leaching from the material dumped in the water and the swamps.[1] Current council policy, as part of the Oatley Bay Creek Rehabilitation Project, is to regenerate, re-vegetate and conserve the biodiversity of the area, including the bushland and wetlands, and to improve the marine habitat.[1][2] Some parts of Oatley Bay Creek continue to have high levels of biodiversity.[5] Council policy is also to maintain the area for public recreation, both passive (play, picnics) and active (sports).[5]
As of 2003, there continue to be environmental problems caused by mountain biking, rubbish and foxes.[3]
In 2003, the bay was proposed for inclusion in the Great Kai'mia Way.[3]
As of 2002, there was an incomplete Aboriginal land claim relating to some of the bay area.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Moore Reserve Plan of Management" (PDF). Kogarah Municipal Council. 1999. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Oatley Bay Creek Rehabilitation Project". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Creating The Great Kai'mia Way A CATCHMENT VISION Report presented by SSEC and GREA with funding from the NSW Government GRFIP" (PDF). SSEC. 2003. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ Trembath, Murray (4 November 2016). "Improved access to Georges River with completion of Oatley Bay boat ramp upgrade". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g McMahon, Michael. "COMBINED PARKS Draft Plan of Management Hurstville Quarry Reserve, Poulton Park & Willunga Reserve" (PDF). Kogarah Council. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Goodall, Heather (2022). Georges River Blues: Swamps, Mangroves and Resident Action, 1945–1980. ANU Press. ISBN 9781760464639. Retrieved 27 March 2022.