Lower Prospect Canal Reserve
Encyclopedia
The Lower Prospect Canal Reserve is a lineal parcel of, primarily, Cumberland Plain
Woodland
covering 54.6 hectares and stretching 7.7 kilometres through the heart of suburban Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
. The corridor stretches from Prospect Reservoir to Sydney Water Pipehead at Albert Street, Guildford with the majority of the reserve located in Greystanes
, which is a suburb within the Holroyd City Council
area.
The Canal Reserve is one of the last remaining remnants of natural Cumberland Plain woodland in the Sydney basin and contains a number of rare and endangered plant specimens.
The reserve has survived the intense urban development that surrounds it, due to its use, for over 100 years, as part of the water supply system for Sydney. That use came to an end in May 1995, leaving the community with the chance to gain a spectacular parcel of land for recreational purposes. August 2003 saw the reserve opened to the community with a cycleway–walkway running its full length and connecting with other cycleways that extend across a great part of the Sydney metropolitan area.
The Upper Nepean Scheme saw water from the Upper Nepean, Avon, Cordeaux and Cataract Rivers channelled via tunnel, pipes and open canal to Prospect Reservoir. From Prospect Reservoir the water supply moved through an open canal known as the Lower Prospect Canal along the corridor now known as the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve.
The Upper Nepean Scheme is truly a remarkable, even heroic, feat of precision engineering when it is realised that it was constructed without the array of construction equipment and technology that is available today. It was built by hand with the aid of horsepower (real horsepower) and that's it.
The whole scheme relied on gravity and therefore demanded unerring accuracy during construction. The Lower Prospect Canal falls approximately 2 degrees over its 7.7 kilometre length. The scheme, including the Lower Prospect Canal, was completed by 1888.
has been sectioned off and destroyed as Boral
under direction of the RTA commences work on extending Reconciliation Drive from the Prospect
industrial zone through to Wetherill Park
. Work was scheduled to be completed by October 17, 2008 but is still continuing at this time in mid 2010. http://www.canalreserve.org/
This work has proved controversial with the community as a section of the historic canal has been destroyed and a bridge originally promised to traverse the new highway and transitway will now not be built. The community is now waging a battle with the NSW State Government to have this bad decision reversed.
Cumberland Plain
The Cumberland Plain is a region in the Sydney Basin of New South Wales, Australia. The plain extends from 10 kilometres north of Windsor in the north, to Picton in the south; and...
Woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
covering 54.6 hectares and stretching 7.7 kilometres through the heart of suburban Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The corridor stretches from Prospect Reservoir to Sydney Water Pipehead at Albert Street, Guildford with the majority of the reserve located in Greystanes
Greystanes, New South Wales
Greystanes is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Greystanes is located 29 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Holroyd.-History:...
, which is a suburb within the Holroyd City Council
Holroyd, New South Wales
Holroyd is a small suburb in western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Holroyd is located 24 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Holroyd. The local government area takes its name from Arthur Holroyd, first Mayor of the area, local...
area.
The Canal Reserve is one of the last remaining remnants of natural Cumberland Plain woodland in the Sydney basin and contains a number of rare and endangered plant specimens.
The reserve has survived the intense urban development that surrounds it, due to its use, for over 100 years, as part of the water supply system for Sydney. That use came to an end in May 1995, leaving the community with the chance to gain a spectacular parcel of land for recreational purposes. August 2003 saw the reserve opened to the community with a cycleway–walkway running its full length and connecting with other cycleways that extend across a great part of the Sydney metropolitan area.
History
In the 1860s following droughts and population expansion, the need for a larger and more reliable water source was required for Sydney. A Special Commission, in 1869, recommended construction of the Upper Nepean Scheme. The proposal was approved in 1877 and work commenced in 1880.The Upper Nepean Scheme saw water from the Upper Nepean, Avon, Cordeaux and Cataract Rivers channelled via tunnel, pipes and open canal to Prospect Reservoir. From Prospect Reservoir the water supply moved through an open canal known as the Lower Prospect Canal along the corridor now known as the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve.
The Upper Nepean Scheme is truly a remarkable, even heroic, feat of precision engineering when it is realised that it was constructed without the array of construction equipment and technology that is available today. It was built by hand with the aid of horsepower (real horsepower) and that's it.
The whole scheme relied on gravity and therefore demanded unerring accuracy during construction. The Lower Prospect Canal falls approximately 2 degrees over its 7.7 kilometre length. The scheme, including the Lower Prospect Canal, was completed by 1888.
Controversy
As of April 28, 2008, the final section of the canal leading to the Prospect ReservoirProspect reservoir
Prospect Reservoir is a water storage reservoir located at the headwaters of Prospect Creek in the Greater Western Sydney suburb of Prospect, in New South Wales, Australia. The dam wall is known as Prospect Dam.-History of the site:...
has been sectioned off and destroyed as Boral
Boral
Boral is a multinational company dealing in building and construction materials. Founded in Australia, it also has extensive operations in the USA and Asia. Boral was demerged from the 'old' Boral Limited in February 2000. The 'old' Boral Limited, comprising energy assets, was renamed Origin Energy...
under direction of the RTA commences work on extending Reconciliation Drive from the Prospect
Prospect, New South Wales
Prospect is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Prospect is located 32 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Blacktown and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region....
industrial zone through to Wetherill Park
Wetherill Park, New South Wales
Wetherill Park is a suburb of south western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wetherill Park is located 34 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Fairfield and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.The 2006...
. Work was scheduled to be completed by October 17, 2008 but is still continuing at this time in mid 2010. http://www.canalreserve.org/
This work has proved controversial with the community as a section of the historic canal has been destroyed and a bridge originally promised to traverse the new highway and transitway will now not be built. The community is now waging a battle with the NSW State Government to have this bad decision reversed.