Puckeys Estate Reserve
Encyclopedia
Puckey's Estate Reserve is a coastal nature reserve in Wollongong
, Australia. It is mainly she-oak forest
, but also has sand dune and wetland areas, including areas along Para Creek. It is located in the suburb of Fairy Meadow
and is bounded by Fairy Meadow Beach to the east, Squires Way to the west, Elliotts Road to the north and Fairy Lagoon
to the south.
Puckey's Estate was traditionally used by the Wadi Wadi people, the Aboriginal tribe in Wollongong. It was once owned by a Mr Courtney Puckey for use as an experimental saltworks and still contains the historic site of Puckey's graduation tower and house, a jetty site he built and plaques on aboriginal and European historic uses for the area.
The area is used by many locals and visitors as a recreation area. It is also used for education purposes; schools and community groups work there, and on some days including Australia Day
, runs are held through the reserve, along the main track. The south end of the main track, running through the reserve, comes to a wooden boardwalk, from which Fairy Lagoon, Mount Keira
, Stuart Park and parts of North Wollongong
can be viewed. Cyclists generally take the paved Squires Way route.
The reserve is also locally famous for its bird-watching opportunities, having over 120 species recorded. It is important to local flora and fauna, but is also the scourge (dealt with by local volunteer groups) of Bitou Bush, Lantana
and other imported weeds such as Prickly Pear.
Puckey's is managed as a separate section (annexe) of the Wollongong Botanic Garden.
Beach during the mid 1890s.
There have been many rumors which remain unconfirmed about suspicious deaths, rapes, murders and people who have gone missing in the walkways of Puckey's Estate.
The most common of these rumors is one of a young girl,approximately 15 years of age, who was walking home at dusk when she was raped and brutally stabbed, by two men in their 20's,who when finishes with her then threw her body into the river, where she drowned. Many people claim to have seen the ghost of the young girl at dusk or sunset, however reports so far have been unconfirmed.
Other such stories have arisen about Puckey's such as one about children who call to you as you walk through are said to be the voices of those who have been murdered and never found. People who have gone missing in or near Puckey's Estate are said to have been murdered by the ghosts of those who were not saved nor found in time, if ever.
The Main Track starts (from south to north) at the boardwalk beginning at the northern end of the bridge over Fairy Creek, part of Squire's Way and following a route hugging the northwest side of the lagoon for a hundred metres or so. At this section there are several wooden seats and fishing is a not uncommon practice from the boardwalk. From the boardwalk one can see the southern part of the reserve, the lagoon entrance and North Wollongong. From here it crosses the creek at a wooden bridge and turns into a track on the other side. In high tide and flood conditions this small portion may flood. From here it goes left (north), following the east side of the creek through she-oak woodland and other common coastal plants before going towards the coast through coastal banksia and acacia growth. Then it returns to the creek until it reaches the split to two paths heading to Fairy Meadow Beach picnic area. The left hand one goes along the creek and to a bridge that reaches a small island with a picnic area in the creek, the second up a five or so metre high hill and along through coastal bush. Benches for bird watching and enjoying nature may be found along the path at several intervals. The right hand track to the picnic ground has excellent 360 degree views of the plain, sea and the escarpment.
From the entrance sign another track forms. This one goes to the beach to the east, and several minor tracks branch from it to history plaques, picnic areas and seats, including a seat under a prominent pine at the lagoon edge from where views of Wollongong can be had, and the sites of Puckey's constructions and the remnants of his house and saltworks. This area has two prominent pines which can be seen from North Wollongong.
From the saltworks a track, overgrown mildly with Bitou Bush, though easy to follow, goes just west of the dunes and then joins the main track about half way up the reserve. Several short tracks join the main track to the beach and are marked by posts. Much of the dunes have been protected with signs declaring a restabilisation project.
as well as succulents such as Pigface
and other native plants. In the extreme southern end are two pine trees. Also in the southern end is a third prominent tree jutting from the normal height of the bush, clearly visible from the other side of the lagoon at Stuart Park. Along the creek and immediately about it a wetland environment is present, attracting spoonbills and herons as well as the odd ibis. This area is dominated by Casuarina (She-Oak) and reed grasses, deadly nightshade and other grasses, as well as ground dwelling plants such as warrigal greens
. In the western section and the middle eastern section the bushland is formed by a combination of native and invasive plants. Native plants include casuarina, banksia
and native bean plants. Also prevalent is a large amount of acacia
s, known as wattles. There are some smooth barked eucalypt
s as well, though these are a minority.
, and Prickly Pear. There is also a substantial infestation of Groundsel Bush
. Other less problematic weeds include Deadly Nightshade. Signs declaring the importance of plants in the reserve and the active work by Bushcare groups in tackling weeds and litter have been put up along the boardwalk at the southern entrance in 2007.
Littering has becomes a major problem here. At high tide or in flood conditions litter collects at the shore revealing the problem. Currently a plan is being made by council to stop this by using litter stoppers.
Wollongong, New South Wales
Wollongong is a seaside city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 82 kilometres south of Sydney...
, Australia. It is mainly she-oak forest
Casuarina
Casuarina is a genus of 17 species in the family Casuarinaceae, native to Australasia, southeast Asia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was once treated as the sole genus in the family, but has been split into three genera .They are evergreen shrubs and trees growing to 35 m tall...
, but also has sand dune and wetland areas, including areas along Para Creek. It is located in the suburb of Fairy Meadow
Fairy Meadow, New South Wales
Fairy Meadow is a suburb in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Located in the Illawarra, it is a mainly low density residential area, except for a strip on the Princes Highway....
and is bounded by Fairy Meadow Beach to the east, Squires Way to the west, Elliotts Road to the north and Fairy Lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
to the south.
Puckey's Estate was traditionally used by the Wadi Wadi people, the Aboriginal tribe in Wollongong. It was once owned by a Mr Courtney Puckey for use as an experimental saltworks and still contains the historic site of Puckey's graduation tower and house, a jetty site he built and plaques on aboriginal and European historic uses for the area.
The area is used by many locals and visitors as a recreation area. It is also used for education purposes; schools and community groups work there, and on some days including Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
, runs are held through the reserve, along the main track. The south end of the main track, running through the reserve, comes to a wooden boardwalk, from which Fairy Lagoon, Mount Keira
Mount Keira
Mount Keira is a 464 metre high mountain lying 4 kilometres northwest of the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Its distinctive shape and proximity to Wollongong make it a major local landmark. It is noted for the views of the city from the popular summit lookout and its history of...
, Stuart Park and parts of North Wollongong
North Wollongong, New South Wales
North Wollongong is the immediate northern coastal suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. North Wollongong is used to refer to the northern area of Wollongong as well as North Wollongong by locals, despite the official suburb not including the northern apartment areas of Wollongong and...
can be viewed. Cyclists generally take the paved Squires Way route.
The reserve is also locally famous for its bird-watching opportunities, having over 120 species recorded. It is important to local flora and fauna, but is also the scourge (dealt with by local volunteer groups) of Bitou Bush, Lantana
Lantana
Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both...
and other imported weeds such as Prickly Pear.
Puckey's is managed as a separate section (annexe) of the Wollongong Botanic Garden.
History
Courtney Puckey, an alchemist who liked salt making, bought the area of land known today as Puckey's Estate by 1905 and set about constructing his saltworks. Puckey's graduation tower stood at 9.15 metres high (30 feet) and used a centuries old process to extract salt. A wind powered pump at the lagoon entrance pumped salt water to the top where it would trickle down through the wooden structure filled with tightly packed tea tree brush-wood branches until it reached several evaporation basins for heating and final salt extraction. Remnants of these basins, Puckey's house, wall and jetty, and the cement base of the tower, are still visible. Puckey had previously experimented with similar saltworks at North WollongongNorth Wollongong, New South Wales
North Wollongong is the immediate northern coastal suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. North Wollongong is used to refer to the northern area of Wollongong as well as North Wollongong by locals, despite the official suburb not including the northern apartment areas of Wollongong and...
Beach during the mid 1890s.
There have been many rumors which remain unconfirmed about suspicious deaths, rapes, murders and people who have gone missing in the walkways of Puckey's Estate.
The most common of these rumors is one of a young girl,approximately 15 years of age, who was walking home at dusk when she was raped and brutally stabbed, by two men in their 20's,who when finishes with her then threw her body into the river, where she drowned. Many people claim to have seen the ghost of the young girl at dusk or sunset, however reports so far have been unconfirmed.
Other such stories have arisen about Puckey's such as one about children who call to you as you walk through are said to be the voices of those who have been murdered and never found. People who have gone missing in or near Puckey's Estate are said to have been murdered by the ghosts of those who were not saved nor found in time, if ever.
Walking Tracks
Flora
The reserve contains several examples of ecosystem. On the eastern side adjacent to Fairy Meadow Beach there is a dune environment dominated by the invasive Bitou Bush and the native BanksiaBanksia
Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
as well as succulents such as Pigface
Ice Plant
Carpobrotus edulis is native to South Africa. It is also known as ice plant, Highway Ice Plant, Pigface or Hottentot Fig and in South Africa as the Sour Fig , on account of its edible fruit....
and other native plants. In the extreme southern end are two pine trees. Also in the southern end is a third prominent tree jutting from the normal height of the bush, clearly visible from the other side of the lagoon at Stuart Park. Along the creek and immediately about it a wetland environment is present, attracting spoonbills and herons as well as the odd ibis. This area is dominated by Casuarina (She-Oak) and reed grasses, deadly nightshade and other grasses, as well as ground dwelling plants such as warrigal greens
Tetragonia
Tetragonia is a genus of 50-60 species of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to temperate and subtropical regions mostly of the Southern Hemisphere, in New Zealand, Australia, southern Africa and South America...
. In the western section and the middle eastern section the bushland is formed by a combination of native and invasive plants. Native plants include casuarina, banksia
Banksia
Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
and native bean plants. Also prevalent is a large amount of acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
s, known as wattles. There are some smooth barked eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
s as well, though these are a minority.
Fauna
Birds are common here and over 136 species have been recorded, including pelican, ibis, spoonbill, heron, whistling dove, raven and others. Lizards abound and include skinks and bluetongues. Rabbits, a foreign pest, also abound in large numbers. Possums are also present. many species of insect and spider reside there.Weeds and Problems
Bushcare groups are tackling weed infestations. Weeds that have become a problem are Bitou Bush, LantanaLantana
Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both...
, and Prickly Pear. There is also a substantial infestation of Groundsel Bush
Baccharis
Baccharis is a genus of perennials and shrubs in the aster family . They are commonly known as baccharises but sometimes referred to as "brooms", because many members have small thin leaves resembling the true brooms. They are not at all related to these however, but belong to an entirely...
. Other less problematic weeds include Deadly Nightshade. Signs declaring the importance of plants in the reserve and the active work by Bushcare groups in tackling weeds and litter have been put up along the boardwalk at the southern entrance in 2007.
Littering has becomes a major problem here. At high tide or in flood conditions litter collects at the shore revealing the problem. Currently a plan is being made by council to stop this by using litter stoppers.