Orphan School Creek (Fairfield)

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Orphan School Creek
Orphan School Creek.jpg
The creek near Canley Vale
Orphan School Creek (Fairfield)
Location
Country Australia
State New South Wales
Region Sydney Basin (IBRA), Greater Western Sydney
LGAs Fairfield
Physical characteristics
Sourcenear Arrawatta Close
  location Edensor Park
Mouth confluence with Prospect Creek
  location
north of Vincent Crescent, Canley Vale
Length12 km (7.5 mi)
Basin features
River system Sydney Basin catchment
Tributaries 
  left Clear Paddock Creek, Green Valley Creek
Dam / Reservoir Prospect Reservoir

Orphan School Creek is an urban watercourse located entirely within the City of Fairfield, New South Wales, Australia. Situated in Western Sydney on the Cumberland Plain, the creek is the main tributary of Prospect Creek. As the name suggests, Orphan School Creek was named after an orphan school in the area. [1]

Contents

Part of the Georges River and Botany Bay Catchment, it is a tidal creek that flows east into Prospect Creek, rising and falling with the tide from the Georges River. It features several different fish species, native flora and fauna (including birds). Moreover, it is an "endangered ecological community" that is under ecological threat from the encircling urban development and activities. [2]

Geography

The concrete-lined course at Fairfield West Orphan School Creek, Fairfield West.jpg
The concrete-lined course at Fairfield West
Below a footbridge at Canley Vale Orphan School Creek, Canley Vale.jpg
Below a footbridge at Canley Vale

The creek starts just below Cowpasture Road, opposite of Stockdale Crescent Reserve, at Bossley Park, on the border with Abbotsbury, and flows in a generally eastern direction before emptying into Prospect Creek on the southern border of Fairfield and northern Canley Vale at Vincent Crescent Reserve. The creek is a mostly natural waterway that is surrounded by Coastal Swamp Oak Forest, though at its confluence with Clear Paddock Creek, at the western end (around Wakeley near King Road), it flows through a concrete channel and piped system. [3]

Having a catchment area of 38 square kilometres (15 sq mi), it is approximately 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) in length, and has two tributaries, Clear Paddock Creek and Green Valley Creek. St Elmos Drain is the concrete lined channel part of the creek that runs for 500 metres (1,600 ft), then it is piped for another 500 metres (1,600 ft), and is followed by a 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) stretch of natural waterway with a riparian zone to its confluence with Orphan School Creek. [4]

The creek flows through several parks and nature reserves, which are a continuous strip of parkland bordering a riparian zone. From west to east they include, Allambie Park, Coolatai Park, Powhatan Park, Wylde Park, Devenish Street Reserve, Galloway Reserve, Dunleavy Street Park, O'Meally Reserve, Fairfield Indigenous Flora Park (a strict nature reserve unopened to public), Fairfield Golf Course, Dunstan Reserve, Dwyer Park, Esperance Reserve, Goodacre Park, Baragoola Reserve, Endeavour Sports Park, Avenel Park, Prince Street Park, Johnny Mac Reserve, Johnston Park, Ada Street Reserve and Vincent Crescent Reserve.

Ecology

Plant life along the banks of the creek features species from the Cumberland Plain Woodland, Sydney Coastal River Flat Forest and Coastal Swamp Oak Forest (the latter two at natural waterway section). Such species found include Eucalyptus amplifolia , Eucalyptus moluccana , Acacia implexa , Bursaria spinosa , Eucalyptus tereticornis and Casuarina glauca . Destructive weeds include Cestrum parqui , Ipomoea indica , Cardiospermum halicacabum and Castor oil plant. [2]

Native waterbirds present at the creek include the Australasian bittern, Eurasian Coot, Great cormorant, White-necked heron, White-faced heron, Australian White Ibis, Azure Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Dusky Moorhen, Australasian swamphen, Kookaburra, Masked Lapwing, Yellow-billed spoonbill, Grey Teal,Australian wood duck, Chestnut Teal, and the Pacific Black Duck. [2]

Native fish found in the creek include the Bullrout, Flat Head Gudgeon, Striped Gudgeon, Cox's Gudgeon, Australian Bass, Australian Smelt, Silver Biddy, Southern Blue Eye, Estuary Perchlet, Long-finned Eel, Yellowfin Bream, Flathead grey mullet, Jollytail Galaxias, Dwarf Flat Head Gudgeon, Freshwater mullet, Empire Fish, and the Short-finned eel. [2]

The creek features eight different habitat zones, which include, but are not limited to: Both deep and shallow pools with a gravelly bottom (that accompany tree logs and weeds), elevated weed beds, a riffle zone, rocky shelves (which feature drop-off points), in addition to the rare and diverse intertidal zone that features marsh plants and a sandy floor with excessive mud – This zone has a drop of 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) between the high and low tides. [2]

Environmental issues

Plastic waste and other litter in Wakeley Orphan School Creek, NSW.jpg
Plastic waste and other litter in Wakeley

The creek has changed dramatically in recent years, where it used to have a very biodiverse environment. Today, the stream flows faster since trees (that used to slower the flow) have been cleared. Since the ensuing urban development in the encircling areas, the form of the stream bed has been altered, in addition to land clearing and higher surface run-off that often end up with waste and toxins. Most wildlife found around the creek has been erased. Weirs and the concrete channel section of the creek have decreased native fish habitats. Since the creek bed consisted of small gravel, it provided an ideal environment for a variety off small creatures to live. Today, the gravel layers have been deposited and polluted by heavy metals and batteries, ensuing in the extermination of large abundance of aquatic life. [2]

Aquatic creatures has been significantly lessened because the branches and leaves that used to fall in the water provided the vital food sources and nutrients. Moreover, tree logs shielded fish from rapid flowing waters and predators. The Australian Bass and Common galaxiass now live in highly reduced environments on the creek line; from the 24.8 kilometres (15.4 mi) of the creek line to only about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi). After heavy rain, fish are transported further down stream in the rapid waters that are loaded with debris, thereby causing injury to the fish. [2]

Crossings

The following roads and railways form crossings over Orphan School Creek. From west to east, following the course of the creek, they are:

See also

References

  1. New South Wales Government (2011). "Land next to male orphan school: Statement of Significance" . Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fairfield City Council. "Food Web in Orphan School Creek" (PDF). Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  3. Fairfield City Council (7 August 2013). "Creeks Rivers and Wetlands" . Retrieved 7 August 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. Fairfield City Council. "All about the Prospect Creek Catchment" (PDF). Retrieved 30 June 2025.