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]
History
Historically, Orphan School Creek, like many creeks in the area, were rarely a continuous stream, but rather "a chain of ponds" (as described by the early European settlers), before the disturbance of their banks by the settlers. The creek was named after a male orphan school established in 17 March 1824, where it admitted poor boys aged between seven and ten to acquire basic education and industrial coaching, including farming skills.[3]
By 1827, wood dormitories, a master’s residence, school rooms and other affiliated buildings were also built, and the site was called ‘New farm’. The farm appointed convicts to work as labourers, carpenters, watchmen, tradesman, etc. Very large in size, the farm that included the orphan school bordered Prospect Creek to the north and was bisected by the Orphan School Creek and Clear Paddock Creek. The farm closed down prematurely in the summer of 1827 after three-year drought. The name 'Orphan School' was a misnomer as many children there were not orphans at all.[3]
Geography
The concrete-lined course at Fairfield WestBelow 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.[4]
Having a catchment area of 38 square kilometres (15sqmi), it is approximately 12 kilometres (7.5mi) 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 (1,600ft), then it is piped for another 500 metres (1,600ft), and is followed by a 1 kilometre (0.62mi) stretch of natural waterway with a riparian zone to its confluence with Orphan School Creek.[5]
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.
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 (3ft 3in) between the high and low tides.[2]
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 (15.4mi) of the creek line to only about 1.5 kilometres (0.93mi). 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:
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