Environmental Considerations
Extensive tree plantings over the past 150 years and the preservation of the original water reserve as Kippax Lake ensure that, despite growing population pressures in neighbouring suburbs, there is considerable biodiversity in Moore Park.
In 2014 The City of Sydney Council adopted an Urban Ecology Strategic Action Plan. To guide the Plan’s development, an Urban Ecology Survey was undertaken. This identified Moore Park – and specifically Mt Steel, Moore Park Golf Course and Kippax Lake - as having relatively high biodiversity values. Among the points noted in the survey were:
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The existence of a good range of planted indigenous trees and shrubs with some indigenous grass and groundcover species in the vicinity of Mt Steel and Moore Park Golf course
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Moore Park was the only site at which two epiphytic fern species, Elk Horn (Platycerium bifurcatum) and Rock Felt Fern (Pyrrosia rupestris), were recorded in the LGA, growing in mature planted fig trees
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The presence of a large freshwater pond, Lake Kippax
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Moore Park was the only site at which Gould’s Wattled Bat and the Eastern Freetail Bat were recorded
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There was high potential to undertake bush restoration works in Moore Park, increase the diversity of locally indigenous flora species, and undertake fauna habitat enhancements without compromising the existing land use.
Chief among the site constraints was “Disturbance created by high levels of public use, including regular large events, in the vicinity of Lake Kippax in particular”. (Page 103)
From the above, it is clear that Moore Park has considerable environmental significance. Kippax Lake, in particular, has diverse aquatic bird life.
The Heritage Council of NSW has also commented more broadly on the environmental aspect: “… the landscape and visual amenity of this parkland (is) considered to be of HIGH SENSITIVITY as the parklands are iconic to the region.” [February 2014, when evaluating the impact on Landscape Character of the proposed Tibby Cotter Walkway.]
Centennial Parklands - Kippax Lake – water, heritage and wildlife refuge
