Protecting natural and cultural heritage

Restricting public access to Special Areas around reservoirs not only protects the water supply, but also forms sanctuaries for threatened flora and fauna. Green and golden bell frogs, brush-tailed rock wallabies, quolls, owls, koalas, gliders and potoroos are just some of the threatened species living in Sydney's catchments.

However, dams can act as barriers for native species. They store the plant spores that usually wash down the river and disrupt the movement of river animals, like native fish that swim up and down rivers to breed. The SCA is researching fishways that permit fish to travel through a dam wall. Environmental flows ensure that enough water flows into rivers to maintain downstream habitats.

Special Areas also preserve many hundreds of Aboriginal sites dating back at least 17,000 years. Evidence includes burial sites and rock art, which provide valuable insights into indigenous Australian lifestyles. There are also many spectacular geological sites such as sheer cliffs and waterfalls, and European heritage sites such as historic churches, cottages, and the dams themselves.

A draft list of the SCA's non-indigenous cultural heritage assets, and work undertaken at each of these sites throughout 2001-2002, is available at the SCA heritage page.