Young
Atmosphere & Weather | Biodiversity | Catchments | Resources Use
Burrangong Creek is Young again
This "snapshot" profile celebrates a recent environmental initiative within this LGA.
Burrangong Creek is Young’s main creek, running east to west parallel to the main street. Until recent years, its township section was degraded and overgrown with noxious weeds and inappropriate plants and trees. Shire Council resolved to improve the creek and surrounds through environmentally responsible and aesthetic improvements, creating a greenbelt connection and feature area.
Burrangong Creek replanting
Inappropriate species were removed and a path and cycle way were constructed in the Central Business District (CBD) section, with lighting and seating. To control weeds and inappropriate plants, embankments were mulched from the Shire Council’s stockpile at its Waste Management and Resource Recovery Facility, based on green waste collections. The creek surrounds were replanted with 79 types of endemic trees, shrubs and ground cover to create a mini arboretum suited to the Young environment.
Six creeks and gullies drain into Burrangong Creek. Some were previously rejuvenated and the rest are being upgraded toward a sustainable system. The works are part of a multi-stage ongoing program to restore 10 kilometers of natural creek-line wending through and near the township: this was the vision of, and now a memorial to, the Shire Council’s former Group Leader of Recreation and Leisure, Mr Garry Inwood.
Burrangong Creek replanting
The Shire Council obtained New South Wales (NSW) Government approvals and co-funding through the EnviroTrust and its workers carried out the work together with specialist sub contractors.
The creek project has been extremely successful. The 1.5 km section of regeneration has vastly improved the area’s aesthetics, recreated a sustainable flora ecosystem with increased bird and animal life and a new public recreational area. Sealing the towns gravel lane ways will further reduce sediment run off via storm water.
Shire Council is proud of the work and, subject to gaining supplementary funding, will extend the rejuvenation from the Chinese Tribute Gardens to the Kreb’s Lane Gold Diggings.
