Undercliff Reserve Restoration

PARTNERSHIP​ ​DELIVERS​ ​GREAT​ ​RESULT​ ​FOR​ ​UNDERCLIFFE​ ​RESERVE​ ​FRESHWATER

The​ ​stunning​ ​views​ ​at​ ​Undercliffe​ ​Reserve​ ​in​ ​Freshwater​ ​have​ ​been​ ​restored​ ​with​ ​a​ ​little​ ​help from​ ​some​ ​local​ ​friends.

For​ ​the​ ​past​ ​two​ ​years​ ​a Friends of Freshwater ​Bushcare​ ​volunteer​ ​group​​ ​has​ ​been​ ​working​ ​to​ ​regenerate​ ​and​ ​stabilise​ ​the​ ​local​ ​environment in​ ​the​ ​area,​ ​contributing​ ​more​ ​than​ ​500​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​their​ ​time​ ​to​ ​the​ ​cause.

Founding​ ​member​ ​Peter​ ​Harley​ ​said​ ​the​ ​results​ ​of​ ​their​ ​work​ ​had​ ​not​ ​been​ ​lost​ ​on​ ​local residents​ ​and​ ​visitors​ ​alike.

“There​ ​is​ ​a​ ​great​ ​appreciation​ ​for​ ​our​ ​work​ ​among​ ​local​ ​beach​ ​goers,”​ ​he​ ​said. One​ ​such​ ​local​ ​beach​ ​goer​ ​includes​ ​seven-time​ ​World​ ​Surfing​ ​Champion​ ​Layne​ ​Beachley,​ ​who regularly​ ​stops​ on her way for a surf, ​to​ ​compliment​ ​the​ ​efforts​ ​of​ ​the​ ​group.
“The​ ​transformation​ ​has​ ​been​ ​truly​ ​remarkable,”​ ​Ms​ ​Beachley​ ​said.​ ​“The​ ​work​ ​of​ ​the volunteers​ ​means​ ​you​ ​can​ ​now​ ​take​ ​in​ ​the​ ​beautiful​ ​view​ ​on​ ​the​ ​way​ ​down​ ​to​ ​the​ ​beach.” Mr​ ​Harley​ ​said​ ​the​ ​group​ ​had​ ​recently​ ​received​ ​a​ ​grant​ ​from​ ​Greater​ ​Sydney​ ​Local​ ​Land Services​ ​which​ ​had​ ​helped​ ​boost​ ​the​ ​results.

“We​ ​also​ ​rely​ ​heavily​ ​on​ ​support​ ​and​ ​guidance​ ​from​ ​Northern​ ​Beaches​ ​Council,”​ ​he​ ​said.
Greater​ ​Sydney​ ​Land​ ​Services​ ​officer,​ ​Rebecca​ ​Mooy​ ​said​ “ ​the​ ​volunteer​ ​effort​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Reserve is​ ​obvious​ ​when​ ​you​ ​walk​ ​the​ ​path​ ​from​ ​the​ ​new​ ​stair​ ​way. “ Coastal​ ​Rosemary,​ ​Wattles,​ ​and​ ​Lomandra​ ​planted​ ​by​ ​the​ ​volunteers​ ​to​ ​increase​ ​the​ ​shrub layer​ ​are​ ​a​ ​big​ ​change​ ​from​ ​the​ ​weedy​ ​understory​ ​of​ ​Asparagus​ ​Fern​ ​and​ ​other​ ​weeds​ ​that had​ ​invaded​ ​coastal​ ​bushland,”​ ​she​ ​said. Northern​ ​Beaches​ ​Council​ ​General​ ​Manager​ ​Environment​ ​and​ ​Infrastructure​ ​Ben​ ​Taylor​ ​said the​ ​iconic​ ​beach, ​ ​within​ ​the​ ​Manly​ ​–​ ​Freshwater​ ​World​ ​Surfing​ ​Reserve, ​ ​is​ ​a​ ​highly​ ​valued part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​northern​ ​beaches​ ​coastline​ ​and​ ​is​ ​a​ ​focus​ ​for​ ​council’s​ ​volunteers​ ​who​ ​also stabilised​ ​the​ ​sand​ ​dunes​ ​to​ ​reduce​ ​the​ ​impact​ ​of​ ​coastal​ ​erosion.
“A​ ​mountain​ ​of​ ​invasive​ ​weeds​ ​has​ ​been​ ​removed, ​ ​native​ ​plantings​ ​re-introduced​ ​and​ ​the general​ ​environment​ ​of​ ​this​ ​much-loved​ ​location​ ​greatly​ ​improved​ ​for​ ​everyone​ ​to​ ​enjoy,” ​ he said.

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