May 2016 Report
Venue
Botany Bay Wetlands
Participants
Ron, Chris, Richard, Helen, Colin, Natalie, Peter
The start
The group met at Wolli Creek station and headed across the highway to have morning tea at the St George Rowing Club
Points of Interest
- Tempe House, located in the park next to Wolli Creek station, is an exceptional and rare example of Neo-Classical Georgian architecture designed by leading colonial architect John Verge who was commissioned to do the work in 1831 for Sydney businessman (Alexander) Brodie Spark. Since that time the house has had a significant history. Caroline Chisholm, the renowned philanthropist who appeared on the old five dollar note, leased the house in 1863 and ran an educational establishment for young ladies on the site.
In 1884 Catholic nuns, the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, bought the site for a women’s refuge and built St Magdalene’s Chapel.
-a walk along Marsh St, then through the tunnel under the road and into Riverine Park. Areas right through the wetlands are used for a variety of sports during the week by schools and on the weekends by the general community – golf range, baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, netball, rugby union, ‘dog exercise,’
-market gardens still operate alongside West Botany St
-across Spring Creek and into Barton Park. Several boats are moored in Muddy Creek behind the now closed Fisherman’s club
-across Bestic St into the next section. A large NSW Government building site was seen on the land once owned by the Brighton Le Sands Bowls Club. What is being built? (answer – see below)
-via Aero St to Bay St and West Botany St to Bicentennial Park containing more fields and a large children’s play area
-over President Ave and along the creek through Tanner Reserve, Scarborough Park and Tunbridge Reserve. The ducks were being fed, the birds sang and the houses varied in size and quality!
The finish
-lunch at the Ramsgate RSL and then a walk down Ramsgate Rd to the Botany Bay waterfront and a walk back to Brighton. We all caught the bus to Rockdale station.
Distance walked
Approximately 12 Km
Answer - (relocation of the Cairnsfoot Special School from Turrella.)