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Creeks
Creek systems are the life blood of the natural environment and an important component of our natural heritage. Creeks support a high diversity of plants and animals as well as recreational areas for all to enjoy -e.g walking tracks and cycle ways along creeklines. In Pittwater, creeklines often provide wildlife corridors between larger bushland reserves.
Nature has signs to let us know about the environmental health of a creek. An abundance of native plants, small birds, frogs and clear water can contrast with a heavily weed infested creek with eroding banks and muddy or polluted water. Many of Pittwater's creeks are currently degraded, but there is a lot that can be done to help restore them.
Even if you don't live right next to a creek we all live in a catchment, so everything we do on the land can be washed away by rain and end up in the creek or waterway. There are simple actions we can take to keep our creeks healthy and provide homes for the animals that live there. Sustainable land management and pollution prevention are the keys to healthy creeks.
Creeks in Pittwater include
- Careel Creek
- Mullet Creek
- Narrabeen Creek
- Fern Creek
- Nareen Creek
- Cicada Glen Creek
- Wirreanda Creek
- McCarr's Creek
- Crystal Creek
- Katandra Creek
- McMahon's Creek
- Cahill Creek
- Find out the community water quality monitoring data! View Streamwatch website. Select sites and data, streamwatch data, view groups. Then type in Coastal Environment Centre.
- Find out where these creeks are! View the Map of Pittwater's Creeks and Wetlands
What Council is doing
- Enhancing wildlife corridors
- Restoring degraded creeklines
- Taking action to prevent water pollution
- Supporting community creekcare volunteers
- Coastal Environment Centre
- Treating noxious weeds
What you can do - five simple ways to help your creek
- Remove invasive bush weeds from your garden - weeds such as Asparagus Fern, Privet and Castor Oil Plant can spread rapidly from private land into bushland if not removed.
- Plant locally native plants in your garden - Pittwater's native flora is diverse, beautiful and genetically more suited to our terrain, soils and climate which means they do better in your garden with less need for water. Community nurseries often specialise in locally collected and grown seedstock. By making your garden bush friendly, you can also attract more native birds and animals.
- Prevent your car from polluting the creek - water that drains from our roads enters the stormwater system and flows into waterways. A car that is well maintained and washed on the grass will reduce harmful nutrient and oil pollution.
- Use less fertilizer and pesticides on your garden - these commonly used household products can be harmful to the health of local creeks if used to excess. Why not try eco-gardening - planting natives, using compost and mulch on garden beds, and trying more natural methods of pest control instead.
- Join a local Creekcare Group. Contact Council's Coastal Environment Centre on 9970 6905 or CEC@pittwater.nsw.gov.au for information on Creekcare Groups in Pittwater and how you can get involved.
Updated: 04 Jan 2012