Coxs Creek, a
watercourse of the
Cooks River
The Cooks River, a semi-mature tide-dominated drowned valley estuary, is a tributary of Botany Bay, located in south-eastern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The course of the long urban waterway has been altered to accommodate various deve ...
catchment, is located in the
Inner West of
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
, in
New South Wales,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
Course and features
Coxs Creek rises northeast of
Punchbowl railway station and flows generally north northeast, before reaching its
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
with the Cooks River,
at
Strathfield South
Strathfield South is a suburb, in the Inner West of Sydney, Australia in the state of New South Wales, 13 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the Strathfield local government area. The area was historically part of ...
. Over time the creek has been extensively modified and is now largely a
storm drain
A storm drain, storm sewer (United Kingdom, United States, U.S. and Canada), surface water drain/sewer (United Kingdom), or stormwater drain (Australia and New Zealand) is infrastructure designed to Drainage, drain excess rain and ground water ...
that flows about . Prior to development of the area the creek drained
paperbark swamps that were formerly near the junction of Roberts Road and Juno Parade. Over time the creek has been extensively modified and rerouted. As with most drainage channels in the area it has been lined along much of its length. Coxs Creek drains a total catchment of .
The creek begins as a stormwater drain, then runs in the open through the Coxs Creek Wetland, a reserve containing significant remnant bushland including some Cooks River Castlereagh
Ironbark Forest habitat. Including tree specimens of mugga ironbark (''
Eucalyptus sideroxylon''), narrow-leaved ironbark (''
E. crebra''), broad-leaved ironbark (''
E. fibrosa''), and tallowwood (''
E. microcorys''). The forest habitat is noted as an endangered ecological community. ''
Acacia pubescens'' (Downy Wattle) is a vulnerable flora species present as is the locally endangered Tadgell's Bluebell (''
Wahlenbergia multicaulis''). The endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog (''
Litoria aurea'') has been recorded and frog ponds constructed as part of the creek.
The frog has not been seen in the creek since 1995, though they are still present in the nearby constructed wetlands at the Juno Parade Brick Pit.
In 2005
Sydney Ports Corporation proposed works including fauna corridors and "frog ramps" to encourage their return.
Along much of its length the creek is a combination of covered channel and an uncovered
concrete lined trench. As the creek passes through the reserve it is open and the 2010 management plan calls for restoration of this part of the creek and the adjacent
riparian zone.
References
External links
*
{{coord, 33, 54, S, 151, 04, E, display=title, region:AU-NSW_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki
Creeks and canals of Sydney
Cooks River
Municipality of Strathfield
Municipality of Burwood