Prospect Nature Reserve is a nature reserve and recreational area that is situated in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, which incorporates the Prospect Reservoir, and also features picnic spots, lookouts, walking tracks and BBQ areas within the Australian bush. It is located within the Blacktown City local government area, but is also close to the boundaries of Cumberland Council (to the east) and the City of Fairfield (to the south).
One of the largest reserves in Western Sydney, it was established on 28 February 2007, although the picnic areas have been open decades prior to that date. The reserve and its surroundings, including the Eastern Creek landscape, are of significant cultural worth to the Darug people, also having weighty scientific and educational values.
Geography
Flora
Situated within the eastern reaches of Western Sydney Parklands, the reserve contains remnants of Cumberland Plain Woodland that erstwhile occurred extensively in Western Sydney. It contains the largest area of Grey Box Woodland within the Blacktown area, which comprises both the Shale Plains Woodland and Shale Hills Woodland elements of the Cumberland Plain. The vegetation condition varies from a young eucalypt canopy with a low diversity understorey to eucalypt regrowth in a largely exotic pasture. Other areas are exotic pastures with no native element present.
Other plant species in the area include, Forest Red Gum (E. Tereticornis), Spotted Gum (Corymbia maculata), Thin-leaf stringybark (E. eugenioides) narrow-leaved ironbark (E. Crebra), Blackthorn (Bursaria spinosa), Pimelea spicata, Acacia pubescens, Hickory (Acacia implexa), Native Indigo (Indigofera australis) and Dodonaea viscosa. Hoop pines are featured at the reserve's entrance.
Bushland condition is best in the northern section and decreases in the southern areas. A rapid flora survey of Prospect Reservoir (approximately 1 km North from spoil site) revealed over fifty native species. 7.6% to 11.5% of the original bushland of this community in 1750 still remains. Most vegetation of the Nature Reserve (about two thirds) is Shale Hills Woodland, reaching the northern limit on the Nature Reserve, with the remaining third being Shale Plains Woodland. Dominated by reed and rushes including Juncus spp, wetlands come about at the edge of the reservoir where they have formulated since inundation. The bushland near the filtration plant is less diverse and more degraded than in the immediately adjacent Sydney Catchment Authority land. A similar but much more restricted suite of native species can be found there. Exotic species including Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass), Setaria gracilis (pigeon grass) and Eragrostis curvula (African love grass) dominate. These species are indicators of significant soil disturbance.
Invasive species include African olive (Olea europaea subsp. Africana), Moth plant (Araujia hortorum), Large-leaved privet (Ligustrum lucidum), Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum), Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) and African Love Grass (Eragrostis curvula), Lantana (Lantana camara), Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), Bridal Creeper (Asparagus asparagoides), Spiny Rush (Juncus acutus) and Arum Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica). Less than 13% of CPW remains and a high proportion of this figure is heavily degraded through weed invasion, rubbish dumping, illegal vehicle use and overgrazing. In the protected catchment these degrading influences are largely absent and this is reflected in the excellent bushland condition.
Fauna
Prospect Reservoir is an important refuge for many fauna species in Western Sydney. Mammals such as wombats, echidnas and eastern grey kangaroos are listed as recent sightings in the National Park species atlas. Importantly, over 12 species of bats (including threatened species) have been recorded within the vicinity of the reservoir.
Animals species in the reserve include a few bat, bird, and amphibians species, such as, Petaurus norfolcensis, Litoria aurea, Pteropus poliocephalus, Myotis macropus, Petaurus norfolcensis, Mormopterus norfolkensis, Falsistrellus tasmaniensis, Scoteanax rueppellii, Meridolum corneovirens, Lathamus discolor, Hieraaetus morphnoides, Tyto novaehollandiae and Daphoenositta chrysoptera. Introduced species include rabbits, foxes, deer,feral cat, horse, European hare, house mouse, feral goats and black rat.