Bidjigal Creek Rehabilitation Timothy Avenue, Castle Hill

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Timothy Avenue Reserve (1.1ha) is located in Castle Hill.  It is bounded to the north-west by Timothy Avenue and to the south-west by residential properties that front  Aubrey Close and Walsh Avenue. Bidjigal Creek at Timothy Reserve is a deeply incised creek.  The riparian areas contain attractive canopies of tall mature native trees, which includes Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest, an Endangered Ecological Community. 

Bidjigal Creek suffered many years of neglect within an increasingly urbanised catchment. Vegetation along the riparian area is highly degraded, with extensive invasion of different weed species. Bank erosion has also threatened the backyard of one of the properties in recent years, which required retaining wall stabilisation works. Sewer drainage lines generally follow the general alignment of the creek but is known to cross the waterway at several locations.

The aim of this rehabilitation project was to restore the natural and recreational values of the waterway, encouraging a “river experience” for the community who use and live around the Reserve.  This includes providing strong links between the use of the Reserve and Bidjigal Creek, thus improving the environmental benefits and natural function of the waterway.

The primary objective of the Bidjigal Creek Rehabilitation Project was to develop detailed designs and associated documentation suitable for community consultation,  tender and construction of a rehabilitated waterway corridor within the passive recreational open space of Timothy Reserve. This included hydrology and hydraulic modelling using XP-RAFTS and HEC-RAS software respectively. Liaison with an accredited Sydney Water Services Coordinator for approval of the proposed design was undertaken to ensure all Sydney Water's assets (sewer) remain protected and would not be impacted by the proposed elements and structures.