Preserving The Natural Habitat
The Brixton Street Wetlands have outstanding flora conservation values that provide habitat for a variety of fauna which are of local, regional and national significance. A diverse vertebrate fauna depend on different aspects of the vegetation and surface water to provide essential resources for shelter, food and breeding. The Wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain are of benefit to both the ecosystem function and the preservation of natural habitat:
- Wetlands help to support a range of animal and plant species populations which still manage to survive in the highly fragmented urban and rural landscapes of the coastal plain.
- Wetlands represent habitat in their own right, supporting a wide range of plants and animals closely associated with wetland environments.
The Friends maintenance of the wetlands involve revegetation, weeding, planting and and carefully monitoring the area for harmful materials that ensures ideal hydrology values and the preservation of a variety of natural habitats. As one of the largest of the few remaining remnants in excellent condition on the eastern side of the Swan Coastal Plain, the wetlands well deserve their recognition as part of the conservation estate.
The Wetlands lie on a very flat waterlogged Pinjarra Plain that lies at the base of the Darling Range. Over 97% of the bushland on these waterlogged soils has been cleared for agriculture or housing. The water cycle at the Wetlands is fundamental to the functioning of the cycle of life.
While the wetlands cover only 19 hectares they:
- contain many different vegetated wetlands with fringing vegetation in near to the original condition.
- support a very rich flora of over 300 different types of wildflowers, which is more than 20% of the flora of the Perth area in 0.005% of the area.
- contain plant communities that rare and endangered and in need of special protection.
- support over 80 special wildflowers that are rare and endangered, have only recently been discovered by botanists, are uncommon on the Swan Coastal Plain and / or uncommon in the Perth area.
- are habitat for the rare and endangered Quenda, waterbirds and many native terrestrial and aquatic animals.
Visitors come from all over the state, Australia and the world to see the Brixton Street Wetlands in the heart of Kenwick in the City of Gosnells.
Contact us today and you too can play an active role in the continued preservation of this wildlife habitat.