In the wake of the recent fish kill and pollution incidents, Willoughby City Council has resolved to work with the NSW and Australian Governments to protect Flat Rock Creek.
“Flat Rock Creek is a much-loved environmental and recreational asset and therefore the harrowing scenes from last week’s contamination incident deeply affected the Willoughby community,” Willoughby Mayor Tanya Taylor said.
The Council endorsed the recommendations of a Mayoral Minute which outlines actions the Council will take to fight for the creek’s natural qualities and ecological health. These actions include:
- Advocating for NSW Government regulatory action to ensure the site at the centre of last week’s fire, which may have triggered the pollution incident, has a sufficient on-site detention tank which would act as a buffer to absorb pollutants leaving the site.
- Continuing to work on new projects that improve water quality in the catchment, including the creation of natural wetland and pond areas, additional gross pollutant traps and the naturalisation of existing sections of concrete culverts, and if necessary seeking NSW and Australian Government support for these projects.
- Continuing to raise concerns about the Beaches Link project, in particular the Flat Rock Drive construction site which has the potential to cause significant damage to the natural qualities of the Flat Rock Gully area.
- Asking for the NSW Environment Protection Authority to disclose, as soon as possible, action taken to date, results of tests and recommendations for remediation.
