On 17 April 2013, FoMH members joined other community representatives for an inspection of the civil works being undertaken by the Commonwealth at the northern base of the Anzac Rifle Range section of Malabar Headland.

The purpose of the works is to trap and treat the contaminated leachate and groundwater that seep out of the landfill beneath the rifle range on Malabar Headland. Until now this leachate/groundwater has flowed into Randwick City Council’s South Maroubra stormwater channel and contributed to the pollution of South Maroubra beach, including the children’s rock pools.

A slotted agricultural collection pipe, located 6-8 metres underground on bed rock in a lined trench, will trap the leachate/groundwater before it can merge with the stormwater.

A pump facility will pass the collected leachate/groundwater through a filtration system that will extract ammonia and then transfer it into the existing wetland and reed beds. There the leachate will settle, be diluted with surface water, and by means of the natural action of the reed beds, be stripped of most of its remaining significant pollutants such as heavy metals.

An outlet channel will allow treated residue – mixed with surface water and relatively clean and free of pollutants – to flow out to sea well to the east of the children’s pools.

In the longer term it is intended that the leachate/groundwater will be pumped from this area up on to the rifle range and into a large settling pond, to be located in the vicinity of the former riding school. Wetlands will be constructed there, to provide natural filtration and a habitat for birds and other wildlife.

The current program of works is being undertaken by environmental engineering contractor Enviropacific and will be finished and fully operational by 30 June.

This complex and expensive environmental engineering project has been commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Finance and Deregulation (DoFD) which manages the land, and is funded entirely by the Commonwealth. The capital cost of the works is being met from a $2 million allocation for remedial works on Malabar Headland in 2012-13.

The project represents a substantial, long term investment by the Commonwealth in a thorough and best practice rehabilitation of Malabar Headland following many years of environmentally insensitive use as a landfill site.

Finalists have been announced for the United Nations Association of Australia 2013 World Environment Day Awards (World Environment Day is 5 June).

Our local federal member Peter Garrett nominated Friends of Malabar Headland for the Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year Award category.

FoMH did not reach the finals. However we congratulate the finalists. There are outstanding entries in numerous categories and they demonstrate the range of positive environmental action and initiative taking place in Australian communities, schools, businesses, engineering projects and a great diversity of urban and rural landscapes – see World Environment Day Awards finalists.

Thanks for the nomination Peter.

The Randwick Art Society’s fourth annual Art and Craft Exhibition was held 15-17 March 2013 at the Prince Henry Centre, Little Bay.

The Friends of Malabar Headland Prize (value $100) for the best work celebrating Randwick city’s native flora and fauna was awarded to Marilyn Kime for her oil painting of Xanthorrhea resinifera (grass tree). This remarkable plant is part of the distinctive native flora of the Randwick City coastline and can be found in the Malabar Headland National Park.

Marilyn has told us some of the background to her painting:

Margaret Vazey (long term Friends of Malabar Headland member) is a tutor at our Oil Painting Group at the Coast Centre for Seniors. She has kept us all informed of the Malabar Headland and encouraged us to be interested and this year to paint it.

I used one of Margaret’s photos for my painting of three Xanthorrhea. They are such spectacular plants and looked so stately there amongst other bushes and trees.

I love the different colours of all the greens on the headland and I tried to make trees, bushes and even fallen leaves and twigs a part of the painting.

I am not sure of the exact location, except to say it is on the Malabar Headland!

On Sunday 3 March, the Friends of Malabar Headland participated in Clean Up Australia Day.

The Western Bushland area (now Malabar Headland National Park) was accepted as an official Clean Up Australia Day site and FoMH members worked along the Broome Street boundary from the Thompson Avenue gate.

Claire Bettington, our Clean Up Australia day Coordinator wrote:

A very good effort was put in today for Clean Up Australia Day in the Western Section, now a National Park.

As you can see, Peter Garrett joined us mid morning to give us the latest news on the Headland, and to thank us for our work.

Right to left, Jenny Hunter (Peter Garrett’s Electoral Officer) and Peter Garrett talking with Peter Fagan (FoMH Chairperson) and Barbara Tooth (FoMH Secretary)

Peter Garrett with Claire Bettington, our Clean Up Australia day Coordinator and Don Kerr, Bushcare Cordinator for the Western Bushland.

We are very pleased to report that there was a lot less rubbish this year, and it was mainly building materials, rubble, bricks, cans and bottles, with the odd bit of broken furniture.

FoMH volunteers with the rubbish they removed from the National Park

FoMH volunteers with collected rubbish ready for removal

Apart from some low mounds of building materials dumped long ago, we are now down to picking up shattered glass, mostly a legacy of past car dumping and trashing, and bottles smashed on the rocks or dumped in the bush.

Claire Bettington and Barbara Tooth scrape out and sweep up broken glass at the entrance to the Western Bushland

Let’s hope that there is no further dumping over the coming year, now that the Western Bushland is a National Park.

Thanks very much to all participants, a great job!

Claire Bettington

On January 30, Friends of Malabar Headland representatives met with Greg Hunt MP, the Federal Opposition Spokesman for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage, Senator Bill Heffernan and the endorsed Liberal Party candidate for the Federal seat of Kingsford-Smith.

One purpose of the meeting, which was attended by a number of local environmental activists, was to identify environmental projects for the Federal Opposition’s proposed Green Army, which would consist of thousands of volunteers working on environmental remediation projects throughout Australia.

Dr Feneley had proposed to Greg Hunt that a suitable Green Army project might be to assist the Friends of Malabar Headland, particularly focusing on our weeding and other activity in the eastern bushland section.

FoMH is not supportive of Malabar Headland as a Green Army project site because:

• an extensive program of civil works commissioned by the Commonwealth has commenced there and will run for more than a year
• there are workplace health and safety issues (WHS) specific to the site that are likely to be exacerbated by these works
• the work FoMH does is often painstaking; it is best done by small groups of experienced people who have the required patience and pay attention to minimising damage to ground level vegetation and areas of the endangered ecological community Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub
• as well as FoMH, at least one weed control contractor is already employed on site by the Commonwealth.

However FoMH sees merit in the Green Army proposal and agreed to try to identify other sites in the South Eastern peninsula where excellent work could be done by a “Green Army” as long as:

• the projects are carefully designed and managed
• effective supervision is provided.

Dr Feneley is understandably anxious to ensure that our area benefits from the enormous manpower on offer for environmental projects should a Coalition government be elected.

Dr Feneley explained that Green Army projects are intended to be highly collaborative and led by community environmental groups rather than being managed with a top-down approach. Each team would consist of 10 people, one of whom must be an experienced, salaried supervisor, while the others are young volunteers. These volunteers would be paid a training wage and would receive skills training and education for 20% of their project time.

At very short notice, FoMH produced a list of six projects that it considers are worthwhile and suitable for the Green Army as we understand it. The projects are:

• Weed removal, creek stabilisation and ground preparation, South Eastern Equestrian Club site, Matraville
• Bitou bush removal, bush regeneration and park creation, Little Bay Beach North at the site of the Male Lazaret (leper colony)
• Bitou bush and lantana removal behind Little Congwong beach
• Bitou bush and lantana removal, Happy Valley, La Perouse
• Removal of drift plastic and glass, Curwee Cove
• Bitou bush removal, reserved bushland areas Prince Henry north and south

The projects are outlined in a document prepared by FoMH – Potential Green Army Projects – South Eastern Peninsula.

This document was well received by Greg Hunt, Michael Feneley and Bill Heffernan who requested our permission to use it as a template for other groups preparing Green Army project proposals.

Other groups are welcome to read our document, comment on our proposals and develop their own proposals which they can pass on to Dr Feneley and Greg Hunt.

Friends of Malabar Headland has issued a media release welcoming the commencement of significant remediation works at Malabar Headland.

The release follows. For a PDF version, click here.

Media Release

Friends of Malabar Headland welcomes remediation of Malabar Headland landfill and contaminants

Friends of Malabar Headland (FoMH, “the Friends”) has welcomed the commencement of significant remediation works by the Commonwealth at the boundary of the Malabar Headland landfill site and South Maroubra Beach.

Peter Fagan Chairperson, Friends of Malabar Headland said:

“The negativity surrounding local member Peter Garrett and the changes taking place at Malabar Headland is hard to understand.

We are extremely pleased that Peter Garrett has persuaded the Commonwealth to spend millions to clean the site up so it will be safe to use as public open space and will no longer be a source of contamination for South Maroubra beach and its children’s rock pools.

The Commonwealth has already gifted the Western Bushland section of the headland to New South Wales as a National Park.

And we understand discussions are in progress with the NSW Government to enable the magnificent bushland and coastal scenery of the Eastern section of the headland to also become a National Park.”

FoMH believes the Commonwealth’s commitment of resources to the Headland − $2m for 2012/13 and $6m for 2013/14, and a dedicated project team led by a senior civil servant − is long overdue, and what is needed to get the job done properly.

Peter Fagan said:

“Serious contamination seeping out of the landfill on the headland is an issue FoMH has been concerned about since our inception over 12 years ago.

We are delighted that the Commonwealth is at last investing the resources required to achieve a long term solution.”

The Friends would like to see all candidates for the Federal election commit their support to the Commonwealth’s multi-year program of civil works and accept that the cessation of all recreational activities on the site is necessary until the works are complete.

Regarding horse riding on the headland, FoMH urges all candidates to support the efforts being made to establish the South East Equestrian Association (SEEA) on an interim site at Franklin Street Matraville.

Peter Fagan said:

“We urge all parties to help with funding, materials and labour to get the SEEA up and running at Franklin Street while the remediation works are in progress.”

Further resources:

Friends of Malabar Headland member Claire Bettington has prepared diagrams that illustrate how the Commonwealth’s program of works will address the contamination and hygiene problems. For more information and to view Claire’s diagrams, click here.

Work has commenced to alleviate leachate seepage from landfill on Malabar Headland and to direct stormwater drainage away from the children’s rock pools at South Maroubra beach.

The civil works, which are funded by the Commonwealth Government, formally commenced Friday 9 February and the current stage should be completed by June 30 2013.

Friends of Malabar Headland member Claire Bettington has prepared a series of diagrams that illustrate, as the Friends understand it, the complex drainage patterns and the interaction of leachate from the landfill beneath the rifle range, stormwater from Malabar Headland and Randwick City Council stormwater from South Maroubra.

The diagrams show the various flows to South Maroubra beach at present, which impact the children’s rock pools in particular. They illustrate how the Commonwealth’s program of works will address the contamination and hygiene problems these uncontrolled flows have caused up to the present.

To view Claire’s diagrams open or download this PDF file (1.4 MB).

FoMH members attended the Community Consultation Meeting conducted by the Headland owner, the Commonwealth Department of Finance and Deregulation (DoFD), on 16 January 2013 at Maroubra Surf Club. At the meeting, further information was provided about the Commonwealth’s current program of activity by Headland Program Director, Adrian Kirk.

The DoFD budget for headland works is approx. $2m for 2012/13 and $6m for 2013/14, and Adrian Kirk outlined the major projects that are planned.

Lot 301, the Rifle Range area

A Remediation Action Plan for the whole of Lot 301 is being written, and should be complete by the end of June 2013.

The project to collect leachate from the rifle range (now Lot 301) is about to commence.

By June 2013, the northward flow of leachate from the rifle range, which merges with the Randwick City Council South Maroubra stormwater drain and flows into the sea at South Maroubra (and on occasions into the childrens rock pool), should cease.

This will result from the DoFD project to build a wall, trench and interception drain at bedrock level that will collect the leachate as it drains from the base of the landfill to the north of Lot 301. The leachate will be pumped into an expanded wetland where it will be partially treated.

The aim is to totally separate the leachate emanating from the landfill from the stormwater in council’s drain and to retain the leachate on the rifle range site for treatment.

A contract is about to be let for this project. The works will commence in the last week of January and are scheduled for completion by 30 June 2013

An adjunct project will reshape and reline the Randwick City Council South Maroubra stormwater drain, so that it consistently drains to the south and east of the children’s rock pool. This project is also scheduled for completion by 30 June 2013.

The proposed works will not treat the stormwater from the Council’s drain and pollutants in the drain including gross pollutants such as plastic bottles will continue to enter the ocean after storm events. South Maroubra Precinct is trying to get Randwick City Council to remedy this by placing a gross pollutant trap on the stormwater pipe in Byrne Reserve.

Once these works are in progress, Adrian Kirk will attempt to arrange an inspection for those who are interested.

A similar project is planned for the southward flow of leachate that impacts on the Sydney Water STP and the waters of Long Bay (Malabar Beach). Completion date for this project is 30 June 2014.

Once partially treated in situ at the north and south ends of Lot 301, leachate will be pumped back to the centre of the lot where a large settling and treatment pond will be created, in the vicinity of the riding school (now demolished).

When these projects are completed, Lot 301 will be capped. Surface rainwater (stormwater) will then not be able to penetrate deeply and only stormwater, which should largely be free of contaminants, will leave Lot 301.

DoFD has not decided how to manage the large gully on Lot 301 which contains a Sydney Water sewer main.

Methane gas has been detected at various locations on Lot 301. The levels of gas emissions are insufficient to consider capture, and are not at sufficiently dangerous levels to prevent shooting activity.

If large amounts of asbestos are found they will be dug up and removed. Small amounts will not be disturbed as the whole landfill will eventually be capped. There is to be as little digging and disturbance as possible on Lot 301.

Following a request from Margaret Vazey, DoFD will consider preserving the long bore rifle range target mechanisms which are of heritage and social significance.

Despite various representations to DoFD, the Minister and the local member, the 1920s Caretaker’s Cottage was demolished as DoFD did not consider it to be of heritage and social significance.

A great deal of bitou slashing has been done by contractors on the rifle range, but roots have been left in situ to stabilise unconsolidated fill slopes, until replacement planting with native vegetation can be done.

Western Bushland

A large deposit of waste which includes some asbestos has been identified at the south (stop butt) end of the pistol range. The pistol range and its buildings are now fully demolished and it and the rubbish will be remediated in 2013/14.

The pistol range land will then be incorporated in the Western Bushland as part of the National Park, with the eastern boundary of the park following for most of its length the Lot 301 western boundary gravel road and fence.

Other developments

Vehicle access is to be provided to the Byrne Crescent fire break so that fire trucks can enter it.

DoFD are reluctant to erect and repair site fences, as people continually cut holes in them. They are now attempting to block off all roads and access points with large rocks, which will stop vehicles. There is no plan to erect a fence between the Eastern Bushland and the rifle range.

No date has yet been set for transfer of areas of bush adjacent to the Eastern Bushland, at the northern and southern sides of the rifle range, which still require remediation.

The community group with an interest in the headland is to be invited to contribute to the process of designing a Concept Plan for the future development of Lot 301.

Adrian Kirk refused to comment on the Commonwealth’s relationship with the NSWRA and the South East Equestrian Club.

In answer to a question, Adrian Kirk stated that he had no reason to believe that the present plans for remediation and transfer to NSW of the Headland would not be followed through by a Coalition Government.

Further information about the Commonwealth’s activities on and plans for the headland can be found at the Department of Finance and Deregulation website.

Overall, 2012 has been a year of great progress for Friends of Malabar Headland (FoMH) and the many people in the community who share our vision for the future of Malabar Headland.

On 2 March 2012, the Western Bushland section of Malabar Headland was transferred from the Commonwealth Government to the New South Wales Government for use as a National Park.

The formal process of creating the new National Park in the Western Bushland was completed on 21 November 2012 when the Governor of New South Wales, Professor Marie Bashir, reserved the agreed Western Bushland lands under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974 and assigned them the name Malabar Headland National Park – at last, the Western Bushland is preserved in perpetuity as a National Park.

On the other hand there has been frustration: on 9 May 2012, Peter Garrett, MHR for Kingsford Smith, introduced into the House of Representatives the Malabar Headland Protection Bill 2012 which, if passed, is intended to ensure the protection in perpetuity of Malabar Headland as National Park and public open space. The bill has not completed its passage through the Commonwealth Parliament and its future is uncertain due to the ongoing dispute concerning the New South Wales Rifle Association’s continuing occupancy of the long bore rifle range on Malabar Headland.

With the Commonwealth deciding to abandon its appeal against the NSW Supreme Court decision in favour of the NSWRA earlier this year, FoMH hopes that the Commonwealth and the NSWRA can find another way to resolve their differences.

We believe it would be in the interests of all parties if a satisfactory new home could be found for the NSWRA. Were this to happen, the rifle range site could be remediated and handed over to the people of NSW as a community park and the Eastern Bushland could be transferred to New South Wales as the second stage of Malabar Headland National Park.

Throughout the year, FoMH’s two bushcare groups continued their regeneration activities. Both groups work for four hours each week, pulling out weeds and bagging and removing seed heads, and collecting litter. Each year our goups contribute over 1500 person hours of effort to ensure that the magnificent native flora of the Western and Eastern Bushland is not overrun by invasive weeds.

FoMH wishes its many friends all the best for the festive season and the new year. We also say thank you to our local members in the Commonwealth and State parliaments, Randwick councillors and the many Commonwealth, State and Randwick Council officers who have worked hard to create a Malabar Headland National Park and plan for further protection and remediation of other parts of the Headland in the years ahead.

Peter Fagan
Chairperson, Friends of Malabar Headland