Hidden beauty at Penrith Lakes where native wildlife is returning after ongoing rehabilitation
PENRITH Lakes is home to a aquatic oasis of sandy beaches, platypus and native birds, fish and animals — tucked away in the natural and man-made area.
Penrith
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THERE is 2.5km of sandy beaches where platypus and native birds, fish and animals call home — but locals are yet to see the natural and man-made marvels locked away at Penrith Lakes.
The enormous site, which boasts lakes as large as the area from Sydney Harbour Bridge to the heads — is still being rehabilitated and remains off-limits to the public.
But a glimpse of the massive area’s wonders was shared late last week at celebrations to mark the official completion of the Penrith Lakes Development Corporation’s flood mitigation system of weirs, pipes, lakes and wetlands.
PLDC chairman Keith Carew said over 160,000 trees have been planted across the nearly 2000-ha site, many grown from seeds from native plants collected on-site.
“The system of lakes, wetlands and infrastructure takes urban run-off from much of Penrith and naturally purifies it to an extraordinary quality, so our large lakes are designed to be suitable for swimming, fishing and sailing. There are 2.5km of sandy beaches on the lake foreshores, that are set to become a western Sydney institution in future years.’’
Mr Carew said the site features walking and cycling trails along with “nature walks, cultural items and iconic Aboriginal and early colonial first contact heritage assets’’.
The flood infrastructure includes the enormous 420m Weir 3, which is part of what PLDC believes is the ‘’largest private investment in flood infrastructure anywhere in Australia’’.
“When the Nepean River swells and floods, this scheme will really come into its own,’’ Mr Carew said.
“Millions upon millions of litres of water will flow over these weirs into the lakes and interconnecting pipe infrastructure to ensure the water will rise in synch with the level of the river.
“Later our weirs will release the excess back into the river in a steady, controlled way.
“This will provide an additional five hours notice time for our local region and up to an addition three hours for downstream catchments.’’
LONG-TERM HOUSING VISION
The long-term vision for building housing on the site at Penrith Lakes is in a holding pattern.
A total of 550 hectares of the site is in limbo after being unzoned by the state government.
Penrith Lakes chief executive officer Jacqueline Vozzo said discussions about the future of the area are continuing with the state government.
“We are still very much in discussions with the government about unlocking the potential of that unzoned area and really realising that land for urban purposes which was always contemplated under the original deed structure,’’ she said.
“We know the community wants access to those lakes and it makes logical sense for both partners to realise the vision at the same time.’’
Ms Vozzo said an expression of interest campaign has been launched on the Penrith Lakes office site.
While no building can currently take place on the unzoned section, Mr Carew said the sections zoned for employment and tourism were “full steam ahead’’.
Those zones could be suitable for anything from hotels, to schools or other businesses, they said.
Mr Carew said the public would not be able to access the site while rehabilitation of the former quarry was still underway.
That work was expected to continue for between 18 months and two years, he said.
“We have a lot of truck movements on the site,’’ Mr Carew said.
“We are still rehabilitating in a large way.’’