Did you know that, over 51 years ago, at a time when the political slogan “It’s Time” was popular with some (back in 1972), our city celebrated with a unique carnival in the creeklands? (For those who don’t remember this slogan, you can read about it here).

Our association continues to be hopeful of making more progress towards our aim:
“To assist in the careful planning, design and development of beautiful, healthy and safe public spaces featuring wetlands, lagoons and billabongs, connected by flowing water along the Armidale Creeklands”.

The stories in this edition of the Armidale Express from 1972 inspire us to keep going!

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“Creeklands really captured the imagination of our citizens.
I have never been associated with such an exciting project ”

— the Mayor said

“Who among us would not want a more beautiful Armidale, with the long-term benefits of more parkland and recreation areas”

— Editorial - Armidale Express

“You have started something that deserves the highest commendation”

— Minister for Lands (Mr. Tom Lewis)

You can read the articles on this front page and those on subsequent pages by scrolling down to find those which interest you (all of the text has been extracted into readable text boxes).

If looking at the water in the picture makes you wonder about some water sports in the creeklands, check out the winning rowing teams in the Creeklands Carnival Results (see below)!

Front Page of Armidale Express - May 1, 1972

The caption for the photo of the creeklands above reads: A wide expanse of water, many hundreds of people along the tree-lined banks and a boat race in progress - this new angle on Dumaresq Creek was graphically captured by an Express photographer on Saturday. The boating events, called bathtub races, were among the most popular at the creeklands carnival.

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EDITORIAL Monday, May 1, 1972

“What a day!

ARMIDALE'S recent history would record no more successful community effort than that on Saturday.

This was possible, first of all, because the cause was popular. Who among us would not want a more beautiful Armidale, with the long-term benefits of more parkland and recreation areas, and all the money spent at the carnival was towards this end.

In the carnival site could be seen something of how the creeklands can be developed and the creek itself, with its brimming waters a far cry from the smelly scum we have endured for so long, showed how even it could be transformed.

Another ingredient for success was that the program provided opportunity for citizens of all ages to take part. In the walkathon were people from two years to 73, and the carnival events, too, provided outlets for the energy and enthusiasm of the young and not so young.

Such carnivals, no matter how well planned, depend very largely on crowd participation, and it was good to see so much of this on Saturday.

Some of the events, such as the dryland boat races, were new to Armidale but the impressive thing about them was the enthusiasm of the necessarily untrained crews.

The vintage cars, the sailing boats, the art display, the archery demonstration and the Argentine-style barbecue all helped to add that extra interest that made the program something more than just fun and fundraising.

Behind the day, of course, were weeks of voluntary work and much first-class organising ability. But the people giving so generously of their time and skills in this way had their reward in the total community response and cooperation. Not their least achievement was the selection of such good weather, but they deserved this assistance, too”.

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MAYOR THANKS MINISTER, DEPARTMENT OF LANDS FOR INTEREST IN CREEKLANDS

The creeklands scheme reached finality with the success of Saturday's carnival, the Mayor (Ald. J. W. Failes) said.

"It gives me a great thrill to officially announce this," he told hundreds of carnival patrons at Harris Park.

"Creeklands really captured the imagination of our citizens.

"I have never been associated with such an exciting project," he said.

Ald. Failes said thanks should be given to many people - "the beautification committee, the public meeting which started it, you many generous donors over the three years.

“And special commendation to the drive, enthusiasm and work of Ald. Paul Johnstone”.

Greatest supporter

He said the greatest supporter of the scheme had been the Department of Lands.

“It's a great thrill to have Mr. Lewis (Minister for Lands) here to open the carnival and I would like to pay tribute to his support.

“It's unique that the department should give such support”, he said.

Welcome to Ministers

Ald. Failes welcomed Mr. Lewis, and the Minister for Public Works and Member for Armidale Mr. Davis Hughes.

He said Mr. Hughes had opened the appeal “on a cool afternoon, three years ago and it's a great pleasure to have him here to see this come to fruition”.

Mr. Hughes said, “it's great to see so many people here.

“It shows that Armidale has really supported the appeal tremendously”.

He said Mr. Lewis had taken a very close personal interest in the scheme from its inception.

“It is very appropriate that he is here as our honoured guest. Thank you for your contribution”.

The two MPs arrived at the carnival in vintage cars and met Walkathon participants, including the mayor, before the opening ceremony.

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CREEKLANDS WALKATHON, WITH 341 ENTRANTS, RAISES $6400

In all 341 took part in Saturday's walkathon and they were sponsored for amounts totalling more than $3,200.

This means that, with Government subsidy, the event will bring in more than $6,400 for creekland funds.

The oldest walker to finish was Mrs. Peters, 73. The youngest was Stephen Robinson, 5.

The adult walker to raise the most was Mr. Rologas, with $260.70.

The schoolgirl to raise the most was Cathy Mann with $70, and the schoolboy to raise the most was David Farrell with $27.

The team that raised the most money was the Third Armidale Cub Pack with more than $100.

Times

First to finish was Bill Johnstone, an Armidale High School teacher. He left at 8 am and was in at 10:15.

The same time was recorded by Dr. Dick Passey, who left at 8:05 and finished at 10.20.

These contestants could have either walked or ran or both, but Dick Keam, a state class walker of UNE, did walk all the way and his times were: start 8.20, finish 10.32.

The first school pupil to finish was Andrew Beattie, of Ben Venue, starting at 8, he finished at 10.53.

St Ursula's girls were the first team to finish. They were Janet Chant, Kerry Farrell, Sandra McShane and Debbie Austin.

Among creeklands committee members to complete the walk were Bob Lewis, soccer association president, who mapped out the course, Jeanette Slade, women's hockey association representative who did much promotion work, the mayor (Ald. Failes), co-chairman of committee Paul Johnstone, Roy Smith and Jim Reid.

Interesting

Walkers found the route well sign-posted and interesting. The morning mists were lifting as the early starters topped the heights at North Armidale and they found themselves admiring both the distant views and the nearby homes. As the walk progressed along less frequented roads, these first impressions of the city's beautiful setting and the many new and comfortable homes on its outskirts were reinforced - no sign of either smog or slum here - and perhaps the walkers had time to reflect on the advantages of living in such a pleasant environment. The thought that they were doing something to preserve and improve this environment would no doubt have lessened the impact of aching feet and made the whole effort well worthwhile.

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MINISTER TELLS HOW OTHERS FOLLOW CITY'S BEAUTIFICATION PLANS

Armidale has given a unique lead to N.S.W. towns through its Creeklands scheme, the Minister for Lands (Mr. Tom Lewis) said on Saturday.

Other towns were now copying Armidale's example and were “buying back mistakes of the past” in joint ventures with the department, he said.

Mr. Lewis was officially opening Saturday's carnival at Harris Park.

He said “In 1968, the year of Creeklands Inception, no other similar scheme existed in New South Wales.

“But a year ago, Camden copied Armidale in a joint plan with the department for the beautification of the Nepean river.

“Have started something”

“You have started something that deserves the highest commendation”.

Mr. Lewis said the department had contributed $38,000 to the Creeklands project and 35 acres costing $25,000 still had to be acquired.

“I am delighted that the venture has worked out.

“It is often necessary to buy back mistakes of the past, and Armidale has done this in magnificent fashion.

“Improve wherever possible”

“I hope you will continue to feel that it is worthwhile to improve wherever possible so that we can say “we have a magnificent country”.

Mr. Lewis said 700 acres a day during the last seven years had been put aside for preservation in New South Wales.

And between $400,000 and $500,000 had been spent each year to give additional recreational space in the state.

“That's a pretty good record,” he said.

But one of the department’s big problems was “the fact that we still have a minority who want to vandalise”.

“So I hope everyone will ensure that our youth starts improving and not destroying.

“I am delighted to declare the carnival open”.

Mr. Lewis also presented prizes to bathtub derby winners.

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Creeklands Carnival results

Results of events at the Creeklands Carnival on Saturday afternoon:

New England Bathtub Championship - Senior division: E - coli (Ken Johnson and Jack Prosser) 1, Ring of Confidence (D. Hewitt and B. Keogh) 2, Man's World (G. Maguire and G. Cochrane) 3. Most original, E - coli.

Junior division: M. Delangre 1, P. Delangre 2, B. Yates 3 Most original, D. Brown, G. Hawkins, L Channon.

Rowing events: Women's pairs: A. Frazier and L. Sauer 1, D. Makepeace and M. Grills 2, R. Frazier and A. Daley 3.

Junior pairs: St. Ursula’s 1 (K. Cree and R. Pearse) 1, J. Smith and R. Lockwood 2, St. Ursula's 2 (A. Daley and M. Grills) 3.

Junior fours: K. Cree, L. Pearse, K. Welsh, J. B. Yates 1, M. Northey, M. Edmunds, B. Dunne, P. Newley 2; P.A. Makepeace, T. Watts, R. Newley 3.

Academic fours: P.L.C. 1, U.N.E Natural Resources 2, De La Salle 3.

Junior Head of Creek: Demonstration I, 1, Ben Venue 2, St. Mary’s 3.

Senior Head of Creek: Armidale High School 1, P.L.C. 2, St. Ursula's 3.

Open eight or championship: P.L.C. 1, Armidale High School 2, St. Ursula's and De La Salle 3.

Service Clubs eights: Lions 1, N. Armidale Rotary 2, Armidale Rotary 3.

Dumaresq Derby: J. Rayner 1, G. Cunnynghame 2, D. Blair 3.

Oldest competitor, J. Reid.

Youngest, M. Riordan, first schoolboy R. Gates.

100 yards backwards race: Ray Marshall, 16.5 sec.

Father, and son race: Laurie and Ray Marshall.

Mother and daughter race: Joan and Susan Gates.

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Our thanks

History is a wonderful teacher! Our special thanks go to Dr John Atchison OAM, local historian and educator, for bringing our attention to this edition of the Armidale Express. And to Dr John Harris who first told us of his memory of a fabulous ‘regatta’ in the creeklands - way back when!

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Postscript

In their first podcast ‘Ramble On’ by current Mayor Sam Coupland and GM James Roncon, Sam expressed his support for improvements to the creeklands - we reckon that was great to hear! We reckon “It’s time”!

You can check out this first podcast here.

Some months ago, a new off-stream water storage for Walcha was announced by local member Adam Marshall MP. It will provide Walcha with 300 ML of water which will quadruple the town’s water supply at a cost of $11m - supplied by both the State and Federal governments.

Dumaresq Dam - an “in-stream” dam

For comparison, Dumaresq Dam, which was built in 1898 as Armidale’s primary water source, holds 300 ML. Armidale’s Dumaresq Dam is an in-stream dam which recently has been reinforced to strengthen the concrete wall. It is worth noting that this dam has interrupted Dumaresq Creek’s natural flow of water from Duembandyi (Mt Duval) through Armidale for over 120 years - hence the need to explore ways of restoring ‘natural’ levels of flow along our creeklands.

The Armidale Creeklands Master Plan - approved in 2020 - argues that off-stream water storages are preferable to in-stream interventions due to the risk of damage due to flood waters and/or the potential for increasing the risks of flood damage.

Our association has long dreamed of finding source(s) of water to supplement natural environmental flows, especially during dry times. If we could find a source of water, we could help re-engineer our creeklands to have healthy flows, even during dry times - like those we are experiencing right now (winter 2023).

Increasing Flowing, healthy water supports aquatic life and helps wildlife and birds - and humans - to enjoy an even more beautiful creeklands precinct.

This story about off-stream water storages is to inform the community about our ideas to get more environmental water flowing. In preparing this story, we are grateful for the wonderful assistance of Suzannah Mitchell, the Environmental Sustainability Manager at the University of New England, who has provided some of the images below, along with some valuable explanations.

Now is such a dry time

Although we can see water in our ‘drain’, in the centre of town (Curtis Park), there is virtually no flow after such a dry winter (photo taken August 6, 2023).

Just a trickle …

On the same day as the above image (August 6, 2023), there was only a trickle flowing under the Faulkner St causeway.

We all know that Armidale has, does and will experience really dry times. During such a time, back in the 1950s …

The new University on the hill needed water for fire fighting

In the early 1950s, UNE built Lake Zot as an off-stream water storage with permission to pump water from Dumaresq Creek during flood times - to provide the University with sufficient water to fight fires.

Lake Zot is located just to the west of SportUNE facilities at the University of New England. If you haven’t seen it, it is worth a visit!

The students liked Lake Zot too …

In 1962, three intrepid explorers staked their claim as the first to navigate Lake Zot!

A regatta in Armidale?

Back in 1962, a regatta was held to celebrate the coming of a ‘lake’ - Lake Zot - to Armidale.

Settling in to the environment …

Lake Zot has settled in over many decades. Here it is, in March 2002, as a stable feature of the University and creeklands environment.

Dry times again lead to change …

By late 2018, the University’s Estate and Built Environment (EBE) Department planned to remediate Lake Zot to supplement irrigation water for the SportUNE playing fields and to improve the utilisation of the lake as a teaching, learning and research resource.

In 2019, these plans were approved by the Vice Chancellor, Annabelle Duncan, and works commenced - during Armidale’s driest year.

Lots of digging …

The scene in August 2020. The remediation involved the removal of sediment and vegetation from the lake, before the wall was lined with clay to prevent seepage.

The drainage channel directing runoff to the lake was also cleaned out and graded to optimise the flow of water.

Sediment and erosion controls were implemented both upstream of the lake and downstream, below the spillway.

Excavating and rolling along …

To ensure that the ongoing use of the lake as a teaching resource and habitat for native wildlife, experts from the School of Environmental and Rural Sciences were engaged throughout the design phase of the project.

The lake was also utilised as an integrative case study - by Dr James Turnell - for an environmental engineering unit.

The finished, compacted wall …

was completed in late October 2020, before the drought really broke.

View from above …

A birds eye view of Lake Zot in April 2021.

A sight for dry eyes …

By November 2021, the expanded lake was again at 100% capacity. After remediation, it was double its former capacity.

Saving money and the environment …

A view of the lake in December 2021. Water from the lake is now the primary source of irrigation for Sport UNE’s Consett Davis playing fields - yielding a significant saving on water expenditure for the University.

Adding environmental benefits …

In March 2022, floating wetlands were installed as a habitat refuge for wildlife …

For water birds …

After towing the wetland structure into place …

Near the edge of the lake …

in December 2022, …

The ducks finally enjoyed …

their floating wetland!

Meanwhile, the Wildlife Wetland it waiting for water …

Near Douglas St, in the east of Armidale, work on the “Weedy Wasteland to Wildlife Wetland" project, being carried out by the Armidale Urban Rivercare Group (AURG), is progressing apace along Dumaresq Creek.

This photo shows the wetland still under construction (August 6, 2023). No doubt, the health of this ‘wetland’ will benefit if more environmental water can be sourced to flow along the Dumaresq creeklands.

Can you imagine more off-stream water storages or wetlands?

Perhaps you can imagine one or more off-stream water storages? If we had one or more upstream of the city, we could regulate the flows downstream and they could also assist in flood mitigation.

If we created one or more off-stream wetlands either within the town boundary or downstream, no doubt we could pump water upstream to create additional flows.

Perhaps you can even imagine some water sports in town, or improved fishing, or a place for concerts by a ‘lake’?

Let us know your ideas in the comments. You may even decide to join us to help us develop community-endorsed Visions for our precious creeklands stream which, 125 years ago, had its natural rates of flow interrupted by the construction of Dumaresq Dam.

This blog has been kindly contributed by one of our association’s members, Dr Sue Elliott, who is a recently retired academic educator with expertise in nature play for children. She is also a member of Sustainable Living Armidale. We applaud Sue’s ideas and welcome any comments from readers - see comments section at the bottom of the blog.

A creeklands vision inclusive of nature play for children

Many readers may recall wandering far afield in their childhoods, perhaps exploring creeks, building forts or making mud pies. A childhood not constrained by daily schedules, built environments, safety legislation and the ever watchful gaze of adults. While it may not be feasible to return to such ‘dangerous’ days, increasingly research is demonstrating that today’s children are missing out. There are documented concerns evident around rising childhood obesity levels with long term health implications; urbanisation with reduced access to outdoor playspaces; increased sedentary screen-based activity; the busyness of contemporary childhoods; plus, children’s disconnection from nature with implications for global sustainability.

In response to these concerns, there have been shifts in understandings about children’s outdoor play and playspaces, both internationally and nationally. This is occurring across all settings from public playgrounds to early childhood education services and schools. Some excellent examples of what is happening in leading public Australian playspaces can be found here:

A water play area within the Wild Play garden in Sydney’s Centennial Park

https://www.centennialparklands.com.au/wildplay (NB you can read more of our thoughts on this garden on our Inspirations tab on our webpage here).

Welcome sign to Naturescape play area within Kings Park, Perth.

https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park/area/naturescape

https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/melbourne-gardens/discover-melbourne-gardens/melbourne-gardens-living-collections/the-ian-potter-foundation-children-s-garden/

A key shift has been towards playspaces or playscapes where natural elements and features predominate, not manufactured equipment surrounded by synthetic surfacing. Natural elements might include trees, bushes, tanbark, rocks and logs with significant play features such as dry creek beds, dirt mounds, climbing logs, sand pits or water courses. Such diversity offers sensory experiences, opportunities for discovery and creativity, many loose play materials like leaves and sticks and observable changes over time with each visit. Also, nature playspace sites can be readily interwoven with local First Nations People’s perspectives and unique regional flora and fauna. Overall, there are a breadth of play and learning opportunities to meet the varied ages, cultures and interests among children.

Various research papers report on the benefits of nature-based playspaces for children ranging from the promotion of physical health and skills, through to green leafy spaces for positive mental health, enhanced executive functioning and addressing Vitamin D deficiency concerns. In addition, nature-based playspaces invite children’s agency aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), respecting their right to make decisions and choices as they manipulate and explore the outdoors and connect with nature. As adults, we must remember outdoors is a fully immersive experience for children to construct and reconstruct understandings about how the natural world around them works. This is a fundamental experience informing how interdependencies between humans and nature are perceived, particularly in a time of climate crisis.

So, it is time to ask what is the potential in Armidale for nature playspaces? Over recent years Thalgarrah Environmental Education Centre and Martin’s Gully PS have taken leading steps, but much more is possible to promote outdoor play in our unique high altitude nature. Integral to the Visions for Armidale Creeklands must be places that invite children to play: it might be simply a log to balance on, a bushy thicket to hide in or some boulders to clamber over. All offer much potential!

Addendum: Our association notes that a ‘nature-themed adventure playground’ is envisaged within the Council-approved Armidale Creeklands Masterplan (p78). So, we hope that Council will engage with experts like Sue - and seek comments from the community - to design an exciting and safe nature play facility for the benefit of our community’s children before too much longer!

Last Sunday, in response to an alert from Armidale Regional Council sent out just two days earlier, some of our community turned up to the Clean-Up Australia Day community event to clean up our creeklands and parks.

In his welcome to the event, local First Nations representative, Brad Widders, spoke passionately of the need for all of us to look after country - if we want the country to look after us.

Representatives of our association participated in the event but we were struck by how few adult residents turned up to help. The day was saved when over 100 TAS (The Armidale School) students (years 6 to 12) arrived ready to help clean out the creek.

A truckload of shopping carts harvested from a short section of Dumaresq Creek - or is in Dumaresq Drain?

When people in the community talk to our association about the creeklands, the most common thing they say is “why doesn’t the Council keep the creeklands clean - especially by removing shopping carts?” Well, it seems Council will do this - at least on Clean up Australia Day - so long as the community helps.

But why isn’t this be an everyday thing? We guess that Council cannot afford to have a team on-hand just for the creeklands. And surely we all need to realise that it is members of our community who are putting the rubbish in the creek - so we have to address that collectively.

Our association has as its aim: “To assist in the careful planning, design and development of beautiful, healthy and safe public spaces featuring wetlands, lagoons and billabongs, connected by flowing water along the Armidale Creeklands”. When we realise this dream, the creeklands will be so much better utilised and enjoyed every day of the year, the community will see that it is healthy, well-cared-for and beautiful, visitors and residents will value the entire precinct more and rubbish in the creek will be a thing of the past.

After 3 hours, a truckload of bags of rubbish - mostly plastic - plus discarded furniture.

We thank all those who participated, including our Mayor and Deputy Mayor (we are told), but especially, the school students who enthusiastically cleaned up our city’s main artery.

They saved the day! Just some of the wonderful 100+ student crew from TAS , The Armidale School (years 6 to 12), after 3 hours of hard work - with truckloads of trolleys and rubbish they cleaned up from the creeklands.

Of course, the efforts of the day stretched along only a part of the creek - up and downstream from the Information Centre - so there is a long length of creek that did not get cleaned on the day.

We wonder if Council had given us more notice, if Council had invited interested community groups like ours and the Armidale Urban Rivercare Group (AURG) to have displays on-hand, whether the event might have been even more successful. Most would know - and appreciate - that community groups such as AURG already do a great deal to maintain and improve our creeklands with many volunteers involved in regular working bees.

Our association - Visions for Armidale Creeklands - wants to complement the work of other groups such as AURG.

We think that the community, and Council, are still not doing enough to identify just what our broad community wants in terms of a “Vision” for the creeklands and getting on with the job. Yes, Stage 1 of the Creeklands Master Plan is funded and plans are currently being prepared by Council; but so much more engagement with the community is needed if this money is to deliver a great outcome.

We don’t believe that the creeklands, currently, are beautiful and healthy. We want to see environmental water restored to our intermittent creek which, last Sunday, was reduced to just a trickle after this past dry summer. If our society can retain water for environmental flows in the Murray-Darling Basin, why can’t we do the same in our upland, inland environment which needs all the healthy water it can get.

We will be seeking young people’s Visions … and rewarding them!

To help us add to our association’s “Visions” we will soon be embarking on a Sponsorship Campaign to raise funds to expand our Visions across the community. Some of the money raised will go to generous prizes for school students who come up with the most inspirational ideas for improving our most precious public space - the creeklands - which stretch along our entire beautiful city.

So, watch out for our campaign and support us if you can. If any in the community can assist us, why not join us?

And, students, watch out for your opportunity to put your best ideas forward.

The entire community needs your ideas to stimulate further action so that we can “look after our country - so it will look after us!”

Here we are - hard at work promoting Visions for Armidale Creeklands!

In early December last year, four of our committee (Wendy Wearne, Jim Reid, Don Hardman and Jim Scott), launched our new banner and brochure at the Duval Dam Buster Trail Run, where our association was a Bronze sponsor.

As the banner states, our Visions are:

• Enhanced quality of life, economy and beauty

• Healthy stream flows

• Billabongs and constructed wetlands

• Recreation, leisure and reflection

• Carefully planned

The background image on our banner shows our favourite instream wetland, the Mike O’Keefe wetland in the foreground stretching back to the top of our city’s catchment - Duembandyi (or Mt Duval) - in the background.

Witnessing the early start of the 50 km trail run filled us with admiration for those hardy souls.

The effects of our recent serious drought can still be seen in many of the trees on the mountain slopes.

Trail running through the lush green native grasses near the top of Duembandyi show what a different climate there is at the top of our catchment.

It was pleasing to read the recent news from Armidale Regional Council about the awarding of the contract for improving the recreation area at Dumaresq Dam to local contractors JNC Group Indigenous Contractors Pty Ltd. We look forward to seeing the results of their work around the dam.

Our discussions on the day had us wondering if the walking track around the dam will be made smooth and accessible so that locals and visitors with wheelchairs will be able to enjoy this beautiful reservoir.

Naturally, we got a chance to talk to some locals about our Visions for Armidale’s Creeklands.

We heard support for our vision of a walking/running/cycle path that might one day be created along the 13 km from Armidale to the dam. This would be a marvelous connection between our city and its original water supply reservoir which is now becoming an even more valuable asset for our city and region.

We agree with Mayor Coupland who states on the ARC news web page: “Dumaresq Dam has been a hidden gem for locals to enjoy water activities and relax in the beautiful natural surrounds”. Our association wonders what other locations our community can imagine for additional water activities and enjoyment - especially areas closer to the city. Can we imagine, for example, one or more off-stream constructed wetlands nearer to the city - such as Lake Zot at UNE which was recently doubled in capacity?

If you have any suggestions for us, please let us know.

Malpas Dam (May 2020)

Scarcely a week after our previous post supporting increasing the capacity of Malpas Dam, our association was surprised and delighted to learn of the success of Adam Marshall MP and our Armidale Regional Council in securing $27m from the NSW government to double the capacity of our region’s main drinking water supply, Malpas Dam.

All of us in our region know just how serious our water supply issues were in the record drought which climaxed at the end of 2019. Many will also be aware that, as Armidale has grown, it has needed water storages to be built: initially Dumaresq Dam (1898) which has been supplemented over time by Puddledock Dam (1928), Gara Dam (1954) and Malpas Dam (1968) which has been a wonderful asset for more than 50 years. Now, after witnessing the water crisis of 2019, reason seems to have prevailed.

We congratulate all those who have lobbied for this much needed critical infrastructure for Armidale and our region and in particular Mr Adam Marshall MP, Mayor Sam Coupland (and previous Mayors), ARC Councillors and Council staff.

There is one further matter which still requires attention however. Just as our nation has learned that the rivers across the Murray Darling Basin require environmental flows to maintain their health, so too does our Dumaresq Creek which, at times, ceases flow. The natural flows which supply our city’s main stream come from the catchment at the foot of Mt Duval (Duembandyi) and these were interrupted when Dumaresq Dam was built 13 km upstream of Armidale way back in 1898.

So, we invite all those interested in help us find one or more sources of water to restore natural environmental flows along our stream so that we can all enjoy the benefits of flowing healthy water through billabongs, wetlands and ponds all along our creeklands. Unfortunately, our ‘Master’ plan for the Armidale Creeklands was limited in scope and so did not address this issue. We might even be able to recycle water during drought times to keep water flowing and aerated.

Seeking environmental flows remains an important issue which our association is trying to address. If you would like to help us, you might consider joining our association?

Malpas dam with current wall in background (June 2022).

You may have seen via recent social media that currently there is a North Coast Regional Water Strategy being developed by the NSW State government. Our association wondered what this was about so we followed the link to their website. If you wish to make a submission, you still have until midnight on June 19, 2022 to do so! (You can find their submission form at the link).

This website tells us of just one of these regional plans for water - across NSW - over the next 20 years. We were not certain what region we, in Armidale, were in, so we wrote to them to ask. As our city drains eastwards, we learned that we are included in the North Coast region. But, as this North Coast Water Strategy makes clear, there are many massive coastal rivers that are also the subject of these plans - and we wonder if our little area up on the Tablelands might be ignored - what with all of the disasters with coastal flooding such as in Lismore!

We found the draft documents to be intimidating in their length and we were critical of the many generic ‘motherhood’ type goals and strategies which were difficult to disagree with but were mostly bland. One wonders, what practical outcomes will there be for our city - or, for that matter, for any region, given the generic strategies being put forward? We could see no draft plans mentioned for increasing the storage of Malpas Dam and so we thought it might be a good idea to let them know of our desire for this to happen!

If you are interested in this issue, read on to for some quotes from our submission:

We suggested that our highest priority is for: “3.1 Support local councils to provide a secure and affordable water supply for towns - because without water, there can be no communities. This is especially true for Armidale as its 60 years old water supply needs upgrading substantially to allow our city and region to flourish now and into the future”.

They write about 6 challenges (see the above website). We wrote: “So, yes, we can agree with challenges 1, 2, 5 and 6 but, from our perspective, challenge 6 (water availability for local towns) is of greatest concern to our city. Of course, regarding challenge 1 (declining catchment and river health), we point out that what happens with water on the Tablelands impacts on coastal water. Naturally, challenge 3 (saltwater intrusion) is not of relevance to us on the Tablelands and challenge 4 seems to us to be a 'politically correct' challenge that will require much more involvement of Aboriginal communities to be effective.

It seems to us that, whilst this 'North Coast' region includes a tableland city such as Armidale, it is almost as an afterthought. Yes, most of our city drains towards the coast, but why would not DPE consider a region such as Northern Tablelands which could more appropriately focus on issues faced by inland and upland cities such as Armidale - which do not have major rivers flowing through them? We do not receive the high rainfalls typical of the coastal areas which are the prime focus of this draft plan.

How much water should be provided to sustain and allow the growth of any city in the State? How is it calculated? Is there equity between the provision of water for coastal cities and those inland? We assume that it depends on a city or town's population, changes in population, average rainfall, variability of rainfall, size and quality of water storages, catchment of water storages, need for environmental flows, etc. etc. Why is this sort of information not provided in a transparent fashion so that citizens across the State can see that we are being treated equitably?

It seems to us that this draft plan is too focused on the coast and will mean that our tableland city will receive very little attention in the broad scheme of these DPE plans made within your State-wide bureaucracy in Parramatta.

It is nearly 60 years since Armidale's most recent water reservoir - Malpas Dam - was constructed. In the most recent drought of 2019 - which was unprecedented and catastrophic in our region - we learned the hard way of the severe limitations of this reservoir for our city, particularly if it wishes to grow.

So, we wish to bring to your attention the need not only to create a more secure supply of drinking water for our city and region but also to plan for the supply of sufficient environmental flows which can keep our local streams healthy even during drought. This is especially important to Armidale as its main stream, Dumaresq Creek, was dammed 13 km upstream way back in 1898. Lamentably, there is no plan to provide environmental flows which could sustain the health of our waterways and also provide a source of water for irrigating playing fields without impacting on the supply of drinking quality water for the city.

We believe the fact that your form design does not provide a space for a link to our community association, is regrettable. Please visit our website (https://www.armidalecreeklands.org.au/) to find more explanation about our association's views on water for Armidale's creeklands”.

AURG notice of works which explains the project and shows collaborators

A few days ago, we witnessed some substantial progress towards seeing a wetland created along Dumaresq creeklands - west of the soccer fields which are south of Erskine St.

This is the project that the Armidale Urban Rivercare Group (AURG) was successful in securing funding late last year. It is called the “Weedy Wasteland to Wildlife Wetland" project and involves a number of partners.

Bruce Whan and helper removing woody weeds

Our association - Visions for Armidale Creeklands - is very pleased to see this happening. As we said in our recent blog, we compliment the AURG on their success with this significant funding.

Our association remains hopeful that, one day, we will see many more wetlands, billabongs, and ponds, etc. created along our creeklands for the enjoyment of all living things.

After all, our aim is “To assist in the careful planning, design and development of beautiful, healthy and safe public spaces featuring wetlands, lagoons and billabongs, connected by flowing water along the Armidale Creeklands”.

Currently, our association is focused on planning for more billabongs along Black Gully creek behind NERAM and the ACCKP and attempting to influence Council’s planners who are implementing Stage 1 of the Armidale Creeklands Master Plan (near the skate park).

If you have any ideas or feedback for our association, please contact us.

Workers, chainsaws and stumps in the area that will become the wetland.

Just some of the woody ‘weeds’ timber removed so far from the site of the wetland

We were delighted to learn of the success of the Armidale Urban Rivercare Group (AURG) in securing State Government funding - announced by Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall - for its ‘Weedy Wasteland to Wildlife Wetland’ project - as reported recently on NBN News.  

Our sincere compliments to the AURG Chair, Bruce Whan, and all of the partners in this project.  

Our association is very pleased that permission has been granted for a wetland which will add so much to the amenity, beauty and function of the creeklands.  In 2017, our group formed “to assist in the careful planning, design and development of beautiful, healthy and safe public spaces featuring wetlands, lagoons and billabongs, connected by flowing water along the Armidale Creeklands”.  With our focus on developing community visions which will see restored natural levels of water flows and retaining water in naturalised settings, we have tried to complement the work of AURG which has been so successful in transforming the vegetation along the creeklands with appropriate native species.  

We will be recommending to our members and our Friendly Followers that they might volunteer to help out when AURG commences its new Wildlife Wetland project.

It is particularly pleasing that Armidale Regional Council is a partner in the project as they will be key to getting approvals for any interventions in the creeklands.  Also, it is great to see that the University of New England's Aquatic Ecology and Restoration Research Group will be designing the wetland.

We look forward to seeing this project lead the way towards seeing even more wetlands and billabongs connected by flowing water along the entire length of the Armidale Creeklands. 

Many will be aware that Stage 1 of the Armidale Creeklands Master Plan is to be implemented as a Family Precinct by Armidale Regional Council during 2022 with $3m of funding from the State Government.  Our association is pleased that progress is being made but we continue to make representations to Council on behalf of our members to see a greater focus on healthy water flows and billabongs/ponds in this precinct to add beauty and function to the planned pathways, exercise stations, picnic facilities, shade and native plantings.  Sadly, the approved plans say very little about water!  

In short, our goal of creating a community consensus of what our creeklands might be is far from over.  As we know, we can experience droughts as well as floods and so we need to protect assets from floods as well as find ways to ensure that healthy water can flow along our streams and through any wetlands - even in dry times.  

We encourage any interested members of the community to get involved and help AURG and Visions for Armidale Creeklands Inc to realise all of our dreams.

Some questions for candidates for Armidale Regional Council?

As the election for Councillors of Armidale Regional Council approaches, you might ask candidates a few questions relating to the creeklands …

1. Armidale is a great city and, like all great cities of the world, has the potential to be even greater with more healthy environmental flows of water along its extensive creeklands. Do you agree?

2. Should the implementation of Stage 1 of the Armidale Creeklands Master Plan (with its $3m grant) be carried out with the participation and endorsement of relevant community organisations to ensure that the community will be pleased with the outcome?

3. To ensure the protection of life and assets, do you agree that no buildings should be constructed within the 1-in-100 year flood zone along the Armidale creeklands?

Visions for Armidale Creeklands aims to ”assist in the careful planning, design and development of beautiful, healthy and safe public spaces featuring wetlands, lagoons and billabongs, connected by flowing water along the Armidale Creeklands”.

We also “support the development of user-friendly infrastructure such as attractive bridges, paths and cycle ways, play and recreation areas, along with performance and creative spaces which will complement water features and improve the quality of life, economy and beauty of Armidale”.

Our association looks forward to working with the new Armidale Regional Council in a collaborative, transparent and constructive way to see the beauty, life and function of our city enhanced with the supply of sufficient environmental flows to ensure healthy pools, billabongs, streams and riffles throughout the city.

What better time is there to make new plans for our environment than during a global pandemic?

Your Visions for Armidale Creeklands Inc committee has been busy of late making plans to see more water along our city’s creeklands. The video (5 min) below describes some of our aims and shows a little of some discussions among some of our committee members.

Over the coming months, we will be gathering more ideas - especially from our members - so that we create plans which are seen as exciting and visionary by the wider community.

If you are not already a member and you would like to get involved, feel free to join us.

You might also like to consider a donation to assist our not-for-profit association achieving its aims.

And feel free to comment below …

On December 3, 2019, our association made a detailed (15 page) submission to the consultants undertaking the Armidale Region Plan 2040. It was copied to the CEO and all Councillors. You can download it here.

Extract from the submission to the plan:

Our association’s aim is: “To assist in the careful planning, design and development of beautiful, healthy and safe public spaces featuring wetlands, lagoons and billabongs, connected by flowing water along the Armidale Creeklands”. 

We support the development of user-friendly infrastructure such as attractive bridges, paths and cycle ways, play and recreation areas, along with performance and creative spaces which will complement water features and improve the quality of life, economy and beauty of Armidale.

More water features will encourage tourism, grow the economy and provide educational and research opportunities. An enhanced creeklands environment will see more environmental flows of water supporting healthy life along the entire centre axis of the city - supporting water birds, frogs, eels, fish, invertebrates, etc.  Billabongs, lagoons, ponds and wetlands will greatly enhance the recreational opportunities and enjoyment of all residents as well as visitors to the region.

Visions for Armidale Creeklands Inc aims to collaborate with the wider community by seeking the visions of the aboriginal community, sporting associations, recreational users, the business community, educational institutions, residents and visitors of all ages and those wanting environmental protection, stream health, wildlife corridors, native vegetation and deciduous colour. 

Watching the doom and gloom @abc730 segment last week was surely not inspiring to many of us who have enjoyed - and continue to enjoy - living in this great city. As we wrote in our most recent newsletter to our members, “We have so many invaluable assets - including human capital - in this region and we need to maintain a positive frame of mind to overcome the current obstacles; just like our forebears did!”

It was disappointing to learn that some managing this drought crisis in Armidale think that watering the trees in our precious Central Park with 4 mm of irrigation water per week is cheering up members of the local community. Well, on behalf of members of Visions for Armidale Creeklands Inc, they are wrong.

What to do? What would cheer us up would be to have all those well-watered Sydney viewers of abc730 come to Armidale for a visit and spend a few nights in our gorgeous region, stay in the highest city in the country, and spend some of Sydney’s fabulous wealth in our beautiful multi-cultural city - the first city in Australia to be the proud location of a University outside a capital city. We should declare that some of our association are refugees - from Sydney (!) - who enjoy the cool climate and the high quality-of-life in this modest-sized city. We like to see on our app each morning “Traffic is light in your area”, the Hinton art collection at NERAM, education, music, light manufacturing, theatre, good health infrastructure, etc.

Might the ABC consider, through its various media platforms, how it might help repair some of the damage done to our city from this short and shallow segment?

Sales and Crabb could bring some laughter - and chatters - to the region for a @Chat10Looks3 show in Armidale’s beautiful town hall. They could chat about water with our region’s avid chatters and those who know something of water in Australia and our region. They could meet a water scientist from Armidale’s very own internationally recognised company with experts in irrigation and water balance studies who could measure the water use of the precious trees in Central Park and advise Council on the need for more than 4 mm/week.

Yes, with our 13,000 ML Malpas Dam, we have enjoyed 50 years of water security. Yes, our various planners might have become too complacent about our need for a future water strategy. But we do look enviously at the secure water supply of another high country city in Australia with its 353,000 ML of water storage, all stored within that wonderfully managed Murray Darling Basin, Canberra!

Perhaps @abc730 might revisit Armidale if it were to produce a follow up program looking at the security of water supply of ALL Australian cities and towns and compare them to Sydney’s water security where the show is produced?

If any readers care about water in a regional city, we encourage them to join our Visions for Armidale Creeklands association which aims: “to assist in the careful planning, design and development of beautiful, healthy and safe public spaces featuring wetlands, lagoons and billabongs, connected by flowing water along the Armidale Creeklands”.

As a reward for those few who might have read to the bottom of this blog, we reproduce a poem from one of our late friends. In light of the current drought and our need for rain, we think it appropriate to reproduce it here.

The late Roger McKnight wrote:

‘Send ‘er down, Hughie’

But we want to go to tennis,
or some other sort of sport,
wails the city-slicking menace
over some old cocky’s snort –
Send ‘er down, Hughie; send ‘er down.

Arr, they want to go to beaches,
petty pleasures they desire,
while me pastures, or me peaches,
or me parsnips all expire –
send ‘er down, Hughie; send ‘er down.

They say that it’ll rain for years,
there’ll be a second Flood.
If all we get is city tears,
I’ll irrigate with blood –
send ‘er down, Hughie, blow ‘em, send ‘er down!

(from The Grass Trees - selected poems Roger McKnight published by Hyde Park Press, Adelaide, p35). Roger McKnight was a passionate poet and dairy farmer from Waitpinga SA, that one of your committee had the privilege to know - he is confident that Roger would not have minded it being reproduced here as we suffer through these extraordinary times.

Hey @abc730 thanks for bringing the dire water situation in Armidale to public notice.  See blog Reflections on water in Armidale Please produce program looking at the water security of ALL Australian cities. Retweet!

Hey @Chat10Looks3, #droughtNSW is dire, but we still enjoy living in regional cities. See blog Reflections on water in Armidale. Come to Armidale and produce segment looking at the water security of ALL Australian cities.

@abc730 brought the dire water situation in Armidale to public notice; read our blog Reflections on water in Armidale @4corners could look more deeply at issue of water security for ALL Australian cities.

Hey @TheProjectTV, #droughtNSW is dire, but we still enjoy living in regional cities. Why not come to Armidale and produce a segment looking at the water security of ALL Australian cities. Retweet!

Hey @sunrise, #droughtNSW is dire, but we still enjoy living in regional cities. Read our blog Reflections on water in Armidale. Why not come to Armidale and produce a segment looking at the water security of ALL Australian cities.

Can students do better than this?

Two members of our association had a very productive meeting this morning - planning our sponsorship proposal to local businesses and organisations. We will be seeking sponsors so we can offer substantial prizes for primary and secondary school students which will encourage visionary designs for all aspects of Armidale’s creeklands.

It will be exciting - look out for this over coming months!

Year to 31 May 2019

Year to 31 May 2017

The current drought is seriously affecting much of Australia, over 90% of NSW and our Northern Tablelands region. This article puts the current situation into some perspective regarding the history of droughts and floods in our region.

It also invites members of the community to an upcoming presentation to be given at our Annual General Meeting - details here.