Aboriginal leaders bid to take over neglected national park at Watsons Bay

Two Aboriginal community leaders have put in a bid to take over one of Sydney’s most prestigious harbourside national parks at Watsons Bay, with the idea of turning it into an “all-encompassing indigenous experience”.

The park, currently neglected and unmaintained, with rundown historic buildings and thick with weeds strangling the native bush, had previously been the subject of a controversial plan to redevelop six buildings on site to host private functions. Furious locals claimed the scheme would see as many as 1000 visitors a day flood the area.

But many have greeted this new proposal with surprise and delight. “I think this is the most wonderful plan I’ve ever heard,” says Dr Elizabeth Denny, a zoologist and lifelong resident of Watsons Bay, whose great-grandfather was the ferry captain in 1869.

“This is a small national park but it’s just as important as the bigger ones. It means its future would be assured and it would have huge educational value in helping bridge the disconnect in Australia between the population and the natural world, and marking Aboriginal history which is huge compared to our tiny white history.

“It would mean the South Head of Sydney Harbour would at last be properly cared for.”

The proposal that’s just been put to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and to the NSW Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton, involves restoring the land to native bush and creating a showcase of Aboriginal culture and heritage.

It’s been devised by Aboriginal educator Tim Ella who runs Kadoo Aboriginal Tours, and Trevor Walker, head of the Moringa Aquaculture Aboriginal Corporation.

“It’s all about caring for country which is what we’ve always done best,” says Ella, brother of the famous Ella rugby players.

“Watsons Bay National Park is one of the most beautiful environments left in Sydney Harbour but it’s been sadly neglected with weeds and rubbish, and it’s become dangerous for our native wildlife and for visitors.

“We want to move forward together as a community to restore that land to the pristine nature it once was. It needs maintenance, track repair and marking, a weed eradication program, bush regeneration, everything. And we believe, with support, we can turn it into a wonderful place once again and revive our culture, and educate others about it, at the same time.”

There are already ideas in place about calling on volunteers to help clear the land, as well as, possibly, prisoners from Long Bay – both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal – on day release. There may also be ways of raising funds from aquaculture, around seaweed or mussel farming.

“It’s all about the future of our people and this local community,” says Walker. “How wonderful would it be to have an Aboriginal presence back on the headland of Sydney Harbour?

“It would be Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people working together to preserve something precious here. We’re really keen to see this happen, with the support of the locals.”

The plans for the park, which include preserving any sacred sites, displaying cultural signage, sculptures and wooden carvings, establishing a museum and holding cultural tours, workshops, dance displays and corrobborees for visitors, have now been forwarded to all 120 households of Watsons Bay via the local residents’ group, the Watsons Bay Association.  

Prominent resident Wendy Doyle, part-owner of Doyles Fisherman’s Wharf, said she was one of the first to learn about it, and found it an excellent plan. “It’s so exciting,” she says. “They want to clean up the bushland and look after it, and have a community garden and educational facility. It’s what everyone here really wants.

“It’s almost as if people have allowed the park to get so rundown and neglected, so developers would be able to come in. But this is a much better proposal. The Aboriginal history, culture and knowledge of the bush here is amazing, and it’s great to think that the park could be fixed in a sustainable, and such a valuable, way.”

And such a scheme would really help young people, black and white alike, believes Dr denny. “Everyone can recognise a meerkat, but not many know a quoll or the difference between ring-tailed and brush-tailed possum,” she says. “All are – or used to be – at South Head.

“Now hopefully we’ll be able to see some of our native wildlife brought back here, as well as educating people about the traditional Aboriginal skills of looking after the bush, like cool burning, which is the best way of looking after it.”

Watsons Bay Association president Roger Bayliss said he would welcome any proposal likely to lead to the upgrading of the park.

“We vigorously opposed a previous plan to turn the areas into a massive international entertainment precinct, with function centres, wedding centres, a restaurant and short-term accommodation.” he says. “But this proposal looks very interesting, both historically and culturally.”