Gladesville Reserve and Betts Park are adjoining areas of open space located on the northern foreshores of the Parramatta River.
Gladesville Reserve is bounded by Victoria Road to the north, Huntleys Point Road and the Ferry wharf to the east, Crown Street to the west and the Parramatta River to the south. Betts Park is bounded by Huntleys Point Road to the north and west, and the Parramatta River to the east.
Gladesville Reserve is the larger of the two reserves at approximately 8.5 hectares, 3 hectares of which is bushland. Betts Park is approximately 1.3 hectares with 1 hectare of that being bushland. The area as a whole affords a significant predominantly natural corridor along the Parramatta River, providing links to Bedlam Bay Regional Park to the west and Riverglade Reserve to the north.
In the late 1990’s with the aid of funding from the Parramatta River Foreshore Improvement Program and assisted by labour from an employment scheme, weeds were removed from the embankment below the oval at Gladesville Reserve and replanting took place using local native plant species. Bush regeneration of Betts Park begun 2002 with the targeting of good bushland towards the western end which was being overrun, particularly by Bamboo and Asparagus Fern. A number of “unofficial” tracks down to the foreshore responsible for fragmenting this small but significant area of bushland, and introducing weed seed and rubbish dumping. Stands of bamboo were left in place to form protective barriers.
In 2004 local Residents started showing an interest in Bushcare when a local resident who lives at the eastern end of Huntleys Point Road volunteered to clear Asparagus Fern from the western edge of the park adjacent to the road.
Now the Bushcare group has cleared a significant proportion of Asparagus Fern along Huntleys Point Road. Work mostly involves maintaince of these previously weeded areas, and continuing removal of Asparagus Fern and woody weeds.
Details:
The group works every third Saturday of the month from 9:00am to 11:00am.
The meeting place is variable so please contact Bushcare staff on 9879 9439.
A view from Betts Park Reserve