Celebrating Wetlands Day

One third of Westgate Park’s area is in freshwater and saltwater lakes, lagoons, ponds and soaks. Without them the Park would be much less lovely and we would not have the lake views and the many birds and other animals that depend on water.

Wetlands provide so much. They filter nutrients and sediments, reduce impacts of flooding by slowing down floodwater, provide good habitat for plants and animals and often refuge when water bodies dry up to the north. The food chain would be restricted without the insects that breed in water such as dragonflies.

Apart from the salt lake our wetlands are shallow and often dry up over summer.

Sadly the Park does not have a handy creek to top up the lakes but we do receive stormwater from Wharf Road and from the bridge when fire testing is done. We can also use the windmill to direct water from one water body to another, very slowly!

The salt lake is becoming a muddy pink colour which is interesting but it is a sign that the water has become hyper saline.

Please do not walk around the salt lake edge. Saltmarsh plants are succulent and slow growing and they do not tolerate trampling. Like other plants in the Park these were planted and tended by volunteers.