Sunbury resident and secretary of the Friends of Emu Bottom Wetlands Reserve community group Garry Bartlett is passionate about the region and its natural environment. Oscar Parry spoke with Garry about his connection to Sunbury, the local flora and fauna, and his volunteering work.
What is your connection to Sunbury?
We had our heart set on a residence close to the heart of Sunbury in the late ’90s. We carefully researched it, and when the auction came, the first opposing bid exceeded our top price, so we returned to ‘square one’ but remained drawn to Sunbury. We saw some land with kangaroos grazing peacefully among the gum trees. My partner’s comment: “let’s buy it GB,” led to the purchase and building of a home. One of life’s U-turns.
What do you like about where you live?
Sunbury is rich in history. Its Aboriginal history has attracted national focus revealing fascinating aspects of Indigenous lifestyle and customs pre (and of post) European settlement. The farming and other endeavours of George Evans are at the very birth of Victorian and Melbourne history – it started right here in what has become Sunbury. The activities of Rupert Clark and his estate Rupertswood brought international attention. The only private army in the British empire; the birth of the Ashes, and so much more. It’s such a pity that our museum has closed as well as other visitor-centric sites reducing community access to that rich (sometimes dramatic) local history. I love the preservation of the natural environment in and around Sunbury – The Nook; Emu Bottom Wetlands; Spavin Lake; and so many reserves, walks, and parks.
What, if anything, would you change about where you live?
I would like to press a ‘pause button’ on rapid development until some very obvious infrastructure shortfalls were solved – the Bulla Bypass; reconstruction of the Calder Highway without punctuated speed limits, bottlenecks, and frustration; Sunbury public transport keeping pace with development, and lifts for ease of access to both of Sunbury’s rail platforms.
What are you most proud of in regards to what the Friends of Emu Bottom Wetlands Reserve has achieved?
The Friends of Emu Bottom Wetlands Reserve was formed in 1993 following rationalisation of the historic Emu Bottom Run. Residents saw a 32-hectare site, deemed to be flood-prone, which was pastorally degraded in the extreme. The potential of this reserve was recognised by the residents who resolved to restore the former bushland. The Friends volunteers set about their task removing blackberries, gorse, boxthorn, barbed wire, and, supported by government grants and Bulla and Hume council, planted and maintained some 170,000 Indigenous native trees, plants and grasses. This magnitude of effective volunteer work would not be possible today in the light of the sometimes extreme risk-aversion policies at various levels of government. The work continues in the land adjacent to the reserve with the support of the Salesian Order and Villawood Properties
What is something you wish more Sunbury residents knew about Emu Bottom Wetlands and Jacksons Creek?
Jacksons Creek and Deep Creek join to form the Maribyrnong – one of Victoria’s major waterways. The creek is home to flora and fauna under threat from overuse of reserve facilities. The reserves along the creek are valuable environmental and human resources. We need to be respectful of the fauna and general environment as we enjoy our time in these reserves. With rapid population growth, access to new natural open spaces becomes important. Maybe the long-awaited Jackson’s creek biik wurrdha Regional Parkland will finally be established or better access to the Holden Flora Reserve will be ingredients of the solution in the future.
