Blue Gum Reserve

Statement of Significance

Blue Gum Reserve is a significant element of the string of local freshwater lakes, important as a natural environment, for initial association with indigenous Aboriginal people and later the pioneer settlers.

SIGNIFICANT ITEMS:

The entire Reserve comprising bushland, lake and flora species.

Physical Description

Blue Gum Reserve comprises a wetland of natural, indigenous woodland with a central lake (dry in summer); the Reserve is now surrounded by a locality fully developed for residential use.

The City of Melville has in place a program of rehabilitation to control weeds, to regenerate native species of sedges and trees around the lake and improvement of water quality including storm water issuing into the lake from the surrounding streets and residential development, botulism and the eradication of feral birds and animals. The lake hosts a rich variety of local and visiting bird life, as many as seventy different species. The wetland flora is dominated by Freshwater Paperbark, Swamp Banksia and Flooded Gum. Local frog species and the Western Long-Necked Tortoise are common, as well as some aquatic
invertebrates.

History

Blue Gum Reserve and the lake are known to have been used by the Beeliar Nyoongars as a seasonal source of food and freshwater. Birds, shellfish and tortoises provided food and the natural bushland was a resource for shelter making. The Reserve and the lake, together with nearby Booragoon Lake and Piney Lakes, once formed part of an Aboriginal transport route passing through freshwater lakes south of the Swan River. Blue Gum Reserve and its lake are likely to have been in use by Aboriginal people for at least 38,000 years.

The land was granted to Thomas Middleton in 1830, passing through various owners over the next fifty years for use mainly for cattle grazing. The Bateman family acquired the land in 1886, settling there in 1910, using the fertile land for market gardening, cattle rearing and poultry, cutting timber for sale in the Colony and removing much of the mature tree growth.

The land was subdivided for housing development in 1928, remained undeveloped until the mid 1950s with residential development accelerating from 1974.

The Reserve is currently vested in the City of Melville for management and rehabilitation of flora and bird species.

Condition

Sound, under management and rejuvenation by the City of Melville.

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.