Booragoon Lake

Statement of Significance

Booragoon Lake 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 the Lake, bushland and flora species.

Physical Description

Booragoon Lake 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 Booragoon Lake and improvement of water quality including stormwater 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 birdlife. More than forty bird species are found on the Lake as wetland and wading birds such as the Pied Coronorant and Sacred Ibis, plus bats and some invertebrates. 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

Booragoon Lake is 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 Lake, together with nearby Blue Gum Reserve 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 Lake in the late 1800s was part of farming land owned by John Bateman who used the land for livestock grazing and timber milling. The area was part of a dairy farm in the 1940s. In the later 1960s, as the locality was subdivided for housing, the Lake acted as a drainage basin. In the 1970s improvements to the Lake were instigated to stop drying out and to eradicate pests. The Lake is currently dry in summer. A Boardwalk has been introduced to provide access up to the Lake through the surrounding bushland, and for bird watching.

Condition

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

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update