Marrong Reserve

Marrong Reserve, also called Pemulwuy Lookout and Ridgeline Reserve,^[1] is a nature reserve, an urban park and a recreational lookout situated in Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.^[2][3] J-shaped, the reserve is located approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) kilometers west of the Parramatta, and 33 kilometres (21 mi) north-west of the Sydney CBD.^[4] Due to its cultural and historic landscape importance, Mar-Rong Reserve was added to the NSW State Heritage Register on 17 October 2003. The reserve is visited for walking, exercising, natural scenery, picturesque views, birdwatching, ball games, and bush tucker.^[3]

Mostly aligned with Daruga Avenue at Pemulwuy and stretching to Lower Prospect Canal Reserve in the south, the reserve features a panoramic viewpoint that provides views of the Sydney skyline and the Blue Mountains. It is a popular vantage point for the New Year's Eve and Australia Day fireworks.^[2] Educational and interpretive information is present within the Reserve. Much of the reserve, excluding the parkland areas, is categorised as Natural Area-Bushland.^[3] Marrong Reserve and Prospect Hill are closely connected as a ridge, but are separated at a saddle by Butu Wargun Drive.^[5] The reserve features three precincts, which run from north to south: Marrong Reserve North, Marrong Reserve 'Saddle Bund' and Marrong Reserve South.^[3]

The Cannemegal-Warmuli clan of the Darug nation has traditional ties to the land known as Marrong Reserve. Among Indigenous Australians, a summit was culturally and spiritually a male focal point of cultural activity affiliated with a vantage point, ceremonies and hunting. Excavations of the Nelsons Ridge site discovered a variety of artefacts, although the area was described as "a transient use site" as people did not carry many equipment on the hill. In 1789, Watkin Tench journeyed on the area that is now the reserve. During the Aboriginal resistance in 1790, Pemulwuy used the Marrong ridgeline and Prospect Hill as a lookout. Governor Arthur Phillip provided 30-acre land grants for convicts on the southern and eastern slopes, and agricultural use of the land persisted. In the mid 1800s, quarrying of the basalt plug commenced on the reserve's western margin.^[3]

In 1999, the saddle bund area (opposite of Binnet Street) was formed as a road cutting excavated on the eastern side, sloping down into the quarry and used to cart accumulate fill material in the Northern and Southern Employment Lands. Parts of the reserve were gazetted in 1999 applying to a number of Western Sydney holdings including Greystanes Estate, Nelsons Ridge, rezoning land on the hill's west for employment and on the hill's eastern side for housing and regional open space and providing precinct planning controls. The land containing Marrong Reserve was not included when the area was gazetted in 1999, which rezoned the land, including the former Boral and CSIRO sites at Greystanes for employment, housing and open space purposes. Precinct planning controls were created to guide the progress resulting from this rezoning, establishing open space within the developments, including Marrong Reserve.^[3]

In 2002, Lend Lease joined a shared enterprise with Boral to develop the residential lands, known as Nelson's Ridge Estate, which along with the abutting Lakewood Estate development comprise the residential zones of Pemulwuy.^[6] This part of the estate is now known as Nelson's Ridge (after Nelson Lawson who owned the Greystanes Estate and commissioned Greystanes House in 1837). Nelson's Ridge was developed by Lend Lease in two stages with the first comprising the northern employment and northern residential lands and the second comprising the southern equivalents. The former CSIRO site to the north of Nelson's Ridge was vacated in 1/2002 and sold to Stockland in March 2002.^[7]

The reserve was established as part of the Nelsons Ridge residential development with construction initiating in 2013-2014, before the area was given to Holroyd City Council in 2015. The walking path with lookout and play facility which aligns between Biana and Binnet Streets was completed.^[8] On 4 May 2015, Marrong Reserve was officially opened by Greg Cummings, Mayor of Holroyd City Council, and Aunty Sandra Lee, Darug elder. In 2016, a children’s playground, a lookout platform, and landscape ornamentation was completed at the saddle bund in Marrong Reserve South.^[3] Negotiations between the council and the site's owners Boral over the reserve began in August 2015, and in mid-2016 the reserve was closed for maintenance and the aforementioned public liability dispute. Therefore, access to the area was restricted until the land transfer action was accomplished by early 2017.^[2]

On 31 December 2019, during the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, a grassfire broke out that the southern end of the Marrong Reserve.^[9] As of 2021, Boral have begun excavation and preparation of a significant area at the base of the reserve for an extension of the housing development of Pemulwuy. The development will sit between the Canal Walkway and the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve. In July 2025, Marrong Reserve was one of the planting sites for residents to participate in Australia's largest tree planting event, National Tree Day.^[10] The Northern Residential lands east of the Reserve have been established since the early 2010s. The Southern Residential lands at Marrong Reserve South began construction in 2021 and were completed by 2025.^[1]

Mar-Rong Reserve is a ridge that averages about 100 metres (330 ft) in width, cut by the quarry to the west. It runs north to south on a continuous undulating ridgeline for 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi), from Butu Wargun Drive and Reconciliation Rise in the north to Prospect Highway in the south, aligning with Daruga Avenue in its northern half.^[3] The most accurate description of the shape of the ridge that it is J-shaped, with the upright of the J pointing a few degrees east of north. It is separated from Prospect Hill to the north by a saddle or a col,^[11] although the reserve may sometimes be referred to as being part of Prospect Hill, since the area from Marrong Reserve North to the 'Saddle Bund' (opposite of Waiana Street) is designated as being part of Prospect Hill on a map by the New South Wales State Heritage Register.^[12]

Marrong Reserve is situated on the ridge of the preceding Prospect quarries. The reserve is located within the 110 hectares (270 acres) development of Nelsons Ridge Estate on its eastern perimeter, with the reserve being established by the Nelsons Ridge estate development. 21.1 hectares (52 acres) in size, Marrong Reserve is one of the many urban parks and nature reserves that are established within Pemulwuy, and is proximate to a variety of housing ranging from apartments to terraces and larger homes. Its topography has been affected by quarrying in the past. Marrong Reserve's western edge drops sharply down the quarry wall to the adjoining employment lands in the base of the former quarry, and the cliff wall is nearly upright in some areas. The southern portion is steeper and less accessible, while the northern part of Marrong Reserve provides for recreational use.^[3]

Marrong Reserve is part of the open space network that neighbors Prospect Hill to the north, and joins the Prospect Creek riparian corridor, the Prospect Reservoir Pipeline Corridor, and Lower Prospect Canal Reserve. The land west of the Reserve, at the foundation of the former quarry wall, is now an industrial development of the Greystanes Employment Lands.^[13][3] Marrong Reserve is situated just south of M4 Motorway and the Great Western Highway, with access via Greystanes Road to Pemulwuy. It is also easily accessed from the encompassing streets. Bollards are placed to restrict vehicle access to the Reserve. Cycle and pedestrian paths across Pemulwuy connect to the Reserve, thereby allowing easy access for residents. Much recently, trees have been plant to increase the tree canopy and green cover across the Greater Sydney area.^[3]

• Marrong Reserve North: Situated on Butu Wargun Drive and Daruga Avenue, it is has an elevation of 117 metres (384 feet). The summit area contains recreational lookout areas, including a viewing platform, that provides panoramic eastward views of the Sydney CBD, Sydney Olympic Park, Parramatta, and the forested North Shore to the north, and views of the Blue Mountains to the west. The precinct also features walking tracks, drinking fountains, garbage cans, signage, public seating and native plants.^[2] Red-bellied black snakes occur in the area and there are warning signs in the walkways.^[14] On its eastern side the ridge descends through steep scrub to Daruga Avenue in Pemulwuy. To the west there is the restituted face of Prospect Quarry, which can be viewed by visitors. Before quarrying, the hill was 122 metres (400 feet) high and the then highest point was the site of a trig point named Greystanes by the NSW Department of Lands. To note, this hill is colloquially known as Pemulwuy Lookout.^[15]
• Marrong Reserve 'Saddle Bund' (centre): Aligning with Biana and Binnet Street to the east, the 'saddle bund' features a long walking track that leads to the adjoining summit above and as well as a lookout area that overlooks the industrial zone and Prospect Quarry in the west. Opened to public in 2023, the saddle bund features a stage area and a display garden for interpretation of Aboriginal legacy. To the west, there is 'One Tree Hill', which features a prominent Moreton Bay fig tree, dated to be over 150 years old, and was within the precincts of Grey Stanes, the house of Nelson Lawson. Although inaccessible to the public, One Tree Hill can be viewed from Prospect Highway south of the M4 or from Daruga Avenue, Pemulwuy at Saddle Bund.
• Marrong Reserve South: Extending to the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve, this summit is fairly level but with steep sides. Its highest point is 100 metres (328 feet) above sea level. The western part of the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve walkway and cycleway runs along the foot of the hill's southeast slopes. The lower slopes feature Pampas grass, Ipomoea cairica, Lantana camara, Acacia longifolia and the upper slopes prominently consist a plantation of Monterey pine trees^[16] with a few Grey Box and Casuarina trees. Kangaroos and blind snakes are found on the grassy slopes. The hilltop provides panoramic views to the south of Greater Western Sydney. The summit is observable from the suburbs of Smithfield and Wetherill Park in the City of Fairfield. By car, this summit can be entered from Hyland Road in the southeast or Prospect Highway in the southwest, as the walkway leading to it straddles the highway.^[17][18]

Marrong Reserve has a distinctive drainage line (gully) towards the southern part. The north-south ridgeline deflects stormwater easterly and westerly. Rain that falls south of Daruga Avenue flows into Prospect Creek and then via the Georges River into Botany Bay. The northern slopes drain into Girraween Creek and eventually into the Parramatta River and Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour). Close by to the west is Prospect Reservoir and beyond it, Eastern Creek flows north-west into the Nepean-Hawkesbury River, the mighty river that encircles Sydney forming the boundary of the Cumberland Plain and eventually flowing into the sea at Broken Bay.^[3] Stormwater runoff from the Saddle Bund flows mainly east towards Daruga Avenue and an upper tributary of Greystanes Creek (also known as Girraween Creek), then linking Toongabbie Creek and the upper Parramatta River.^[8]

Less than 10% of the original vegetation remains in the reserve. Canopy trees typical of the endangered Moist Shale Woodland/Shale Plains Woodland in the reserve include spotted gum (Corymbia maculata), forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis), and Grey Box (Eucalyptus moluccana), with small tree species such as Hickory Wattle (Acacia implexa) and Sydney Green Wattle (Acacia parramattensis subsp. parramattensis), including plantings of Moreton Bay figs (Ficus macrophylla) and bunya pine (Araucaria bidwillii), which were linked to the former paddock boundary lines in the original Greystanes House property, and are now historically significant. Shrubs/vines include spiny thorn (Bursaria spinosa), yellow pittosporum (Pittosporum revolutum), kidney weed (Dichondra repens), hairy clairy (Clerodendrum tomentosum), purple twining pea (Hardenbergia violacea), native indigo (Indigofera australis), native grape (Causonis clematidea). The undulating ridgeline was dominated by a pine (Pinus radiata) planted by Boral between 1960 and 1970 to visually screen the quarry site, which then became invasive and were progressively removed.^[3]

Noxious weeds in the reserve include Privet (Ligustrum sp.), Chilean Needle Grass (Nassella neesiana), Morning Glory (Ipomoea indica) and Lantana (Lantana camara). Bush regeneration in mosaic patterns, to establish native resilience throughout the reserve, took place in the area from 2009, as well as significant planting of indigenous and native species in 2013, which were associated with the advancement of the pedestrian paths, maintenance track, seating and viewing zones. Greater Sydney Landcare operated with Council in March 2022 to plant trees in the north-west section of the reserve near Butu Wargan Drive. Although the site was historically focused on to reduce the biomass of exotic species, a substantial exotic seed bank is still widespread throughout the reserve. Marrong Reserve is rated as Category 2 (southern section) and 3 (northern section) meaning that it has medium to lower fire danger.^[3]

Soils include the Blacktown group, which are generally shallow to moderately deep, and consist of dark grey-brown, red and grey clays, with low fertility, and are poorly drained. Though areas of the reserve have been reassessed and filled with building rubble and waste to depths of 5.5 metres as part of the rural and industrial history. Contamination was present in the reserve opposite of Daruga Avenue (the 'Saddle Bund' section of the Reserve).^[3][19]

Four threatened species were recorded, such as the Greater Broad-nosed Bat, Eastern Freetail Bat, Eastern Falsistrelle and the Powerful Owl. The Cumberland Plain Land Snail is also present in the reserve. Frequently sighted mammals include the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Greater glider, and the Common brushtail possum. Bird species present in Marrong Reserve include the Magpie Lark, Bell Miner, Eastern Rosella, Butcher Bird, Eastern Yellow Robin, Australian brushturkey, wrens, Willy Wagtail, crows, Australian ravens, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos, Corella, and the Galah. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos were also sighted in the reserve before the 2019 bushfire and elimination of the pine trees.^[3] Reptile species present in Marrong Reserve include the Red-bellied black snake, Eastern Brown Snake, and several lizards. Introduced animals found include hares, rabbits, cats, foxes and dogs.^[3]

• A collection of Pinus radiata which were introduced to the region in the late 19th century
• The southern summit of Marrong Reserve, before the Monterey pine were burnt down in the 2019–20 bushfires.
• Lookout from Marrong Reserve North, with a view of Parramatta, Chatswood and the Hills District (2017).
• Marrong Reserve South, as viewed from a neighbourhood in Smithfield (2007)
• The quarried western part of the ridgeline, with dolerite intrusion on sandstone and shale
• Marrong Reserve North seating area

• Grey Box Reserve
• Prospect Nature Reserve
• Prospect dolerite intrusion
• Gipps Road and Hyland Road Regional Parklands

• Lend Lease (2015). Statement of Heritage Impact - Marrong Reserve South, Greystanes Estate, Pemulwuy (Nelsons Ridge Residential Lands).
• Whelans InSites (2010). Statement of Environmental Effects - Mar-Rong Reserve, Pemulwuy - Construction of Landscaping and Public Domain Works, Greystanes Estate, Nelsons Ridge.