Sydney Reserve Development Displacing Wildlife, Residents Allege

The development of a reserve in Sydney's north-west to create a sports facility is killing and displacing wildlife, residents allege.

Fred Caterson Reserve in Castle Hill is home to a range of both sporting facilities and native animals, including swamp wallabies and powerful owls.

The Hills Shire Council began work to turn the "predominantly cleared" former pony club section surrounded by bushland into a premier rugby union facility, potentially for Eastwood Rugby Club.

Three fields — including one to be used in the Shute Shield semi-professional rugby union competition — are proposed, along with amenities and a car park.

A council spokesperson said in a statement the project would be enjoyed by generations of residents.

They said the local government area had the highest housing targets in the state, which was expected to increase residents by 50,000 to 60,000 within the next five years if delivered.

The almost 7-hectare area was fenced off in late February, with trees removed shortly after.

Ever since, residents have shared reports of dead, injured and displaced wildlife.

Vision posted on a Facebook group frequently used by people opposed to the development shows a wallaby trying to access the fenced-off former pony club site.

Fred Caterson Action Group founding member Susan Sandercock said this was one of many examples of displacement caused by the controversial project.

"It's a wallaby. All it knows is that's where its feeding ground is. That's where its home is, and it can no longer access that," she said.

She said there had been an increase in roadkill, including "a lot of possums", along nearby Gilbert Road.

"Every now and again, you'll see a roadkill, maybe two or three times a year, or maybe it's in breeding season ... but this has been almost a weekly or twice-weekly occurrence."

Ms Sandercock said residents had seen animals trapped within the enclosed area, which she alleged was larger than the approved 6.8 hectares at tender, referencing a file produced by council's contractor Glascott that appears to show a larger fenced area than council's plan.

The ABC contacted the contractor, Glascott, but it declined to comment and directed questions to The Hills Shire Council.

The council declined to respond to this specific allegation.

In a statement, a council spokesperson said the site was "under the care and control" of the contractor and was fenced off for safety reasons.

"The construction and placement of fencing have been informed by the environmental and ecological sensitivities of the site," they said.

'Absolute silence'

Resident Marian Tonkin has lived across from the reserve for more than 35 years.

She said after the fencing was installed, some animals could no longer access the habitats within the enclosed environment, which caused displaced wildlife to turn up in her front yard and on her property.

She said her bush walks had become quieter.

"There were local bird clubs. They often used to come and just sit [in the reserve] and take photos and make recordings of their sightings, but it's absolute silence,"

"I used to regularly hear the powerful owls and barking owls calling during the night very close to the house.

"I only heard them during that first week of construction and haven't heard them since."

In the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) — a document outlining factors likely to impact the environment — 317 trees were identified for removal, including 28 dead ones.

Five trees, including 10 hollows that could be used by owls and nocturnal species, were earmarked for removal, with each to be replaced with nest boxes of equivalent sizes.

Narla Environmental conducted assessments for the council, including two nocturnal owl surveys in May 2023 where spotlighting, hollow watches and call playbacks were undertaken.

It also inspected seven hollow-bearing trees on June 1, 2023, and found "many of the hollows had no signs of current occupation or usage".

However, the final report acknowledged this is not "indicative of intermittent or future occupation".

"The timing of the survey may not have coincided with emergence times of activity of some fauna (e.g. nesting birds, nocturnal species)," it said.

A Flora and Fauna Assessment also took place in early February.

Fred Caterson Champions Incorporated has taken the council to the Land and Environment Court (LEC), making a number of allegations including it did not adequately consider to "the fullest extent possible" the environmental impacts lighting would have on the local owl population.

A previous court injunction to halt works was dismissed.

Injured wildlife

Local volunteer WIRES wildlife rescuer of 10 years MJ, who has asked to keep her identity anonymous for privacy reasons, said there was a "flurry" of calls about dead, displaced or injured swamp wallabies in the area when the fencing was erected.

MJ said she had attended about 30 incidents within three weeks involving wallabies.

"When a kangaroo or wallaby gets scared, they're like a dog in a thunderstorm — [they] run, and sometimes they just keep running into the fence hoping they'll get through, which obviously causes facial injuries,"

MJ said she had treated numerous wallabies injured by the fencing and dealt with dead ones found on the road.

This includes one she said panicked while trying to get into the reserve, only to be hit by a car as it tried to cross the road.

"We've had a couple of swamp wallabies killed in that area as well, so that could be them dispersing and being run over by cars," MJ said.

The council's Customer Service Centre has received three requests about dead animals near the reserve since preliminary works began on February 17.

Wildlife and vegetation mitigation measures for the project are provided on the council's website.

"A range of environmental controls are in place, including tree protection zones, exclusion fencing and ecological supervision,"

"Habitat improvements will also be delivered, including nest boxes and bushland regeneration, supported by a five‑year Biodiversity Management Plan that guides weed management and vegetation enhancement after construction."

Development of the three fields is expected to finish by spring 2027, weather permitting.