Visitors to Lightning Swamp bushland in Noranda will be able to learn about its unique flora and fauna at a new nature-based learning space, with the City supporting plans to lease a portion of land for the facility.
The City will grant a lease to the Friends of Lightning Swamp Bushland Group for an area adjacent to the bushland to enable them to progress installation of the space, which will include a transportable building and a modified sea container.
Mayor Filomena Piffaretti said the new learning space would help promote the high ecological and community value of the natural area.
“Lightning Swamp is the largest bushland reserve in the City. It’s home to an amazing range of incredibly valuable flora and fauna and one of the last remaining natural habitats of its kind. The space will help provide educational opportunities to school children and the community so they can discover how important the area is for biodiversity and our ecosystem. Schools will be able to develop and coordinate multisensory outdoor activities based at the new centre to learn more about the bushland,” she said.
“The development of the nature-based learning space aligns with the Lightning Swamp Masterplan, which identified the need for an environmental facility on the site.
“Once built, it will allow the City, in collaboration with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) to develop an environmental education program available to schools and community throughout the City.
“We’ve been working with the Friends of Lightning Swamp Bushland Group to conserve and protect the bushland for over a decade and they’re one of the oldest ‘Friends of’ groups in the City. We know they’re really keen to establish a more permanent facility as their existing temporary shipping container set up has deteriorated so we’ll continue to work closely with them to help make it happen.”
The Group currently use the shipping container for storage and share the space with nearby John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School who use it as an outdoor classroom.
The Group obtained $50,000 in State Government funding toward its construction.
The learning space will be located between the Lightning Swamp Bushland and Lightning Park Recreation Centre carpark accessed via Della Road, Noranda.