Celebrating World Wetlands Day at Thirlmere Lakes
Greater Sydney Landcare’s Local Landcare Coordinator for Macarthur, Vanessa Gimellaro, brought local Landcarers and environmental champions together on Sunday 2nd February 2025 to celebrate World Wetlands Day.
Members of Barragal Landcare, Razorback Landcare, Buxton Landcare, Wedderburn Christian Camp (assisting our Southwest Sydney Koala Project), Friends of Thirlmere Lakes, and Wollondilly locals—including students helping Wollondilly Wombat Watch fight mange—joined Vanessa for a rare treat: paddling through a full Thirlmere Lakes system!
Brimming with more water than seen in recent history, now is the perfect time to visit these 15-million-year-old lakes. Rich in history and ecological value, the lakes are part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and home to over 140 bird species. But they’ve also faced challenges, including drying out completely for years.
The Friends of Thirlmere Lakes have advocated for and looked after the lakes since 2014, in cooperation with NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, and contributed to scientific research. This event highlighted the value of community collaboration in caring for our natural landscapes.
Vanessa Gimellaro’s Report:
“Greater Sydney Landcare celebrated World Wetlands Day in the Macarthur Region by enjoying a rare event. The Thirlmere Lakes are full of water, so full in fact that you can paddle between all five lakes. Yes, there are five lakes to explore: Lake Gandangarra, Lake Werri Berri, Lake Couridjah, Lake Baraba and Lake Nerrigorang.”
“These lakes are filled partially by a small above-ground catchment, but mostly an underground aquifer. The Dharawal/Tharawal people call these lakes Couridjah, a place of honey. The lakes may be over 15 million years old. Scientists have cored sediment here to research Indigenous burning history and climate/flora/fauna change over vast timelines. The Thirlmere Lakes system is so unique that it forms part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site.”
“Like all wetlands, water levels in the Thirlmere Lakes vary over time. For most of the time since colonisation, the lakes have held water. During World War II and in 2020 all five lakes were bone dry. But it was in the decade between 2005 – 2016 that people became worried that nearby longwall mining was affecting the lakes and in particular the aquifer the lakes rely on. After substantial rainfall the lakes remained empty, and continued to be empty for years. The locals united and formed a group called ‘Friends of Thirlmere Lakes’. They gained the attention of the national newspapers and politicians.”
“We were lucky enough to have three members of this group join us on our paddle, along with a bird expert Jennie Wiles to help spot some of the 140 species of birds that call these lakes their home. There were no crowds, just the 14 of us immersed in the sublime late afternoon lakes environment. So grab a kayak and come and enjoy this special place for yourself.”
Support for Conservation in the Macarthur Region
Vanessa Gimellaro is the Local Landcare Coordinator for Macarthur.
Local Landcare Coordinators:
- empower Landcare groups to achieve their own goals
- develop and coordinate new Landcare groups
- facilitate connections between Landcare groups and agencies
- strengthen the skills and capacity of Landcarers
- assist groups to attract project funding
- support on-ground projects to maximise positive environmental outcomes
- ensure effective project delivery
- encourage participation in Landcare
By enabling collaboration and fostering partnerships, Local Landcare Coordinators enhance the overall impact of Landcare initiatives in their region.
To get in touch with Vanessa, email: vanessa.gimellaro@greatersydneylandcare.org.
