Walking the Upland Swamps of Dharawal National Park

On February 2, World Wetlands Day, we gathered on Dharawal Country to explore one of our region’s most remarkable landscapes—the upland swamps. Guided by Local Dharawal man John McInnes, we walked through these ancient, slow‑moving waterways and learned about their deep cultural, ecological, and historical significance.

John shared that these swamps were once vibrant gathering places where teaching, trade, ceremony, and daily life were centred around water. Minerva Pool, a sacred site dedicated to women’s business, and Maddens Falls, a shared meeting place for all mobs, remain important cultural landmarks. John reminded us that water itself is a cultural site. Without clean, flowing water, there is no food, ceremony, art, or community. Along the creeks, the landscape still holds stories. Sandstone sharpening grooves, grinding marks, rock art, and plants like Xanthorrhoea, once used for food, resin glue, and fishing spears.

The Science – Dr Anne Young

Dr Anne Young explained that the upland swamps sit on deep layers of ancient sand and organic matter—natural “sponges” that store and slowly release water. Some sediments date back 16,000 years, supporting unique soils and ecosystems that depend on their saturated foundations. These fragile systems survive only while the underlying bedrock remains unbroken. Longwall mining, which fractures bedrock and drains water away, can collapse swamps entirely. Once destroyed, they cannot regenerate.

The Fight – Julie Sheppard

Local advocate Julie Sheppard shared the decades‑long battle to protect these swamps. When the Bulli Seam Project proposed extensive mining beneath them, the area held only “State Conservation Area” status. Julie and the community fought back, bringing decision‑makers to see the true upland swamps in person. Their work contributed to a landmark ruling that pristine waterways and drinking‑water catchments must not suffer more than negligible damage, and that environmental protection can outweigh mining profits. The area was later declared a National Park “to the centre of the Earth,” ending any future mining beneath these headwaters.

A year later, mining was approved for the Dendrobium mine – under the largest assemblage of upland swamps—and one by one they collapsed.

Dharawal’s upland swamps survive because people refused to give up.

Let’s honour their work by staying informed, vigilant, and speaking for the landscapes that cannot speak for themselves.