EXCAVATORS will be at work before the end of the year to transform a former brick pit off Hereford Street into a haven for birds and locals.
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The Bathurst Brick Pit quarry site on Edgells Lane is so close to the CBD that the sound of the Carillon was audible when state Member for Bathurst Paul Toole and mayor Bobby Bourke were at the location on Monday.
They were there for the announcement that the NSW Government will contribute $100,000 as it partners with Bathurst Regional Council to restore the site to a wetland habitat.
Stage one of the work is expected to cost around $300,000.
Mr Toole said the wetlands site is six hectares.
"Studies have revealed that more than 80 species of birds have been identified at this location, which forms part of the Raglan Creek wetland complex," he said.
He said the first part of the project will be "getting some excavators in here to clean up the site to really get the water back into this area so we can start to see the natural habitat returning".
Councillor John Fry said the brick pit, dating back to the post-war era, is a man-made structure, but is a "great opportunity to make a recreational, environmental and habitat area for all sorts of species".
"If you put water in here, they'll come," he said.
He said migratory birds from as far away as Indonesia and China already visit the site and "if we can enhance this wetland, we'll get more of these birds coming".
Cr Fry said he was pleased to see the state and local government partnering for the project.
"A broad range of community groups have been asking to do something with this because it's been a missed opportunity in the past," he said.
"Local schools have been doing water testing here; local birdwatchers, environmental groups, all sorts of people in the community are waiting to see something happening here, so this is great news."
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Mayor Bobby Bourke said the transformation of the brick pit had been on council's agenda for some time "and finally we're starting to see results down here".
"I live not far from here and I do see some of the birdlife that they expect to come here," he said.
He said the aim was to have paths for people to walk through the wetlands, accessing the site from Edgells Lane, within two years.
"Once it's up and running, and signage is around, a lot of people will take advantage of walking these wetlands," he said.
Bathurst Regional Council bought the brick pit land in mid-2017.
Wetland history
Cr Fry said the Wambool (Macquarie River) floodplain was a highly diverse and complex system of billabongs and creeks before European settlement and was an important part of the traditional Wiradyuri hunting grounds for thousands of years.
