1978 - Pre 1992: Glenbrook Lagoon Society

A special location in the Blue Mountains: Glenbrook Lagoon is a rare upland wetland, and is one of only three natural wetlands of this type within the entire Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment area.  The Lagoon was originally fed by a natural spring  and as a reliable source of fresh water, was an important place for the traditional Dharug Aboriginal people.  In more recent times since 1814 the Lagoon played a significant role in European movement in across the mountains, farming, orchards, water for steam trains, recreation and urban development. To guarantee water supply a small dam levee was originally constructed in 1866 on the eastern outlet initially for the steam locomotives then later in the century was raised another 1m to its current level. From a spring fed water body, today the water source is now entirely from urban stormwater.

Community involvement with the Lagoon:  Glenbrook Lagoon is one of the Blue Mountains first community driven Bushcare groups located in the lower mountains. In 1978 the Glenbrook Lagoon Management Committee and the Glenbrook Lagoon Society was formed. This Committee, comprising local residents was dedicated to preserving and conserving the Lagoon. In the early days the Committee and Society met bi-monthly  and undertook regular weeding, repairs, rubbish removal and tree planting. Council supported the group by assisting, when required, machinery and equipment.

Over the years Council, contractors, Bushcare volunteers and local school groups with grants and funding have worked together to tackle some major environmental issues resulting from the surrounding urban development – Salvinia, Cabomba, weeds and improving water quality.

The current Glenbrook Lagoon Bushcare Group is a legacy of the great work that went on before it. In 2020 the group were part of a team to build and launch a Floating Turtle Island Habitat  where turtles could lay their eggs away from predators such a foxes.

Bushcare Blue Mountains