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Blue Gum High Forest Group

Critically endangered community

Flora and fauna

Heritage significance

Site history
Blue Gum High Forest, St Ives -
Site History

The Blue Gum High Forest at St Ives was visited by Captain Arthur Phillip in 1788 and botanist George Caley in 1805.

It is the largest, most viable example of the magnificent forest which was felled to build early Sydney. The timber was sawn and taken by barge down the Lane Cove River from Fiddens Wharf.

A short history of the site is displayed below. Full, detailed information on the outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the area can be downloaded here.

Short History of 100–102 Rosedale Road

1938–1990 One owner, house since demolished and forest regenerating.
1990 Purchased for $1,812,500. 9-lot subdivision refused by Council.
1997 Gazettal of Blue Gum High Forest as an endangered ecological community.
2000 Lot 12 (102 Rosedale Road) sold to Triport Developments Pty Ltd.
Lot 13 (100 Rosedale Road) sold to Tangcorp Enterprises Pty Ltd.
Total sale value $2.2m.
2002 The Land and Environment Court rejected a 4-lot subdivision on Lot 12 on the grounds of its inability to provide a sufficient asset protection zone (from bushfire hazard) and also its impact on the endangered Blue Gum High Forest community.
September 2004 A development application was submitted to Ku-ring-gai Council for a dwelling on 100 Rosedale Road.
June 2005 100–102 Rosedale Road was advertised for sale during May on the international property market, either as separate lots or together; an inquiry found that no offers had been made.
July 2005 Ku-ring-gai Council unanimously agreed, in principle, to allocation of part-funding for the purchase of 100–102 Rosedale Road and to write to the NSW and Commonwealth ministers for the environment seeking joint funding.
August 2005

The Commonwealth Minister for Environment and Heritage listed the Blue Gum High Forest and the Turpentine Ironbark Forest in the Sydney Basin as critically endangered.
October 2005 100 Rosedale Road, St Ives (0.55 ha) purchased by the NSW Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation, as an offset, to compensate for the destruction of a small remnant (0.33 ha) of Blue Gum High Forest ecological community as a result of the Hornsby Railway Station upgrade. TIDC stated in the public exhibition document for the project that 100 Rosedale Road will be transferred to the Department of Environment and Conservation to protect the ecological community.
November 2006 Thirty-eight people, including bushcare volunteers and staff from Sydney Water, Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and Ku-ring-gai Council tackled weeds on Sydney Water land adjoining Browns Forest and 102 Rosedale Road. The site contains one large water reservoir and is surrounded by Blue Gum High Forest. Being on top of the ridge, there are no areas affected by stormwater run-off.

Bird-spread weeds such as asparagus fern, privets, ochna, African olive, pistachio, cotoneaster and pyracantha were targeted over a wide area. After three hours of enthusiastic weeding, two truck-loads of weeds were removed from the site.

Sydney Water recognises its responsibility for conserving the critically endangered Blue Gum High Forest on its property and provided a BBQ lunch to show appreciation to the community volunteers. Ku-ring-gai Council and DEC staff assisted with tools and supervision.
December 2006 Blue Gum High Forest at St Ives has been selected as a Threatened Species Demonstration Site. This endangered ecological community is the first of eleven sites within the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Area chosen to showcase best practice management to ensure the long-term viability of threatened species, populations and/or ecological communities.

It will be used to demonstrate management practices for resource managers and local communities.
April 2007NSW Scientific Committee determined that the Blue Gum High Forest ecological community be listed as critically endangered, recognising the increased level of threat since it was listed as endangered in 1977 under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act.
May 2007A development application was submitted for a large single dwelling on 102 Rosedale Road. The required bushfire asset protection zone would cover most of the site. If approved, the development would seriously degrade the biodiversity of Blue Gum High Forest on the site and have significant long term adverse impacts on the quality of the surrounding reserves.
September 2007Development application on 102 Rosedale Road rejected by Ku-ring-gai Council.
October 2007$350,000 was provided from the National Reserve System to Ku-ring-gai Council to assist in the acquisition of 102 Rosedale Road for conservation. The Federal Member for Bradfield announced this funding in the forest.
December 2007102 Rosedale Road, St Ives (0.51 ha) purchased by Ku-ring-gai Council, assisted by $350,000 from the National Reserve System and over $72,000 in public donations.