You can see here that site preparation on the habitat had not started yet. This is a year after site preparation for the new M5 had started in Arncliffe and the Green and Golden Bell Frogs have been impacted.
Below is a photo I took on June 29 to show that site preparation has started.
You will notice that some trees that were there on June 24 are now gone. Community Relations told me on June 28 that there were trees on the site which were not suitable for GGBF habitat and needed to go.
Clearly, work has recommenced. The material under the white tarpaulins in asbestos. I am guessing that WestConnex has arranged the equipment for visual effect. I was suitably impressed, so instead of taking a photo through a hole in the mesh, I stepped back a bit to fit everything into the photo.
The three holes for the ponds are there, although the two holes further back are a bit harder to see because of the shallow camera angle. At that time, I actually believed that WestConnex was going to finish the ponds by the end of November.
The ponds have got some lining in them now.
We can see now the water tank which is to be used for "water aging" which allows chlorine to evaporate from the mains water. See section 2.4.5 of the Eco Logical Australia 2017. Habitat Creation and Captive Breeding Plan - Green and Golden Bell Frog at Arncliffe. Prepared for WCX M5 AT Pty Ltd.
Some sort of observation structures have appeared over the ponds.
Not much visible progress since January 13.
Soil over the lining.
Some reeds or grasses have been planted, presumably of a type that is suitable for the GGBF.
The photo below shows a new driveway. It also shows that the old mesh fencing is gone. You don't see the mesh fencing in my earlier photos because, for aesthetic reasons, I took photos through and over it such that the fence is not visible. An exception is my photo from October 15, 2017.
The frog-proof fence has been installed. The driveway has been gated.
Some turf has been layed. I actually already saw that on May 5 but the May 12 photos are better. According to a WestConnex Community Relations email , construction was completed in May. Since there isn't much change between this picture and the June 10 picture, I assume that this picture shows completed construction. Completion of the habitat was confirmed to me by the RMS in a telephone conversation.
Not much change in the last month. We see some water in the pond closest to the fence but there had been wet weather before, so it is not clear where the water came from.
Here is a close-up, from the same photo, of the pond and the plants in it.
The grass has grown quite a bit. That is supposed to be like that, according to the RMS. You can't really see the ponds. However the RMS assures me that there is water in the ponds which is necessary for the aquatic plants to grow.
I wanted to see the water in at least the foremost pond. So I brought a step ladder. I was somewhat underwhelmed by this supposedly filled pond. There was significantly more water in it on June 10. I was worried that there might be a leak in the pond so I made enquiries with the RMS. This is what I got back:
Thanks for your query in relation to the water levels in the ponds at the Marsh Street Habitat. I have been in touch with the project team who has advised that the project herpetologist who is assisting with the management of the habitat area has advised that he wishes the first two ponds to have low water levels and the third pond to be full. It is understood that the first two ponds have sufficient water within them for the plants growing around the edge. As such there are no issues with the ponds and they are being managed appropriately in accordance with the recommendations from the project herpetologist.
Here is a close-up, from the same photo.
This photo was taken after the release of the tadpoles. I found out about this the following day (at a meeting about air quality) when a person from the New M5 project team told me about this. I also asked about the orange flags. The reason is that there has not yet been an official handover from the contractors.
