Friends of Lightning Swamp Bushland

Lightning Swamp Bushland is an area of bushland situated in Noranda, 15 KM north-east of Perth. The bushland is bound on two sides by Tonkin and Reid Highways (north), the Della Road cul de sac (East), Malaga Drive (west) and to the south by Mathews Close which provides the only entry into the area.

The total area of LSB is 71.3 hectares, comprising of natural bushland, damplands and wetlands.

An open stormwater drain traverses the length of the site, draining into an ephemeral wetland area at the eastern end of the bushland. There is also a Conservation Class 4 perched wetland in the north-east corner of the bushland which can contain some water all year round.

Current Status of Lightning Swamp Bushland

LSB is vested to the City of Bayswater and is an A Class Reserve.

LSB was reserved for parks and recreation in 1963 as part of the Metropolitan Region Scheme and is also a Bush Forever site. Current uses of LSB includes passive recreation and its inherent value as an area of natural bushland and wetland conservation. It offers a unique opportunity to view and enjoy a variety of flora and fauna still in existence on the Swan Coastal Plain.
The Water Corporation drain that flows through the bushland is for discharge of storm water from the surrounding areas, which eventually flows into the Bennett Brook Reserve. It is therefore essential that the bushland and wetlands be retained in a healthy condition so that they can filter and improve the quality of stormwater leaving the site, and subsequently entering Bennett Brook.

The bushland on the whole is in good natural condition (Keighery, 1995). However, it will need to be continually and carefully managed to preserve its good condition. As well the bushland is affected by dieback (Phytopthora) and this is a major threat to its future condition and health.

Significance of Lightning Swamp Bushland

LSB is an island of natural bushland, significant in size and quality and surrounded by industrial land to the north, and urban areas on all other sides. It represents some of the plant communities that once covered the Swan Coastal Plain before urban development cleared and destroyed vast tracts of natural bushland.

The area is situated on the transition zone between the Southern River Soil Complex and the Bassendean Soil Complex, and as such it contains the vegetation types characteristic of both soil types. Hills of the Southern River soils have vegetation similar to the banksia woodlands of the infertile Bassendean sands. However, vegetation in drainage lines and valleys of the Southern River Complex is characterised by forests of Marri, Wandoo and Flooded Gum. Only a small proportion of Southern River Complex vegetation type remains uncleared on the Swan Coastal Plain the majority having been cleared for agriculture or development.

The proportion remaining undisturbed of the broad vegetation category in which this site belongs was 17% in 2000. Within this broad group it is likely that specific subcategories of vegetation are even rarer. Two examples of threatened lower groupings at LSB are the Banksia illicifolia woodland and the perched wetland.