Finding a way forward
Council is meeting with individual landholders impacted by the Woodberry Swamp and inviting them to make comment regarding their needs, priorities and perspectives on its management.
Woodberry Swamp has significant economic, environmental, and agricultural value for Maitland. However, it is experiencing pressures such as water quality degradation, a rapid increase of weeds, and waterlogging/ponding, which are impacting both the environment and agricultural land use.
In 2021, Council committed to investigating areas of concern identified by the Woodberry landholders and is now reporting back. A summary of the report findings is outlined below.
What we've learned
Report findings
The following key findings and actions have been identified through a review by expert consultants and government agencies.
EPA mandate
Next steps for Woodberry Swamp
The daily discharge of 2,300,000 litres of nutrient-rich wastewater from a nearby chicken processing plant and the ongoing degradation of drainage channels have led to severe weed growth. This has slowed drainage, leading to waterlogging, or 'ponding.' The Environmental Protection Authority has required the chicken factory to stop wastewater discharge into the floodplain by July 2026. Recovery of the floodplain from this degradation will take some time.
Council is keen to work with landholders and relevant stakeholders to explore any further management actions that could be taken to revive this important area.
Approximation showing additional inflows from urbanisation compared to historic catchment runoff through Woodberry Swamp (in Olympic sized swimming pools).
