News

Christel Price
Public relations editorial intern
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

A new walking track on the Avondale Estate will not only provide physical activity benefits but also protect biological diversity, say the brothers responsible for its opening.

Drs Darren and Jason Morton opened Sandy Creek Walk during a ceremony near the Swing Bridge this past Thursday (May 28). The 1.5-kilometre track begins at the bridge on the north bank of Dora Creek and ends behind women's residence Ella Boyd Hall on the west bank of Jigadee Creek.

"I love to run, and when I first came to Avondale 15 years ago, I thought, What a great resource we have here," says Darren, a senior health and exercise science lecturer in the Faculty of Education. However, the track did not exist in any formal way and few people used it. "Now we hope it becomes a resource not only for staff members and students at Avondale but also for those in the community," says Darren.

While Darren realised the physical activity benefits of the track, Jason, a lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Mathematics, wanted to fence and weed it to help protect biological diversity. "We have a remarkable variety of habitats on the estate, but the cattle we graze here and the proliferation of weeds were destroying some of these."

Jason applied successfully for a $20,000 grant from the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority to protect and regenerate native riparian and wetland vegetation, to project the banks of the creeks and to control weeds. He and Darren used the money to build almost three kilometres of fencing and to clear lantana. With help from others, including some of their students, the brothers completed the work in about 10 months.

Avondale's campus supervisor and projects officer, Bruce Cantrill, opened the walk by cutting two lantana branches. Those attending the ceremony received a garden glove and encouragement to pull out any remaining lantana as they walked the track. Biologist Dr Terry Annable, a semi-retired colleague of Jason's, served as guide, noting some of the fauna and flora. Earlier, Avondale president Dr Ray Roennfeldt thanked Darren and Jason for "the enormous amount of time and work they've put into providing this gift to our community."

The Mortons will now begin improving the two historic tracks-called Boys and Girls Walk-on either end of Sandy Creek Walk. When completed, the tracks will form part of a new seven-kilometre loop of the estate. "It's a little overwhelming to think about what's still to be done," says Jason, "but we took Sandy Creek one step at a time and we eventually got there."

Caption: Dr Jason Morton (right) leads at the opening of the new Sandy Creek Walk on the Avondale Estate.
Credit: Ann Stafford