The Paddocks Wetlands, Para Hills West

Where is it?: This wetland is off Maxwell Road at Para Hills West.

Owner: City of Salisbury.

Property summary: Total area c. 6 hectares. Hundred of Yatala – Part Allotment 100 (Deposited Plan 23933).

Landscape Management Region: Green Adelaide

History: Construction of the wetland commenced in 1975 with an extensive tree planting program undertaken two years later. The wetlands have been extended several times by constructing banks and weirs, and now cover an area of six hectares. Innovatively designed, natural creeks, mounds, grassy swales and flood ways, ponds, wetlands and flood storage are utilised at the Paddocks in a system to contain stormwater and regulate discharge downstream, at the same time providing an attractive landscape.

Habitat: At the Paddocks, water meanders along a short natural channel before spilling out across a wide grassed area and flowing into an open pond. Most of the wetland areas of the Paddocks are shallow (less than one metre) and usually dry out in summer (summer rains can refill the wetlands for a short time). The wetlands plants are adapted to this wet/dry cycle.

Total Species Recorded to Date: 37 (non-passerines 19, passerines 18)

Common Species: Pacific Black Duck x *Mallard, *Spotted Dove, Crested Pigeon, New Holland Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyeater

Less Common Species: Chestnut Teal, Australian White Ibis, Superb Fairywren, Black-faced Cuckooshrike, Australian Reed Warbler

Updated: 28/07/2021