Introduction
Introduction (click to read)
The island is a beautiful place to live. We are sheltered by a forest dominated by the tall, straight trunks of the protected Pittwater Spotted Gum Forest (Eucalpytus maculata), which is listed under the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995). The forest also features the grey gums (Eucalptus punctata), Red Bloodwood (Corymbia gummifera), Grey Ironbark (Eucalyptus paniculata), Turpentine trees and angophora and casuarina species.
Elizabeth Park, at the apex of the island, is a 6.8ha bushland reserve. It provides protection for the spotted gum forest, and, according to the former Pittwater Council website, is “an example of the bushland of Scotland Island in a similar condition to that which occurred when the area was first visited by Europeans”. Some of the birds that can be seen on the reserve include the threatened Glossy Black-cockatoo which can be heard crunching on casuarina seeds as you walk through the fire trail.
Native animals on the island include goannas, diamond pythons, possums and echidnas. Birds include king parrots, cockatoos, little corellas, galahs, lorikeets, eastern rosellas, buff-banded rails, kookaburras, butcher birds, frogmouths, swallows and, of course, the ubiquitous and colonial noisy miner. Seasonal bird visitors are dollar birds, olive-backed orioles, the Powerful Owl, the Whistling Kite, and the Pacific Baza.
Island residents enjoy a lifestyle that is relatively free of noise pollution, light pollution and the pollution caused by vehicles. Exercise, through walking everywhere, is built into our daily lives, and families enjoy the safety of a small and close-knit community surrounded by a beautiful bay that provides a swimming, fishing and boating paradise.
However, in spite of the richness of some aspects of our environment, the island has some environmental problems. It is plagued by weed infestations. Soil erosion, caused by the lack of proper drainage on the roads, is a chronic issue. It also has a limited range of bird-life: predators, human behaviour and lack of habitat have caused the virtual elimination of small birds such as wrens, honey-eaters and other small native birds, and this has led to the dominance of a few larger bird species.
It is crucial that we continue our efforts to protect and enhance our environment, and in this section, you’ll find some of the information about how we can do that.