Tambourine Bay
The bay and its adjoining creek is a northern tributary of the Lane Cove River, a ria that joins Sydney harbour to Greenwich and Woolwich.
Judy Washington, an author for the North Shore Times, first suggested that Sarah Leadbeater would evade the law by hiding in the remote bushlands of Tambourine Bay in a hut on the western foreshore.
The Cammeraygal peoples’ semi-nomadic hunter gatherer lifestyle[3] depended on Sydney's North Shore tidal mangrove forests and abundance of wildlife to live.
Instruments such as multi-progoned fishing spears named 'fizz-gigs' by British colonists and hook lines were used proficiently by men and women on canoes or from rock platforms.
[6] Separate evacuations around Sydney have discovered other animals including the Green Turtle (Chelonia mynas) and Australian Fur Seal (Artocephalus pusillus).
Reminiscent of concentrated human activity in these areas can be determined by the high volume of rock prints, axe grindings and stone carvings surrounding the shelters.
Lane Cove Council's targeted bush regeneration programs in Tambourine Bay's bushland, notably Warraroon reserve has seen the eventual re-population of native species in the area.
Through the Lane Cove Council's bush regeneration project, large zones of vegetation were eliminated from Tambourine Bay by weeding or spraying herbicides.
Common species such as Sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), and Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus) depend on the forest's abundance of seeds, leaf buds and blossoms primarily from eucalyptus and wattle varieties for food.
According to Dr John Martin, wildlife ecologist at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney says ‘They're considered abundant, however they are declining in some habitats, and they are increasing in other habitats.’[17] Observations of the ibis’ population in Sydney following a study conducted by the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage Office's annual report on the species, shows the actual population of the species in 2015 to be more than double the ‘natural range.’[18] Due to the parkland's increasing use as a place of recreation and ecological appreciation, the birds have benefited from an abundance of food and protection of roosting locations that have largely contributed to their growth in numbers.
The Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), a nocturnal Australian marsupial feeds on a variety of leaves and sap available in Tambourine Bay's eucalyptus trees.
Similarly, the Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) thrives in the river systems around Sydney harbour, capitalising on the nutrient dense coastal fruits and seeds when feeding at night.
The European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that populates much of the Riverview peninsula included Tambourine Bay is classified as one of the ‘top five widespread terrestrial pest animals that threaten native fauna and flora’ (Coutts-Smith et al.
The rabbits’ burrowing behaviours further disturbs native flora species, as deep roots can be destroyed and soil moisture around ideal growing positions can be altered.
This small sparling species closely resembles the Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala), a native Australian bird that is regularly pressured to compete with the more aggressive introduced Common Myna.
Such action was discussed and eventuated from the 2011-2013 Lane Cove Council ‘Consultation Comments for Draft Community Strategic Plan.’ The primary objectives of the new foreshore development were ‘to maximise the opportunity for all the community to participate in active recreational activities and events’ and ‘to prioritise programs for the maintenance upgrade of recreational facilities.’ Due to the site's access constraints and high sensitivity as an environmental space, a barge was used to reach the site by water.
