Smiths Creek Reserve is located between the suburbs of East Campbelltown, Ruse and Leumeah. The reserve is approximately 85 hectares in size and has 7kms of creek flowing through it. The reserve varies in width up to 100 metres and in places it appears and almost sounds as if you are kilometres from anywhere.
The Smiths Creek that you see today is vastly different from any natural creek line in the Sydney Region. Gone are the waterfalls and languid rock pools that were once its former glory and replaced by homogenised gravel beds of pulverised sandstone rock. This transition of possibly the prettiest creek in Campbelltown was brought about by the Sydney Water Board when they drove the sewer line through the reserve by travelling straight down the creek bed. This had a major effect on the creek bed vegetation.
However, this fact aside, what is left along the banks above the creek bed is some very high quality natural bushland. It is home to some beautiful flora and surprisingly quite a large number of fauna. Although a koala was sighted in Smiths Creek Reserve in 1998, you would be exceedingly lucky to see a koala in there today as almost all their previous migration routes are now cut off by housing development.
"Smiths Creek is too beautiful an area to be wasted and destroyed by encroaching urban life and neglect.
The reserve represents a valuable asset for all Campbelltown residents, which must be preserved and nurtured for future generations to enjoy."
Mayor Meg Oates, The Chronicle, October 29th 1991
Upper Western Creek Bank Vegetation around Waminda Oval, East Campbelltown, Photograph by Wendy Davies
Rock Study 1 - Triassic Age sandstone located near Franklin St, Leumeah. Photograph by Wendy Davies
A view across the creek. "Miles From Care". Taken from Ruse side with access from Georges River Road. Photograph byWendy Davies