Sydney Olympic Park Sydney Olympic Park

Environment resources and publications

Ecological research and investigations conducted by Authority staff and independent researchers are published in scientific journals and elsewhere. Publications are available where possible, however copyright restrictions do apply for certain publications – they may be sourced through the respective journal publisher or through university libraries.

Ecological legacy eBook

In this eBook, Park managers, researchers and citizen scientists share their knowledge on a wide spectrum of topics including conservation of frogs, woodland birds and microbats, value of artificial hollows, estuarine wetland management, light pollution and bird and reptile monitoring.

Chronicling 20 years of nature restoration

Chronicling 20 years of nature restoration

'20 Years of Healing: Delivering the Ecological Legacy of the Green Games' reveals how adaptive management has been applied to the challenges of nature conservation in the city and charts the Park’s progress to date.

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eBook Chapters

Chapters
01 Introduction (PDF)(716.45 KB)
02 The road to recovery – delivering the ecological legacy of the Green Games (PDF)(4.4 MB)
03 It’s a frog’s life – reflections on 20 years of habitat management for the Green and Golden Bell Frog (PDF)(4.63 MB)
04 Bringing back the bush – regeneration of a critically endangered forest (PDF)(5.86 MB)
05 Best practice management and wise use of wetlands at Sydney Olympic Park (PDF)(6.53 MB)
06 Nature on the brink – the importance of urban ecology (PDF)(4.47 MB)
07 Made to measure – building homes for bats, parrots and possums (PDF)(7.13 MB)
08 Quality and longevity on artificial hollows – how to design and install long-lasting boxes (PDF)(2.49 MB)
09 How Sydney Olympic Park’s mangroves are responding to climate change (PDF)(2.83 MB)
10 Secrets revealed – What we’ve learnt from EagleCAM (PDF)(3.63 MB)
11 Just another bat in the wall – observations of a microbat maternity colony (PDF)(1.47 MB)
12 Stars only shine in the dark – monitoring artificial light at Sydney Olympic Park (PDF)(5.51 MB)
13 Restoring the restoration – bringing back woodland birds (PDF)(6.39 MB)
14 Recent reptile surveys in Sydney Olympic Park (PDF)(3.27 MB)
15 Beyond the brink – The white-fronted Chat’s path to extinction (PDF)(1.97 MB)
16 What the twitchers saw – Delving into 16 years of bird census data (PDF)(5.7 MB)

Internal publications

Staff publications
  • Darcovich K. and O’Meara J. (2008) An Olympic legacy: Green and Golden Bell Frog conservation at Sydney Olympic Park 1993–2006. Australian Zoologist 34(3), pp236–248.
  • Darcovich K (2008) Biodiversity management programs at Sydney Olympic Park Ecological Management & Restoration 9(2) s3.21.  pp148-150
  • Kay S (2004) Wastelands to Wetlands: saltmarsh conservation at Sydney Olympic Park. Australian Plant Conservation Vol 13(3) pp12-13
  • O’Meara J. and Darcovich K. (2008) Manipulation of water levels for the control of Gambusia. Australian Zoologist 34(3), 285– 290.
  • O’Meara J and Darcovich K. (2015) Integrating restoration and rehabilitation within an urban landscape. Ecological Management and Restoration  16(1), 14-28
  • O’Meara J and Jack A (2012) Measuring success in endangered species management, the Brickpit, Sydney Olympic Park 2006-2011. Australasian Plant Conservation 20(5), 20-22
  • O’Meara J et al (2011)Sydney Olympic Park Biodiversity.Newsletter of the Cumberland Bird Observers Club 33(1)
  • Paul S. (2013) (Editor and Chapters author) Workbook for managing urban wetlands in Australia. Sydney Olympic Park Authority, pp. 430.
  • Paul S. (2008) Challenges in managing the urban wetlands within Sydney Olympic Park. In: Constructed Wetlands. J Kandaswamy & S Vigneswaram (eds). Nova Publications, NY
  • Paul S (2014) Successful rehabilitation of a Waterbird Refuge. Wetlands Australia. National wetlands update February 2014—Issue No 24 Australian Government, Department of Environment. Pp37-38
  • Paul S. and Hsu T. (2013) Horned Pondweed at Sydney Olympic Park. Australian Plant Conservation, 21(3): 31-33.
  • Paul S and Farran M. (2009) Experimental and field regeneration of coastal saltmarsh within Sydney Olympic Park. Wetlands (Australia), 25(2): 38-54.
  • Paul S., Young R. and MacKay A. (2007) Experimental control of Juncus acutus. Wetlands (Australia), 24(2): 90-104.
  • Paul S and Young R. (2006) Experimental control of Juncus acutus. Wetlands (Australia), 23(2): 1-13.
Green Games
The Environmental Legacy of Sydney Olympic Park (PDF)(161.75 KB)
The Environmental Games: Environmental achievements of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games (PDF)(4.24 MB)
Mosquitos
Mosquito Awareness and Protection (PDF)(866.16 KB)
State of Environment Report

See the Annual Report of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority.

Water
Recycled water at home (PDF)(120.09 KB)
Urban water re-use and integrated water management (PDF)(285.08 KB)

External publications

Ecological restoration and management
  • Darcovich K (2008) Biodiversity management programs at Sydney Olympic Park. Ecological Management & Restoration 9(2) s3.21. pp148-150
  • Darcovich K. and O’Meara J. (2008) An Olympic legacy: Green and Golden Bell Frog conservation at Sydney Olympic Park 1993–2006. Australian Zoologist 34(3), pp236–248.
  • Kay S (2004) Wastelands to Wetlands: saltmarsh conservation at Sydney Olympic Park. Australian Plant Conservation Vol 13(3) pp12-13
  • O’Meara J. and Darcovich K. (2008) Manipulation of water levels for the control of Gambusia. Australian Zoologist 34(3), 285– 290.
  • O’Meara J and Darcovich K. (2015) Integrating restoration and rehabilitation within an urban landscape. Ecological Management and Restoration 16(1), 14-28
  • O’Meara J and Jack A (2012) Measuring success in endangered species management, the Brickpit, Sydney Olympic Park 2006-2011. Australasian Plant Conservation 20(5), 20-22
  • Paul S. (2013) (Editor and Chapters author) Workbook for managing urban wetlands in Australia. Sydney Olympic Park Authority, pp. 430.
  • Paul S (2014) Successful rehabilitation of a Waterbird Refuge. Wetlands Australia. National wetlands update February 2014—Issue No 24 Australian Government, Department of Environment. Pp37-38
  • Paul S. (2008) Challenges in managing the urban wetlands within Sydney Olympic Park. In: Constructed Wetlands. J Kandaswamy & S Vigneswaram (eds). Nova Publications, NY
Green and Golden Bell Frog
  • Blanche M (2000) New habitat for Green and Golden Bell Frog, Brickpit. Landscape Australia Vol 22(3) pp230-231
  • Bower D. S., Stockwell M. P., Pollard C. J.et al. (2012) Life stage specific variation in the occupancy of ponds by Litoria aurea, a threatened amphibian. Austral Ecology 38, pp543–547
  • Bower DS, Pickett EJ, Stockwell MP, Pollard CJ, Garnham JI, Sanders MR (2014) Evaluating monitoring methods to guide adaptive management of a threatened amphibian (Litoria aurea). Ecology and Evolution 4(8), pp1361-1368
  • Bower DS, Pickett EJ, Garnham JI, Deboo ML, McCurry MR, Mengerink RM, Mahony MJ and Clulow J (2014) Diet of a threatened pond frog differs over a small spatial scale Endangered Species Research 23, pp93-98
  • Mahony MJ, Hamer AJ, Pickett EJ, McKenzie DJ, Stockwell MP Garnham JI, Keely CC, L Deboo M, O'Meara J, Pollard CJ, Clulow S, Lemckert FL, BowerDS, Clulow J (2013) Identifying conservation and research priorities in the face of uncertainty: a review of the threatened bell frog complex in eastern Australia. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 8(3), pp519-538
  • Muir G (2008) Design of a movement corridor for the Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea at Sydney Olympic Park. Australian Zoologist 4(3), pp297-302. 
  • NSW Department of Environment & Climate Change (2008) Best practice guidelines: Green and Golden Bell Frog habitat
  • NSW Department of Environment & Climate Change (2008) Protecting and restoring Green and Golden Bell Frog habitat
  • Penman T et al (2008) Impact of a chytrid mortality event on a population of Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea Australian Zoologist 4(3), pp314-318
  • Pickett E, Stockwell M, Pollard CJ, Garnham J, Clulow J, Mahony M (2012) Estimates of sex ratio require the incorporation of unequal catchability between sexes. Wildlife Research 39 (4), pp350-354
  • Pickett J. E., Stockwell M. P., Bower D. S. et al. (2013b) Six year demographic study reveals threat of stochastic extinction for remnant populations of a threatened amphibian. Austral Ecology 39, pp244–253
  • Pickett EJ, Stockwell MP, Bower DS, Garnham JI, Pollard CJ, Clulow J (2013) Achieving no net loss in habitat offset of a threatened frog required high offset ratio and intensive monitoring. Biological Conservation 157, pp156-162
  • Threlfall C et al (2008) Do Green and Golden Bell Frogs Litoria aurea occupy sites with antifungal properties? Australian Zoologist 34(3)pp350-360
Saltmarsh
  • NSW Department of Environment & Climate Change (2008) Best practice guidelines for coastal saltmarsh
  • NSW Department of Environment & Climate Change (2008) Protecting and restoring coastal saltmarsh
  • Paul S and Farran M. (2009) Experimental and field regeneration of coastal saltmarsh within Sydney Olympic Park. Wetlands (Australia), 25(2): 38-54
  • Paul S., Young R. and MacKay A. (2007) Experimental control of Juncus acutus. Wetlands (Australia), 24(2): 90-104
  • Paul S and Young R. (2006) Experimental control of Juncus acutus. Wetlands (Australia), 23(2): 1-13.
  • Sommerville, K., et al.(2012), Reproductive biology of a threatened Australian saltmarsh plant – Wilsonia backhousei. Aquatic Botany, doi:10.1016/j.aquabot.2011.12.010
  • Sommerville K, Rossetto M, Pulkownik A (2013) Maximising adaptive potential in translocated populations of clonal saltmarsh plants: a case study on Wilsonia backhousei, Convolvulaceae. Wetlands Ecology and Management 21(3)
  • Webb C (2011) Observations on the foraging behaviour of the introduced honeybee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on the saltmarsh plant Sarcocornia quinqueflora at Sydney Olympic Park. Australian Zoologist 35(3) pp884-887
Bats
  • Turton, M (2010) Monitoring a maternity colony of White-striped Free-tailed Bats (Tadarida australis) in a building. Australasian Bat Society newsletter (34)
  • Turton, M., and G. Hoye. (2011) The use of a building for breeding by the white-striped freetail-bat Tadarida australis at Newington, Sydney. New South Wales. In: Law, B., Eby, P., Lunney, D., Lumsden, LF (Eds.), The Biology and Conservation of Australasian Bats. Royal Zoological Society of NSW, Mosman: 460-463
  • Turton M (2012) Impact of light at a Tadarida australis roost entrance, Australian Bat Society Journal, Vol 39, p14
  • Velasco s, French K, Law B, Threlfall C (2023) Bat boxes in urban bushland are associated with inflated activity of an urban generalist bat, but not altered community. Austral Ecology 48(8) pp1978-1996 
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