Just over a year ago they were transporting bottled water to Uralla on the Northern Tablelands after its water supply turned toxic as it fell to low levels.
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Now a year later, the pristine Uralla lagoons, beset by both drought and fires, have filled, giving the town a unique view on the lives and breeding cycles of inland birds.
Dangar's and Racecourse lagoons have filled and now graceful swans with their young cygnets cruise the waters, where a year ago ants were running about and tortoises searched vainly for water.
Uralla local Jenny Brown took these beautiful pictures of swans on Dangar's Lagoon recently.
The filling of the lagoons has given Uralla a lift, with many tourists stopping by to see the swans. There's a bird hide at one end of the lagoon so people can take pictures and watch the birds.
"The swans did breed this year," Jenny Brown said. "There were lots of cygnets out there. Most of them are fully grown now."
Only a year before the lagoons were bone dry and an exhaust from a car was expected to be the source of a grass fire that burnt through part of the lagoon area.
In December 2019, the NSW Government has to send 40,000 water bottles a day to Uralla after its water supply had to be stopped as the nearby reservoir tuned toxic after water levels dropped, with dangerous arsenic levels.
The Uralla tourism website says over 110 birds have been recorded at the lagoons. "Over the years, more than 110 different bird species have been recorded at the lagoon. These include Great Crested Grebes, Blue-billed Ducks and Whiskered Terns. Swamp Harriers and Whistling Kites can also be spotted cruising overhead, while Nankeen Night Herons roost in the dead trees. In nearby paddocks, you may flush a Stubble Quail, or set to flight Fairy Wrens or Golden Headed Cisticolas."
You can add black swans to that list now !
Nearby Racecourse Lagoon is where the Aniwan aborigines camped as it was a rich source of food. The lagoon site is protected as Endangered Ecological Communities under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act.
It is hard to believe but a young boy drowned in 1953 in Dangar's Lagoon when he was playing around with friends.The boy, 9, fell into "five foot of water" and although taken to shore, could not be revived.
The area is famous for where the bushranger Captain Thunderbolt used to rule the roads.
John Ellicott
journalist and author
journalist and author
