The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

water stories come to life at Green Square

  • Written by Ilaria Vanni, Associate Professor, International Studies and Global Societies, University of Technology Sydney
water stories come to life at Green Square

Did you know the Sydney suburb Rosebery was home to the now-endangered green and golden bell frogs[1]? That enormous cauliflowers were nourished by fresh water springs? And that dugong bones[2] were found during excavation for the Alexandra Canal[3]?

Research[4] has revealed these and other water stories in a project that maps and brings to life the histories and practices of water in Green Square. For Traditional Owners, the Country now known as Green Square is nadunga gurad, sand dune Country, known for millennia for its nattai bamalmarray, freshwater wetlands and ephemeral ponds.

Read more: 'May you always taste the sweetest fruit': uncovering the history and hidden delights of your neighbourhood[5]

Illustration of factories alongside a canal
Sawtooth factories on the Alexandra Canal. Illustration: Ella Cutler, Author provided

Green Square is Australia’s largest urban renewal project[6], spanning the inner eastern Sydney suburbs of Beaconsfield, Rosebery, Zetland, Alexandria and Waterloo. During the La Niña[7] event in 2021-22, the wetlands and ephemeral ponds became visible to Green Square residents and visitors over the first year of the research project. Yet the histories of water that shaped and continue to shape Green Square remained largely invisible.

Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney brought some of these stories to the surface in a storymap. We used a software package (ESRI’s ArcGIS) to integrate maps, archival text, expert voices, photos, videos and illustrations for the Water Stories[8] project. Telling these water stories allows us to explore the ever-changing relations between Country, development and urban imagination.

ibis illustration
The Australian white ibis is a common wetland bird in Green Square. Illustration: Ella Cutler

Where do these stories come from?

We went to a range of archives. Some were official, such as the State Library of NSW, the National Library Trove, the City of Sydney Archives and strategy documents, the Dharawal Dictionary[9], state government policy documents and federal and state parliamentary Hansards. And some were grassroots records, such as the online archive of FrogCall, the newsletter of the Frog and Tadpole Society. We also spoke to experts such as zoologists, engineers and landscape architects.

However, the largest archive we explored is Green Square itself. To understand Green Square as a living archive we identified “portals” in the landscape: visible objects that provide entry points into water stories. A pub, a plaque, a frog pond, a maintenance hole, a hoarding, a canal, a creek, a blue tongue lizard and a native flower are translated into the storymap as geolocated icons on a base map. Clicking on each of these icons transports you to a new story.

hand-drawn map with illustrations drawn in circles
The Water Stories map has nine ‘portals’. Illustration: Ella Cutler

We pieced together fragments found in the archives into narratives that recover both well-known and little-known histories. These stories reveal the multiple and changing relations with water in this area.

What, for example, is the story of the pub? Perhaps you have been to the Cauliflower Hotel, one of the oldest pubs in Sydney. It was founded by George Rolfe, a well-known market gardener. Rolfe had prospered from growing a bumper crop of cauliflowers watered from springs during a drought.

aerial view of apartment buildings and green space in an urban development area An aerial view of apartments at Green Square. Mick Tsikas/AAP

Read more: Move over suburbia, Green Square offers new norm for urban living[10]

Stories of Country and colonialism

For millennia this area was a refuge on the route between Sydney’s two harbours, Gamay (Botany Bay) and War'ran (Sydney Cove). The presence of water led settler-colonial land owners to choose this place. Thus began the colonial history of Green Square as a site of agriculture, manufacturing, industry and now residential development.

This narrative is dominant in contemporary descriptions of Green Square, but it is not the only direction these stories flow.

Green and gold frog on a log
The green and golden bell frog. Photo: JJ Harrison/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA[11]

The endangered green and golden bell frog, we discovered, prefers to make its habitat in disturbed landscapes, such as the water pooling from sand mining, rather than in custom-made nature reserves. This may dampen enthusiasm for the small frog pond established at Kimberley Grove Reserve[12]. But it is important to understand the complexity of how such histories intersect if we are to make better decisions about cities in the face of climate change.

Some of the other stories surfaced by the project include:

  • Gunyama, the name of the new aquatic centre means “stinky wind”, which could describe the smell of both ancient mangrove swamps and the noxious trades of the 1800s

  • a huge stormwater processing plant[13] lies underneath Green Square. Built as part of the development, it delivers up to 320 million litres of recycled stormwater each year to new buildings and open spaces.

three men, one digging
Dugong remains were found during excavation at Sheas Creek in 1896. Photo: Australian Museum (AMS351/V9817)

Read more: Not 'if', but 'when': city planners need to design for flooding. These examples show the way[14]

On the storymap, watery words from the Dharawal Dictionary guide your interactive experience, because the premise for telling these water stories is that we understand the city as Country. Country is often misunderstood as being synonymous with land, but it comprises every aspect of the “natural” environment and ecology, including water and relationships between water and land.

We understand water is always present, even if not visible. And that care for cities means care for Country, which also means care for water.

As we collect and rearrange stories, we also create new ones. We are interested in hearing how as a resident, worker or visitor to Green Square you perceive the presence and histories of water in the neighbourhood.

By sharing your own water story you can contribute to the living archive on the Water Stories website[15]. Simply click on the eel at the end of each story and add some text to share your story about how you experience water at Green Square.

The Water Stories exhibition[16], featuring illustrations by Ella Cutler printed on site at the Rizzeria[17], opens November 16 at 6pm.

References

  1. ^ green and golden bell frogs (www.environment.nsw.gov.au)
  2. ^ dugong bones (dictionaryofsydney.org)
  3. ^ Alexandra Canal (dictionaryofsydney.org)
  4. ^ Research (www.mappingedges.org)
  5. ^ 'May you always taste the sweetest fruit': uncovering the history and hidden delights of your neighbourhood (theconversation.com)
  6. ^ largest urban renewal project (www.urbanagendaplatform.org)
  7. ^ La Niña (theconversation.com)
  8. ^ Water Stories (storymaps.arcgis.com)
  9. ^ Dharawal Dictionary (dharawalstories.com)
  10. ^ Move over suburbia, Green Square offers new norm for urban living (theconversation.com)
  11. ^ CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org)
  12. ^ Kimberley Grove Reserve (foxrelocations.com.au)
  13. ^ stormwater processing plant (www.outdoordesign.com.au)
  14. ^ Not 'if', but 'when': city planners need to design for flooding. These examples show the way (theconversation.com)
  15. ^ Water Stories website (storymaps.arcgis.com)
  16. ^ Water Stories exhibition (107.org.au)
  17. ^ Rizzeria (rizzeria.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/bell-frogs-dugong-bones-and-giant-cauliflowers-water-stories-come-to-life-at-green-square-192504

Times Magazine

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an online presence that reflects your brand, engages your audience, and drives results. For local businesses in the Blue Mountains, a well-designed website a...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beauty On Saturday, September 6th, history will be made as the International Polo Tour (IPT), a sports leader headquartered here in South Florida...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data analytics processes. The sheer volume and complexity of data can be overwhelming, often leading to bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Enter the innovative da...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right choice keeps your team productive, your data safe, and your budget predictable. The wrong choice shows up as slow tickets, surprise bills, and risky sh...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in the Sutherland Shire who may not have the financial means to pay for private legal assistance, legal aid ensures that everyone has access to representa...

Watercolor vs. Oil vs. Digital: Which Medium Fits Your Pet's Personality?

When it comes to immortalizing your pet’s unique personality in art, choosing the right medium is essential. Each artistic medium, whether watercolor, oil, or digital, has distinct qualities that can bring out the spirit of your furry friend in dif...

The Times Features

NSW has a new fashion sector strategy – but a sustainable industry needs a federally legislated response

The New South Wales government recently announced the launch of the NSW Fashion Sector Strategy, 2025–28[1]. The strategy, developed in partnership with the Australian Fashion ...

From Garden to Gift: Why Roses Make the Perfect Present

Think back to the last time you gave or received flowers. Chances are, roses were part of the bunch, or maybe they were the whole bunch.   Roses tend to leave an impression. Even ...

Do I have insomnia? 5 reasons why you might not

Even a single night of sleep trouble can feel distressing and lonely. You toss and turn, stare at the ceiling, and wonder how you’ll cope tomorrow. No wonder many people star...

Wedding Photography Trends You Need to Know (Before You Regret Your Album)

Your wedding album should be a timeless keepsake, not something you cringe at years later. Trends may come and go, but choosing the right wedding photography approach ensures your ...

Can you say no to your doctor using an AI scribe?

Doctors’ offices were once private. But increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) scribes (also known as digital scribes) are listening in. These tools can record and trans...

There’s a new vaccine for pneumococcal disease in Australia. Here’s what to know

The Australian government announced last week there’s a new vaccine[1] for pneumococcal disease on the National Immunisation Program for all children. This vaccine replaces pr...