Coolaroo Reserve

Area: 3.1 ha

Coolaroo Reserve is a long and relatively narrow, sheltered area of bushland approximately 2.7 hectares in size, located within the Lane Cove River catchment. The eastern half of the reserve from Greenlands Road is in the suburb of Lane Cove North and the western half, extending to Chatswood Golf Course, is located in Chatswood. The entire southern boundary is bordered by the back gardens of houses and the northern boundary also consists of back gardens and Moola Parade.

Coolaroo Creek runs through the entire reserve starting at Dalrymple Avenue, continuing through the reserve to Chatswood Golf Course. Within the golf course it drains to Swaines Creek, into the Lane Cove River. Bushland within Coolaroo is significant because it filters pollutants that enter the reserve from stormwater.

The Reserve provides valuable refuge for wildlife and more importantly acts as a green corridor for species to move east-west between larger bushland areas. Coolaroo Reserve is within close proximity to larger bushland spaces including Ferndale Park, Mowbray Park, Blue Gum Park and the Lane Cove National Park. The linkage functionality of this reserve is quite significant and valuable. Some important wildlife species that have been identified within the reserve include the Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata), Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua), Satin-bower Bird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata), Butcher Bird (Cracticus torquatus), Red-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) and the Peron’s Tree Frog (Litoria peronei).