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Hello everyone, and welcome to the second episode of Flora and Fauna, where we'll be- where we'll be- Hello everyone, and welcome to the second episode of Flora and Fauna, where we'll be- Sorry guys. It's okay. Hello everyone, and welcome to the second episode of Flora and Fauna, where we're going to be diving deep into the- I'm failing this so hard guys. Hold on. Pause it. Pause it. It's still recording. Hello everyone, and welcome to the second episode of Flora and Fauna. Today we're going to be looking at Rocky Creek Dam. Hello everyone, and welcome to the second episode of Flora and Fauna, where we dive into the natural beauties of the Northern Rivers. Today we're going to be looking at Rocky Creek Dam. My name is Shane, I'm introducing today's episode. With me I have Simone. Hi! Rush. Hi! And Sabine. Hi! Now listen closely as Simone kickstarts us off with the history section. Take it away, Simone. Thanks. Now Simone, I'm sure our viewers would love to hear a bit more about Rocky Creek Dam. Yeah, of course. Okay, so Rocky Creek Dam is a key feature in the Northern Rivers region, standing 27 meters high and holding up to 14,000 megaliters of water. Its 29-square-kilometer catchment area includes parts of the National Nightcap National Park, Wyan Wyan State Forest, and reclaimed farmland. The farm offers scenic walks like the Platypus Walk along Rocky Creek, the Water Dragon Walk to a lookout, and trails through lush rainforests. Visitors can enjoy picnic spots, a pontoon bridge, and a platypus viewing platform, making it a hub for nature lovers and families alike. Thank you so much, Simone. Now let's go to the historical section. Okay, Shay, when was this place made? Well, Rocky Creek Dam was completed in about the 1950s, I think 1953, as part of a major project to provide a reliable water supply for the Northern Rivers region. Its construction created a key water source and a popular recreational area. Wow, that's so cool. Okay, so how old is this place? Rocky Creek Dam is, I think, over 70 years old. Can we re-ask? Okay, so how old is this place? Rocky Creek Dam is, like, over 70 years old. Pretty old. Love hearing about that. Okay, I'll pause for a minute. Thanks for sharing that. Okay, so final question. What is the history of Rocky Creek Dam? That's a good point. Okay, so finally, what is the history of Rocky Creek Dam? The history of Rocky Creek Dam is closely tied to the growth of a nearby town, Nimbin, as well as surrounding agricultural and rural communities. By the mid-20th century, the Nimbin area was thriving with farming. However, the region faced challenges related to water supply, particularly during times of drought or of increased demand from expanding population and agriculture activities. Before the dam's construction, the primary source of water for the Nimbin region came from the local growing concerns. Before the dam's construction, the primary source of water for the Nimbin region came from local creeks and s'more attachments, which was insufficient during dry periods. Do we want to redo that? All right, thank you so much, Shay. Hello? Okay. Oh, I didn't realize we were playing. Okay, thank you for that. Now we're going on to the geographical section of this podcast episode. Now we're going to be going on to the geographical segment of this episode. With Simone answering the questions and Rush asking them. Hi, Simone. How are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm really good. Okay. Do you want to start with our first question? Yep. How did plate tectonics have a role in the area's evolution? Plate tectonics created the natural features of Rocky Creek Dam and surrounding mountains, which in turn created the drainage basin critical for water storage. Okay. And how does the geology of the area contribute to its formation? The area around Rocky Creek Dam has solid basalt rock from old volcanic activity, which helps hold water and makes it a great spot for a dam. The volcanic soil also helps the nearby forest thrive. That's really interesting. And leading on from that question, what are the rocks in that area made of? At Rocky Creek Dam, as said before, you'll find sandstone and basalt formations and remnants of older rocky landscape that have been torn down over decades. Okay. Now we've just got one more question left. Thank you. What are some of the biggest challenges that Rocky Creek Dam faces? Rocky Creek Dam faces challenges with water quality, drought, and invasive species. Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Rush and Simone. Now next is the economical section, where Fab will be interviewing Rush. Hi, everyone. Rush, are we good to get started now? Yes, we are. Okay. So first question is, what things can be done to improve the precautions around protection of the environment? One thing that could be done is install more waste bins so that there's less pollution, increase patrols around the dam to enforce environmental rules, and implement signs explaining the consequences and impact of littering. That makes a lot of sense. Now, how can visitors of this area help to delegate these processes? Okay. Using only provided facilities is very important. Avoiding littering and picking up any rubbish you see, keeping to marked paths to avoid erosion, and report any suspicious or harmful activity like dumping waste in the dam to local authorities. That's a really good point. Now, what roles have humans played environmentally? Is it positive or negative? Well, humans have played a positive role by creating the dam in the first place for water supply, but negative impacts can include managing pollution and invasive species around the area. What roles have humans played environmentally? Is it positive or negative? Well, humans have played a positive role on the area by creating the dam in the first place, but one of the negative things that humans have done to the area is adding to the pollution and introducing invasive species to the area. I hadn't considered it like that before. Now, explain the ecosystem of the area. Well, Rocky Creek Dam in New South Wales has a mix of water and land ecosystems. The dam is home to water birds, frogs, and fish, while the surrounding forests support animals like koalas, birds, and reptiles. Wow, that's a lot of animals. Yeah, it is. How is the ecotourism incorporated into the place? Well, the dam and surrounding environment are managed to minimise human impact with designated walking trails and viewing areas that encourage visitors to explore whilst being on the paths that protect the local plants and environment. I love that. Now, for our last question, what kind of animals inhabit that area? Well, all of the animals that I said before, but there are also the Australian bass, the fire-tailed gudgeons, the Cox's gudgeons. They're found in the waters around Rocky Creek Dam, and they share the river home with saw-shelled turtles, water rats, eastern water dragons, and, of course, the iconic platypus, as well as the above water being known for Pacific black cockatoos, the crested pigeons, and, again, the platypus. Aw, thank you so much, Rush. Thank you. Thank you so much, Sab and Rush. Now, our last section is going to be the cultural one, where I will be asking the questions and Sabine will be answering. No, Sabine. Why did I say you? Thank you so much, Sab and Rush. Now, thank you so much, Sab and Rush. Now, on to our last section, the cultural one, where I will be asking the questions and Sabine will be answering them for me. All right. Okay, hi, Sabine. How are you? I can hear it. I can hear it. Okay. Okay, hi, Sabine. Hi, Sabine. How are you? I'm great, thank you, Shay. How about you? I'm pretty good. Do you want to kick off with the dab stuff? I would love to. What precautions are put in place to preserve the area? Well, access to certain areas around the dam is restricted to protect the wildlife and to maintain water quality. Fishing and boating are regulated to prevent harm to the aquatic ecosystem and the strict rules are in place for waste disposal and littering. Regular environmental monitoring ensures that the health of the water and the surrounding habitat stay strong. Do you want the headphones? Sure. I think the person answering the question should get the headphones. Okay, second question. What is the cultural and historical significance of Rocky Creek Dam? Well, it was built to provide... What? What was it built to provide, Sabine? What was it? The land... Oh, I paused it. Wow, that's very interesting. Now, for the second question. What is the cultural and historical significance of Rocky Creek Dam? Well, the dam is situated in an area with a lot of Indigenous heritage, with the land being historically significant to the Gissabal people. Wow. Sorry. Oh, okay. Now, last question. What is the origin of the name? The name Rocky Creek Dam, which was derived from the river it was built on, Rocky Creek. The dam, which was built in the 1970s, served as a major water supply source for the surrounding region, particularly Wismul. The specific origin of the name, Rocky Creek, it is likely a descriptive one, probably being called that because of its rocky terrain. What the fuck is that answer? Pause it. And... Thank you, Sabine. For the last two... What are interesting facts about the area? It supplies water... Now, last question of the cultural section. What is the origin of the name? Well, the name is very self-explanatory. So, the name Rocky Creek Dam was actually derived from the river it was built on, Rocky Creek. Thank you. Now, I have one more question that I want you to answer personally. What is the most interesting thing that you've learnt about the area? Nope, that is the one that everyone's answering. Pause it, because I have to answer. Now, for one more question. This one's a personal one. What are interesting facts about... Now, one last question. What is some interesting fact that you learnt? About Rocky Creek Dam? Well, one that... Okay. I was doing it because you were stopping. Okay. What is the most interesting fact that you learnt about Rocky Creek Dam? Well, I learnt that Rocky Creek Dam is actually a popular spot for outdoor activities like walking, picnicking and bird watching. Oh, very interesting. Thank you, Sabine. Okay, and now onto our last segment. I'm going to ask everyone their favourite flora or fauna. Simone? Flora or fauna? Uh, fauna. The Pacific black cockatoo. Oh, very pretty. Rush, flora or fauna? Water rat. Rush, flora or fauna? Fauna, water rat. Sabine, flora or fauna? Flora, the giant stinging tree. Shay, flora or fauna? Flora, the Bangalore palm. Bye! See you next episode. Watch out.