At its June Meeting, the Jamberoo Ratepayer and Residents Association (JVRRA) was relieved to hear from Council Executives Jessica Rippon and Joe Gauadiosi in 

response to a question from the floor that Jerrara Dam was not part of the Council’s asset divestment program.

Following Councillor Warren Steele’s proposal for a report to be prepared to look at the site’s disposal at the April Council meeting, JVRRA had an extended discussion at its May General meeting, resulting in a letter being sent to Director of Infrastructure and Liveability to outline its concerns.

The letter highlighted the dam’s environmental significance and the need for habitat protection, the lack of community engagement in previous surveys, and the potential value of passive tourism activities such as birdwatching.

It also raised the willingness of environmental groups to be more involved in maintaining and protecting the environment. Council’s Jerrara Dam Plan of Management (1996) recognised Jerrara as ‘potentially one of the most valuable freshwater wetland habitats in coastal Illawarra’ and ‘the high environmental and scenic value of the site, there 

is potential for education and recreational activities such as bushwalking, picnicking, botanical research, birdwatching, and fishing.’

Kevin Mills wrote about Jerrara Dam in the 2014 publication Illawarra Life Studies, “(its) an important local reserve for forest birds as well as wetland species. 

Four threatened birds have been recorded in the reserve, and several other species are considered rare in the lower parts of Jamberoo Valley.”

Numerous studies, reviews, and surveys have identified the area’s unique flora and aquafauna, with over 178 bird species in the Jerrara Dam vicinity since May 2019.

Neil McLaren, representing LandCare, expressed a keen interest in preserving Jerrara Dam under council ownership and restoring its natural habitat. McLaren suggested 

that the site could serve as an excellent outdoor education venue with cabins to accommodate school groups and visitors.

WIRES submitted a Development Application to the Council to lease a portion of land at Jerrara Dam to construct a wombat rehabilitation enclosure. This project 

received unanimous support during the Council meeting in November 2022.

In addition, Landcare Illawarra and WIRES have explored grant funding opportunities to support weed control initiatives and improve the habitat.

Given the Council’s limited resources, JVRRA recommends Council prepare an updated Plan of Management, to incorporate and the preparedness of the community and environmental stakeholder groups to contribute to management of the site.