Gamay (Botany Bay)
Location
- Approximately 13 km south of the CBD of Sydney
- Approximately 34°S, 151°12'E.
- semi-enclosed, low-flow embayment
- fed by the Georges and Cooks rivers (both freshwater tributaries)
- combined catchment area of approximately 1165 km2
- most of the catchment is drained by the Georges and Woronora rivers.
- Approximately 13 km south of the CBD of Sydney
- Approximately 34°S, 151°12'E.
- semi-enclosed, low-flow embayment
- fed by the Georges and Cooks rivers (both freshwater tributaries)
- combined catchment area of approximately 1165 km2
- most of the catchment is drained by the Georges and Woronora rivers.
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Bathymetry
- average depth of Gamay is 11 m
- much of the bay is significantly shallower at 5 m
- the entrance of the bay is around 25m due to dredging
Activities to explore bathymetry
Access the links below to explore the bathymetry of Gamay.
Fishing App - Nautical charts - version 1
Fishing App - Nautical charts - version 2
- average depth of Gamay is 11 m
- much of the bay is significantly shallower at 5 m
- the entrance of the bay is around 25m due to dredging
Activities to explore bathymetry
Access the links below to explore the bathymetry of Gamay.
Fishing App - Nautical charts - version 1
Fishing App - Nautical charts - version 2
Cultural Significance
Access pages 40 and 41 of the Sea Country Plan to view cultural sites in Gamay.
Access pages 40 and 41 of the Sea Country Plan to view cultural sites in Gamay.
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Gamay (Botany Bay) Comic
Gamay (Botany Bay) is a site of great cultural and ecological significance. It is highly industrialised and urbanised, and has been extensively modified. Despite this, it contains a diverse range of natural habitats: seagrass, beaches, mangroves, salt marshes, oyster reefs, rocky shores, rocky reefs and open water. Ramsay-listed, Towra Point Nature Reserve is located in along the southern shore of Gamay, and is an important site demonstrating the interconnections between different habitats. It is especially important for migratory birds who feed and rest there after vast journeys, and as a critical nursery ground for fish. Download the Gamay comic |
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Hydrological Processes - Mapping Activity
Download the Gamay - Hydrological Processes mapping activity |
Biodiversity in Gamay
Biodiversity in Gamay
Key terms
Biodiversity: biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals.
Polycheates: a diverse group of segmented worms that live primarily in ocean habitats.
Crustaceans: invertebrates with a hard exoskeleton, a segmented body that is bilaterally symmetrical, and more than four pairs of jointed appendages
Molluscs: soft-bodied invertebrates, usually wholly or partly enclosed in a calcium carbonate shell.
Echinoderms: invertebrate marine animals, characterized by a hard, spiny covering or skin.
Mammals: any animal in which the female gives birth to babies, not eggs, and feeds them on milk from her own body
The Australian Museum’s electronic database provides information about specimens collected by latitude and longitude. Information from specimens collected in Gamay:
Read more...
Key terms
Biodiversity: biological diversity in an environment as indicated by numbers of different species of plants and animals.
Polycheates: a diverse group of segmented worms that live primarily in ocean habitats.
Crustaceans: invertebrates with a hard exoskeleton, a segmented body that is bilaterally symmetrical, and more than four pairs of jointed appendages
Molluscs: soft-bodied invertebrates, usually wholly or partly enclosed in a calcium carbonate shell.
Echinoderms: invertebrate marine animals, characterized by a hard, spiny covering or skin.
Mammals: any animal in which the female gives birth to babies, not eggs, and feeds them on milk from her own body
The Australian Museum’s electronic database provides information about specimens collected by latitude and longitude. Information from specimens collected in Gamay:
- 10,985 speciment in total
- 429 species of polycheates
- 580 crustaceans
- 802 molluscs
- 76 echinoderms
- 272 fishes
Read more...
Photos: Jane Herring
Wild Sydney Harbour and Gamay Rangers work together to study marine mammals in Gamay. It is home to an exciting number of marine mammals, including dolphins, seals, whales, and even the occasional dugong. Further research is needed on how many there are, when they come, how they move through the bay, and their behaviours. Knowledge is gained through storytelling that has been passed through from generation to generation.
Read more...
The Gamay Sea Plan used community consultation to identify species in Gamay. View page 25 to see the list of species identified.
Access the Gamay Sea Plan.
Another important source of information comes from photography of scuba divers. The Leap, The Steps and Bare Island are a popular diving sites. The Reef Life Survey involves volunteer divers conducting underwater surveys.
Read more...
The Gamay Sea Plan used community consultation to identify species in Gamay. View page 25 to see the list of species identified.
Access the Gamay Sea Plan.
Another important source of information comes from photography of scuba divers. The Leap, The Steps and Bare Island are a popular diving sites. The Reef Life Survey involves volunteer divers conducting underwater surveys.
Gamay - Biodiversity Fieldwork
Using a dip-net, a plastic container and an identification chart you can undertake a biodiversity survey. In the container on the left there was a squid, fish and various types of whelk that needed to be identified using the ID chart.
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Ecology of Gamay - Habitats
Ecology: the interrelationship of organisms and their environments Types of habitats found in Gamay (Botany Bay):
Student Activities |
Explore some of the habitats of Gamay:
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Gamay - Human Impacts Fieldwork Planning Activity
Construct a log of events and activities to manage the development of a fieldwork activity explaining human impacts on Towra Point Wetlands.
To do so you must complete the following:
- hypothesise what the human impact are that impact on Towra Point Wetlands (do this by referring to your readings). Create a list of 4-5 human impacts.
- Consider the types of fieldwork which will enable you to examine these human impacts. Choose 5 different fieldwork techniques. You might like to revise how to carry out these techniques.
- Create a timeline of events outlining what tasks you will carry out and what you expect to find out. Consider the timing - as you won't actually be carrying out these activities (they are hypothetical at this stage) you may choose to conduct the activities over a long period of time (stick to within one year).
- Collect satellite imagery of Towra Point Wetlands. Annotate the image with information about where you will conduct the fieldwork.
- Use satellite imagery to create a précis map which shows the spatial pattern of overland flow running into Botany Bay.
When you have completed your log of events write a 300 word response which outlines your expected results.
Construct a log of events and activities to manage the development of a fieldwork activity explaining human impacts on Towra Point Wetlands.
To do so you must complete the following:
- hypothesise what the human impact are that impact on Towra Point Wetlands (do this by referring to your readings). Create a list of 4-5 human impacts.
- Consider the types of fieldwork which will enable you to examine these human impacts. Choose 5 different fieldwork techniques. You might like to revise how to carry out these techniques.
- Create a timeline of events outlining what tasks you will carry out and what you expect to find out. Consider the timing - as you won't actually be carrying out these activities (they are hypothetical at this stage) you may choose to conduct the activities over a long period of time (stick to within one year).
- Collect satellite imagery of Towra Point Wetlands. Annotate the image with information about where you will conduct the fieldwork.
- Use satellite imagery to create a précis map which shows the spatial pattern of overland flow running into Botany Bay.
When you have completed your log of events write a 300 word response which outlines your expected results.
Towra Point - Review Questions
Describe the location of Towra Point. Include a map.
List 2 legislations (Acts) which provide for the protection of Towra Point.
Name 5 community groups involved in protecting Towra Point wetland.
What is the "Elephant'sTrunk", and what are the issues associated with it?
Describe 3 human impacts on Towra Point.
Describe the location of Towra Point. Include a map.
List 2 legislations (Acts) which provide for the protection of Towra Point.
Name 5 community groups involved in protecting Towra Point wetland.
What is the "Elephant'sTrunk", and what are the issues associated with it?
Describe 3 human impacts on Towra Point.
Gamay - Revision questions
What is the name of the part of the mangrove roots that protrudes above the waters surface?
Describe the global distribution of Intertidal Wetlands.
What are JAMBA and CAMBA and what are their key points?
When was the Ramsar convention signed?
What are the main aims of RAMSAR?
Describe a link between the hydrosphere and lithosphere in intertidal wetlands.
Describe a link between the biosphere and the atmosphere in the intertidal wetlands.
What is the name of the part of the mangrove roots that protrudes above the waters surface?
Describe the global distribution of Intertidal Wetlands.
What are JAMBA and CAMBA and what are their key points?
When was the Ramsar convention signed?
What are the main aims of RAMSAR?
Describe a link between the hydrosphere and lithosphere in intertidal wetlands.
Describe a link between the biosphere and the atmosphere in the intertidal wetlands.
Habitat Restoration
A range of habitat restoration projects are currently being implemented in Gamay and along the Georges and Cooks Rivers:
A range of habitat restoration projects are currently being implemented in Gamay and along the Georges and Cooks Rivers:
