Farmborough Heights - Environment

The land of Farmborough Heights forms part of the Sydney Basin, in an area of volcanic sandstone.  It is located on the lower slopes of the Illawarra Escarpment on predominantly Mount Kembla Sandstone, with underlying sedimentary rocks of the Permian age, as well as Quaternary talus on the higher slopes.  The area is mostly one of gentle sloping topography and perimeter screening. 

The suburb has a dominating central ridge which overlooks Kembla Grange, West Dapto and Lake Illawarra, with views back up to the escarpment of Mount Kembla.
The entire area has undergone considerable disturbances as a result of European land clearance and agricultural and building activities.  The only significant areas of natural vegetation remaining are found in vegetated creek lines and on the steeper wooded slopes. 

The western escarpment side of the suburb is typified by ‘Escarpment Tall Open Forest’ with specimens of Eucalyptus quadrangulata, while on the drier lower side of the suburb, Coastal Plain Forest with Eucalyptus tereticornis would have been the original dominating flora. 

Where the land is cleared, medium sized trees only can now be found.  The area has localized characteristics of dry subtropical rainforest with low woodland, mostly Melaleuca styphelloides, confined to hummocky areas.  (Farmborough Heights Local Environmental Study. 1996; Environmental Impact Study, Whyte’s Gully Waste Depot, 1992)

Local flora includes:  White Waxflower, Native Holly, Brush Wilga, Eucalyptus smithii, Pittosporium undulatum, Toana uliata, Omalanthus populifolius.  (Farmborough Heights Local Environmental Study. 1996)