Scarborough - Environment

Urban development has greatly affected the lower escarpment slopes through the removal of natural flora and loss of soil and rock. The escarpment is a very striking feature of the environment. The scarp descends to Bulli through rainforests of brushwoods, tall ferns, conifer like brown pine, cabbage trees, sassafras and understorey vegetation which include rough tree ferns. The land slope is predominately steep to mountainous.

Fauna expected to be found in this area include possums, macropods and reptiles. Several hundred species of bird exist in this region in suitable habitat provided by vegetation on the Escarpment. (Illawarra Escarpment Environment Inquiry, 1973)

There are two main areas of rock fall and these are along the coastline in the Coalcliff/Scarborough area and along the scarp. The former area is subject to frequent small rock falls due to the rate of erosion of the toe of the cliffs by wave and salt spray action.

At present considerable beach erosion occurs during storms.  The Scarborough platform and the adjacent embayment produce food resources for a variety of seabirds, including the Sooty Oystercatcher and the Great Cormorant.  (Environmental Science Ecology Studies, 1992)

Effective weed management is an ongoing concern of the Illawarra Escarpment. The rainforest of the Escarpment is presently penetrated by extensive areas of Lantana Camara which poses a fire risk to the rainforest. (Environmental Science Studies in Ecology 1987)