Chipping Norton Lakes

Chipping Norton Lake
Chipping Norton Lake
Location	Chipping Norton, New South Wales
Coordinates	33°54′S 150°57′E / 33.900°S 150.950°E / -33.900; 150.950Coordinates: 33°54′S 150°57′E / 33.900°S 150.950°E / -33.900; 150.950
Type	Artificial
Primary inflows	Georges River
Basin countries	Australia
Max. length	1 km (0.62 mi)
Surface elevation	0 m (0 ft) AMSL
Frozen	never
Islands	4
Settlements	City of Liverpool

Chipping Norton Lake is a lake located at Chipping Norton, New South Wales. It is a part of the Georges River system. Chipping Norton Lake is managed by Liverpool City Council and is an artificial lake. The lake is an important recreational area for Liverpool, Canterbury-Bankstown Council and Fairfield City Council.

The Chipping Norton Lake area was inhabited by the Tharawal and Darug people before European settlement. The land surrounding Georges River (there was no lake at that time) was given to an ex-convict called Thomas Moore. He established farmland around the river. In the 1950s, sand was mined around the lake area. The mining caused irreversible environmental destruction, and the area remained lifeless after the sand was mined. Finally, a decision was made to flood the mine, leaving a large lake. Vegetation was planted around the lake to make a wildlife reserve.

There are over 50 different kinds of birds around the lake. The City of Liverpool, City of Bankstown and the City of Fairfield work together to manage the wildlife refuge and recreation areas of Chipping Norton Lake. There are four islands within the lake. They are wildlife refuges for native birds and visitor access is prohibited. Bull sharks have been sighted in the lake.

Chipping Norton Lake has a magnificent regional park located on Homestead Avenue, providing cycleways, barbecue facilities, picnic areas, playground equipment, boat ramps, sporting fields and the Georges River Environment Education Centre. There is also a beach in the lake called Grand Flaneur Beach at Homestead Park. Although swimming is permitted at the beach, it is not recommended because of poor water quality.