What’s happening at Manly Dam

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • We will be having our monthly bush care session on the 18th of April, given that the last Saturday in April is a long weekend. We will continue to remove invasive weeds from around the Mermaid Pools site in line with the work we started in January.

    At the 11am "cake break" our speaker is Dr. Melanie Zeppel. She will be talking about the Conservation Biology aspects of Manly Dam, Mermaid Pool, Tree Physiological carbon and water relations.

    Dr Zeppel has been working in climate change and plant & soil responses to drought for 15-20 years. She's an award-winning data-scientist with more than 20 years’ experience in forest carbon, climate change, and soil carbon modelling. She was recognised as an "Emerging Leader in Climate” (2024). Melanie holds a PhD in tree physiology (UTS) and a Master’s in Environmental Science (MQ) and serves on the Research Advisory Committee for Australian Forest and Wood Innovations.

    If you’re planning to join and it is your first time - please register with Northern Beaches Council on this link.

  • 'Backyard Biodiversity' is an invitation to explore and learn about the night time biodiversity of the Manly Dam Catchment with Wildife Expert, Juan Forero in this After Dark edition. Bring your curiosity to hear the calls of birds, mammals, frogs and other creatures scampering about in the bush and understand their habitat and what makes them unique

    This series is part of an Environment Grant by the Northern Beaches Council and you can register your interest here, we’ll let you know as soon as we have the registration page up.

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A prehistoric fish in Manly Dam

The search for the pre-hstoric fish, the Climbing Galaxias continues in a Citizen Science effort to ensure it still inhabits the Manly Dam after many sediment pollutions events of last year.

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Backyard Biodiversity

Backyard Biodiversity: Explore Manly Dam with us; Learn about the species that call it home and help Protect them

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2025: What we achieved together

Thank you for a wonderful and action packed 2025. This post covers the highlights of 2025 and outlines all the key achievements from gaining momentum in iNaturalist to winning several awards and of course an update on the Mermaid Pool bush care site. 

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Why I volunteer

A post on the benefits of volunteering and why you should consider it.

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PAST EVENTS

  • 'Backyard Biodiversity' is an invitation to explore and learn about the night time biodiversity of the Manly Dam Catchment with Wildife Expert, Juan Forero in this After Dark edition on 11th Apr. Various Manly Dam residents were spotted on the walk - Moths, Spiders, water dragons and geckos, Possums, Fishes, Frogs and more. Juan talked about the habitat and it’s little creatures to offer a better understanding of Manly Dam bush and understand their habitat.

    This series is part of an Environment Grant by the Northern Beaches Council.

  • Frog guru Jodi Rowley led a small group of volunteers on a Manly Dam frog expedition on the evening of Thursday March 19th.

    The March bush care session was held on the 28th. We continued to remove invasive weeds from around the Mermaid Pools site in line with the work we started in January.

    If you’re planning to join and it is your first time - please register with Northern Beaches Council on this link.

  • We had our second bushcare session of 2026 on the 28th of Feb and continued to remove invasive weeds from around the Mermaid Pools site in line with the work we started in January.

    We also had Lisa Hodgson sharing fun shark facts. Lisa has a BSc in Marine Biology, is a PADI Divemaster and works at the Australian Museum and has a real passion for conservation. We love her enthusiasm.

    This is the first in a series of 2026 break time talks at Mermaid Pools being organised by another of our volunteers, Mel Zeppel who herself is a recognised "superstar of STEM".

  • We had our very first session of 2026 on Jan 31st. We continued our work from last year to remove invasive weeds from around the Mermaid Pools site.

    If you’re planning to join and it is your first time - please register with Northern Beaches Council on this link.

  • This is the Northern Beaches Council annual Christmas Party for Bushcare volunteers. Please refer to the email from the council for details. If you are a volunteer and don’t have the email invite please let us know on this email (Manlydamwebsite@gmail.com).

    The council also holds the annual Photo Competition with 3 specific categories:

    1. Flora and Fungi

    2. Fauna

    3. People and Places

    Please lodge photos taken from the Northern Beaches area and keep it to a maximum of 2 photos per category.

    Winners will be picked by popular vote from volunteers at the party, with winners announced on the night. Looking forward to celebrate hard work and dedication of Bushcare volunteers.

  • We will have a shorter than usual Bushcare session as we we continue to remove invasive weeds from around the Mermaid Pools site.

    This will be followed by a ‘pot-luck’ style Christmas Gathering.

    If you’re planning to join and it is your first time - please register with Northern Beaches Council on this link.

  • Talking nature: from Bush to Beach an event by Northern Beaches Envirolink

    Date: 5th Nov, 2025 | Time: 5:30pm | Venue: Tramshed - Lakeview Hall, 1395A Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen NSW 2101 (Location on Map)

    We welcome you to an event focusing on local environmental challenges as well as an update on the Lizard Rock Rezoning, a part of which borders Manly Dam.

    • 5.30pm: Light Supper & non alcoholic drinks, mix, mingle and connect

    • 5:50pm: Welcome to Country by Neil Evans

    • 6:00pm: Sonja Elwood, Senior Invasive Species Officer at NBCspeaking on “Priority Weed Management to protect Biodiversity on Sydney's Northern Beaches”

    • 6:45pm: Phil Colman, Marine Biologist with expertise in intertidal zones will speak on ‘The east coast current’. A limited number of Phil's recently published book -Exploring tidal waters on Australia's temperate coast, will be available

    • 7:10pm: Councillor Kristyn Glanville, solicitor practising in environment and planning law will be providing an update on the ‘Lizard Rock’ rezoning and development

    • 7:20pm - 8:00pm - Community Brainstorming with more food and drinks.

    If you’re keen to attend please RSVP.

  • Plenty happening this October!

    At this bushcare session we will continue to remove invasive weeds from around the Mermaid Pools site. We will tackle some Mother of millions (Bryophyllum species) at the top of the waterfall and Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) at the base of the pool.

    It also coincides with the UNSW Open Day and we will be running the Sausage Sizzle there.

    Members from the Coexist Sydneygroup will be joining for bushcare and a walk as well.

    If you’re planning to join and it is your first time - please register with Northern Beaches Council on this link.

  • We’re hosting a social gathering for all our volunteers, past, present and intending. The plan is to meet at 12 noon for drinks, lunch and gelato after. Then who knows … possibly another cocktail?

    Please RSVP here if you’re planning to attend or would like to join our fabulous volunteering crew.