The Field of Mars Reserve is a protected nature reserve located on the northern suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The 50 Hectare (123.5 acres) reserve is a remnant of bushland situated between the Lane Cove and Parramatta rivers within the suburb of East Ryde and near Gladesville, Hunters Hill and Ryde.
| Field of Mars Reserve New South Wales | |
|---|---|
  Field of Mars Reserve | |
| Nearest town or city | East Ryde |
| Coordinates | 33°48′51.78″S 151°7′45.03″E / 33.8143833°S 151.1291750°E |
| Established | 1979[1] |
| Area | 0.46 km2 (0.2 sq mi)[1] |
| Managing authorities | NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Field of Mars Reserve |
Features
editThe name Field of Mars was given by Governor Arthur Phillip, when in January 1792 he granted to two marines the first parcels of land, later expanded to eight parcels in this district.[2] There are a number of theories on the origin of the name, the first is that it was a direct reference to the Roman God of war and the marines' service in the colony. The second theory is that it is named after the Roman Campus Martius, which also has a military connection. The third theory is that it is named after the Champ de Mars in Paris, again with military connections. The name was later used on the parish in the area, which is still today used on land titles. The area became known initially as the Field of Mars Common.[3]
The reserve was a gazetted as a wildlife refuge in 1979 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act (NSW) and features considerable flora and fauna and contains an environmental education centre.[4] The reserve adjoins the Field of Mars Cemetery, bounded by Strangers Creek in the north and Wellington Road in the south.
The Field of Mars Fires devastated part of the reserve by bushfires in 2002.[5]
The Sydney suburb of Marsfield derives its name from the reserve.[3]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Field of Mars Reserve". Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
- ^ "Field of Mars (parish)". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ^ a b Phippen, Angela (2008). "Marsfield". Dictionary of Sydney. Dictionary of Sydney Trust. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ^ Refshauge, Andrew (1979). "Ryde Local Environmental Plan No. 105" (PDF) (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
- ^ "Huge blaze marches on homes". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 December 2002. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
External links
edit- "Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre". Department of Education. Government of New South Wales.
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