Fairy Creek is located south of Sydney in Wollongong in the Illawarra region. It is classed as a creek with an entrance that is intermittently open and closed to the ocean.
Water quality report card
As part of our water quality monitoring program we assess the water quality and ecosystem health of an estuary using a range of relevant indicators. We sample a subset of the estuaries between Wollongong and the Victorian border every 3 years. The most recent sampling in Fairy Creek was completed over the 2023–24 summer, when 2 sites were sampled on a monthly basis.
This report card represents 2 water quality indicators that we routinely measure: the amount of algae present and water clarity. Low levels of these 2 indicators equate with good water quality. The numerical scores for these 2 indicators are averaged to give the overall grade.
Algae
Water clarity
Overall grade
The report card shows the condition of the estuary was fair with:
- algae abundance graded poor (D)
- water clarity graded fair (C)
- overall estuary health graded fair (C).
Grades for algae, water clarity and overall are represented as:
- A – excellent
- B – good
- C – fair
- D – poor
- E – very poor.
Go to estuary report cards to find out what each grade means, read our sampling, data analysis and reporting protocols, and find out how we calculate these grades.
We have monitored water quality in Fairy Creek since 2007. This table shows water quality grades for the most recent 7 sampling seasons. Previous water quality data is available at NSW Estuary Water Quality Data Compilation: 2007–2020.
| Year | Algae | Water clarity | Overall grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | D | C | C |
| 2022-23 | C | C | C |
| 2021–22 | C | D | C |
| 2020–21 | C | C | C |
| 2019–20 | C | C | C |
| 2018–19 | D | C | C |
| 2017–18 | E | D | D |
Physical characteristics
| Estuary type | Creek |
|---|---|
| Latitude | –34.41 (ºS) |
| Longitude | 150.9 (ºE) |
| Catchment area | 20.6 km2 |
| Estuary area | 0.1 km2 |
| Estuary volume | 42.4 ML |
| Average depth | 0.4 m |
Notes: km2 = square kilometres; m = metres; ML = megalitres.
Water depth and survey data
Bathymetric and coastal topography data for this estuary are available in our data portal.
Land use
Fairy Creek receives runoff from a highly disturbed catchment. Urban and industrial areas make up 70% of the land use in the catchment and about 25% remains forested. The towns of Fairy Meadow, Mount Ousley and Balgownie, to the north of Wollongong, are in this catchment.
National and marine parks
- The Illawarra Escarpment State Conservation Area is the largest conservation area in the Fairy Creek catchment.
- There is no marine park associated with this estuary.
Other features
- Fairy Creek Bridge, also known as Bodes Bridge, is of local heritage significance.
Community involvement
- There are over 60 bushcare groups in the Wollongong area. Bushcare volunteers help regenerate and care for local bushland.
Aerial view of Fairy Creek estuary
Local government management
Local councils manage estuaries within their area. Where an estuary is attached to a marine park, marine park management teams are responsible for ensuring compliance with marine park zoning.
Wollongong City Council manages this estuary.
Threatened species
Estuaries provide important breeding, nursery and feeding grounds for many animals, such as fish and birds.
Read more about the biodiversity in our estuaries.