Vegetation Communities

Penrith City sits on the Cumberland Plain. The Cumberland Plain, located over most of western Sydney, comprises of gently undulating plains and low hills formed on sediments of the Wianamatta group of shales, as well as alluvial deposits along rivers and floodplains. These unique, heavy clay soils are moderately fertile and have resulted in a distinctive type of vegetation of eucalypt woodland with a grassy understory. This contrasts with the vegetation of the sandstone plateaus that have very few species in common with the grassy woodlands of the Cumberland Plain. 

There are several different vegetation communities within the Penrith area, all associated with the Cumberland Plain. The most dominant vegetation community is the Cumberland Plain Woodland, which is listed as critically endangered under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity conservation Act 1999. Since European settlement there is only 9% of Cumberland Plain Woodland remaining due to land clearing. Our city supports about 17% of the remaining bushland on the Cumberland Plain. This vegetation is under considerable pressure from ongoing development and urbanisation and every effort should be made to conserve and enhance its remaining extent.

Vegetation communities 

The vegetation communities found in the Penrith area are outlined below:

You can download indicative vegetation maps from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.