 The habitat around the lakes is open sclerophyll forest, the dominant trees being rough-barked apple ("Angophora floribunda") nearby and sydney peppermint ("Eucalyptus piperita") and red bloodwood ("Corymbia gummifera") on elevated areas.The understory species include many familiar sydney sandstone flora such as members of the genera "Banksia", "Acacia", pea flowers, and the New South Wales waratah ("Telopea speciosissima")

Two of the lakes have dried out since the mid 1980s due to removal of groundwater in the region secondary to coal mining at the Tahmoor Colliery.The local community is investigating plans to revive the lakes, which might take decades otherwise.