The health of one of southern Sydney's largest river catchments will be given a major boost thanks to more than $665,000 in new funding from the NSW Government.
The investment will enable Liverpool City Council to complete the Georges River Estuary Coastal Management Program to provide a clearer roadmap for improving the ecological health, social amenity and resilience of the waterway in the face of a changing climate.
The Council spearheads the Georges Riverkeeper group in partnership with Sydney Water and six other Local Councils, and the program is critical in making sure they are working as one to get the best outcomes for the river and their communities.
It includes innovative solutions for addressing pollution, erosion, inundation and degraded seawalls across the estuary foreshore, tributaries, and southern and western foreshores of Botany Bay.
The program will focus on developing priority actions to guide future on-the-ground works along with a new coordinated approach for managing the coastal and estuarine environment across large areas of Southern Sydney.
Once the draft is completed, the community will have an opportunity to have their say which will help shape the final version of the Coastal Management Program.
The members of the Georges Riverkeeper Group include:
- Bayside Council
- City of Canterbury-Bankstown
- Fairfield City Council
- Georges River Council
- Liverpool City Council
- Sutherland Shire Council
- Campbelltown City Council
- Sydney Water
The NSW Government's Coastal and Estuary Grants Program provides technical and financial support to local councils.
Funding for planning, and implementation of actions, is provided on a 2:1 ratio meaning the NSW Government contributes $2 for every $1 contributed by councils.
Quote attributable to Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Director Greater Sydney Conservation, Louisa Clark:
"The Georges River is the second longest river in Greater Sydney, and communities across south Sydney care deeply about the health of their local waterways which form part of this 960 square kilometre catchment.
"This funding will help ensure the seven councils who share stewardship of the Georges River with Sydney Water can develop a coordinated management approach that will address impacts on the river's health that have accumulated over decades.
"This is a great example of the NSW Government working in tandem with Local Councils, Sydney Water and communities to improve environmental outcomes and safeguard the river for the next generation.
"The Georges River has a rich history as a food source and place of trade by traditional owners which is why we take its management seriously.
"The catchment is now home to an estimated 1.5 million people, and improving its estuary, tributaries and foreshore will have huge benefits for the community and our local environment over the coming decades."
