Riparian areas, the areas between land and water, play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our rivers. They support biodiversity, connect habitats, and help filter pollution from waterways. Protecting and restoring these areas is essential for a healthy catchment.
Georges Riverkeeper has successfully secured grant funding through the Australian Government’s Urban Rivers and Catchments Program to undertake the ‘Georges River Riparian Recovery Project’. This project will help to restore four high-priority riparian sites within the Georges River Catchment. With the support of our project partners, we aim to enhance these sites for future generations.
Let’s take a closer look at the grant sites and the work planned for each:
Brown Reserve
Located towards the headwaters of Henty Creek in the Prospect Creek sub-catchment, this 3.28-hectare project will improve water quality and reduce downstream weed invasion. Currently, Brown Reserve is heavily vegetated with mature woody weeds and vines, but it also contains remnant patches of Riverflat Eucalypt Forest, an endangered ecological community, and the rare Downy Wattle (Acacia pubescens).
Over three years from 2025, we will be partnering with Fairfield City Council to manage the removal of invasive weeds to restore fauna movement and support native plant regeneration. To strengthen the site’s cultural connection, we plan to collaborate with Indigenous fire practitioners to conduct a cultural burn. Additionally, to prevent erosion in riparian areas, we will plant 19,000 native plants to create a connected and resilient ecosystem. A large community planting day is planned in the coming years—stay tuned!
Riverside Reserve
Located on the banks of the Georges River at Chipping Norton, this site contains one of the largest remaining areas of endangered River-flat Forest in the Georges River catchment. While it has high ecological resilience, it is currently threatened by invasive weeds, particularly lantana. The reserve is also home to transplanted plots of the endangered Hibbertia sp. Bankstown, relocated from Bankstown Airport.
Working in partnership with Liverpool City Council the project will expand areas of high-quality bushland in the 3.72 Ha worksite by gradually removing lantana and other invasive plants, allowing native vegetation to regenerate. To enhance cultural connection and support the site’s restoration, we will conduct a Cultural Burn in conjunction with Indigenous contractors.
Myles Dunphy Reserve
Myles Dunphy Reserve features a small creek that flows into Gungah Bay on the Georges River. The creek passes through Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest before entering a freshwater wetland that supports aquatic species and a colony of grey-headed flying fox, listed as vulnerable to extinction. Unfortunately, the wetland area is infested with weeds which are threatening the flying fox habitat. We will be partnering with Georges River Council to manage the project which will improve the wetland’s condition by:
- Reducing the impact of invasive vines on flying fox habitat
- Treating midstory woody weeds and invasive Arundo in a mosaic pattern
- Enhancing future roosting habitat through the revegetation of 4,000 native plants
To engage the community, Georges River Council will host spooky Halloween walks throughout the grant period to share insights into flying fox conservation and the importance of the project.
Hawthorne Street Reserve
Hawthorne Street Reserve is located on Tonbridge Creek, a tidal waterway that serves as an important fish nursery for Botany Bay and the Georges River. The eastern side of the creek contains remnant coastal banksia scrub and swamp oak forest, both classified as endangered ecological communities and in relatively good condition. However, the western side of the creek is heavily impacted by invasive species, including lantana and morning glory, which are encroaching on the riparian zone. Partnering with Bayside Council to manage the project, we will restore habitat connectivity by systematically removing invasive weeds while minimising erosion and preserving bird habitat. The site 1.4 Ha site will be revegetated with 5,500 native plants, sourced with the help of a local Indigenous-run nursery. We will also host a series of ‘Walk and Talk’ events, where the community can learn more about this important restoration project—keep an eye out for updates!
This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, with the support of Georges Riverkeeper and Bayside Council, Fairfield City Council, Georges River Council and Liverpool City Council.
