News

Georges Riverkeeper Annual Report 2018/19 shows we achieved a lot for the river in the last financial year. It has been the first year that we have implemented the Georges Riverkeeper Strategic Plant 2018-2022. Outcomes have aligned with five strategic focuses: Catchment Action Program (litter removal and bush regeneration), River Health Monitoring Program, Stormwater Program, Research Program, and Education & Capacity Building Program.

Ongoing education and enforcement of sediment controls on building sites are key to preventing runoff from entering our local waterways, according to results from the latest Get the Site Right campaign.

Nineteen councils across Sydney and Lake Macquarie and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) took part in a one-day blitz in October, with officers inspecting more than 400 building and construction sites for sediment and runoff controls.

We’re pleased to announce the reinstatement of the Georges Riverkeeper Executive Group, following the Annual General Meeting.

Chairperson, Councillor Geoff Shelton from Liverpool City Council (pictured on the right in the photo), was reinstated. As was Vice Chairperson, Councillor Peter Scaysbrook from Sutherland Shire Council (pictured on the left), and Treasurer, Councillor Adrian Wong from Fairfield City Council (pictured in the middle).

Over 1,500 baby Sporobolus plants have been planted in the Oyster Bay saltmarsh by Conservation Volunteers Australia, with the help of Georges Riverkeeper and Sutherland Shire Council.

The Georges River is one of the major water catchments in the Greater Sydney Region. While we’re experiencing less rain at the moment, the river does have a history of flooding.

Being home to 1.4 million of Sydney’s residents over 950km2, and with an expected increase in population as growth and development increases over the coming years, it’s vital to know the catchment area’s flooding risk and how to mitigate it.

The Georges Riverkeeper Floodplain Risk Management Subcommittee was formed in mid-2018 by Georges Riverkeeper and the eight local Councils along the river.

The Rehabilitation of Oyster Creek Gully Habitat corridor has progressed well during the first stage of the NSW Environment Trust funded project.

An enormous amount of work has been completed during the first year of the Simmos Beach catchment restoration project, funded by the NSW Environment Trust. The project has focused on rehabilitating the riparian area of a small un-named creek that flows to Simmos Beach on the Georges River.

The ‘Targeted improvement of the Georges River food web’ project funded by NSW DPI has so far been a success!  As part of the project, the species, Sporobolus virginicus which inhabits upper saltmarsh areas is being planted on degraded shorelines throughout the Georges River estuary.  As these plants start to establish they will help to provide habitat and a food source for native fish as highlighted in a number of peer reviewed studies.

Volunteers are revegetating Chipping Norton Lake to feed fish in the Georges River.

Thousands of baby Sporobolus plants have been planted along the southern foreshore of Chipping Norton Lake by Conservation Volunteers Australia, with the help of Georges Riverkeeper and Liverpool City Council.