News

Georges Riverkeeper is excited to announce that we have a new Executive Group! Congratulations to our newly elected Chairperson, Cr. Michael Banasik (Wollondilly Shire Council) who served last year as Vice Chairperson, to new Vice Chairperson, Cr. Matt Stellino (Campbelltown City Council), and to Cr. Rey Manoto (Campbelltown City Council) who was re-elected Executive Treasurer for another year. We’re looking forward to working with you for the Georges River!

The Georges Riverkeeper Committee met in person on 31 March, 2022, for the first time since October last year, for the 2021 Annual General Meeting. There was much to discuss and but first we welcomed the 15 Councillors representing our local member councils. The evening began with presentation of our Annual Report 2020/21. Then the new Executive Group was elected. Congratulations to our newly elected Chairperson, Cr.

A new anti-litter project is in the works to prevent rain runoff from washing litter pollution into the Georges River, thanks Georges Riverkeeper and a $700,000 Environment Restoration Fund Program Grant from the Australian Government.

Georges Riverkeeper’s ‘Improving the Health of the Georges River: Zero Litter in Georges River’ project is tackling the stormwater pollution problem with a four-phase approach and support from local councils.

The extensive mangrove systems of the Georges River are now protected through legislation. Many people do not realise, much of what is remaining is owed to local campaigners from past decades: ordinary local people who put tremendous spirit and effort into advocating for the environment, and fought to protect the areas they loved. What does it take to save a threatened area, when others don't understand the complexity of interconnected ecosystems, and do not register the significance of what will be lost? What can everyday local people do?

David Reid (Georges Riverkeeper) has co-authored an article entitled, "Metal(loid) accumulation in the leaves of the grey mangrove (Avicennia marina): Assessment of robust sampling requirements and potential use as a bioindicator" which has been recently published by Elsevier in Environmental Research.

Everyone with a lawn will understand how quickly plants are growing at the moment and weeds are no exception. Despite this, the contractors at Prospect Creek Fish Habitat Action Grant site during March have done a great job at treating the invasive balloon vine between rainy days. The entire site has now had a primary treatment with secondary treatments underway. Unexpectedly, recent flooding seems to have knocked around the re-sprouting Balloon Vine with new leaves wilting under a layer of fine silt; time will tell if this has been an effective natural control method.

Fifty-eight tonnes! That’s the amount of litter removed from the catchment through Georges Riverkeeper’s partnership with Corrective Services NSW and local member councils in 2020-21. It's the equivalent of preventing 17 full garbage trucks of litter  from causing further damage across the river. The number of beaches, parks, mangroves and creek-lines where litter is removed through this program has increased, to 234, as has the number of buses going out to conduct this important community service work.