Mid Georges River Urban Sustainability Initiative

 

    

 

The Mid Georges River Sustainability Initiative (MGRSI) aims to create a healthy, balanced ecosystem and a shared vision for the Georges River by the community, stakeholders and all levels of government. 

Overview

In 2007, Bankstown and Sutherland Councils, along with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Georges River Combined Councils Committee (GRCCC) successfully secured $1.8 million over three years through the Environmental Trust's Urban Sustainability Program to help improve the management and health of the mid Georges River. 

The project incorporates both state and local levels of government for the management of two sub-catchments of the Georges River.  It will address the responsibilities of all stakeholders, involve the local community and Aboriginal groups in decision-making and provide a means of information and resource sharing amongst project partners/participants.

Community and stakeholder participation will be a key focus throughout the duration of the project to ensure an overall understanding of human impacts on the local and wider Georges River environment.

For more information on the Mid Georges River Sustainability Initiative, contact Jenna Hore, Project Manager on 9707 9700.

The Project Sites

The Mid Georges River Sustainability Initiative is focusing on two sub-catchments of the Mid-Georges River - Mill Creek and Yeramba Lagoon.

 Mill Creek Map (592.72kB)   Yeramba Lagoon Map (817.40kB) 

Mill Creek and Yeramba Lagoon represent two very different eco-regions of the Mid-Georges River Catchment.  Both are heavily impacted by a number of different land use activities resulting in environmental degradation and requiring long-term management.

The sites require on-going management to minimise the urban stormwater impacts on the existing infrastructure and natural waterways, and to alleviate the impacts of damaging recreational activities.

This project will address long-term management objectives of the two project locations to ensure:

• A balance of competing demands (recreational, environmental and commercial);
• Education and empowerment of the community, stakeholders and government organisations on their responsibilities over the health of the Georges River;
• Long-term reduced need for maintenance and costs by moving towards a more sustainable environment;
• The creation of a framework for the management of other sub-catchments within the Georges River catchment area. 

Objectives

The overall objective is for the River to attain a balanced ecosystem with a healthy foreshore, through initiatives developed with stakeholders and the community for long-term sustainability.  It will provide a framework for balancing the competing uses including recreation (motor bikes, 4WDs), environmental amenity and protecting wildlife corridors. Restoration initiatives aim for a long-term improvement in river health.

The major project objectives are as follows:

• Multi-disciplinary information exchange and decision-making;
• Improved urban water management;
• Improved health of the Georges River; it’s tributaries and the quality of the urban environment;
• Greater community ownership and engagement;
• Long-term sustainable management.  

Strategic Management Plans/Masterplans

To assist the project to achieve it's objectives and to provide strategic direction for management of the two project sites both now and in the longer-term, sub-catchment masterplans have been produced. The Masterplans have been developed in consultation with various stakeholders from each sub-catchment and have identified management options to:

• Reduce the impacts of stormwater in the sub-catchment and identify opportunities for Water Sensitive  Urban Design (WSUD);
• Enhance habitat, vegetation communities and manage noxious and environmental weeds within the sub-catchment;
• Enhance passive recreational use;
• Improve the overall environmental and aesthetic values of the sub-catchment;
• Involve synergies between environmental restoration and flood mitigation works.

The masterplans also identify any constraints to the long-term management of the sub-catchment.

You can download the Yeramba Lagoon Sub-catchment Masterplan below. The Mill Creek Masterplan will be available soon.

 Yeramba Masterplan part 1 (8.63MB)

 Yeramba Masterplan part 2 (19.29MB)

 Yeramba Masterplan part 3 (3.72MB)

 Yeramba Masterplan part 4 (12.42MB)

Education Strategy

To guide education and engagement activities for the length of the project, education strategies were produced. Over the next year, various activities will be undertaken within the community to raise awareness about the areas and their importance. There will be particular focus on the impact of day-to-day activities on the catchments.

Key activities proposed for each catchment are outlined below.

Yeramba Lagoon

Re-establish Friends of Yeramba - This group will be made up of volunteers from the surrounding catchment with the aim of undertaking regular bush regeneration activities, getting involved in community education initiatives and encouraging neighbours to reduce their impact on the Lagoon and River. This group will be launched in May 2010. For more information, contact Jenna Hore on 9707 9700.

Stormwater Drain Stencilling - We will be stencilling around the drains in key locations throughout the Yeramba Catchment with messages and images to remind people that what goes down the drain ends up in our creeks and rivers. That means that whatever you put on your garden, foot path and road eventually makes it's way into a local waterway.

Mill Creek

Mill Creek - Treading Lightly Photographic Competition - To help raise the profile of the catchment and increase peoples appreciation of the beauty and importance of the area, a photographic competition and associated activities will be held in Mid 2010. You can download the flyer here soon.

Signage- Signage will be placed at various locations around the catchment, encouraging residents to report illegal 4wd and Trail Bike activity in the Bushland. These recreational vehicles cause significant erosion problems in the bushland, destroying native vegetation and habitats, and muddying our creeks and rivers. By making this a socially unacceptable activity except in authorised areas, we will help to reduce the impact they are having on our local environment.