Watsons Bay from north end

New Crown Land Resources – Development on Foreshore

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The Crown Lands Compliance Strategy & Monitoring Unit has recently released three new resources on the Development on foreshore Crown land and waterways. This applies to all waterfront land below the mean high-water mark. To build any new structures or alter any existing structures on Crown lands or waterways, you first need to gain consent from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment as the landowner.

For further information see the new Crown Land resources below:

  • Information Sheet – Development on foreshore Crown land and waterways, Information for waterfront landowners
  • Brochure – Development on foreshore Crown land and waterways
  • Flyer – Storage devices on foreshore Crown land and waterways
Swarovski Waterschool Australia Flyer

Swarovski Waterschool Australia

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Earthwatch Australia has become the delivery partner for the Swarovski Waterschool Australia program. This global program began in Austria in 2000, and now spans eight countries across six continents.

Swarovski Waterschool seeks to empower children and their communities around the world to become water ambassadors by providing tools and training that address their local water challenges.

Local delivery partner, Earthwatch Australia, are currently accepting applications from teachers at ALL schools in New South Wales to participate in the Swarovski Waterschool Australia program.

This program aligns with Reconciliation NSW objectives, the Australian Curriculum, and several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The 15 successful schools will receive teacher relief grants, travel grants, Indigenous and Environmental education, peer-teaching skills and experience, and three schools will set up on-ground environmental action projects. There will be opportunities to host events, share success stories with students around the globe, and gain access to the Swarovski Waterschool Global Curriculum to enhance classroom learning.

If your school is interested in becoming a Waterschool, click the link to apply before 31 March 2022.

For more information, contact Hannah: hgentle@earthwatch.org.au

Global Spotlight on Sydney Harbour Film!

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The film Sweet water, salt water, Sydney water. How do we sustain a healthy harbour? has been shortlisted by tve (Television for the Environment) for the GSFA 2021 (Global Sustainability Film Awards) in London.

The film was originally developed for the Greater Sydney Harbour Coastal Management Program, currently project managed by the Sydney Coastal Councils Group.

Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock welcomed the news stating,

“What an amazing achievement by all involved, in particular the twenty councils within the Greater Sydney Harbour catchment that are collaborating with state agencies to develop a whole-of-system CMP for Greater Sydney Harbour,” Mrs Hancock said.

“This beautiful film seamlessly presents the tireless efforts of so many community groups, organisations and sectors of both State and Local Governments to improve the health of the largest natural harbour in the world – Sydney Harbour.”

The nominated video can be viewed here.

Full media release can be viewed here.

Winners of the #LoveYourWaterways Announced!

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Thank you to everyone who entered the #LoveYourWaterwaysSydney Instagram photo competition and CONGRATULATIONS to our winners! You can check out the winning photos in the gallery below.

It’s so pleasing to see people in our community actively helping to improve our waterways.

We have awarded five prizes, winners were able to choose a $100 gift voucher from a local store such as a community nursery, bookshop, car wash, pet store or eco-store.

Love Your Waterways is a community campaign that encourages people to take up five simple actions to prevent litter, pet waste, gardening materials, chemicals and other pollutants from entering our waterways.

The campaign is proudly presented by: Cooks River Alliance, Georges Riverkeeper, Parramatta River Catchment Group, and Sydney Coastal Councils Group.

A big thank you also to our member Councils for their support during the campaign.

Have your say on Litter!

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Do you want to contribute to litter free waterways? We are developing a Litter Prevention Strategy that covers the Greater Sydney Harbour and Parramatta River to help stop litter from entering our waterways and flowing into the ocean. To have your say on this issue and help guide how litter can be better managed and reduced by councils and the community, please complete the Regional Litter Prevention Community Survey.

It should take less than 10 minutes and you can enter to win one of four $75 vouchers to be used at the online store Flora and Fauna. Please fill out your details at the end of the survey and entries must be received by 31st of August 2021.  The project is funded by the NSW Environment Protection Authority.

 

To find out more about the Greater Sydney Harbour Regional Litter Prevention Strategy, visit our Project Page.

SCCG Councils excelling in Planning!

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Several of SCCG Member Councils have been acknowledged for their innovation in the space of Planning at the recent 2021 Greater Sydney Planning Awards.

Randwick Council received two commendations for their Precinct Collaboration Area Zero Emissions Strategy and Maroubra’s two-million-liter stormwater re-use system in the Place-based Collaboration and Development Supported by Infrastructure categories. In the Planning Disruptor category, Waverley Council was announced as the winner for their Future Proofing residential Development to Climate Change initiative. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the 2021 Greater Sydney Planning Awards!

To find out more about each of these initiatives, visit the Awards page.

Coastal and Estuary Grants Program Open for 2021-22

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The 2021-22 Coastal and Estuary Grants Program funding round is now open for applications.

 

What will be funded?

Coastal and Estuary Planning

  • develop a Coastal Management Program (CMP)
  • studies to understand coastal processes and map coastal hazards/coastal vulnerability area
  • studies to understand threats to the objectives of coastal management areas within the NSW coastal zone
  • investigations and designs or cost benefit analyses for infrastructure works recommended in a certified CMP

Applications are open to be submitted at any time up until 30 June 2022

 

Implementing works

For areas with a certified Coastal Zone Management Plan or Coastal Management Program:

  • erosion reduction management and beach nourishment
  • actions to reduce future risk from coastal hazards
  • habitat restoration and conservation
  • management and stabilisation of dune systems

Applications for implementing works close 5pm on 17 August 2021

 

There have also been changes made the the grant application guidelines, so applicants are encouraged to review the guidelines thoroughly prior to submitting their grant application. Applications should be submitted through the online Grants Management System.

 

For more information, please visit the DPIE Website.

Working together to address unauthorised development on foreshore Crown land and waterways

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Department of Planning Industry and Environment – Crown Lands recently released a request for all coastal councils via email.

The request centres around helping to manage the growing amount of apparent unauthorised development occurring along coastal waterways, particularly adjoining freehold properties. Crown Lands requests that councils insert a deferred or standard condition in all development consents that relate to works located on foreshore Crown land and waterways. The condition would refer the applicant back to the department to enable licencing before construction takes place.

The request may be accessed here. For further information contact Crown Lands on 1300 886 235 or email to cl.compliance@crownland.nsw.gov.au

5th WSC Conference – Water Sensitive Practice. Every city. Every day

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The conference will be held 15–18 March 2021 and will both celebrate how far our cities have come and explore the next steps.

The 5th Water Sensitive Cities Conference, will involve

  • Learn from case studies, particularly transferable insights about what worked well and what we’d do differently
  • Build networks within and between states, so that these lessons can flow
  • Showcase the most recent tools emerging from the CRCWSC, and explore how industry has begun to use and evolve them
  • Explore how others have scaled up sustainability practice, and what this means for water sensitive cities

A draft program can be found here.

The program includes an interactive online conference, in person session hubs across Australian cities and a range of opportunities to network and participate to keep the conference engaging.

Conference registration ranges from $154 for 1 day to $524 for full 4 day conference. Book before 15 January and use the code EARLYBIRD2021 to receive 15% off your registration cost.

Full details are provided at the CRC for Water Sensitives Cities website.

Is your Site Right?

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Forecast wet weather signals need for builders to Get the Site Right

With higher than average rainfall predicted for Sydney and surrounding regions throughout the remainder of 2020, builders and home renovators are urged to get their sites right to avoid needless pollution of local waterways.

Forecasts from the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology show a high chance of La Niña developing in the coming months, as well as a positive Southern Annular Mode, which will bring wetter than average conditions across much of eastern Australia, particularly during October.[1]

To prepare for the spring and summer rainfall surge, councils, the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) will be conducting a one-day inspection blitz of building sites across Sydney and the Hunter Coast on Wednesday, 21 October, as part of the Get the Site Right campaign.

The campaign encourages developers, builders and home renovators to implement erosion and sediment controls to prevent sediment runoff from being washed or blown off their sites into stormwater drains and out to local creeks and rivers.

The one-day blitz aims to build on the results of the month-long Get the Site Right campaign in May 2020 which showed a 10 per cent improvement in compliance rates from the previous year.

EPA Director Regulatory Operations Metropolitan, Giselle Howard, said sediment runoff has a significant impact on the environment and can be costly for builders and developers.

“Large building sites can lose up to four truckloads of soil in one storm if not properly contained,” Ms Howard said.

“This is a considerable waste of building material and money which is literally going down the drain – and can also expose builders and developers to significant fines for poor site compliance.

“The impact of sediment runoff on the environment is considerably higher, harming precious aquatic life and eroding creeks and riverbanks, and also damaging stormwater infrastructure which can be expensive to repair.”

Now in its fifth year, Get the Site Right is a joint program between the Cooks River Alliance, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Georges Riverkeeper, EPA, Parramatta River Catchment Group, Sydney Coastal Councils Group, Sydney councils and Lake Macquarie Council.

Members of the public who may be out exercising near our waterways are encouraged to report pollution incidents, including poor sediment control, to their local council or the EPA’s 24/7 Environment Line on 131 555.

[1]  http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/outlooks/