PARRAMATTA RIVER CATCHMENT GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019 A WORD FROM OUR CHAIR The 2018-19 year has the delivery model from a single event hosted by been a momentous one one council to a 10-day celebration of the river with for the Parramatta River more than 2,400 people taking part in 17 events Catchment Group (PRCG) held by 24 councils and community groups across with the finalisation and the catchment. launch of the Parramatta We have also collaborated with our member River Masterplan in councils and other catchment groups on projects October 2018. The such as our fifth Get the Site Right campaign in May, event was attended by where we have achieved our best results to date more than 140 people with 63 per cent of sites found to be compliant – and celebrated the culmination of four years a 13 per cent increase on the previous campaign. of strategic planning, research, community This improvement highlights the importance of engagement and stakeholder collaboration. ongoing education and enforcement to prevent A highlight of the launch was the announcement runoff from entering our local waterways. of the three new swim sites for the Parramatta In a year filled with so many highlights and River: Bayview Park, McIlwaine Park and Putney achievements it is important that I acknowledge Park. I would like to thank all the individuals the contribution of Sarah Holland Clift who was and organisations who contributed their time, the PRCG Coordinator for five years. During that expertise, local knowledge and feedback to the time Sarah worked tirelessly to progress the development of the Masterplan. Masterplan for the Parramatta River, securing The Masterplan launch took place as part of the the support of more the 35 partner agencies and International Riversymposium, which was held in raising awareness of the Our Living River initiative Sydney for the first time. The Parramatta River through her advocacy on issues affecting the river Masterplan was a finalist in the Thiess Australasian and catchment. Sarah finished in January 2019 Riverprize and narrowly missed out to the equally and I thank her for her incredible passion and the worthy Whangawehi Catchment Management dedication she brought to the PRCG and her role. Group (WCMC) from New Zealand, who won this As we progress our delivery of the Masterplan, I year’s prize. wish to say a heartfelt thank you to all our member The second half of the year has been devoted to agencies, community groups and individuals the implementation of the Masterplan, which is an for your contribution in 2018-19 and continued exciting new phase for the PRCG and our partner commitment to achieving our mission to make the agencies. Sydney Water has taken the lead to Parramatta River swimmable again by 2025. deliver the Masterplan and considerable progress has already been made in many of the Ten Steps to a Living River, including the launch of the Riverwatch monitoring program. Throughout the year we have continued to engage and educate the community, especially during the Cr Mark Drury popular Riverfest program. In 2018, we changed Parramatta River Catchment Group Chair Cover image: artist impression of McIlwaine Park foreshore upgrade and Brays Bay river access improvements. 2 RECOGNITION OF THE RIVER’S TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS We would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Parramatta River catchment area and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living on the land today. Their lore, traditions and customs have led to the bountiful land, rivers and ocean we all enjoy today. THE PARRAMATTA RIVER CATCHMENT GROUP The Parramatta River Catchment Group is an alliance of councils, government agencies and community groups, who are working together to improve the Parramatta River and the creeks that flow into it. In 2014, we launched the Our Living River initiative with a new vision, purpose and mission: Little Coogee, Parramatta 3 Parramatta River Masterplan Launch The Parramatta River Masterplan was launched on – Cr Mark Drury, PRCG Deputy Chair – Cr Penny 18 October at The Connection in Rhodes, as part of Pederson, City of Ryde Mayor – Jerome Laxale, City the International Riversymposium and our annual of Canada Bay Deputy Mayor – Cr Charles Jago and Riverfest. More than 140 representatives from our PRCG Coordinator – Sarah Holland Clift. member agencies and other related community Guests were entertained by the dynamic Junkyard groups attended the event. Beats who provided a high-energy routine using Master of Ceremonies, gardening guru Costa recycled items. The comical duo from Circus Solarus Georgiadis, added his customary levity to the added a whimsical touch to the event with their formalities and spoke passionately about the colourful Hawaiian shirts and swimming accessories. importance of making the river swimmable again. Finally, the moment arrived to announce the location Key speakers included: Member for Parramatta – of the three new swimming sites to be opened by Dr Geoff Lee, Sydney Water General Manager, 2025! Mayor Laxale and Cr Pederson revealed the Liveable City Solutions – Paul Plowman, PRCG Chair new site at Putney Park, Putney, and Cr Jago unveiled 4 Junkyard Beats in action Dr Geoff Lee, Member for Parramatta the sites at Bayview Park, Concord and McIlwaine Reveal of the McIlwaine Park swim site Park at Rhodes East. There was strong media interest in the Masterplan launch, generating over 150 syndicated media items across all platforms, including coverage in the news bulletins of all four television networks. The launch was a fitting celebration of this important milestone and the considerable amount of work that went into the development of the Masterplan. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the event such a successful and memorable day, and particularly to City of Canada Bay for providing the venue at short notice. PRCG team launches the Masterplan 5 1 Parramatta River Parramatta River Sites to be Swim Sites Catchment Area activated by 2025 Sites already open Potential 2 for swimming swimming sites 3 PARRAMATTA RYDE 4 6 5 8 9 HUNTERS HILL 7 AUBURN 10 13 11 14 1. Lake Parramatta 9. Putney Park 2. Little Coogee 10. Cabarita Park beach 16 3. Parramatta CBD 11. Quarantine Reserve 12 4. MacArthur St Bridge 12. Bayview Park CANADA BAY 5. Silverwater Park 13. Henley Baths 15 6. Meadowbank 14. Chiswick Baths 7. McIlwaine Park 15. Callan Park 8. Kissing Point Park 16. Dawn Fraser Baths LEICHHARDT CATCHMENT-WIDE PLANNING & RESEARCH Establishing the pathways to make the river swimmable again through the development of the Parramatta River Masterplan. The Parramatta River Masterplan sets out our agreed actions to fulfill our mission to make the Parramatta River swimmable by 2025. It is based on extensive scientific research and community consultation, which has been undertaken over several years. Following the completion of Stage 1 research and reports, Stage 2 focused on using the evidence gathered to make decisions on the actions, pathways and targets needed to form the final Masterplan. Stakeholder engagement Costa Georgiadis at the Masterplan launch Stakeholders have been engaged at each step of members has been given an opportunity to input at the process due to the collaborative nature and each quarterly PRCG Full Group meeting and at key structure of the PRCG. Numerous local and state stakeholder workshops. government agencies have contributed financial We have also engaged with the community through and/or in-kind contributions towards elements online voting, surveys, events and community of the plan, with Sydney Water and the EPA being desirability workshops, as well as through the most significant financial contributors. Cross- community representation on the PRCG. Over agency technical groups have peer-reviewed 15,000 community members have been involved in each research project and the PRCG Full Group at least some elements of the process. 6 In August 2018 the PRCG undertook community consultation on the Ten Steps to a Living River, which form the basis of the Parramatta River Masterplan. To support the consultation, we developed the Ten Steps to a Living River brochure, social media video, engagement survey and display materials. Face-to-face engagement was held at seven community events across the Parramatta River catchment and online engagement was conducted via the Our Living River website, social media platforms and e-newsletter as well as several of our partner agency websites and ‘Our Say’ pages. People were invited to tell us what they think by completing our engagement survey and/or sharing their memories. Overall, survey responses and feedback was very supportive of the Masterplan recommendations. swimmable again. A report summarising the public The draft Parramatta River Masterplan was exhibition feedback of the Masterplan was produced launched for public exhibition from 18 October to and distributed in March 2019. 29 November 2018 and was accompanied by an online survey. There were 194 responses to the The updated Masterplan was reprinted and online survey and seven formal submissions made by distributed in March 2019. Member agencies councils during the public exhibition period. were invited to seek formal endorsement of the Masterplan within their own organisations. Results showed that there was significant support for the Masterplan with agreement on the achievability We continue to engage with our stakeholders and of the vision, the importance of a collaborative the community on the delivery of the Masterplan approach and an uptake of behaviours that through our regular meetings, events and would contribute to making the Parramatta River communications channels. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS Undertook face-to-face and online Launched Parramatta River Masterplan community consultation on the Ten Steps for public exhibition from 18 October to to a Living River. 29 November 2018. Parramatta River Masterplan Governance Progress several Masterplan steps, including Working Group provided direction and launch of the Riverwatch monitoring guidance on the preferred governance program and the design and construction model.