September 1-28, 2024: Issue 634

 

Hawkesbury Nepean River Coastal Zone Management program: Feedback Sought - community sessions at Church Point, Bayview + Palm Beach this september & October


Photo: Pilatus PC-21A aircraft from No. 4 Squadron based at RAAF Base Williamtown turn on final heading to fly in formation over Sydney in support of a Royal Australian Air Force Centenary commemorative service held at the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park. Photographer: CPL Craig Barrett. March 2021 Hawkesbury floods

Council is inviting community members to view and comment on the Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program, which will be on open for community consultation for a period of 70 days from Monday 16 September 2024 to Sunday 24 November 2024.

The Hawkesbury-Nepean River system is a major social, environmental and economic asset for the state of New South Wales. This extensive estuary system encompasses the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, Pittwater, Brisbane Water and Broken Bay, which span the Greater Sydney and Hunter - Central Coast regions. 

The Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program is being delivered by six Partner Councils that contain the tidal waterways of the system – including Hawkesbury City Council, Central Coast Council, Hornsby Shire Council, Ku-ring-gai Council, The Hills Shire Council, and Northern Beaches Council.


Image; Snapperman Beach becomes the resting place for this couch - photo by and courtesy Cameron Greaves  March 25, 2021

The Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program is a five-stage process and is currently at stage three. Stage three aims to identify management actions to address the key issues facing the river system, and harness new opportunities for managing the river system in a collaborative, coordinated, and effective way.

After undertaking detailed engagement with First Nations Groups, state government agencies and upper catchment councils across the first half of 2024, the project is set to embark upon a 10-week program of community engagement, which will run from Monday 16 September until Sunday 24 November 2024. The community engagement will include 15 community face to face drop-in sessions across the six Local Government Area’s of the participating Councils, and an online community engagement portal.

The broad objectives of the CMP are stated below however it is anticipated that they may be refined during the development of the CMP to reflect stakeholder and community feedback:

  • to protect and enhance the integrity and resilience of the environmental values of the Hawkesbury River, Brisbane Water and Pittwater estuaries, including healthy, diverse aquatic ecosystems.
  • to maintain and protect water quality across the system and its impacts on environmental, social and economic values - including ecological condition, recreational amenity and agricultural uses;
  • to maintain and preserve the unique scenic amenity and natural character of the Hawkesbury River, Brisbane Water and Pittwater estuaries;
  • to support the social and cultural values of the system and maintain public access and recreational amenity;
  • to maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of those using the coastal zone (both directly and indirectly) - and to protect the health of human consumers of aquatic foods;
  • to acknowledge Aboriginal peoples’ spiritual, social, customary and economic use of the Hawkesbury and to protect local indigenous cultural heritage;
  • to recognise the coastal zone as a vital economic zone and to support sustainable coastal economies such as recreational fishing, aquaculture and tourism;
  • to facilitate appropriate management of the coastal zone through ecologically sustainable development, and the promotion of sustainable land use planning and decision-making that is consistent with regional and local strategic plans;
  • to mitigate current and future risks from population growth, urbanisation and coastal hazards (erosion and inundation of foreshores caused by tidal waters and the action of waves, including the interaction of those waters with catchment flooding);
  • to ensure co-ordination between relevant government and public authorities relating to the river system - and to facilitate the proper integration of management activities across all levels of government;
  • to maintain meaningful engagement with the community, and to support public participation in coastal management and planning, and to create greater public awareness, education and understanding of coastal processes and management actions;
  • to encourage and facilitate research and monitoring – and to maintain the scientific and educational values of the river system;
  • to support the objects of the Marine Estate Management Act 2014; and
  • to align with the NSW Risk-based Framework for Considering Waterway Health Outcomes in Strategic Land-use Planning Decisions.

How Can You Get Involved?

Online Engagement Portal:

• Share Your Ideas: Suggest potential management actions for the Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program.

• Give Your Feedback: Learn about the management actions proposed by our project team and provide your feedback.

• Explore Issues Big and Small: Zoom into your area of interest and provide ideas and feedback about local issues. You can also see what’s happening right across the river system.

• Need Help? Check out our brief instructions or watch a quick demonstration video to get started.

To comment online, please visit the project page, here: https://hawkesburynepeancmp.org/

Community Drop-In Sessions: 

Pittwater

  • Friday 27th September 2pm – 4pm Church Point Square, 2105 Pittwater Rd, Church Point
  • Saturday 5th October 9am – 11am Bayview Dog Park, 1670 Pittwater Rd, Bayview
  • Saturday 19th October 9am – 11am Palm Beach Wharf, 1149 Barrenjoey Rd, Palm Beach

Lower Hawkesbury

  • 26th September 8am - 4pm Hornsby Organic Food Market, Hornsby Mall
  • 29th September 9am - 1pm Second-Hand Hornsby Market, Jersey Lane, Hornsby
  • 3rd October 9am - 2pm Wisemans Ferry Boat Ramp, Old Northern Road, Wisemans Ferry
  • 4th October 9am – 1pm Parsley Bay Boat Ramp, 25 Karoola St, Brooklyn
  • 4th October 2pm – 5pm The Cottage, 10 Dangar Rd, Brooklyn
  • 9th October 12noon – 5pm Berowra Waters Marina, 199 Bay Rd, Berowra Waters
  • 19th October 10am – 3pm Sustainable Futures Day, Cameron Park, 5 Eastern Rd, Turramurra

Central Coast

  • 21st September 10am - 1pm 58 Aruluen Dr, Hardys Bay
  • 11th October 3pm - 6pm Dunkirk Hotel, 4666 Wisemans Ferry Rd, Spencer 
  • 13th October 9am - 4pm Woytopia @ Woy Woy South School, 14 Waterloo Ave, Woy Woy
  • 20th October 9am - 2pm Umina Beachside Markets, Sydney Ave, Umina
  • 24th October 9am - 9pm Erina Fair, outside Shaver Shop, 620 Terrigal Dr, Erina
  • 26th October 9am - 12noon The Bays RFS Brigade, 17 Wattle Cres, Phegans Bay
  • 2nd November 9am - 12noon Patonga Wharf (Blues across the Bay), 12 Patonga Drive, Patonga
  • 10th November 10am - 4pm Brisbane Water Oyster Festival, Lions Park, 2 N Burge Rd, Woy Woy
  • 12th November 9am - 1pm Lakes Festival Cleanaway Pop-up, Kibble Park, 118 Donnison St, Gosford
  • 16th November 4 pm - 10pm Lakes Festival Gather & Groove, Lions Park, 2 N Burge Rd, Woy Woy
  • 24th November 9am - 12noon Lions Park, 10 Masons Parade, Gosford