The health and resilience of one of southern Sydney’s most important waterways is set to receive a major boost, after Liverpool City Council secured a $665,000 grant from the NSW Government to support the Georges River Estuary Coastal Management Program.
Mayor, Ned Mannoun, welcomed the funding, saying it marked a significant step forward in protecting the Georges River for future generations.
“As current host Council for the Georges Riverkeeper program, we are proud to have secured this vital funding boost on behalf of the seven partners who collaborate to improve the environmental health of the Georges River,” Mayor Mannoun said.
“This investment allows us to continue leading the charge in preserving and restoring this critical waterway, while delivering real, on-the-ground results for our residents and the broader region.”
The Georges River Estuary Coastal Management Program will provide a comprehensive roadmap for improving the river’s ecological health, social amenity and climate resilience.
It is part of the Council’s commitment to the Georges Riverkeeper program, which ensures a coordinated and collaborative management of the river system across the region.
The funding comes from the NSW Government’s Coastal and Estuary Grants Program, which provides technical and financial support to local councils.
“It’s wonderful that Georges Riverkeeper will be able to deliver this project on behalf of its Member Councils and thanks Liverpool Council for taking a lead role in obtaining the grant. It’s imperative that a coordinated approach is taken across council boundaries to ensure outcomes benefit the estuary as a whole,” said Georges Riverkeeper Program Manager, Neil Graham.
“Georges Riverkeeper has consistently delivered for Member Councils in leading best practice management for urban waterways, and this project is another opportunity to continue this work for waterway health.”
Members of the Georges Riverkeeper Group include:
- Bayside Council
- City of Canterbury-Bankstown
- Fairfield City Council
- Georges River Council
- Liverpool City Council
- Sutherland Shire Council
- Campbelltown City Council
- Sydney Water
The Georges Riverkeeper program plays a vital role in protecting and enhancing the health of the Georges River and its surrounding catchment, which spans across southern and south-west Sydney. The program takes a coordinated regional approach to managing the river’s complex environmental challenges.
Established to promote the long-term sustainability of the river system, Georges Riverkeeper undertakes a wide range of activities focused on improving water quality, restoring ecosystems, and supporting biodiversity. This includes bush regeneration, litter and pollution removal, riverbank stabilisation, erosion control, and the rehabilitation of wetlands and estuarine environments.
The program’s flagship initiative, ‘Zero Litter in Georges River’, was awarded the Litter Prevention / Clean Waterways category at the 2023 Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Sustainable Cities Awards. This award acknowledges the program’s outstanding catchment‑wide approach to reducing litter entering the river via stormwater, including upgrading gross pollutant traps across multiple council areas, auditing dozens of GPTs, producing best‑practice guidance for the stormwater industry, and educating students through curriculum‑aligned activities and augmented reality artwork campaigns.
