Parramatta River Catchment Group

Hunter’s Hill Council is a member of the Parramatta River Catchment Group (PRCG), a regional organisation of local councils, state government agencies and community representatives whose aim is to work together to improve the health of the Parramatta River catchment.

Members of the PRCG include Blacktown City Council, Burwood Council, City of Canterbury-Bankstown, City of Canada Bay, City of Parramatta, City of Ryde, Cumberland Council, Hunter’s Hill Council, Inner West Council, Strathfield Council, Sydney Water, NSW Department of Planning and Environment and NSW Environment Protection Authority.

The PRCG undertakes regional initiatives that address various issues such as stormwater pollution, estuary health and the protection of biodiversity corridors. Members meet regularly to share technical information and manage collaborative projects aimed at improving the health of the Parramatta River, its water quality, natural areas and surrounding lands.

An initiative launched by the PRCG in 2014, Our Living River, is on a mission to bring back swimming to the Parramatta River by 2025. The PRCG has set a range of achievable targets in the aim of bringing currently unusable parts of the river and surrounding creeks back to life. Currently, the river west of Cabarita is un-swimmable, with the exception of Lake Parramatta.

The initiative is calling on the community to get involved by going to www.ourlivingriver.com.au, voting for your favourite swimming spot, and showing your support to bring the river and surrounding creeks back to their former glory.

The PRCG launched the Parramatta River Masterplan in October 2018. It can be found at the link below or downloaded at http://www.ourlivingriver.com.au/our-plan/parramatta-river-masterplan/ and includes actions under the following ten-step recommendations:

1. 1. Maintain, improve and promote the four current swim sites in the Parramatta River (i.e. Lake Parramatta, Cabarita Park Beach, Chiswick Baths and Dawn Fraser Baths).
   2. Agree and progress the establishment of the Riverwatch monitoring program for the Parramatta River.
   3. Establish three new swimming sites in the River by 2025.
   4. Establish a whole of catchment land use policy and statutory planning mechanisms.
   5. Adopt a regional approach to the installation, maintenance and reporting of stormwater infrastructure and water sensitive urban design (WSUD) infrastructure.
   6. Improve water quality outcomes through targeted wet weather overflow management, focused on those overflows impacting existing and proposed swimming sites.
   7. Undertake joint community education and compliance activities focused on reducing stormwater and point pollution where it is linked to community behaviour and actions.
   8. Maintain, improve and create new habitats for the Parramatta River catchment’s five iconic species (mascots) as indicators of water quality and catchment health.
   9. Undertake regular monitoring and report annually to stakeholders and the community on progress towards the Parramatta River Masterplan.
   10. Establish a more effective whole-of-government approach to the governance of the Parramatta River Masterplan with Sydney Water as the lead coordinating agency.

Parramatta River Masterplan – PDF

Our Living Catchment Native Habitats & Fauna- PDF

For more information visit the Our Living River website