A community celebrates waterway health

Healthy waterways and catchments keep local towns and communities thriving and the Waterway and Catchment Report Card is MidCoast Council’s opportunity to share the results of this annual health check.

Each year, MidCoast Council teams up with experts from the Office of Environment and Heritage to independently assess local waterways.

"These results help us keep track of the effectiveness of the many water quality projects we undertake each year with our community and partners," MidCoast Council natural systems manager, Gerard Tuckerman said.

This year's report card highlighted some of the great projects being undertaken to protect the waterways such as Forster’s Arlington constructed wetland which was helping to protect Wallis Lake from urban run-off.

Bulahdelah Plain Wetland is a significant conservation and water quality protection site, while local community groups and government agencies are working together on a fantastic litter clean-up project in Taree’s Browns Creek. 

The report card results are something to be celebrated by everyone together.

This year, the Waterways Report Card will be revealed at a free community breakfast in Bulahdelah on Saturday, November 10, followed by a tour of the Bulahdelah Plain Wetland  led by environmental experts.

Everyone is welcome to attend the breakfast, however bookings are essential.

In the weeks following the report card release MidCoast Council will host a number of free community activities and events to showcase the work being undertaken to improve the waterway health.

Once again, council has issued an open invitation to the community to join one or more of the free catchment celebration events, which is its way of thanking the community for supporting healthy waterways in the MidCoast LGA.

Events,  from Monday, November 12 until Saturday, November 24, will include a number of different wetland tours, a talk on the secret life of Forster's squirrel gliders, and a boat cruise of the Wallamba River, visiting riverbank restoration works.

Events will wrap-up with a hands-on environmental clean-up event at Browns Creek, Taree on Saturday, November 24 from 9.30am. 

"We're hoping that people keen to join us in beautifying Browns Creek will come along to a clean-up of the area," Mr Tuckerman said.

Refreshments will be provided.

Put these dates in your calendar. The events will be popular, so be quick to visit www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/reportcard to find out more and book your place today: