10 Kilometres of Wollondilly River to be restored

The project will be carried out on river frontage at "Arthursleigh", the Sydney University's 6,260-hectare property near Marulan.

Garry Hogan, HNCMA Program Manager, said the project will be a big boost to the health of the Wollondilly River by reducing nutrients entering the river system as well as protecting biodiversity in the region.

"Twenty-four kilometres of fencing will be erected to protect the river banks, improve water quality and provide a riparian wildlife corridor linking two large remnants of bushland," said Mr Hogan.

"There are significant areas of native bushland on the riverbanks which we will protect and enhance with a further 30 hectares direct seeded with native trees and shrubs.

"The huge scale of the project has only been made possible through many partners contributing to the work," said Mr Hogan.

The HNCMA will fund the fencing while Greening Australia will project manage the revegetation component of the project.

Over $141,000 funding has also been invested in the project by Accor Hotels, Macquarie Group Foundation - the philanthropic arm of Macquarie Group - and the Department of Environment and Climate Change.

Tim Beshara, Science Manager at Greening Australia, said the financial support from these corporate partners is most welcome.

"Greening Australia has partnered with Accor in their ‘Plant for the Planet' program, which will see 50% of the savings generated from a towel reuse in their hotels invested into the project.  The Macquarie Group Foundation has been supporting Greening Australia's River Recovery Program since 2007 and its generous support has allowed us to continue supporting important initiatives like this project," said Mr Beshara.

"Greening Australia is pleased to be part of such a significant project which will both improve water quality and protect and extend bushland in an area that has been identified as a biodiversity hotspot in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment," he said.

Steve Burgun, Arthursleigh Property manager, said for many years he had been looking for an opportunity to restore and protect the riverbanks on the property.

"Over the years Sydney University has carried out many soil conservation projects with the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment Management Authority to halt gully erosion and reduce sediment reaching the Wollondilly River," said Mr Burgun.

"But in the back of my mind was the importance of addressing issues down on the river where platypus have been regularly spotted using the waterway.

"Thanks to the efforts of this new corporate investment, the HNCMA and Greening Australia, this project will now become possible and should bring benefits to river users downstream."

"It will also have the added benefit of improving our livestock management on the property and land management.

Mr Burgun also said that Sydney University will establish a 100 hectare buffer of improved pastures adjacent to the project site to help control the potential spread of serrated tussock to the project area.

Media contact: Peter O'Malley 0414 611 792