Coastal Management Program For Hawkesbury River Estuary Funded

A Coastal Management Program (CMP) for the entire Hawkesbury River estuary will be finalised thanks to a partnership between six local councils and an investment of $432,000 from the NSW Government.

Minister for Local Government, Wendy Tuckerman said the partnership would provide certainty for Hawkesbury River estuary communities.

“There are five stages in the development of a CMP, and this funding will provide the necessary resources to carry the Hawkesbury River estuary CMP from its current early stage all the way through to adoption when it reaches that point,” Mrs Tuckerman said.

“This is a fantastic example of collaboration between councils to help set the long-term strategy for the coordinated management of this river estuary, which is unique given the foreshore areas contain significant forest with little to no foreshore development.”

The councils involved in the project currently at stage two are Central Coast Council, Hawkesbury City Council, Hornsby Council, The Hills Shire Council, Ku-ring-gai Council and Northern Beaches Council.

The five stages of a CMP are:

• Identify the scope of a CMP;
• Determine risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities;
• Identify and evaluate options;
• Prepare, exhibit, finalise, certify and adopt the CMP; and
• Implement, monitor, evaluate and report.

Councils can apply for funding at any time during the financial year to undertake planning and studies and funding is provided at a 2:1 ratio, with $2 contributed from the State Government for every $1 provided by the council.

• Topics:

• Grant / Funding
• Environmental Issues