RiverSmart Australia Ltd is a registered not-for-profit organisation  -  ABN 52 134 395 636

What we do

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RiverSmart's slogan of 'Rivers for people, wildlife and sustainability' conveys the key message of this initiative: mobilising people to take a more active role in revitalising our ailing rivers and floodplains.

Every Australian, irrespective of where we live, has an impact on the health of our rivers.  We've called this your 'river footprint^®'.

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Every Australian can also play a role in seeing our rivers and streams rehabilitated. 

RiverSmart aims to offer these opportunities, whether it be in your home, your workplace, your farm or your school.

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How can you and your family
get riversmart ?

It's simple - click on the links below to find out how to become a RiverSmart:

Household

School

Business

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How you can support our work

RiverSmart's Blue Bucket Fund gains status as a
tax deductible gift recipient

On 16 December 2009 RiverSmart Australia Ltd was added to the Government's Register of Environmental Organisations and can now offer prospective supporters of our work tax deductibility for their donations.  Any donations must be directed to our 'Blue Bucket Fund' and from there will be used for supporting our work, especially community-based projects in our current project areas (see at right for further details).  Alternatively you could ask for your donation to support one of our 'SponsorShop' projects submitted by a community organisation.  Contact us for details.

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Meet Macca's mate Muzza

A few weeks ago we introduced you to our cartoon river icon Macca the platypus.  Well now he's been joined by Muzza the Murray cod and together they'll be bringing you some important messages about river health over the coming years.

Thanks again to Gary Clark for his artwork.

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Are you made of money ?  No, well try these tips to save our precious water and your hip pocket.

Check the watering restrictions in your area before watering.  It may not be allowed, or your day to water may be tomorrow.

If you do water:

Try watering after dark, and don't over-water. 

Lawns and gardens don't need a drink for several days after good rain. 

Don't forget to turn off your automatic watering system during wet periods.

Use a tap timer so you don't forget the hose is on.

If hand watering use a hand-gun type spray nozzle.

Bulletin Board

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UPDATE

Gateway to the Marshes, Macquarie River Eco-cultural trail

Text of press release 28 June:

The not-for-profit organisation Riversmart Australia has today released the list of initial businesses and organisations that have supported this innovative regional push to boost eco-tourism focussed along the Macquarie River.  

"Since calling for supporters to help us further develop this concept a few weeks ago, we've been inundated with interest coming from the business and private sectors", said Dr Bill Phillips, CEO of RiverSmart.    

The recently completed feasibility study into the trail idea revealed that at present the region only attracts a very poor 0.2% of national tourism. If this can be boosted by a modest 15% it should flow through into close to $330 million injected into the local economy and about 330 jobs in the hospitality and related sectors over a three year period.

 "This is not a trail where you have checkpoints at either end," Dr Phillips stressed.  "We're saying, let's encourage people to stay longer, and spend more in the region.  Whether that's by paddling or riding from Wellington to Warren, going fishing for a week, trying the fine food and wine available along this corridor, having a cruise on the river, or simply soaking up the rich cultural heritage of the region, it doesn't matter what the 'hook' is.  We need to start marketing what we've got, and then adding to it with new businesses and infrastructure that highlight the rivers' natural assets." 

 Dr Phillips continued, "We put out a call for supporters to step up to help us move the trail from concept to reality and while we're still in need of more supporters, we wanted to let people know that this idea has clearly resonated strongly.  Most pleasing has been the spread of interest from Lake Burrendong to the Macquarie Marshes – the notional route of the eco-cultural trail." 
 

Those local organisations and businesses to date,
that have signed on to support this with cash, in-kind support or both are as follows: 

• Central West Catchment Management Authority

• Wellington Council
• Dubbo City Council
• Warren Shire Council
• Wellington Development Incorporated
• The Caves Bottle House
• Lake Burrendong State Park
• Friends of Burrendong Arboretum
• Lake Burrendong Sport and Recreation Centre
• The Bridge Motel Wellington
• Central West Off Road Bicycle Club
• Langley's Coaches and Cruises
• Macquarie River Food and Fibre
• 2DU and ZooFM
• Taronga Western Plains Zoo
• Lazy River Estate Winery
• West Dubbo Bowling Club
• Abel Tasman Motor Inn
• OEC Orana Education and Training Co-operative
• FlatChat News Narromine
• Willie Retreat Macquarie Marshes
   

Indications of support for the concept have also been received

from the following: 

• Department of Environment, Conservation, Climate Change and Water
• Tourism Advisory Group
• Dubbo City Development Corporation
• Dubbo Field Naturalists and Conservation Society
• Inland Waterways Rejuvenation Association
• Rotary Club of Narromine
• Dubbo Macquarie Bushcare Inc. 
• Alkane Resources

  To find out how you can become a supporter, ownload the information here (its a 1.5 megabyte pdf file).

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It's all go on the Macquarie River

RiverSmart's been there for two recent events on the Macquarie River.  The first was a Carp Muster held in Warren on 10-11 April (see photo below).  101 people came to fish with the biggest caught being 4.7kgs. A total of 167 carp weighing 205 kgs were removed from the river.  This was an initiative by the Central West CMA and NSW Department of Industry and Investment to raise awareness of plans to put in place a carp management strategy for the Macquarie Marshes.  Great stuff.

Then, on 2 May we were also there to support Dubbo's River Ride around the Tracker Riley bike track along the river.  Congratulations to Dubbo City Council, the RSL Club and Darrell Wheeler Cycles for making this happen.  As usual Macca was a big hit with the kids ! as you can see below.

The drought is not over !

Recent rains at the northern end of the Murray-Darling Basin have encouraged various commentators and a few politicians to declare that the prolonged drought is over.  Think again people.  While these rains are most welcome, and giving the parched northern areas a drink, not far south the rivers are still battling the impacts of drought and the over-allocation of water.

To highlight this we've just released a community service announcement on Youtube showing some of the very worst examples we know of where water deprived rivers have turned from vibrant community lifelines into dead and dying drains and dustbowls.

Thanks to all who helped pull this together - they're named at the end of the clip, so why not view it now through this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJW2CRms378

RiverSmart's regional initiatives

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Macquarie RiverSmart

(Central NSW - click the photo to find out more)

A relaxing paddle on the Macquarie River at Wellington

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Capital Region RiverSmart

(Canberra-Queanbeyan region - click here to find out about this overall initiative)

One of the serious contenders that took to the water in the Queanbeyan regatta - click the photo for more photos of the day.

It was standing room only in some locations at the Carp Out around Lake Burley Griffin. Click on the photo for more photos of the day.

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RiverSmart Shop now open for business

 You can now help promote and support our work at the same time through the RiverSmart shop.  See link above to visit and buy T-shirts featuring the design below and another one we can't mention here !

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Macquarie RiverSmart - your chance to get involved

RiverSmart's campaign on the Macquarie River is now moving to establish action groups along the river to get things moving at the local scale. 

In particular we want to hear from local organisations and business operators interested to come on board to support river festival events and local projects in Wellington, Dubbo, Narromine, Warren and in the Macquarie Marshes.  Contact our Macquarie RiverSmart Facilitator if interested (details via here).

Corporate social responsibility

We especially want corporate Australia to get behind this new approach, just as much as government.   This is the chance for corporate Australia to demonstrate social responsibility and help fund the work of RiverSmart. For opportunities to do this follow this link.