Information about the Cooks River and how this project will improve it
How you can get involved to help improve the health of the river
Find out how local communities are involved in the project
marrickville
EC East Subcatchment
The OurRiver team is working on the Eastern Channel (EC) East Subcatchment within the Marrickville local government area. The Subcatchment covers parts of Enmore, Newtown and St Peters. It is bounded by Enmore Road to the north, Princes Highway to the south and King Street to the east. The western boundary of the Subcatchment cuts through the middle of Enmore Park (click here to see a map).
Current activities
The Tom Foster Community Centre’s new permeable car park
The OurRiver project and Marrickville Council recently teamed up to give the Tom Foster Community Centre’s car park a make-over. The new permeable paving not only looks good but will also allow stormwater to infiltrate through the car park’s surface where pollutants will be removed by an underground sand filter before the stormwater enters the drain that will deliver it to the Cooks River. Permeable paving is not the first water sensitive urban design technique to be put into practice at the Tom Foster Community Centre, the Centre also harvests rainwater and uses it to flush the toilets. Council uses this Centre to host its regular sustainability workshops. The Tom Foster Community Centre is located at 11 Darley Street in Newtown in the EC East Subcatchment, swing by and have a look!
Have a look at a video of the permeable paving in action here!
EC East Subcatchment Working Group
The EC East Subcatchment working group will come together to review the EC East Subcatchment Management Plan and prioritise the actions that are recommended in the Plan. The Plan is expected to be made available in August 2010 and a working group meeting will be scheduled sometime after August. If you would like more information, or would like to be involved in the working group, please contact the OurRiver team.
EC East Subcatchment Vision Sessions and Planning Forum
The Our River team along with Marrickville Council hosted a series of visioning sessions and a planning forum in 2009 for residents and stakeholders of the EC East Subcatchment. At the vision sessions and planning forum, residents were given an opportunity to create a future ‘2050′ vision and work with Council to develop long term plans for their Subcatchment and the Cooks River.
“In 2050 we are happy, recognise our dependence on natural systems and we value water. We have a profound sense of achievement with respect to the changes to our subcatchment and lifestyles. We are leaders in sustainable practice and innovative design. Our society is active and engaged, and collaborative processes have influence beyond the subcatchment.
In 2050, a holistic approach is taken in the design, maintenance and improvement of the local natural and built environment. All new development is considerate of future generations, and water sensitive technologies are familiar, affordable and widely used.
Our waterways, wetlands and green spaces are thriving urban ecosystems that support cultural activities, recreation or local food production.”
- EC East Subcatchment community vision
Subcatchment facts
Name: EC East (Eastern Channel East)
Population: 7,661
Area: 131 hectares
Land use: The Subcatchment area includes a variety of land uses including residential, commercial and industrial. There are also a number of parks, schools and St Peters railway station within the Subcatchment. This Subcatchment adjoins the Munni Street Subcatchment to the east within the City of Sydney local government area.
Part of the EC East Subcatchment covers what was once part of the large Gumbramorra Swamp. The swamp was an important site for the Aboriginal people from the Cadigal and Wangal clans who lived around the Cooks River area prior to European settlement.
Downloads
Click here to download a copy of the Planning EC East Subcatchment booklet – 26 pages (7MB)
Click here to view community water survey results for EC East Subcatchment
Click here to view the EC East Subcatchment community 2050 vision and associated goals.
Can't see the map? Click to download Adobe Flash player
A rain garden is a planted depression that absorbs rainwater runoff from impervious urban areas like roofs, driveways, footpaths and roads. Read more here
