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strathfield

Strathfield South Subcatchment

OurRiver is working on the Strathfield South Subcatchment within the Strathfield local government area. This Subcatchment covers parts of Belfield, Chullora, Greenacre and Strathfield South (click here to see map).

Current Activities

A community planting day was held on Saturday 10th July for the Drew St raingardens in Greenacre (see photo below). The raingardens are the first in Strathfield LGA to be designed and constructed by Strathfield Council, and represent a significant achievement for all staff involved. The raingardens were funded by the NSW Environmental Trust through the OurRiver project and the federal government through the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority.

Drew Street Raingardens will not only beautify the street, they are also an important part of a larger plan to prevent stormwater pollution from entering Cox’s Creek and the Cooks River. In doing so they will contribute to the achievement of the Strathfield South Subcatchment 2050 community water vision (see below and Click here for more details).

Contact the OurRiver team to join the Strathfield South Subcatchment mailing list to receive updates about raingardens and other activities in the Subcatchment.

Collaborative planning

In 2008 the Our River team and Strathfield Council hosted a series of visioning sessions and a planning forum for Strathfield South Subcatchment residents and other stakeholders. At the vision sessions residents were given an opportunity to create a vision for water in their local area for 2050. At the planning forum residents, council staff and other stakeholders worked together to develop a list of goals and actions that would help achieve the 2050 community water vision. Click here to view the draft 2050 community water vision and associated goals and actions.

“Our community is well educated in sustainability and ndividuals are aware of their responsibility to care for the environment. Industry and residents are sustainable water users who live in harmony with the environment including the Cooks River which is an oasis enjoyed by all.”

- Strathfield South Subcatchment community vision

Subcatchment facts

Name: Strathfield South
Location: The Subcatchment includes parts of Belfield, Chullora, Greenacre and Strathfield South suburbs. The Subcatchment is bordered in the north by the Hume Highway, Roberts Rd to the west, Juno Parade and Punchbowl Rd in the south and the Cooks River itself to the east.
Population: 2,989
Area: 360 hectares
Land use: Just over 50% of the Subctachment area is commercial and industrial. The proposed Enfield Intermodal Logistics Centre itself takes up about a quarter of the Subcatchment. Against much local opposition the site will be developed by the Sydney Ports Corporation as a depot for the distribution of cargo containers. The Intermodal Logistics Centre site and a neighbouring industrial site both contain populations of the threatened Green and Golden Bell Frog. The rest of the Subcatchment area is made up of parks (mostly along the Cooks River and Cox’s Creek) and two small residential areas.

The OurRiver Team has collected information about the physical and social characteristics of this area and also reviewed the major organisations involved in the management of water and other environmental issues. This information was used in community forums to help develop a future vision and action plan for the subcatchment.