1.2.2 World Environment Day - St Marys Primary School Eaglevale World Environment Day presentations - Verlie Fowler attended their World Environment Day event (June 11) and made a successful presentation on behalf of the GRCMC. Verlie Flower noted it was a really worthwhile exercise and that the CMC should do more of these next year.

1.2.4 Wollondilly Bushfire Risk Management Planning Subcommittee - Rob unable to attend. Tim Carroll to attend instead but not available for report.

1.2.5 Voyager Point site inspection and meeting May 26 (Wednesday) 3 pm, Delphin site office- Verlie Fowler, Sharyn Cullis, Don Syme attended.. See 5.1.

1.2.6 Illawarra Shooters Range - request to new DUAP Minister for Commission of Inquiry.. Done. Awaiting response.

1.2.7 Kurnell Peninsula- Integrated Resort site, Cronulla - Jill McNeill to draft letter to Sutherland Council requesting more information about the situation and note need for Commission of Inquiry. Jim Towart to provide additional information for letter.

1.2.8 Planning Green Paper -Copies were circulated at the last meeting Feedback awaited to assist in drafting of GRCMC comments. See 6.1.6.

1.2.9 Lower Georges River Stormwater Management Plan SWMP - Jim Towart reviewed plan and forwarded comments to Co-ordinator. These comments have been added to and forwarded to the relevant Councils and the Consultant (SKM).

1.2.10 Woronora SWMP - Ian Ford to review plan and forward comments to Co-ordinator. Done, Comments forwarded.

1.2.11 Salt Pan Creek SWMP - Philip Sansom to review and forward comments to Co-ordinator - to be done.

1.2.12 Prospect Creek SWMP - Glenn Watson to review Plan and forward comments to Co-ordinator - Done.

1.2.13 Sydney Water - Environment Management Plan for Liverpool STP upgrade - Jill McNeill to review and provide comments - underway. Met with proponent to discuss.

1.2.14 Bankstown Airport Ltd - Preliminary Draft Environment Strategy - Glenn Watson has reviewed. Comments will be forwarded by Co-ordinator.

1.2.15 Riverkeeper Program - Hacking River - Jill McNeill to liaise with Hacking River CMC over concerns at the general direction of the Hacking Riverkeeper program and seek their views on the matter. See 1.3.1

1.2.16 Small Projects Assessment Subcommittee - Co-ordinator, Glenn Watson, Philip Sansom, Rob Michie, Scott Renwick and Peter Trelaggan to meet to assess. Date to be set. See 4.2.

1.3 Business Arising from the Minutes

1.3.1 Hacking Riverkeeper /GRCCC- Jill McNeill reported that she had contacted Peter Wells. Peter Wells said he had made a presentation to Council about a Riverkeeper for the Hacking River and was hopeful of a model similar to the Georges River. NSW Waterways has contributed in kind. The Committee wondered why Sutherland Council was willing to put $60,000 into the Hacking Riverkeeper and not as keen on contributing into the Georges Riverkeeper.

1.3.1.2 Most Councils tend to contribute if the other Councils do too. Bankstown will contribute to the program. Richard McLoughlin is the new President of the Georges River Combined Councils Committee. The Deputy President position is vacant and will be filled at the next GRCCC meeting

1.3.1.2 The PhD study has been dropped. It was thought that the study of core samples from dredged sites would not add greatly to the body of knowledge about the river. A volunteer scientist from the Riverkeeper Program will do a literature search and the Riverkeeper Program will be reevaluated and refocussed.

1.4.2.2 The Committee APPROVED payment of accounts from Signature Gourmet Food for sandwiches $45-00.

1.4.2.3 DLWC have requested payment of an old invoice to the value of $1,400-00. Jill McNeill and Kris Smith checked through records to see if a payment has been made and found a larger, related invoice. It was explained that originally a much larger invoice was issued to be shared between the Hacking and Georges River CMCs. However, the split of the individual components for each CMC to pay was not correct. DLWC were to reissue a corrected invoice separately to each CMC. To date this has not been received. Should it be correct that payment is due on this account the Committee APPROVED payment of $1,400-00 should investigations prove it has not already been paid.

1.4.2.4 Account Signatories - with Marina Peterson’s departure, a new signatory will be required. Rob Michie, Sharyn Cullis and Jill McNeill are currently signatories. Glenn Watson volunteered to be a new signatory.

1.4.2.5 The Committee APPROVED payment of $ 80-00 for the GRCMC to become a member of the Stormwater Industry Association.
 
 
 
 

2 CORRESPONDENCE

1.5.2 EPA - Grants for Stormwater Initiatives - 6 Grants of up to $17,000 will be available for stormwater grants. For more information ring EPA - Phil Smith 9325-5605.

1.5.3 Minister for Land and Water Conservation - rollover of GRCMC membership until December 31, 1999 - Copies of this letter were sent out with the agenda papers. In the current climate of review and uncertainly, it was not unexpected.

1.5.4` Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning - DUAP will decline GRCMCs offer to mediate in the Illawarra Shooters Range issue.

1.5.5.1 Bankstown Bushland Society Inc - request for advice over issue of airport land exchange - An area where the BBS has been doing bush regeneration will be exchanged for lands so that netball/basketball courts can be expanded. A road will go through the site and will not actually touch the bush regeneration works. The road may end up leading to an industrial site, although Clr McLoughlin stressed that no bushland would be lost by construction of the road. The road would be one-way (in only). The airport may eventually want an exit road. The land swap was on the basis of land value not area.

1.5.5.2 The Committee in this instance can only provide general, in principle advice that future land swaps should be bushland for bushland where possible. Once a zoning or determination has been made it is extremely difficult to change it. Jill McNeill to draft letter.

1.5.6 EPA - Dredging off Shell Point - response to GRCMC letter - See 6.7.

1.5.7 Healthy Rivers Commission - draft Woronora River Inquiry Report - The HRC will seek to do the whole catchment of the Georges River and Botany Bay. This may include Cooks River - further copies will be available at the next meeting. A meeting to discuss the Healthy Rivers Commissions findings and recommendations will be held at Sutherland Council on Thursday 5th August at 4 - 6pm. Julie Nimmo and Mike Rogers will attend. Should endorse recommendation for ecological river flows if they are given.

1.5.8 Kurnell Fish Farm - DLWC request for advice -EPA has set out conditions regarding nutrients on the licence, Fisheries have issues seagrass permit. More information should be requested from EPA. Jill McNeill to follow up with Bob Marr. Brian Hill reported that the farm was working well and producing fish.

3.2 Strategic Planning

3.2.1 Discussion of GRCMC Strategic Planning was deferred. The GRCCC draft Strategic Plan was tabled by Philip Sansom. Philip Sansom and Dick McLoughlin will review.

4.1.1 There are 7 stormwater plans under development for the Georges River catchment area. These are the subcatchments of Lower Georges River, Woronora River, Salt Pan Creek, Mid Georges River, Prospect Creek, Liverpool District and the Upper Georges River.

Lower Georges River ( 4 Councils involved - Rockdale, Kogarah, Sutherland, and Hurstville Councils). Jim Towarts comments passed on to Councils and consultants, for incorporation into Plan prior to exhibit.

Woronora River (Sutherland and Wollongong) - Ian Ford’s comments passed on.

Salt Pan Creek - (Bankstown, Hurstville and Canterbury Councils). Copy of plan given to Philip Sansom for review and comment. Philip Sansom may have to send comments separately as Co-ordinator will be on leave.

Mid-Georges River - (Bankstown and Liverpool, Councils Australian Army and National Parks and Wildlife Service). Jill McNeill has sent in comments on the plan.

Prospect Creek - (Holroyd, Bankstown and Fairfield Councils) - Currently on exhibit. Comments due now. Glenn Watson to review and comment.

Liverpool District - (Liverpool and Fairfield Councils) -Jill McNeill, Neil Rogers and Scott Renwick attended and provided input onto the 2nd workshop. Awaiting draft plan.

Upper Georges River -(Campbelltown and Wollondilly) Bob Webster is due to meet the consultants this week to go through the draft plan.
 
 
 
 
 
 

4.2 Small Projects

4.2.1 The subcommittee would consist of : Rob Michie, Philip Sansom, Glenn Watson, Scott Renwick, Peter Trelaggan and the co-ordinator. However, due to non-backfilling of Co-ordinators position whilst on leave, there may be difficulty with the assessment process (ie minutes must be thorough as they are auditable and that letters to successful and unsuccessful applicants can be complete etc). Applicants will need to be advised of the outcomes, negotiations worked out, legal agreements and reporting formats drawn up and sent out, etc

4.2.2 Presently only one application has been received to date despite a closing date for tomorrow (25/6/99). The Committee APPROVED that if there are insufficient projects received (less then $30,000), the closing date should be extended, more press releases done and the assessment delayed. See 4.4.

4.3 TCM/Landcare Tour

4.3.1 Jill McNeill, with assistance from Perce Short, James Carey and Neil Rogers will be running a TCM/Landcare tour for CMC and Landcare co-ordinators and their supervisors from the Sydney/South Coast Region of DLWC.

4.3.2 This will be an excellent case to showcase some of the GRCMC and Bushcare achievements in the catchment The tour starts at Campbelltown and goes to Liverpool to the Weir and Fishway (where Paula Douglas and then Perce Short will give presentations), then on to the Cabramatta Creek Flying-fox Colony, where members of the CCFF Committee will talk about their work. Following lunch at East Hills Park there will be presentations by Jill McNeill and Landcare facilitator Karen Kennedy.

4.3.3 The tour will then proceed to Salt Pan Creek to check the stormwater devices (Bandalong trap, artificial wetlands and ponds and gross pollutant trap), the boardwalk from Gow Street to Stuart Reserve, and M5 works. This will be followed by a visit to Fairfield Indigenous Park where Dorothy Sly and Neil Rogers will talk about their project. All CMC attendees are welcome but must book by Friday (tomorrow).
 
 

4.4 Co-ordinators Leave

4.4.1 Jill McNeill has had to delay taking leave due to the volume of work (eg Stormwater),. Leave levels are now unacceptably high for DLWC, who have requested it be reduced. It also did not seem wise to be on leave when the Chair was on holidays too. Jill McNeill recruited a person to backfill the position 3 days per week by filling out the appropriate memos and forms, spending a day interviewing and selecting a candidate, (who is currently backfilling for the Hacking River Co-ordinators position whilst she is on leave) and who was to attend tonights meeting. Unfortunately, last night, DLWC ruled that although procedures had been followed, due to budget cuts they would not be backfilling the position at all. This means there will be no Co-ordinator for the Georges River CMC from 7th July - 18th August.

4.4.2 The Committee discussed what to do. Philip Sansom said he would talk to Kevin Green, the new state member for Georges River and Don Syme said he would raise the issue with Craig Knowles to see if they could assist. This was ENDORSED by the Committee. Rob Michie is on leave and not contactable, although a message has been left for him.

4.4.3 The Committee discussed what to do as a fallback position. Should backfilling not occur other options include employing Clerical Officer Kristine Smith for extra time. This will depend upon Kris’s availability as she also works part-time for the Hacking River CMC and would have to organise additional child care. Jill McNeill stressed that it would not be fair to expect Kris to draft letters on technical matters such as stormwater plans, although Committee representatives can assist by writing up comments and forwarding on to Rob or Kris for collation. Also if she does the Minutes, this will take up a fair amount of her time, leaving little time for other tasks.

4.4.4 Another option is if a work experience student could come in occasionally to look at the technical issues, or the Committee could consider directly hiring the person originally selected, bypassing DLWC.

5. RECURRENT ISSUES

5.2 Illawarra Shooters Range

5.2.1 No further information.

5.3 Hurstville Foreshore

5.3.1 No further information.

5.4 Kurnell Peninsula Potential Development

5.4.1 Jill McNeill gave a draft letter to Jim Towart for input on this issue. The Kurnell Regional Planning Committee (a collection of community groups) voted to write to the developer and seek more information about the protection of the dune, public access (North) for the housing proposal which replaced the resort proposal. One week prior to this meeting with the developer, they apparantly lodged DA with Council to develop the whole area into factories (not a resort or housing plan). It was also noted that illegal sand mining operations are still being carried out. Council apparently have no paperwork in regard to the activity. Letter to be sent to Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning. Jim Towart to forward information to Jill McNeill for letter.

6 GENERAL BUSINESS

6.1 Georges and Cooks River CMCs boundary adjustment

6.1.1 Jill McNeill tabled a memo from Cooks River CMC. It seems that both CMCs have been operating with inconsistent boundaries, leaving part of the Botany Bay foreshore "uncovered" officially by a CMC. Discussion ensued as to where best place the boundary for better outcomes and catchment management. It was decided that Ramgate Road would be the most appropriate place. This information will be forwarded onto the Cooks River CMC

6.2 Julie Nimmo Overseas Report

6.2.1 The committee thanked Julie Nimmo for the postcard from the USA/Canada trip. Julie said the information she gave out was well received. The presentations on the GRCMC and its work received good comments and they really liked the report card. Julie Nimmo also brought back information on water quality and volunteered to report back more fully at next CMC meeting.

6.3 Federal House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment and Environment - Inquiry into Catchment Management - Copy of papers will be posted out to the subcommittee consisting of Ian Ford, Philip Sansom, Sharyn Cullis and Julie Nimmo. These people will write comments for the inquiry and jointly draft a letter on behalf of the GRCMC.
 
 

6.4 Great Southern Walk - Sharyn Cullis reported that Peter Trelaggan had inquired if the River and Foreshores Improvement Program could assist with funding for this project. Jill McNeill to ask DUAP for fund details. A subcommittee should be formed to help Peter deal with this project consisting of Peter Trelaggan, (Convenor), Sharyn Cullis, Julie Nimmo and Philip Sansom.

6.5 Liverpool Showground

6.5.1 The Showground has been rezoned from Recreational to Industrial - this will affect the Cabramatta Creek catchment. Rare plants and a link to the Illouera nature Reserve would be lost so this is detrimental to the long term viability of the Reserve. The rezoning was on public display (twenty-one days) and a public meeting was held 2 weeks ago. The land is owned by DLWC and was meant to have been purchased 20 years ago for $6,000 but Council but has not done this.

6.5.2 The rezoning needs approval by the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning but, once given its too late to change because it will then be developed for that purpose. A brief letter re rezoning without appropriate consultation and request for more information, concern at principles of rezoning from recreational to other use (industrial) needs to be done. Neil Rogers to bring information to next meeting (water quality, flora & fauna)
 
 
 
 

6.6 GRCMC Catchment Environment Award

6.6.1 Glenn Watson proposed the GRCMC start an environment award - linked to World Environment Day - involving schools, Councils and community groups. We can publicise in the papers and get them more involved in community projects. This would be a good boost for motivation of the community groups. The award could use low cost plaques/certificates. Neil Rogers and Brian Hill volunteered to assist Glenn Watson in developing the concept further.

6.7 Shell Point Dredging

6.7.1 The dredging has stopped, apparently complete. The appropriate amount of material has been dredged (under 1,000 m3). Council will not be seeking a legal opinion although may ask for an independent assessment. Seagrass was transplanted to allow dredging and the fill is apparently being disposed of in a pit off Kurnell Road.

6.8 Clay Mining

6.8.1 This issue has been raised at Wollondilly Council as a DA has been lodged. Following a meeting Council resolved to have an inspection of the site and adjoining pristine areas. There has been clay mining in the past but it has not been rehabilitated although it was meant to be. There is a high potential for water pollution.

6.9 Crown lands Pressure

6.9.1 At a recent meeting attended by Verlie Fowler, a DLWC representative reported that DLWC is trying to sell, lease or dispose of all Crown Lands. Crown lands form a significant part of the catchment, many very environmentally sensitive.
 
 

7 NEXT MEETING & CLOSE OF GRCMC MEETING

Arrive at 5 pm for supper, meeting to commence at 5-30 pm sharp.