“The aim of reviewing and creating new plans is to update our understanding of the estuary processes, tackle pressures, protect natural environments and work with the community to improve recreational amenity,” Bega Valley Shire Council’s coastal management officer Kyran Crane said.

Council and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage are joining forces to fund a review of old and outdated estuary management plans across the region, as well as forming a new plan for the Bermagui River.

The state government has allocated $125,000 towards the development of the new river plan, as well as reviews of the Wallaga Lake, Merimbula Back Lakes and Lake Curalo management plans.

Mr Crane said the plans will be part of council’s Coastal Management Program, which aims to ensure the best practice management of estuaries, foreshores and wider catchments.

He said the plans under review are some of the oldest in the state, and many of the management actions within them have been completed.

Council will be working with local consultant and UNSW coastal engineer, Matt Blacka, for the management plan reviews, and Elgin Associates’, Nicholas Yee, to develop the Bermagui River plan.

Mr Crane said it is expected the reviews and new plan will take around 18 months to complete.

“The revised Coastal Management Program for these estuaries will allow council to take a targeted approach at improving environmental issues, and importantly, will also recognise opportunities to improve the amenity and value of the lakes to our community,” Mr Blacka said.

Mr Crane said an important part of developing the Coastal Management Program will be community and stakeholder involvement through the creation of advisory focus groups for each estuary.

“Key agencies that are involved in estuary management will be invited to attend focus group meetings, and we are also seeking people from local communities to join the focus groups,” he said.

Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO, Anne Greenaway, said members have been approached to take part in the planning, and Indigenous input is crucial as it will provide valuable long-term knowledge on water management.

“It is essential traditional people whose ancestors lived here and have knowledge of the waterways and how people looked after the waterways are involved,” Ms Greenaway said.

“For example they wouldn’t have denuded the the banks of vegetation, so now when there are floods we have erosion.

“Building dams were only temporary measures to do a fish catch as traps in rivers, and would only be built at certain times of year with certain tides.

“With the lakes it’s about understanding the silting up of the ocean opening, because in the past if it did silt up they didn’t do anything drastic, they knew it was part of a cycle and would open back up,” she said.

Ms Greenaway said better land management in the past would have avoided the need for these plans altogether.

“The building of houses could have been planned better to save waterways, but we do have a population living by the water and fresh water is needed by everybody,” she said.

Mr Crane said interested people should submit a brief expression of interest to him directly via email, at kcrane@begavalley.nsw.gov.au, outlining background details, interests and a description of the contribution they can make to the project.

Expressions of interest will close on Monday, February 6, and focus group membership will be finalised by the middle of February.

Council advises candidates should also nominate which estuary focus group they are interested in representing.

The groups are scheduled to meet three times during each project, with the first meeting planned for March this year.

For more information about the project or to register your details to receive updates go to http://begavalley.wrl.unsw.edu.au/.

For more information contact Kyran Crane on 6499 2222 or