WE HAVE REACHED STAGE 4 - HAVE YOUR FINAL SAY
We’ve reached the final stage of the Hawkesbury–Nepean River System Coastal Management Program (CMP), and this is the community’s last opportunity to have a say before the program is finalised.
The draft Hawkesbury–Nepean River System Coastal Management Program is now on public exhibition. We invite residents, landholders, community groups and stakeholders to review the draft and share their feedback.
Public exhibition period: Monday 20 April to Sunday 31 May 2026
The CMP sets out a coordinated 10‑year plan to help care for the river system we all rely on, including actions to:
Improve water quality and the health of rivers, creeks and estuaries
Reduce risks from coastal and riverine hazards
Protect Aboriginal and non‑Aboriginal cultural heritage
Improve access, recreation and enjoyment of the river system
Strengthen collaboration and governance across all councils and agencies
Your local knowledge and feedback are important and will help shape how this program is delivered across the Hawkesbury–Nepean River System.
LEARN MORE
HOW TO VIEW THE DRAFT REPORT:
The draft CMP is a comprehensive report and has been divided into a number of documents to support easier review.
The CMP covers six local government areas and involves multiple councils working together to manage the river system as one connected catchment.
Because of this shared approach, each participating council is hosting the draft CMP and collecting feedback through its own website. This allows residents and river users to provide comments directly through their local council, while still contributing to a single, coordinated program for the whole river system.
Key reports:
Draft Report:
Management Actions specific for:
HOW TO HAVE YOUR SAY:
To provide feedback:
Visit the link for your local council below
If you live outside the area but use or value the river system (for example, recreational users or community groups), you can choose the council link most relevant to the area you visit or are interested in.
All feedback received through the individual council links will be considered together and used to help finalise the Hawkesbury–Nepean River System CMP.
STAGES OF THE CMP:
Stage 1 of the HNRS CMP got finalized in April 2020 and resulted in the development of a Scoping Study that has reviewed past management of the river system, developed a shared understanding of the current situation and identified the strategic path for the remaining CMP stages.
In April 2021 our CMP transitioned into Stage 2 of the Coastal Management Framework that resulted in the development of a range of studies designed to assess key risks, vulnerabilities and identify opportunities to inform future management. These studies were selected for completion by the CMP project team because they addressed the most pressing knowledge gaps as identified in the Scoping Study and were essential for the successful progression of the CMP. You can learn more about these studies by checking out our Progress Update section of the website.
Unlike Stages 1 & 2 that primarily looked to empower community and stakeholders with knowledge by bringing all interested parties on board early to share information, Stage 3 has looked at building on established working partnerships to share the decision-making dilemma in identifying and evaluating local and regional-scale coastal management actions and determining their viability and acceptability.
In March 2023, the Hawkesbury Nepean River System CMP secured additional funding under NSW Coastal and Estuary Grants Program – Planning Stream thereby ensuring a smooth transition of the program into its next exciting phases (Stage 3 and Stage 4). This funding has looked at:
Confirming the strategic direction of the CMP that will involve review of risks and opportunities identified in Stages 1 and 2 to ensure the CMP reflects local values and local/regional strategic planning objectives;
Identifying management options to address the identified risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities as detailed in Stage 1 & 2;
Evaluate, select and rank these management options;
Develop a Business Plan to support the implementation of these management options.
Stage 3 has now been completed (May 2025) after intensive community and stakeholder agency consultation.
As part of Stage 4 of the CMP we have prepared a draft CMP report, which reflects years of work and extensive input from local communities, Aboriginal knowledge holders, community groups, councils and government agencies. We have carefully considered all feedback received so far in shaping this draft. This is the final opportunity for the community and stakeholders to provide feedback on the Draft CMP before it is finalized.
The Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program is being developed using a five-stage risk management approach recommended by NSW Government’s Coastal Management Manual.
Watch this space for further updates on the CMP or subscribe to our news & updates below to stay up-to-date with the latest CMP developments.
LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS:
PROJECT LIFE CYCLE:
FAQs
What is a Coastal Management Program?
Coastal Management Programs (CMP) set the long-term strategy for the management of our coastal environments including our estuaries, lagoons, beaches and their associated catchments..
What are the "coastal" areas covered by the CMP?
The CMP study area encompasses the tidal section of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, Pittwater, Brisbane Water and Broken Bay. Specifically the tidal area of the river system refers to the area between Yarramundi to the estuary entrance between Box Head and Barrenjoey Head.
Who's developing the Hawkesbury Nepean CMP?
The Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program is being coordinated by six partner councils in collaboration with other catchment councils, state government agencies, public authorities, land managers and community groups to develop the program.
Important Links
Factsheet 1 - What is the Hawkesbury Nepean River System CMP? [708 KB]
Factsheet 5 - Public Health and Safety [1249 KB]
Scoping Study (Stage 1) [10MB]
Coastal management framework [external link]
NSW Government - Coastal Management Manual [external link]
WHO IS LISTENING?
Project Coordinator - Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program
The ninth issue of the Hawkesbury Nepean River System CMP newsletter provides details on how you can get involved and add your voice to the CMP. Let us know how the River can better be managed into the future using our online portal- not many days to go!