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Our river, our shared future The Hawkesbury–Nepean River System is much more than a waterway.
It is where people swim, fish, paddle, farm, gather, and reflect. It is a place of deep cultural meaning for Aboriginal peoples, a foundation for local communities and economies, and one of NSW most iconic natural systems. From Broken Bay to Yarramundi, and across connected waterways such as Pittwater and Brisbane Water, the river links coastal communities, rural landscapes, and growing urban areas. What happens upstream affects what happens downstream — and ultimately affects everyone who relies on the river. But the river system is under increasing pressure. Population growth, expanding urban development, coastal hazards, and the accelerating impacts of climate change are placing strain on water quality, ecosystems, access, and safety. Many of the issues people experience today — coastal inundation, erosion, algal blooms, declining habitat, and conflict between waterway uses — are expected to increase if we don’t act together. That’s why six councils have come together to prepare this Coastal Management Program (CMP): a long‑term, coordinated plan to care for the Hawkesbury–Nepean River System now and into the future.
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