Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

Inaugural Advisory Board Meeting - 8 November 2002

Welcome

Introduction to the Project

• Research and document the natural and cultural features (including existing and planned tracks and trails) of the river valleys to locate a suitable route or routes.
• Ensure high level of community (stakeholders) involvement in route planning and research developing partnerships for further involvement in implementation stage.
• Create opportunities to use the project to increase sustainable use of the environment and care of cultural heritage.
• Set up a funding strategy for the implementation of the trails network.

• Provide advice about management of the project.
• Help integrate the efforts straddling jurisdictions.
• Avoid duplication of effort.
• Ensure that we are all working together to achieve environmental and social goals.

The Georges River Foreshores Improvement Program

The Great Kai'mia Way Vision

Explore the Woronora Way Project Update

The Georges River Way Project

• WG1 lower reach (north) Cantebury, Kogarah, Hurstville and Rockdale
• WG2 middle reach Bankstown, Fairfield, Holroyd and Liverpool
• WG3 upper reach Cambelltown and Wollondilly
• WG4 lower reach (south) & headwaters Sutherland and Wollongong

Open Discussion

2nd Advisory Board Meeting - 21 Feburary 2003

Welcome and Introduction

• Future Board role post Feasibility Study will depend upon funding.
• Project is acting as facilitator/ community input ensured/ funding role.
• Initiating educational & recreational projects.
• Project also ground truthing/ mapping access routes & missing links & land ownership.
• Report will be submitted to PNSW - Georges River Foreshores Improvement Program (GRFIP) Program in August/September.
• Final report can be used to guide foreshore developments.
• Sustainable access improvements/ community building/ increased recreational opportunities/ raised environmental awareness.
• Land ownership & insurance - owners maintain responsibility/ stakeholders agreements required before trail goes through.
• Project has developed OHS guidelines for field work.
• Board meetings provide good forum for reporting back to stakeholders & can generate innovative solutions.
• Project logo introduced

Project Update

• Research component of the project - ground truthing.
• The Contributions of individuals and groups within the community.
• Liaison with government at all levels.
• Developing the common Great Kai'mia Way vision through track signage, access control infrastructure, brochures.
• Education and Promotion.
• The main challenges to implementation.

1. Experiencing the river: There are many ways to experience the special qualities of the Woronora River - some more unusual than most - an adventurous family attempting to lilo down the stretch between Heathcote Bridge and the Needles.
2. Bushwalking: Bushwalking is the most common form of recreation in Sutherland Shire, according to the Sutherland Shire Open Space and Recreation Needs Survey in 1995. The public voted that the highest council spending priority should be the provision of walking tracks and boardwalks.
3. Canoeing: A canoe trail along the river would link beaches and points of interest, many of which are inappropriate to link via a continuous land route.
4. Cycling: Cycling is popular on the main fire trials in the valley, although in areas zoned as 7(b) Environmental Protection (Bushland) cycling is a prohibited activity. There is scope to identify a network on the quiet residential streets and to incorporate the new shared use track across the river suspended from the road bridge. A challenge is to allow cycles but not motorbikes at the main access control points along the track.
5. Ground Truthing: So, how to determine which existing or potential track routes are suitable and appropriate to different user groups for exploring the Woronora? I have developed a "ground truth" checklist, which can be taken out on site to help collect information. The checklist has space for a sketch map. Further information on heritage and biodiversity for example can be added later, so that a comprehensive file is built up on the track network of the whole valley. Each track is given an ID, when the information is transferred to a trails database on computer.
6. Community Building Exchange of ideas between reps of Gandangara LALC and West Menai Precinct Residents Association. We have helped facilitate cross community ties between local precinct groups who are interested in developing their own sections of trail, and between people from the Aboriginal community and their non-Aboriginal neighbours. A common theme is the protection of bushland and wildlife habitat for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.
7. Bushcare Groups Maandowie Reserve Bushcare Group - secretary Geoff Broadhead. Part of detailed community consultation has involved liaising with Bushcare Groups in the valley, to verify the suitability of identifying tracks as part of the network. Addressing any concerns such as erosion and impacts on native bushland. Also seeking ways of future stewardship for tracks e.g. "Friends of the Woronora Way".
8. Major Stakeholders/Landholders Example: Liaison with Sydney Water, NPWS and Sutherland Shire Council over the use of the Woronora Dam Pipeline Service Track as part of the Woronora Way. The track cannot happen without the cooperation of the key landholders and land managers who will ultimately be responsible for future maintenance.
9. Potential Woronora Way Alternative routes for walkers and cyclists between Como and Thorp Road Woronora. Canoe trail highlights beaches and picnic grounds as well as short walks from the canoe landing spots. From Thorp Road to Heathcote Road suggested shared route along Sydney Water pipeline track. A footbridge is needed to cross Heathcote Road safely. In Heathcote National Park trail continues along pipeline track. At Battery Point walkers head up Birrawong track to Waterfall, cyclists continue along service track to Woronora Dam Road and then via Old Princes Highway to Waterfall. Links from each railway station along the route down to the main "spine" trail are suggested.
10. Logo In order to keep the common theme of Kia'mia for the whole track system throughout the Woronora and the Georges, we have looked at logo designs suitable for signage and publications.
11. Waymarker Design This is how a common waymarker for the Great Kia'mia Way might look. Aluminium post with heavy duty stickers which can be replaced if removed by vandals. Cost approx. $60.
12. No Common theme at present A common waymarker would help to rationalise the signage in the valley which varies considerably. Helps make the track easier to follow and more user friendly.
13. Major Issue Securing Public Access to Pipeline Service Track.
14. Heathcote Road The key to establishing the Woronora Way is to develop a partnership between Sydney Water, NPWS and Sutherland Shire Council to allow the use of the pipeline service track. Currently, public access is prohibited. The major physical barrier is Heathcote Road. Council have set aside funds to help with the cost of a shared use bridge to cross the road should permission be granted.
15. Jogging along the pipeline track The track is already used extensively by local residents. Sydney Water have obvious risk management and liabilty concerns which need to be addressed.
16. Protecting the Upper Valley The benefit of using the service track is that it would control access by keeping users to easy to follow route, of good standard. This negates the need to build a continuous route through sensitive steep bushland habitats upstream of the Deepwater Estate.
17. Education and Promotion A key goal of the overall project strategy is to target calendar events to help promote the project to a wider audience. For Clean Up Australia Day - Sunday 2nd March 2003, we are organising an event with the help of Waterways and the Bush Fire Brigade. An abandoned church camp is to be restored to a grassy meadow suitable as a landing point on the canoe trail. The site is only accessible by boat.
18. Parc Menai Celtic Festival The following week, Sunday 9th March 2003, we are hiring a stall to help publicise the project. People will be able to pick up a brochure and be asked to complete a questionnaire on local outdoor recreation habits, gauging opinion of the Great Kai'mia Way vision, any local knowledge, ideas or concerns. A large map display will help people pinpoint existing tracks, walkways, cycleways, heritage sites, interesting flora and fauna.
19. Funding Sutherland Shire Council are positively supporting the GKW vision and seeing it as a way of integrating the LGA's pedestrian and cycling network. Unfortunately the concept plan just failed to make it into the LEP although there is still time for a submission to be made to alter the plan. Endorsement by council could pave the way for significant funding for track infrastructure such as Heathcote Road footbridge.

• Project funding - $145 k is currently allocated to the Project by PNSW - implementation phase will require additional funds - next Board meeting will brief members on possible funding sources.
• Greenspace Funding (PNSW) - applications close in April.
• Project Feasibility Study - will be completed in August 2003.
• Sydney Harbour Access - PNSW's Integrated Land and Water Access Plan (Draft) - funding - suggested that GRC councils would increase funding clout through combined application.
• Future role of Board - implementation phase will require ongoing Board - next meeting to discuss options.
• Documentation of Project process - meetings, mechanisms, etc - would be worthwhile exercise - possibility of video production should be considered.
• Sandy Point Progress Association walk into federal land Sunday 23 March 8.30 am starting at Community Centre.
• Logo - strong support

Georges River Way Update

• Stakeholder consultation
• Groundtruthing
• Funding

• Sandy Point Progress Association
• West Menai Precinct Residents Committee
• Bankstown Bushland Society
• GREA + Kentlyn
• NSW Bushwalkers Federation
• Bicycle NSW
• Scouts Australia
• Cons Vol Aust
• Friends of Prospect Ck
• Wollondilly Council's Alternative Transport Committe

• The project is acting as facilitator & communities are coming forward with their preferred tracks & trails to become parts of Kaimia Way.
• Kaimia Way Vision November Board were briefed that this vision was defined by a network of sustainable tracks & trails - this is now emerging.
• End product will be much stronger & durable. The community will own the end result and feel pride in its achievement.
• The project is advancing the key aims of GRFIP - increasing recreational opportunities + environmental awareness + building stronger healthier communities.
• It is an exercise in developing Environmental Stewardship - of caring for country. We are strengthening social capital - one of the things that economic rationalists find so difficult to fathom but which greatly enriches our lives.

• 12 councils
• 1.5 m people and 25% of NSW population
• Project coordinators recognise Councils central role in trail planning, construction and on-going maintenance.
• I have met with all 12 councils and had several follow up meetings and recieved a generally excellent level of cooperation from Council staff.
• Most have now marked trail routes on UBD maps, we are now refining to detailed topographic maps. These will be submitted back to Council for endorsement - post ground truthing.
• Using this occasion to thank & encourage all Council to keep up their cooperation with this project - their work will generate great community and environmental benefits and recognition should flow back to them.

• NPWS
• RTA
• DLWC/CNLA
• Waterways Authority
• PNSW
• Sydney Water

• Regional coordination efficiencies, improving LGA links.
• Identify missing links, establish priorities.
• Honest broker, community ngos/ councils/ agencies.
• To encourage community action + the emergence of champions.
• Brokerage, sustainable solutions + sustainable building materials.
• Coordinators - are currently developing on a common logo/ signage/ brochures/ on-line info/ trail grading.
• Identifying environmental problems - we now have extensive photos dbase.
• We are in a key position to gain implementation funding - the Project now has strong momentum.

• Last few weeks walking tracks and trails.
• Hundreds of photos.
• Bellbirds in Bankstown.
• Wallabies.
• Marijuana plantations.
• Foxes.
• Aboriginal cave paintings.
• Rivers disappearing into cracks.
• Softwood pine bridges burnt.
• Trail bike destruction.
• Leachates oozing into wetlands.
• Recent SMH articles confirm great natural beauty, but Georges River also in environmental decline - due mainly to intensive residential development/redevelopment.
• Incremental loss of environmental /scenic values.
• Almost total absence of boat speed enforcement.
• Consequent bank erosion / turbidity / aquatic life decline.
• Walking/cycleway could clearly show what is happening on the Georges.
• Increasing community pressure to save and restore the Georges back to good health

3rd Advisory Board Meeting - 13 June 2003

Welcome

• Deeply concerned about inappropriate use of the trails (i.e. motorised use), is concerned that methods for management currently being discussed for the Kai'mia Way haven't been effective previously, and will be inadequate to protect tracks from trail bike and 4WD damage.
• If there are insufficient funds to ensure appropriate enforcement of management strategies, the project should not go ahead until there are enough funds to cover enforcement procedures (employment of rangers etc.)
• Signage and gates are not going to deter trail bikes and 4WDs for very long

• If the project goes ahead, will it be a single identity/entity or will it be managed separately by various Councils?
• Why doesn't the entity hire it's own rangers? Could provide employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth in the local areas.
• Guided tours of route for education purposes.
• Liverpool Council is working with Green Corps - since the project can't afford to hire rangers at this stage, could the Green Corps be used in that capacity?
• Concerned that Councils may misuse the trails, need to get all relevant Councils to sign off on trails strategy, so it is managed in a uniform way.
• We are developing checklist of responsibilities that Councils will need to follow.
• Need to liaise with groups such as Heathcote National Park (?) that have been successful in restricting illegal access to existing trails, through the use of surveillance cameras.
• Would like to see security being given top priority should more funding become available.
• Heartened by the way Councils and community organisations have pulled together for the project, but is afraid that factions will fall apart when the study ends in August.
• Recommends the establishment of a Great Kai'mia Way Trust to ensure sustainable development and maintenance of the route network and the partnerships. Could use these funds to employ rangers, etc.
• SSEC & GREA agree with recommendation wholeheartedly, but where is the money for the trust going to come from?

• Should the Councils involved donate to the trust?
• Bulk of money should be coming from State Treasury.
• Georges River Combined Councils would be a good group to champion trust.
• Concerned that significant factors such as toilets, telephones, kiosks have not been considered, but should be.
• When the track becomes more popular, would consider putting 'enviro loos' in place. Need to offer an alternative place for trail bikes to go.
• Gov't should be finding funds for improving access to recreation areas.
• Look at examples of projects around the world where funding has come from the private sector and community, so projects evolve to become independent of government.