Chapter Three

The Great Kai'mia Way

As a result, the methodology for carrying out the study for the two rivers varied, with the Georges River section concentrating on:

• Planning and promoting the cross-catchment Great Kai'mia Way Vision, and engaging with stakeholders for regional coordination of delivery of the vision.

• Broad on-ground and map-based research to determine the overall existing network of track routes, identifying sub-sections, potential links, opportunities and constraints.

• Consultation with 12 Councils, major landholders, peak environment and user groups, community based non-government organisations, and representatives of the indigenous community.

With its reduced ownership, management and stakeholder issues, it was possible to carry out a more detailed study of actual routes in Woronora River section, undertaking some of the tasks which will need to be carried out along the Georges River sections in future:

• Developing a master plan for the staged implementation of the Great Kai'mia Way in the Woronora Valley (this could act as a template for future master planning in the Georges River Local Government Areas and sub-regions).

• Detailed field inspections and research to establish: suitability of track routes; problem areas; opportunities for links to related amenities and features (eg heritage sites, public transport nodes, schools, viewpoints); and environmentally sensitive sites which may be adversely affected by new routes and increased public access.

• Smaller sub-sections, reflecting the intricate nature and high concentration of track routes in the valley, and the extra time available for field investigations. They provide a focus for discrete individual track and bush regeneration projects, which are potentially more easily adopted by local community groups such as Bushcare Volunteers.