Lower Hunter councils meet to inspect the Hunter River

The group, called the Hunter Estuary Alliance, met for the first time last week to inspect the Hunter River Estuary from Newcastle to Morpeth.

The Hunter Estuary Alliance is designed to coordinate and focus efforts across the region to help heal the Hunter River Estuary for the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of the community.

Key groups such as local Aboriginal Land Councils, Hunter Water, Hunter Local Land Services, Department of Planning and Environment, Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme and the Greater Cities Commission were brought together for the meeting.

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Catherine Pepper, Maitland City Council's manager of environment and sustainability said now is the time for key stakeholders to come together and address the issues and stressors affecting the health and vitality of the estuary.

"This is an exciting time for the whole of the Lower Hunter to be involved in managing the Hunter Estuary," she said.

"We have a unique opportunity to make a change to our river and bring it back to health, to listen to each other and drive collaboration on major improvement projects."

The Hunter River passes through many towns and is a community focal point for aesthetics, recreation and connection to country.

The river is very important for the local environment and First Nations communities.

It is also a system under stress - despite the prominence of the Hunter Estuary, its health is rated as fair to poor, with the most recent report card ranking water quality in the estuary as 124 out of 160 in NSW.

The next steps for the group will be to develop the Hunter Estuary Coastal Management Program, guiding their work to help heal the Hunter River Estuary.

Local Aboriginal Land Councils will be worked with closely and engaged in the development of the Hunter Estuary Coastal Management Program.

Healthy estuaries are important for economic, social, physical and psychological wellbeing through ecosystem services such as regulating nutrients and filtering pollution, providing habitat for plants and animals, stabilising shorelines and providing sites for economic activity, recreation and other cultural activities.

These estuaries are sensitive to such risks as floods, pollution, and rising sea levels.

To find out more about the Hunter Estuary Coastal Management Program, visit Maitland City Council's website.

The Hunter Estuary Coastal Management Program is proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Maitland City Council, City of Newcastle, Dungog Shire Council, Port Stephens Council, Cessnock City Council and Hunter Local Land Services as part of the Coastal and Estuary Grant Program.