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Sydney/South Coast

Encompassing some 40,000 square kilometres and stretching along 600 kilometres of NSW coastline, the Sydney/South Coast is home to 25 per cent of Australia's population. It contains some of the state's most pristine and scenic coastal environments, including 18 major river systems and 60 significant estuaries.

The Sydney/South Coast is geographically varied and its clean sandy beaches, rolling green hills and growing urban centres attract thousands of tourists and 'sea-changers' to the area every year. With rapid growth, managing development so our fragile natural resources are protected is a key challenge for the Department. The Department is meeting this challenge by:

enabling land use planning to recognise and protect the natural assets critical to the area's economic prosperity and community well-being;
cooperatively working with councils and other State government agencies to prepare and implement Coastline, Estuary and Floodplain Management Plans;
supporting the work of Catchment Management Authorities with data and information on natural resources; and
providing administrative assistance to the Lake Illawarra and Chipping Norton Lake Authorities.

Catchments within the region supply water to Sydney, the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Hawkesbury-Nepean, Blue Mountains and other major coastal and inland settlements. Managing the competing demands for water while protecting and restoring the health of our rivers and aquifers is another key challenge. The Department is addressing this challenge through the development and implementation of statutory water sharing plans for surface water and groundwater resources, and through monitoring the environmental and socio-economic outcomes of the plans.

Other key issues include managing soil erosion, salinity outbreaks, acid sulfate soils and riparian lands. DNR is responding to these issues by:

surveying and mapping the extent and condition of natural resources; and
using that information to better inform decisions about land use and management.

DNR is committed to working in partnership with local councils, communities, Catchment Management Authorities and other Government agencies to achieve sustainable development and healthy natural resources.

Major projects and responsibilities in the DNR Sydney/South Coast area:

Audley Weir Fishway
Chipping Norton Lake Scheme
Coastal Management Program
Comprehensive Coastal Assessment
Estuary Management Program
Floodplain Management Program
Hawkesbury-Nepean Floodplain Management Strategy
Lady Robinson's Beach
Lake Illawarra Entrance Improvement Works
Macro Water Sharing Plans
Native vegetation mapping, monitoring and assessment
Regional Flood Mitigation Program
Shoalhaven Environmental Flows
Snowy River Flow Response Monitoring Program
Soils Information for Hawkesbury-Nepean CMA