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Our River, Our Future.

In 2021, the River Canoe Club joined in partnership with the Cooks River Alliance, local councils, government agencies and community groups to create the Cooks River Litter Prevention Strategy.

Our Shared Vision

For the Cooks River catchment to be a loved and healthy river valley enriching the heart of Sydney.

Our Mission

50% Less litter by 2025.

Our Goal

Tackling the Cooks River litter at its source before it has a chance to enter the river.

Do you live in the Cooks River catchment?

Did you know?

  • Approx 10% of Sydney’s population lives in the Cooks River catchment.That means the river starts at your place.
  • Top 4 litter items making their way into water ways are snack packaging, plastic lids and bottle tops, plastic straws and cigarette butts.
  • In the days after a storm, an average of 14 million microplastic particles are found floating around the Cooks River estuary

Community accomplishments

Every helping hand helps us reach our target and makes the Cooks River a more healthy and loved place we can enjoy as a community.

During the 2020 Paddle Against Plastic,
429 volunteers removed:

0
Tonnes of litter.

From 2014 to 2020, Communities & Justice crews collected:

0
Bags of rubbish.

In 2018, in the first year of Crabwalking the group collected:

0
Bags of litter.

How to get involved

You can help by joining the movement in the community by being mindful of how you dispose of your waste correctly, joining a community project or starting your own litter prevention project. Have a look at the successful projects for inspiration on what can be done when we work together to 
reduce litter.

Explore

Start your project

Running a litter prevention project in your community is a great way to help your neighbourhood and NSW. Local councils and the Environmental Protection Authority support community groups to run projects that prevent litter.

Learn More

Report a problem

If you observe a problem on the Cooks River, note as many details as possible as this will help the responsible authority to investigate the incident or issue.

If you observe a problem on the Cooks River, note as many details as possible as this will help the responsible authority to investigate the incident or issue.

  • What is the issue – clearly describe what you see in detail
  • When it happened – the time and date, how long it lasted, if it has happened before
  • Where it happened – the address and nearest cross streets
  • How it has impacted the waterway or your health
  • Other information such as weather conditions, descriptions of people that may have been responsible for the incident
  • Evidence such as photos or videos
Dead fish or birds in the river. Take note of how many you can see and how long think they’ve been there. Call NSW EPA
Small amounts (under two trailer loads) of illegally dumped waste Call your local council
Large amounts (over two trailer loads) of illegally dumped waste Call NSW EPA
Sewer overflows or sewage smell Call Sydney Water
If you see a building site with poor sediment and erosion controls (e.g. collapsed fences, uncovered sand, and sediments entering the street or drain) Call your local council
Littering from a vehicle enters the Cooks River. If you see someone littering from their vehicle, you can report them to the EPA. Report to EPA
Water coming out of a drain is not clear (it looks or smells polluted or toxic) and presents an immediate threat to human health or property. Report it immediately to emergency services. Call 000
Large oil spill in the river Call 000