The Riverstone Wetlands are a special ephemeral wetland in Western Sydney with a unique ecology, providing habitat for a wide range of wildlife, in particular an incredible variety of wetland birds, many of them vulnerable.

In this episode of Hawkesbury Eco Hour, we discuss the Riverstone Wetlands with Mark Fuller, President of the Cumberland Land Conservancy and a keen western Sydney birder. Mark is leading efforts to protect this valuable western Sydney site, which provides important habitat and feeding grounds for birds from across Western Sydney and far beyond.

Mark describes why the wetland's site just above the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain makes it such an important link between the Hawkesbury and other wetlands, and a key Sydney feeding ground for threatened migratory waders from as far away as Siberia and Japan, as well as endangered Australian species such as the beautiful Australian Painted Snipe

Find out more about the site, its birdlife, and how you can help in the fight to save it for future generations of wildlife and people.

Episode Links:

• Save Riverstone Wetlands https://hen.org.au/save-riverstone-wetlands/

• Hawkesbury Environment Network https://hen.org.au

• Contact the Hawkesbury Eco Hour Podcast podcast@hen.org.au

In this episode, we speak with Matilda Julian, Chair of the Hawkesbury Environment Network, long-time volunteer, Bushcare worker and passionate birder. Matilda shares her journey into environmental stewardship and what drives her deep connection to the Hawkesbury landscape.

We reflect on HEN's work throughout 2025, including bushcare projects with Colo High School, bush kindy, birding and bushcare activities, Streamwatch, community fundraisers, and initiatives such as kangaroo virtual fencing. Matilda also discusses HEN's role in key collaborations and committees across the Hawkesbury, including the Resilient Rivers for Resilient Hawkesbury Platypus Populations Project, supported by a $1 million grant. Plans and priorities for 2026 are also highlighted.

Episode Links:

• Hawkesbury Environment Network https://hen.org.au

• Contact the Hawkesbury Eco Hour Podcast podcast@hen.org.au

In this episode, Stephanie Carrick from the Sydney Basin Koala Network joined Hawkesbury Environment Network's AGM held on 22 November 2025 as a guest speaker and shared an inside look at their new Koala Corridor interactive map. Stephanie shares what the latest data reveals about koala movement, habitat connectivity, and the pressures facing populations across Greater Sydney.

Stephanie also discusses recent developments in the Campbelltown region, including what's changing on the ground, how roads and urban expansion affect koala crossings, and why well-planned corridors are critical for the long-term survival of these animals.

A must-listen for anyone interested in local wildlife conservation, urban planning impacts, and the future of koalas in NSW.

Follow along with Steph's presentation here

Episode Links:

• Sydney Basin Koala Network https://www.sydneybasinkoalanetwork.org.au/

• Total Environment Network https://www.tec.org.au/

• Koala Corridor Interactive Map https://www.sydneybasinkoalanetwork.org.au/greater_sydney_corridor_mapping

• Kellie Leigh https://www.scienceforwildlife.org/

• Save Sydney Koalas https://www.facebook.com/savesydneyskoalas

• Rural Boundary Clearing Code https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/boundary-clearing-tool

• I Spy Koala app https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/nsw-koala-country/help-koalas/report-sighting

• iNaturalist https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/

• BioNet https://atlas.bionet.nsw.gov.au/Default.aspx

• Land for Wildlife https://cen.org.au/projects/land-for-wildlife/

• Southwest Sydney Koala Project https://www.greatersydneylandcare.org/southwest-sydney-koala-project/

• Hawkesbury Environment Network https://hen.org.au

• Contact the Hawkesbury Eco Hour Podcast podcast@hen.org.au

Bushfires in Australia are a significant feature of our landscape, and here in the Hawkesbury, we have many communities living in and around the bush.

The Black Summer fires throughout the East Coast in 2019/20 had a huge, destructive impact on communities and wildlife. It raised the urgent question of how we can more effectively protect ourselves, or at least better manage the risk from those intense firestorms.

But fire in the landscape is also a feature of ecological restoration and renewal. Many ecological communities are adapted to fire, and many plant species need fire to germinate. Since ancient times, Aboriginal communities have used fire for care of country, for the restoration and renewal of the landscapes they live in.

As both community members and as people who are passionate about the bush, how can we most effectively manage fire in the landscape, and how can we get better ecological outcomes from our fire management regimes?

On this episode of the Hawkesbury Eco Hour, we have the opportunity to chat with Lucy Tremaine, the Bushfire Program Coordinator at the Nature Conservation Council, a NSW environment organisation that has over 200 member groups, one of which is the Hawkesbury Environment Network.

Episode Links

• Nature Conservation Council of NSW Bushfire Program https://www.nature.org.au/bushfire_program

• Fire and Restoration Network https://fireandrestoration.org.au/

• Hot Spots Fire Project https://www.hotspotsfireproject.org.au/

• CFA Landscaping for Bushfire https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/447/CFA%20Landscaping%20for%20Bushfire%20(Version%203).pdf

• Hawkesbury Environment Network https://hen.org.au/

• Contact the Hawkesbury Eco Hour Podcast podcast@hen.org.au

This week on the Hawkesbury Eco Hour podcast, we head into the orchards of Bilpin to speak with organic farmer Aaron Brocken, a grower who's seen the land at its best, its toughest and everything in between.

With recent headlines highlighting poor fruit set, unusual flowering patterns and worries about pollination across the Bilpin region, Aaron shares his on-farm perspective.

Aaron also shares what keeps him farming, the human side of working with nature, and what the community can do to support Hawkesbury's local growers.

A thoughtful, honest and hopeful conversation from one of Bilpin's most respected organic farmers.

Harvest Farms https://harvestfarms.com.au