MEDIA RELEASE 18 April 2016 Trainee Aboriginal Riverkeeper Team save Aboriginal culture and the local environment

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1 MEDIA RELEASE 18 April 2016 Trainee Aboriginal Riverkeeper Team save Aboriginal culture and the local environment The Georges River Combined Councils Committee (GRCCC Inc) Aboriginal Riverkeeper Team project supported by Australian Government funding and Eco Logical Australia congratulate the Aboriginal trainees for successfully completing their traineeship. Four Aboriginal trainees who spent over a year restoring 15 hectares of bushland along the Georges River have received a Certificate 2 and 3 in Conservation and Indigenous Land Management from TAFE NSW. The trainees learnt how to restore bushland habitat to protect the diversity of native flora and fauna in the Georges River catchment by controlling invasive weeds and planting over 39,000 plants. The trainees also increased their Aboriginal cultural knowledge through our partnerships with local Aboriginal Elders, knowledge holders and four Local Aboriginal Land Councils: Tharawal LALC, La Perouse LALC, Gandangara LALC and Metropolitan LALC. The trainees enjoyed the experience that saw them gain qualifications while reconnecting with Aboriginal culture and the land stating I am very lucky to learn what I have, and given that I am still young, I want to learn more so that we can keep our cultural knowledge which is very important to me. The Georges River Combined Councils Committee (GRCCC Inc) congratulated the team for successfully completing their traineeship and contributing to the noticeable benefits at 14 sites. I commend the team for their high quality work and congratulate each trainee on the successful completion of their traineeship. The experience gained by the trainees, over the last 1.5 years through this project will give them a solid foundation for their future careers and has opened up further employment opportunities, GRCCC Chairperson Councillor Naji Peter Najjar said. Two trainees have already secured employment. Nick Arends as a bush regenerator with Eco Logical Australia. Larissa Cooper who received a State Training Services Award secured two jobs as an Aboriginal Education Officer; with the Royal Botanic Garden and also the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Shannon Beale-Bogg is planning to undertake environmental studies in The Aboriginal Riverkeeper project is funded by the Australian Government and managed by both the GRCCC and Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd (ELA). ELA employs, manages and develops the trainees throughout their traineeship. The GRCCC is an incorporated association of nine local government councils working in partnership with state and Australian Government agencies and community representatives within the Georges River catchment. It represents local government in the Georges River catchment of NSW. Member councils include Bankstown City, Campbelltown City, Fairfield City, Hurstville City, Kogarah City, Liverpool City, Rockdale City, Sutherland Shire and Wollondilly Shire councils. The GRCCC is proudly hosted by Hurstville City Council, For media enquiries/information please contact Svetlana Kotevska, GRCCC at or info@georgesriver.org.au.ends

2 Local Project Highlights/Worksites: more photos of work sites are available upon request Site No Site Name LGA Works 1 Myles Dunphy Hurstville Weed management and rehabilitation 2 Oatley Point Kogarah Weed management and rehabilitation 3 Green Point Sutherland Weed management and rehabilitation Before and After 4 Baldface Point Kogarah Access and erosion control works.

3 5 Carina Creek Sutherland Weed management and rehabilitation 6 Mansfield Creek Campbelltown Weed management and rehabilitation 7 Spring Creek Campbelltown Weed management and rehabilitation 8 Sherwin Park Fairfield Revegetation Before and After 9 Johnstone Park Fairfield Revegetation

4 10 Virginius Bankstown Weed management and rehabilitation 11 Riverside Park Liverpool Weed management and rehabilitation 12 Sans Souci Foredune Rockdale Restoration of dune 13 Sandringham Foredune Rockdale Restoration of dune

5 14 Eagle Farm, Campbelltown Weed management and rehabilitation and team development of a Plan of Management. Shipwrights, (middens shown in photo to the bottom left) Kogarah