Susanna Freymark
Richmond River is about to get its own coordinator to improve waterway health.
The State Government is trialling a new approach to improving river water quality and ecosystems with the appointment of the coordinator.
The Richmond River catchment has been selected as the first demonstration of how an Integrated Catchment Management approach can improve river quality.
The Richmond River catchment coordinator will lead day to day coordination across government and work with local groups to improve catchment health.
The coordinator will also lead the development of a Richmond River Catchment Improvement Plan to bring together existing priorities and projects across the catchment.
The government is also funding the Tuckean Swamp. Read more on that here.
The new trial includes funding to ensure the essential network of real-time water quality loggers in the Lower Richmond is maintained and water quality information is available and reported.
It is hoped the two year project in the Richmond River Catchment will inform ways to improve other catchments areas in NSW.
This is the next step in transitioning towards an integrated catchment management approach in NSW, building on priorities identified through the Restoring the Darling-Baaka Program and the NSW Water Quality Governance Roadmap to implement a better coordinated system in practice.
Minister for North Coast and State MP Janelle Saffin said everyone wants government to be more accountable for driving better outcomes for the Richmond River and to ensure the work that is needed to be done, is done. 
“We all know the Richmond River needs to be cleaned up, but where do we start? What do we concentrate on first. We need a roadmap to do that,” Ms Saffin said.
“This coordinator will give us the roadmap, the pathway forward in agreement with the relevant authorities with community involved every step of the way.”
IndyNR.com has asked the State Government if it will be advertising the position of Richmond River catchment coordinator or if someone is already appointed.
We are waiting to hear back on these details.