Our mission
We believe every Australian should have access to natural spaces for swimming and recreation. For the millions who live or work near its foreshore, the Parramatta River is that natural place.
For tens of thousands of years, the First Nations peoples of the area lived in harmony with the land and waterways, caring for the environment.
However, with British colonisation came agriculture, industry, and urban development, which polluted the river, diminishing its water quality and recreational appeal.
In the last 30 years, significant progress has been made to improve the river’s health through stronger regulations, new technologies, and increased community awareness.
Together, we can revitalise the Parramatta River, making it a clean and safe place for all to enjoy.
1910 Lifesaving Festival at Little Coogee, on the Parramatta River in Parramatta Park.
Our Living River initiative
In 2014, we launched the Our Living River initiative with a new vision, purpose and mission:
Our Vision – We believe Sydney deserves a world class river
Our Purpose – To make Parramatta River a living river
Our Mission – To make Parramatta River swimmable again by 2025.
Other global cities, like New York and London, have set similar goals for their waterways. Copenhagen and Boston have already achieved this, proving that major urban rivers can be made swimmable and can, once again, become central to urban life.
Learn more about other living rivers around the world.
Parramatta River Masterplan
In October 2018, the PRCG released DUBA, BUDU, BARRA: Ten Steps to a Living River – the Parramatta River Masterplan. The Masterplan details the steps required to make the Parramatta River swimmable by 2025.
Learn more about our Masterplan for the Parramatta River.
Benefits of a swimmable river
A swimmable river is about more than just swimming; it’s a clean, healthy waterway with vibrant, accessible spaces where everyone can enjoy a variety of activities.
Greater Liveability
A healthy river supports and enhances life in many ways. It makes the area more liveable by introducing greater biodiversity, better air quality and access to activities such as swimming, picnicking, walking, cycling or just relaxing.
Social connection
Australians are naturally drawn to water. Having a river to swim in or a creek to relax by creates a vibrant social and recreational hub for both locals and tourists. A swimmable river will strengthen community bonds by providing safe, enjoyable spaces throughout the catchment where people can come together.
Biodiversity
A living river is teeming with biodiversity, where people, fish, and wildlife can thrive together. It’s a place where healthy vegetation and fauna flourish, and people benefit physically and mentally from being immersed in nature. While urbanisation has changed the landscape, expanding habitats in public spaces creates corridors that connect larger biodiverse areas within the catchment. This approach not only supports wildlife but also helps improve water quality for swimming by increasing infiltration and slowing the flow of water into the river system.
Better public amenities
As the Parramatta River improves to accommodate more human activities, many areas along its banks will be developed for residents and tourists to enjoy. We aim to design and create more connected green spaces, walking, and cycling paths to enhance access for everyone.
Healthy living
Living near a swimmable waterway or healthy creek encourages a healthier lifestyle. It’s not just the obvious benefits of swimming or walking, but also the increased activity in the area, with children’s play spaces, walking paths, cycleways, major events, and other recreational activities.
Business opportunities
As the area becomes more vibrant, business opportunities will grow. Restaurants and venues can invest in waterfront locations or take advantage of improved river access, capitalising on the benefits of a revitalised, living river.
Increased property value
Living in close proximity to clean, swimmable water or green spaces with tree canopy or wetlands is highly sought after and greatly increases property prices. A swimmable Parramatta River and cleaner creeks will attract property investors, promote redevelopment and help increase the desirability of living in all suburbs near the river and its tributaries.
