RiverSmart Australia Ltd is a registered not-for-profit organisation  -  ABN 52 134 395 636

What we do

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RiverSmart's slogan of 'Rivers for people, wildlife and sustainability' conveys the key message of this initiative: mobilising people to take a more active role in revitalising our ailing rivers and floodplains.

Every Australian, irrespective of where we live, has an impact on the health of our rivers.  We've called this your 'river footprint^®'.

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Every Australian can also play a role in seeing our rivers and streams rehabilitated. 

RiverSmart aims to offer these opportunities, whether it be in your home, your workplace, your farm or your school.

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Macca the platypus comes to Canberra

Our first RiverSmart mascot, Macca will be coming to a river near you soon !  Check him out below as he takes in the sights of our national capital.

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RiverSmart's blue buckets @ the WaterSmart Expo
(Narromine, March 2009)

Macquarie Blue paddle-a-thon - stopover at Pilcher's Reserve beach.  Note we also have matching 'blue bucket' hats (Photo: Libby McIntyre).

Bulletin Board

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World Wetlands Day (2 February)

dedicated to Jerrabomberra wetland - help create and realise a vision for the site

Each year this day is celebrated as World Wetlands Day marking the day the international wetland convention, otherwise known as Ramsar, was enacted. 

To mark World Wetlands Day this year we decided to dedicate it to Jerrabomberra wetland in heart of our national capital.  Right now this site needs help....see the photo below of accumulated litter and a declared weed species, blackberries.  The site is also over-run with rabbits, has lots of carp when it has water and there are weeds everywhere.  Cattle are allowed to access the wetland and its source creek. We believe the site is also threatened by a current development proposal which the ACT government has under consideration, as well as that age old problem, the 'tyranny of small decisions'. 

RiverSmart is putting forward a vision for this site which would see it look a bit different to now !  So follow this link to see what we think should happen.  We're keen to get your views so we can take them to the government to consider.

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Meet Macca's mate Muzza

A few weeks ago we introduced you to our cartoon river icon Macca the platypus.  Well now he's been joined by Muzza the Murray cod and together they'll be bringing you some important messages about river health over the coming years.

Thanks again to Gary Clark for his artwork.

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The Canberra Times of 15 January included the above advertisement.  To find out how yours can become a RiverSmart household, school or business, click on the appropriate links above, then download a do-it-yourself checklist, and your off and running...

RiverSmart gains status as a
tax deductible gift recipient

On 16 December 2009 RiverSmart Australia Ltd was added to the Government's Register of Environmental Organisations and can now offer prospective supporters of our work tax deductibility for their donations.  Any donations must be directed to our 'Blue Bucket Fund' and from there will be used for supporting our work, especially community-based projects in our current project areas (see at right for further details).  Alternatively you could ask for your donation to support one of our 'SponsorShop' projects submitted by a community organisation.  Contact us for details.

RiverSmart Shop now open for business

 You can now help promote and support our work at the same time through the RiverSmart shop.  See link above to visit and buy T-shirts featuring the design below and another one we can't mention here !

RiverSmart's blue bucket campaign^®

RiverSmart trademarked it's blue bucket concept in January this year (BEWARE of imitations...RiverSmart thought of this first !) and since then we've been busy handing out buckets at a number of community events.

Welcome to country, with RiverSmart's blue buckets at the World Environment Day launch (June 2009)

So far, thanks to assistance from Mitre 10, we've managed to give away more than 1,000 buckets, with another 2,000 or so ready to go over the coming weeks.  Watch this space for your chance to get hold of one of our buckets full of helpful tips on how you can become a RiverSmart household, school or business.

You can also help support our work by donating to our Blue Bucket Fund - see the link above to find out how.

RiverSmart's regional initiatives

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Capital Region RiverSmart

(Canberra-Queanbeyan region)

Australia Day at the National Museum

RiverSmart took part in the Australia Day events at the National Museum coinciding with their great H2O = Life exhibition.  Macca was a big hit and so too were our trademark blue buckets.  About 500 families went home with one plus our advisory info about how to reduce their 'river footprint'. 

Canberra is currently overshooting its daily target by up to 50 megalitres so come on you Canberra-ites let's use those buckets and each aim to save ten of them every day. That's 90 litres each...easy to do !

 Macquarie RiverSmart

(Central NSW)

 RiverSmart is keen to hear from other communities, especially those along the stressed rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin, to see how we might be able to help bring them back to life by creating RiverSmart communities.

Preparing to depart Butler's Falls Reserve

Some happy paddlers leaving Hippo's Beach at the
Lazy River Estate

Some of the not so pretty things we saw !

Corporate social responsibility

We especially want corporate Australia to get behind this new approach, just as much as government.   This is the chance for corporate Australia to demonstrate social responsibility and help fund the work of RiverSmart. For opportunities to do this follow this link.