Healthy Rivers Dubbo is a group of community people based in Dubbo providing a voice for protecting and improving the health of the Wambuul-Macquarie River. In particular, we are campaigning to stop the proposal by the state government and WaterNSW for a new storage weir on the Macquarie River near Gin Gin (between Narromine and Warren). We believe the storage structure will be to the detriment of the river, due to the disruption to natural flows, and extra water being extracted from the river, both of which will impact on fish, turtles, and other wildlife, as well as river red gums and other vegetation. It will have a massive impact on the Macquarie Marshes downstream. Our river is already over-extracted, already suffering. Let our rivers flow!
Healthy Rivers Dubbo formed in 2017, following the dramatic revelations the went to air on ABC’s Four Corner’s Pumped that year.
In September 2017 we hosted a Town Hall Meeting at the Garden Hotel in Dubbo. Over 100 people turned out to hear from Aunty Coral Peckham of the Tubbah-Gah Maing Wirradjuri, Bev Smiles from Inland Rivers Network, David Harris from the IWRA River Repair Bus, Bill Johnson River Ecologist, and Garry Hall from the Macquarie Marshes Environmental Landholders Association.
In May 2018, on the eve of what was the disastrous passing of the Northern Basin Amendments through the Senate, powerhouse Margaret McDonald (of Dubbo Environment Group) did the hard work to pull together a Healthy Rivers Rally in Dubbo.
In January 2019, knowing too well how the river was about to deteriorate due to mismanagement, we threw a relaxed afternoon, Savour The River Picnic, at Sandy Beach Dubbo. It was a afternoon to reflect on the importance of the River to our community, and meet new friends.
Over the years we have held market stalls and maintained an online presence, doing what we can to give our river a voice.
Our commitment is to stay informed about river management in the Macquarie Valley, interpret complex language into one we can all understand.
To get involved, please Contact us.
Healthy Rivers Dubbo 