Hawkesbury Eco Hour

In the third episode of our Wetlands series Eric and Nick talk with Rodney Molesworth about the importance of valley wetlands in the Hawkesbury ecosystem and the beautiful Blundells Swamp. Rodney has been a co-owner of the swamp since 1974 and has helped preserve this important wetland over the last 50 years. He also shares with Nick and Eric his latest project to help secure the long term future of Blundells Swamp and how people can help. Episode Links: Blundells Swamp https://www.blundellswamp.com / https://www.facebook.com/blundellswamp Hawkesbury Environment Network https://hen.org.au Contact the Hawkesbury Eco Hour Podcast podcast@hen.org.au

World Wetlands Day this week celebrates the special place that wetlands hold globally in terms of biodiversity, food production and cultural practices. In this episode of Hawkesbury Eco Hour, Nick chats with Eric about the unique biodiversity of the Hawkesbury wetlands and their remarkable bird life. The swamps, lagoons, rivers and creeks of the Hawkesbury provide feeding and breeding grounds for a host of coastal waterbirds. They are also a vital refuge for inland species during periods of drought, and a wintering destination for a host of migrant waterfowl and waders which breed as far away as Siberia. As Sydney expands, these unique wetlands are under increased threat, despite their enormous value to biodiversity, flood prevention, food production and ecotourism. Eric has been birding in the Hawkesbury wetlands for over 40 years and talks about some of the remarkable 300-plus species of birds that make this area home, as well as the challenges they face in a changing environment, which we must do more to protect. Episode Links: Episode 6: Save Riverstone Wetlands from development, with Mark Fuller World Wetland Day https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/ Land For Wildlife https://hen.org.au/about/land-for-wildlife/ Cumberland Bird Observers Club https://www.cboc.org.au/ Hawkesbury Environment Network https://hen.org.au Contact the Hawkesbury Eco Hour Podcast podcast@hen.org.au

In this episode, we speak with Matilda Julian, Chair of the Hawkesbury Environment Network, long-time volunteer, Bushcare worker and passionate birder. Matilda shares her journey into environmental stewardship and what drives her deep connection to the Hawkesbury landscape. We reflect on HEN's work throughout 2025, including bushcare projects with Colo High School, bush kindy, birding and bushcare activities, Streamwatch, community fundraisers, and initiatives such as kangaroo virtual fencing. Matilda also discusses HEN's role in key collaborations and committees across the Hawkesbury, including the Resilient Rivers for Resilient Hawkesbury Platypus Populations Project, supported by a $1 million grant. Plans and priorities for 2026 are also highlighted. Episode Links: Hawkesbury Environment Network https://hen.org.au Contact the Hawkesbury Eco Hour Podcast podcast@hen.org.au

Bushfires in Australia are a significant feature of our landscape, and here in the Hawkesbury, we have many communities living in and around the bush. The Black Summer fires throughout the East Coast in 2019/20 had a huge, destructive impact on communities and wildlife. It raised the urgent question of how we can more effectively protect ourselves, or at least better manage the risk from those intense firestorms. But fire in the landscape is also a feature of ecological restoration and renewal. Many ecological communities are adapted to fire, and many plant species need fire to germinate. Since ancient times, Aboriginal communities have used fire for care of country, for the restoration and renewal of the landscapes they live in. As both community members and as people who are passionate about the bush, how can we most effectively manage fire in the landscape, and how can we get better ecological outcomes from our fire management regimes? On this episode of the Hawkesbury Eco Hour, we have the opportunity to chat with Lucy Tremaine, the Bushfire Program Coordinator at the Nature Conservation Council, a NSW environment organisation that has over 200 member groups, one of which is the Hawkesbury Environment Network. Episode Links Nature Conservation Council of NSW Bushfire Program https://www.nature.org.au/bushfire_program Fire and Restoration Network https://fireandrestoration.org.au/ Hot Spots Fire Project https://www.hotspotsfireproject.org.au/ CFA Landscaping for Bushfire https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/447/CFA%20Landscaping%20for%20Bushfire%20(Version%203).pdf Hawkesbury Environment Network https://hen.org.au/ Contact the Hawkesbury Eco Hour Podcast podcast@hen.org.au

In this special introductory episode, we launch the Hawkesbury Eco Hour podcast - our new home after a wonderful run on community radio. Join Lyn, Nick and Eric as we look back on some of our favourite radio moments, from koalas and reefs to the Rights of Nature. We share what inspired us to make the shift to podcasting, what you can expect from upcoming episodes, and how our mix of voices, guests and local stories will continue to celebrate the Hawkesbury's unique environment. Whether you've been with us since the airwaves or you're joining for the first time, welcome!