The NSW Marine Estate Community Wellbeing Surveys are part of a project under Initiative 8 of the Marine Estate Management Strategy, aiming to monitor benefits and threats to the NSW marine estate. These surveys target coastal residents, youth, and visitors to gather data on their connection to the coastline, quality of life, and perceived threats such as litter and overcrowding. The surveys are expected to be conducted every three years and are divided into 7 distinct coastal regions along the NSW Coast.

The survey results from 2024 have recently been released and had surveyed over 2,100 coastal residents, 850 youths (aged 14-17), and over 1,100 coastal visitors. The community shared valuable insights into the way they engage with the coast and what’s important to them with respect to the distinct region.

Key findings from the Greater Sydney region reveal that 52% of residents and 63% of youth visit the marine estate at least once per week emphasising that engagement with the NSW coast enhances their wellbeing such as physical and mental health benefits and quality of life. The results also found that the Greater Sydney community considers ‘protecting nature’ and ‘ensuring that a healthy marine estate can be enjoyed by future generations’ as important reasons for managing the marine estate. Threats that have the greatest current impact on community experiences within the Greater Sydney region include litter, overcrowding, illegal behaviour or activities, loss of natural habitat, and climate change in that order; the Greater Sydney region was noted to have the highest impact scores for all threats compared with other NSW Coastal regions.

More information on the Community Wellbeing Surveys can be found here along with detailed summaries of the survey findings for each NSW Coastal region.

Summary of the Greater Sydney region survey findings can be found here.

The SCCG is thrilled to announce that the Little Penguin education video has been selected as a finalist in the Communication, Education, and Empowerment category of the LGNSW Excellence in the Environment Awards. This award recognises outstanding initiatives that inform and empower communities, increasing their capacity to actively contribute to sustainability efforts.

Our video, targeting the boating community, highlights the threats faced by the endangered Little Penguin population at Manly, including boat strikes and damage to crucial foraging habitats like seagrass beds. Developed in collaboration with Northern Beaches Council, NPWS, TfNSW, and local penguin wardens, this project forms a key part of SCCG’s broader sustainability strategy to protect marine biodiversity and promote compliance with boating regulations.

The awards ceremony will take place on 4 December 2024, and we are honoured to be among the finalists in this category, which celebrates environmental education programs and initiatives that foster community engagement and consultation.

Stay tuned for the results and our continued efforts in protecting the Little Penguins and other vital marine ecosystems!

Finalists | Environment Awards (lgnsw.org.au)

The SCCG is proud to support Plastic Free July, an important initiative dedicated to reducing plastic pollution and promoting sustainable practices. By encouraging individuals and communities to refuse single-use plastics, the initiative aims to create lasting change that benefits both our environment and future generations.

SCCG’s advocacy for litter prevention aligns with the Plastic Free July campaign. Clean beaches, coastal areas, and waterways free from plastic are essential for the health of our marine ecosystems and the enjoyment of public spaces.

While the campaign is a month-long initiative, the principles it promotes should be embraced year-round. SCCG encourages everyone to continue their efforts beyond July, making plastic reduction a permanent part of their daily lives.

For more information on Plastic Free July and how you can get involved, visit https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/.

With penguin breeding season underway, the Sydney Coastal Councils Group (SCCG) is urging all recreational watercraft operators to follow the boating rules in Sydney Cove, Manly, designed to protect a critically endangered population of Little Penguins.

A monitoring report prepared by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) revealed the continuing poor results of breeding population numbers, which have reduced considerably at Manly. The monitoring results for the 2023-2024 season show that there are currently 19 breeding pairs, a reduction in last year’s results.

The SCCG’s Executive Officer, Sarah Joyce, said that these numbers are the lowest recorded and urgent action needs to be taken to address the range of threats so that we can see the population recover.

One of the key threats to the population is boat strike. The SCCG, in partnership with Transport for NSW (Maritime), Northern Beaches Council and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), wants to increase awareness of the boating rules in Spring Cove to reduce this threat causing the death of more Little Penguins. Boats are encouraged to watch SCCG’s education video which identifies the various rules put in place to protect the population including speeding limits and areas to avoid anchoring.

Finally, a message from Erica Mahon, Senior Threatened Species Officer with DCCEEW on the future of Little Penguins in Spring Cove.

“There is always hope for the Little Penguin population but we need everyone to pitch in to make sure these penguins have a future here in Manly” Ms Mahon said.

Simple boating rules for Spring Cove, Manly:

• Reduce speed to four knots or below when entering North Harbour, Manly
• Be extra careful at dawn and dusk
• Don’t anchor in seagrass beds
• Don’t bring dogs or cats onto beaches

The Little Penguin education video can be viewed below:

 

Raw footage of the Manly Little Penguins for news purposes available below:

For SCCG’s media release: Little Penguins Media Release.