Green Your Stream is in its second year and we are again making great progress. The goal of this Local Board funded project is to enhance the health and function of urban streams across the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area. Focused on private properties with open streams, the initiative empowers landowners to care for their waterways by providing tailored weed control plans, gardening tools, green waste bags, and appropriate native plants. 

To foster community understanding and action, RHB has been out in the community, door-knocking to inform residents about their responsibilities as stream guardians and discuss ways to address storm damage. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, reflecting the community’s strong commitment to ecological restoration and sustainable living. 

Since December, RHB has engaged with nearly 125 stream-side households across the Local Board, with a particular focus on the Hibiscus Coast. Streamside properties with open streams in their backyards were prioritised for door-knocking. So far, 26 household in the Hibiscus Coast households have formally signed up for the Green Your Stream programme, with many others receiving information to encourage future involvement. Most participating homeowners have already begun removing pest plants and rubbish from their stream edges in preparation for the upcoming winter planting season. 

RHB has also distributed many green waste bags to help residents clear pest plants and blockages from their streams. This simple resource has made a huge difference in motivating action and helping residents easily dispose of invasive plants. 

In the East Coast Bays, an additional 24 sites have been established so far this year. The energy and enthusiasm of new residents have been inspiring. In Campbells Bay, in particular, a real sense of community spirit has taken hold. Neighbours are working together not only to remove weeds but to plant native species across property boundaries—creating a connected stream and stormwater network that strengthens the catchment’s resilience to heavy rainfall and flooding. 

Working at a catchment scale, particularly in steep-sided areas like Campbells Bay, greatly increases the overall impact, helping to stabilize slopes, slow water flow, and reduce the severity of downstream flooding.  

As you can see in the before and after photos, the streams are much healthier after planting.  These grasses will lie flat in a storm, allowing the water to pass though while leaving the soil and bank attached.  

As we move into the planting season, we are excited to see these streamside projects flourish. Each weed removed, each native plant established, and each conversation with a neighbour adds up to stronger, healthier waterways and more resilient communities. Thank you to everyone who has joined the Green Your Stream movement.  If you have a stream in your backyard and area keen to improve it, please get in touch.