Home - Sutherland Shire Environment Centre

Coal pollution in the Royal National Park

Coal mines make bad neighbours…

Shire Climate Action Network (ShireCAN)

ShireCAN is a group of concerned locals who want to play an active role in climate action to ensure the planet is protected for our children and future generations.

SO Shire & Plastic Free Sutherland Shire

Working to protect and enhance the natural environment across the Shire, including our beautiful waterways and beaches. Raising public awareness, encouraging environmentally sustainable businesses, conducting beach cleanups and pollution audits.

Our amazing Sutherland Shire Shorebirds

Will they make it?

Sunny Shire

Sunny Shire provide information about solar energy, batteries, efficiency, electric vehicles and more…

Electrify Bundeena

“Electrify Bundeena is a community-run project that aims to achieve 100% net renewables in Bundeena’s energy usage by helping residents electrify their homes and vehicles and rapidly phase out all fossil fuel use”

First National Park

The Royal National Park is a beautiful natural area with spectacular scenery, home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, and extraordinary geological features. We believe the ecological values and unique history of the Royal merit UNESCO World Heritage Listing.

Coal mining underneath Woronora Reservoir - our drinking water

10,700 people signed a petition asking the NSW government to protect our water catchment from damage caused by this coal mine.

Events

Walk a hidden gem in the Royal, and check out coal waste material on the way

All welcome! Come join us Saturday, 13 July. We’ll be walking in the southern part of the Royal National Park, around the Hacking (Deeban) River and Camp Gully Creek. This is one of the lesser known and hidden parts of the park, adjacent to the beautiful Lady Wakehurst Drive. Coal waste is visible through this area, but it is still quite beautiful. It is also somewhat eerie. The walk is free, but numbers are strictly limited. You’ll need to register – please click on the link for more info.

Local Litter Detectives @ KAB NSW conference 2024

If you care about plastic pollution and would like to learn more about the latest efforts to combat it, the Keep Australia Beautiful Annual Conference is 28 – 29 August.

One of the presenters will be our member Sarah-Jo Lobwein, from SO Shire, who’ll be discussing her amazing forensic study of litter at Sutherland Shire beaches. The focus of the conference is the challenge litter poses to our communities, ecosystems, and economies – and how within this challenge lies the potential for innovation, collaboration, and progress.

Sydney Premiere: The Koalas & Filmmaker Q&A

If you care about our local koalas this film is one to watch. Why are our most loved marsupials facing extinction even as governments are announcing new strategies to protect them?

Upcoming screenings will be at the Dendy in Newtown on 20 June; Cremorne Orpheum on 27 June; and the Randwick Ritz on 30 June.
The Koalas takes audiences on a journey into the lives of individual koalas, led by charismatic characters Wonnie, Bexley, Tom, Baz, Coral and adorable joeys Hope and Pala. As these stories unfold so do the unique characteristics of koalas, their bond with their young, and wildlife carers they come into contact with.

About Sutherland Shire Environment Centre

We are an independent, not-for-profit, community organisation actively involved in a wide range of projects aimed at maintaining the natural beauty and character of our Shire, and surrounding waterways and parks. For a small organisation we do a lot, but our Centre is run by volunteers. Sutherland Shire would not have an environment centre, and none of our campaigns or advocacy would be possible without the commitment and care of members of the community.

One current focus is advocacy to protect the Royal National Park from coal mine pollution. Another central campaign focuses on koala and wildlife corridors around the Shire, with the aim of stopping koalas being killed on our roads. Another campaign seeks to protect our water supply from the coal mining taking place directly underneath Woronora Reservoir. Our members from the SO Shire group aim to halt pollution from plastic and microplastics washing up around our beaches and waterways. Our Sunny Shire and Plastic Free Sutherland Shire groups can provide general advice about solar energy, batteries, and sustainable practices. We support environmental education programs, and put in submissions about issues of environmental concern with various arms of government.

Sutherland Shire Environment Centre supports, and is also an affiliate member of the Sydney Basin Koala Network, Greater Sydney Landcare, the Better Planning Network, the Nature Conservation Council, the Australian Fair Trade & Investment Network (AFTINET), Lock the Gate Alliance, and Climate Action Network Australia (CANA).

If you are interested in finding out more, or helping, please get in touch!

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this Land, the Dharawal people, who have cared and continue to care for country. We recognise that Aboriginal Sovereignty has never been ceded. It is our goal to build restorative relations between peoples, and we pay our respect to their elders past, present, and emerging.

We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Our amazing Sutherland Shire Shorebirds

First National Park

Events

Our Campaigns

About Sutherland Shire Environment Centre