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

The Riverstone Wetlands are a special ephemeral wetland in Western Sydney with a unique ecology, providing habitat for a wide range of wildlife, in particular an incredible variety of wetland birds, many of them vulnerable.

In this episode of Hawkesbury Eco Hour, we discuss the Riverstone Wetlands with Mark Fuller, President of the Cumberland Land Conservancy and a keen western Sydney birder. Mark is leading efforts to protect this valuable western Sydney site, which provides important habitat and feeding grounds for birds from across Western Sydney and far beyond.

Mark describes why the wetland's site just above the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain makes it such an important link between the Hawkesbury and other wetlands, and a key Sydney feeding ground for threatened migratory waders from as far away as Siberia and Japan, as well as endangered Australian species such as the beautiful Australian Painted Snipe

Find out more about the site, its birdlife, and how you can help in the fight to save it for future generations of wildlife and people.

Episode Links:

• Save Riverstone Wetlands https://hen.org.au/save-riverstone-wetlands/

• 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