NBE History

During the early 1990's the NSW State Government established a number of Catchment Management Committee's, one of which was the Sydney Northern Beaches CMC. This aimed to co-ordinate a wide range of natural resource management activities which impact on the current and future sustainability of the land, waterways and marine environment, stretching from Manly to Lion Island. The CMC enabled greater community participation and encouraged integration of the resources, knowledge and abilities of government with those of the community. This committee was very active and received a grant of $161,600 from the Natural Heritage Trust for its 1999-2000 Greenlink Project. When the CMC's were disbanded in mid 2000, a new voluntary community group called the Northern Beaches Community Landcare Inc was formed to continue some of the excellent work that was being done by SNBCMC, including the Greenlink Project. NBCL became the proponent for the Greenlink Project and funding of $140,400 was received for 2000-2001 funding. The group changed its name to Northern Beaches Envirolink Inc in April 2001.

The Greenlink grants included funding for a part time Greenlink Project Officer and John Harkin was employed for 21 hours per week. John co-ordinated the project and produced the Greenlink Newsletters and the Greenlink Final Report 2001. An ambitious 2002 application to continue the Greenlink Project was highly commended, but unsuccessful.

NBE Inc continues and has been involved with other related projects. These include the Deep Creek rehabilitation work and the Long Reef Save the Dunes project (both funded by Coastcare). NBE was awarded a $30,000 NHT grant contribution for its Northern Beaches Bitou Bush and Boneseed Control Project and the final report for this has been completed. NBE has supported numerous other projects on the Northern Beaches.

In 2005 the NBE Inc launched a 68 page booklet entitled "Our Links With the Future", which summarised various Greenlink projects from the Warriewood Wettlands in Pittwater to Long Reef Headland and the Mermaid Pool in Warringah. A DVD was launched at the same time.