Caretakers of our drinking water

Be inspired, locally

Eventually the water that runs off a drinking water catchment area will be consumed by people. The activities of local landholders can have a direct effect on our community’s drinking water supply.  Good land management in a drinking water catchment helps to protect the health of our waterways, our local drinking water supply, land, wildlife and people.

Managing the day to day operations of farms and business whilst caring for the environment and catchment health, land managers in our drinking water catchments are as diverse and inspiring as they come.  Explore some of their stories, and you might just be inspired to get involved too.

Meet James.

Eastern Freshwater Cod, Australian Bass, Platypus and Long Necked Turtles live in the waterhole at the bottom of a stunning property shared with James, his family and their horses. Read more here

Meet Martin.

Martin runs a successful business, and his macadamia farm is at its very heart. But the soul of Brookfarm is the rich sub-tropical rainforest created over the past 25 years by Martin and his wife Pam. Read more here

Meet Henri.

Henri is also a land manager, producing 30 tonnes of quality macadamia kernel every year. His immaculate 40 hectare Letaba Macadamia Estate is at Knockrow, in Northern NSW. It’s just 11km South of Byron Bay and is positioned within the Emigrant Creek drinking water catchment. Read more here

Meet Mick.

Mick teaches Agriculture at St. John’s College Woodlawn, a co-educational Catholic Secondary College. The campus sits on a picturesque 28 hectares of rolling hills adjoining the meandering Wilsons River just outside Lismore in Northern NSW. Read more here

What you can do

Protecting our drinking water catchment is a responsibility Rous County Council shares with industry, businesses, landholder communities and individuals. Every control measure counts and contributes to the quality of drinking water supplies in the long term.

Riparian Zone and Erosion Management Film

For information on ways you can look after our drinking water catchments download the following information.

If you would like to collect a hard copy of any of the following resources please contact council@rous.nsw.gov.au to arrange for your copy to be left at reception.

Protect and Restore Vegetation to look after our drinking water catchments

Manage Macadamia Farms to look after our drinking water catchments

Manage Livestock in and around waterways to protect drinking water quality

Healthy Catchments, Healthy Water - Managing land within drinking water catchments:  A practical guide for NSW landholders.

My Local Native Garden Guide - a planting guide to promote biodiversity in the Lismore region.

My Local Native Garden Guide - a planting guide to promote biodiversity in Byron Shire.

Landholder's guide to looking after waterways booklet

Health catchments, quality water - screen saver, postcard or fridge magnet for rural landholders

Health catchments, quality water - screen saver, postcard or fridge magnet for urban landholders