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Rivers of Carbon is the on-ground program of the Australian River Restoration Centre.
Overview
Location: Greater Sydney Drinking Water Catchment - encompassing Braidwood, Goulburn, the Southern Highlands, Lithgow, Portland and northern Sydney drinking water catchment areas.
The Source Water Linkages project was a large-scale river restoration initiative led through our Rivers of Carbon program in partnership with WaterNSW. It focused on protecting and restoring waterways to improve water quality within critical drinking water catchments that supply regional communities.
Working in close partnership with landholders, the project supported on-ground restoration delivery such as riverbank revegetation, stock exclusion fencing, erosion control, and habitat rehabilitation. These actions are designed to improve water quality at the source, strengthening landscape and climate resilience.
The project delivered measurable environmental and community outcomes, including healthier waterways, improvements in water quality, improved biodiversity, increased carbon storage in riparian landscapes, and stronger long-term stewardship of catchment management.
“We are just custodians of this land, and whoever is on it has a responsibility to look after it as best they can.”
- Angus Gibson, partner landholder from the Source Water Linkages project
We also developed resources and guides under this project, helping landholders implement best-practice land management. These included:
Progress
- Working across 66 properties
- 80kms+ of riparian area fenced
- 36,000+ natives planted
- 420 ha of riparian area protected
Timeline
The Source Water Linkages Project commenced in 2017 and will be completed 2026.
Hear from our landholders
Merigan Farms
Merigan Farms, an 850-hectare property in NSW, focuses on sheep and cattle. Tim De Mestre, with Rivers of Carbon, fenced riparian areas and planted natives to boost biodiversity.
Tirranna
This 5,000-acre property near Goulburn, NSW, features a rare ‘chain-of-ponds’ system and a 17.8-acre riparian project along the Mulwaree River. Rivers of Carbon and the Gibson family are restoring the land, which supports cropping and a native riparian corridor home to waterfowl and other species.
Wongajong
This 150-acre site near Goulburn, NSW, includes a 1.5km stretch of the Wollondilly River. Rivers of Carbon and owners Margaret and Nagy are reversing cattle grazing damage, boosting biodiversity, and protecting against erosion.
Photo Gallery
See some of our favourite moments from this project. Click photos to enlarge and see captions.
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Acknowledgements
The Rivers of Carbon – Source Water Linkages project was funded by WaterNSW.
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More information
Project page: Source Water Linkages
Help the ARRC enable new river restoration projects
Through our flagship on-ground river restoration program – ‘Rivers of Carbon’ – we work directly with landholders to restore Australia’s wetlands and waterways. Our methods are grounded in science, practical experience, and local expertise, achieving tangible benefits for both the environment and on-farm productivity.
The ARRC is currently seeking business partners to enable new river restoration projects across Australia. Contact us if you’re interested.
