Streamwatch is a citizen science water monitoring program that enables community groups to monitor the quality and health of local waterways.

Connecting People with our Waterways
A Local Community Citizen Science Water Program
Monitors the health of waterways and riparian areas
Provides pollution and biosecurity alerts to authorities
Supplies long term environmental data for planning
Connects people and nature with a practical purpose
Eyes and ears on our water
The Streamwatch Process in Our Waterways
Equipment + People + Education = Publicly Accessible Results + Reliable Alerts
The Role of Streamwatch
By empowering local citizens to monitor the health of their waterways and contribute valuable data to the scientific community, Streamwatch helps to raise awareness about the importance of water quality monitoring and conservation, and ultimately supports efforts to protect and preserve our waterways for future generations.
What has changed with Streamwatch
- Comparison with professional water testing equipment done for the long term Standard Kit
- New Alert Kit to engage all kids and adults: quicker, cheaper, no chemicals, instant results to upload via app
- Rapid riparian assessment and options to participate in blitzes for waterbugs, micro-plastics and others
History and Results
Streamwatch was initiated by Sydney Water and the Sydney Catchment Authority. From it’s humble beginnings, Streamwatch started with a trial of 15 schools in 1990. This led to Waterwatch Australia as the umbrella coordinating group. Streamwatch was move to GSL in 2019.
Since it’s formation, 31,000 data sets to the online database have been collected and cleaned to provide 12,000 consistent data sets, which will be uploaded to the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA). Much of the data is already in SEED (NSW Government’s portal for Sharing and Enabling Environmental Data).
This program has strong quality assurance elements built in to ensure that results are sound, reliable and useful. All Streamwatch groups are required to follow the same methods and use approved equipment to sample and then enter their results into the Streamwatch website.
Stay up-to-date with Streamwatch
Connect with our community on Facebook or sign up for our Streamwatch newsletter.
Streamwatch on Instagram
You’re invited to come plant trees in the Hills, at Nelson to be exact, on Sat 24 June. Come along from 9 am to 1 pm and help put 500 native trees in the ground to provide shade, cooling and habitat for wildlife. It’s free to attend, all ages are welcome and lunch is provided - just book your free tickets today. (Link in bio - ‘Creating Canopies in the Hills’)
@landcare_nsw and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees as part of the Greening our City program to help reduce urban heat in Greater Sydney. Proudly funded by the NSW Government.
#CreatingCanopies #GreaterSydneyLandcare #UrbanHeat #TreeCanopy #LandcareNSW #greeningourcity

Happy World Turtle Day to all the wonderful people out there doing amazing things for our turtles and protecting habitats 🐢❤
#worldturtleday #1millionturtles #turtleconservation #turtles #freshwaterturtles #conservation #landcare #waterwatch #streamwatch

Celebrate this World Environment Day by planting trees in Sydney! You’re invited to help put 400 native trees in the ground at Campbelltown Hospital on Sat 3 June. The event runs from 9 am to 1 pm & it’s free to attend, and includes a free lunch for volunteers. All ages are welcome. To find out more and book your free tickets today, visit ‘Creating Canopies at Campbelltown Hospital’ on Greater Sydney Landcare’s Eventbrite (link in bio).
@landcare_nsw and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees as part of the Greening our City program to help reduce urban heat in Greater Sydney. Proudly funded by the NSW Government.
#CreatingCanopies #GreaterSydneyLandcare #UrbanHeat #TreeCanopy #LandcareNSW #GreeningOurCity
Photo: Greater Sydney Landcare.

Calling all 18-35 year olds - you`re invited to an awesome FREE tree planting and camping event at Mulgoa near Penrith. It`s on Sat 27 May to Sun 28 May. All plants, tools and training is provided and it`s catered. Grab your mates and book your free tickets today to the `Youth Camp Out in Mulgoa` on Eventbrite. (Link in bio)
This event is run in conjunction with @wsintrepidlandcare and @hawkesburynepeanlandcare and Greater Sydney Landcare’s Creating Canopies Project.
About Creating Canopies: @landcare_nsw and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees as part of the Greening our City program to help reduce urban heat in Greater Sydney. Proudly funded by the NSW Government.
#greatersydneylandcare #GreeningOurCity #treecanopy #urbanheat #CreatingCanopies #landcarensw
Photo: gilaxia.

Come plant trees for koalas in Campbelltown on Saturday 17th June. Book your FREE tickets today, before they sell out. (Link in bio)
All plants, training, tools and refreshments are provided.
@landcare_nsw and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees as part of the Greening our City program to help reduce urban heat in Greater Sydney.
Proudly funded by the NSW Government.
#CreatingCanopies #landcarensw
#GreaterSydneyLandcare #GreeningOurCity
#UrbanHeat #TreeCanopy
Photo: Tourism Australia.

A big thanks to the @hawkesburynepeanlandcare and the local Penrith community for coming out to plant 200 trees on a property in Berkshire Park in March.
It was such a fun and rewarding day and the property owner was incredibly grateful for the help getting the new plants in the ground. These new plantings will help connect remnant vegetation.
If you have the space for at least 100 native trees on your property, you can register your site on our website here: greatersydneylandcare.org/register-your-site-for-trees
@landcare_nsw and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees as part of the Greening our City program to help reduce urban heat in Greater Sydney. Proudly funded by the NSW Government.
#CreatingCanopies #landcarensw #GreaterSydneyLandcare #GreeningOurCity #UrbanHeat #TreeCanopy

500 native plants have now been added to the Russell Walker Reserve in North Rocks thanks to @nbn_australia and @landcareaustralia !
The planting site was along a mown parkland area adjacent to the important riparian edge of the Darling Mills creek. These plants will help improve the riparian corridor and increase the native plant diversity of the area.
As well as creating new native plant habitat, the team rolled up their sleeves and got stuck into some weed removal to help restore existing habitat.
@landcare_nsw and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees as part of the Greening our City program to help reduce urban heat in Greater Sydney. Proudly funded by the NSW Government.
#CreatingCanopies #landcarensw #GreaterSydneyLandcare #GreeningOurCity #UrbanHeat #TreeCanopy

Thank you, to @carnarvongolfclub , for hosting another planting day at their property.
Not only did the amazing team from Spirax Sarco manage to add 200 native trees to the grow the golf course canopy, but they also looked after and maintained the plants that they had put in the ground last year.
As a reward they were treated to some of the golf club volunteers` delicious homemade lunch and treats. Ian Bailey from Birding NSW was also able to share with the group his bird survey results of the golf course and how important golf courses are for urban wildlife.
Spirax Sarco had funded some floating islands for some of the golf club dams and was happy to see them in person, offering safe habitats for water birds and fish.
@landcare_nsw and Greater Sydney Landcare are planting 200,000 trees as part of the Greening our City program to help reduce urban heat in Greater Sydney. Proudly funded by the NSW Government.
#CreatingCanopies #landcarensw #GreaterSydneyLandcare #GreeningOurCity #UrbanHeat #TreeCanopy
