An eco-friendly welcome
Welcome to EcoNetwork Port Stephens, a not-for-profit and 100% volunteer-run organisation dedicated to the interest of all who treasure and want to preserve the natural beauty and biodiversity of our Port Stephens estuary, peninsulas and rural hinterland.
Port Stephens contains diverse landscapes including native forests, sand dunes, mangroves and wetlands as well as unique offshore reefs, islands and marine habitats. Our local community has the challenge to protect these natural assets from the ongoing pressures of unsustainable development, tourism and water-based activities.
EcoNetwork Port Stephens, in partnership with many local affiliated groups and businesses, is also closely involved with current statewide, national and global environmental emergencies such as habitat destruction, climate change and plastic pollution.
Join us and enjoy sharing your experiences, expanding your knowledge and contributing to the healthy and happy environment that is Port Stephens.
What’s new?
NEWS FLASH
The Sustainable Futures Festival is excited to announce our special guest speaker, the 2022 NSW Australian of the Year – Professor Veena Sahajwalla.
International award-winning scientist, engineer and ‘Eco Alchemist’, Professor Sahajwalla has invented eco-friendly technologies for converting waste into products like steel and ceramics. We will hear about some of her ideas on how together we can reimagine our waste and shape circular economies in our own communities.
A special collaboration between EcoNetwork Port Stephens and Artisan Collective presents the aRRRRRt Awards leading into the Sustainable Futures Festival.
These awards encourage artists to put the R into art: rethink, reduce, reuse, repurpose or recycle.
Judging is based on relevance to the theme of supporting sustainable futures and artistic excellence.
Our Network in Action
Get Involved: Preventing burnout
Maintaining the energy levels required to be an optimistic, positive and productive volunteer is difficult. Alison Rogers continues her series on volunteering and suggests ways of avoiding burnout. Read more
Cool, calm and considered: a hazard reduction burn
Three such words are rarely associated with a burn off. Other words that came out of the mouths of Soldiers Point – Salamander Bay Landcare members included meditative, peaceful and … Read more
Voices of Woodville and Wallalong
Please support our members who are faced with rezoning proposals in the Williams River floodplain putting at risk livelihoods and threatened species. Even more farmland is being carved off into smaller lots – is Council going to support rezoning for housing development? Read more
Koala protection or mis-planned extinction?
Property developers, Ingenia, are seeking Council’s approval to change the previously approved ‘Boardwalk’ development. This plan would make it impossible for koalas to move across Tomaree Peninsula from east to west by creating a concrete jungle across this already narrow wildlife corridor. Help us stop the bulldozers! Read more
Tomaree Headland – what’s at the end of the road?
An ongoing talking point in Port Stephens is the future of Tomaree Headland. The NSW Government is keeping deliberations close to its chest, giving rise to all manner of speculation Read more
EcoUpdate highlights
Wildlife heroes saving our Wombats
Did you know we have the only dedicated wombat hospital in Australia right here in the Hunter? Meet the special people who made it their mission to keep our wombats alive. Read more
Habitat relief for Squirrel Gliders
Squirrel glider populations in the Hunter are facing immense pressure from habitat loss. Read about the special project that is providing essential habitat and how you can get involved. Read more
Shorebirds: The Incredible Journey
Over 1,500 migratory shorebirds are present in Port Stephens over summer, making it the 2nd most important site in NSW. The longest continuous migration by a land bird was by a Bar-tailed Godwit called E7 whose total round trip was 28,500 km! Read more
The myths about Eucalypts – true or false?
Like any good myth, their origins often contain an element of truth. Eucalypts include some of the tallest trees in the world. Some eucalypts can shed branches. And koalas do eat eucalypts. But if you dig a little deeper, many eucalypt myths are based on gross generalisations, to the point of being quite misleading. Read more
Ask Bunnings to ditch bird-killing poisons
A petition calling on Bunnings to take certain rodenticides off their shelves saw over 23,000 people sign up. Your action today may save the life of that beautiful Tawny frogmouth or Powerful owl tonight. Read more
Sustainable Living
Sustainable Futures Festival – 11 September 2022
EcoNetwork’s inaugural Sustainable Futures Festival is being held on 11 September 2022. We hope our wonderful community of Port Stephens and visitors from far and wide will take part in this special event. Read more
Sustainable House Day 2022
Sustainable House Day (SHD) provides the opportunity to explore some of Australia’s most unique and inspiring homes, and learn from the people who designed them, built them, and live in them. Read more
Sustainable infrastructure and the importance of future-proofing
We’re witnessing an infrastructure boom at a scale unprecedented in human history. There are now global shortages of materials you would never expect. Take sand for instance – we’re even selling sand to the Arabs … Read more
Renew taking custody of Z-NET in Australia
Communities across Australia are recognising the urgent need to achieve net zero greenhouse emissions. We are moving from asking ‘Why?’ to asking ‘How?’. It cannot be managed by experts alone; community leadership, input and buy-in is essential. Read more
Are NSW Marine Sanctuaries under threat?
The NSW Government released the ‘NSW Mainland Marine Park Network – Draft Management Plan 2021 – 2031’ for public comment. What are the threats to be concerned about? We share our views on what needs to be done. Read more