No matter where you live in Newcastle you live in a catchment. A catchment is an area of land that drains eventually to a single point.

Within the Newcastle Local Government Area there are many smaller sub-catchments that form part of the larger Hunter River Catchment, one of the largest coastal catchments in New South Wales. The main catchment areas within Newcastle are shown on the map below.

Which catchment do you live in?

Some catchments in Newcastle are still in a relatively natural state while others have been heavily developed, with natural creek lines replaced by concrete channels in an effort to control flooding in the 1930’s. The remaining areas of bushland, wetlands and creeks are important ecological, recreational and visual assets valued highly by the community.

•  Newcastle catchment characteristics (518 KB) includes information about the general physical characteristics ie. Climate, geology etc of the catchments.
•  Ironbark Creek Catchment (379 KB)
•  Throsby Creek Catchment (886 KB)
•  Cottage Creek Catchment (355 KB)
•  Greenway Purgatory Catchments (46 KB pdf)
•  Hunter Estuary (210 KB)

Spring water bug surveys

Newcastle has approximately 150 kilometres of natural waterways. Fortunately, some of these waterways are still healthy, showing minimal signs of harm from urban development, while others are verging on collapse.

Once a year, in spring, Council’s Natural Connection program invites residents, schools and community groups to participate in monitoring the condition of their local creek, river or wetland by conducting water quality and water bug (macroinvertebrate) surveys. The Spring Water Bug Survey is a great activity for kids and a great way to find out about your local environment. In 2013 the Spring Water Bug Survey will be conducted in September and October.

If you would like to be involved in our Spring Water Bug Survey please email aweingott@ncc.nsw.gov.au or call 4974 2622. Your involvement will help us identify areas that need rehabilitation with the goal of improving the local environment.