RD Walshe National Writing for the Environment Prize – 2024
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre holds an annual, National Writing for the Environment prize in honour of our founder, Bob Walshe.
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre holds an annual writing prize to honour our founder, Bob Walshe, OAM. The intention of this competition is to attract quality writing that can inspire or inform and incite change.
This year, we’re asking writers to see the world from an alternate perspective. ‘Become’ in your writing an endangered animal anywhere on the planet, an island sinking, a tree, fish in the sea…
What does the world look like from the perspective of a non-human element of nature?
Working to protect and enhance the natural environment across the Shire, including our beautiful waterways and beaches. Raising public awareness, encouraging environmentally sustainable businesses, conducting beach cleanups and pollution audits.
Sunny Shire provide information about solar energy, batteries, efficiency, electric vehicles and more…
The Royal National Park is a beautiful natural area with spectacular scenery, home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, and extraordinary geological features. We believe the ecological values and unique history of the Royal merit UNESCO World Heritage Listing.
10,700 people signed a petition asking the NSW government to protect our water catchment from damage caused by this coal mine.
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre holds an annual, National Writing for the Environment prize in honour of our founder, Bob Walshe.
18 May – Join us for a special event: a screening of the impactful documentary “Climate Changers” featuring Professor Tim Flannery. There will be Q&A after the film, hosted by David Ross, an expert in leadership during challenging times. Organised by the Shire Climate Action Network (ShireCAN), a group of passionate residents in Sutherland Shire dedicated to addressing the urgent issue of climate change.
All welcome – Saturday, 18 May. We’ll be walking in the southern part of the Royal National Park, around the Hacking (Deeban) River and Camp Gully Creek. This is one of the lesser known and hidden parts of the park, adjacent to the beautiful Lady Wakehurst Drive. Coal waste is visible through this area, but it is still quite beautiful. It is also somewhat eerie. The walk is free, but numbers are strictly limited. You’ll need to register – please click on the link for more info.
We are an independent, not-for-profit, community organisation actively involved in a wide range of projects aimed at maintaining the natural beauty and character of our Shire, and surrounding waterways and parks. For a small organisation we do a lot, but our Centre is run by volunteers.
Sutherland Shire would not have an environment centre, and none of our campaigns or advocacy would be possible without the commitment and care of members of the community.
One current focus is advocacy to protect the Royal National Park from coal mine pollution. Another central campaign focuses on koala and wildlife corridors around the Shire, with advocacy aimed at stopping koalas being killed on our roads. Another ongoing campaign seeks to protect our water supply from the coal mining taking place directly underneath Woronora Reservoir: 10,700 people signed our petition calling for the mining to be stopped. Our members from the SO Shire group aim to halt pollution from plastic and microplastics washing up around our beaches and waterways.
Our Sunny Shire and Plastic Free Sutherland Shire groups can provide general advice about solar energy, batteries, and sustainable practices. We support environmental education programs, and put in submissions about issues of environmental concern with various arms of government.
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre supports, and is also an affiliate member of the Sydney Basin Koala Network, Greater Sydney Landcare, the Better Planning Network, the Nature Conservation Council, the Australian Fair Trade & Investment Network (AFTINET), Lock the Gate Alliance, and Climate Action Network Australia (CANA).
If you are interested in finding out more, or helping, please get in touch!
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this Land, the Dharawal people, who have cared and continue to care for country. We recognise that Aboriginal Sovereignty has never been ceded. It is our goal to build restorative relations between peoples, and we pay our respect to their elders past, present, and emerging.
We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
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