Welcome to the Enoggera Catchment
SOWN is a community/ environment organisation working to restore the habitats of creeks and waterways in the catchments of Enoggera, Ithaca and Fish Creeks in Brisbane's north and west.
SOWN is supported by the Brisbane City Council through its Habitat Brisbane Program and Water Resources.
The project promotes an integrated catchment management approach to priority areas identified in the Brisbane City Council's Waterways Strategy, in association with communities and local authorities.
While some of the creek system is being rehabilitated, a great deal of work will be needed to extend the area to join current sites, and to maintain the rehabilitated areas to prevent their re-infestation with weeds.
The Creeks draining this part of the valley are over 23 kilometres in length and feed into Breakfast Creek.
The objectives of SOWN include:
- Rehabilitation of waterways to restore the ecological balance and fauna habitat.
- Increased community awareness and understanding of creek life and its management.
- To promote expanded community access to, and amenities for, waterways in the region.
- To help protect sensitive areas from damage and misuse.
How did SOWN begin?
SOWN was initiated in 1994 by Brian Hallinan, then City Council Alderman for the Gap Ward, as a project of Men of the Trees.
For many years these Creeks and their tributaries had been degraded by past agricultural land-uses and by the dumping of refuse and garden waste from the many homes and developments in the catchment.
These practices led to a severe loss of topsoil, invasion of bushland areas with exotic weeds and the loss of native vegetation. In combination with urban development this meant that areas of natural habitats for native animals including reptiles, insects, mammals and birds, were drastically reduced. Water quality decreased markedly, leading to less aquatic life such as fish and platypus.
SOWN was formed to address these problems.
SOWN drew on the members and energy of the Enoggera Creek Beautification Committee, a group featuring two long-serving SOWN members Bob Whiteman and Trevor Ozanne (SOWN's first coordinator). Trevor removed the "Beautification" from the title to the new name of "The Enoggera Creek Committee" just before joining SOWN.
When SOWN gained NHT funding, we were able to employ a full time coordinator, Brian Sait. Brian was the longest serving coordinator and as of 2004, our only volunteer awarded life membership.
Rules
The name of the incorporated association shall be Save Our Waterways – Now Inc. (in these rules called “the association”)
The objects for which the association is established are:
- To provide a working model for the rehabilitation of waterways and their local environment.
- To develop a catchment plan with which to manage the rehabilitation work.
- To recruit volunteers for each sub-planning area, to provide support and assistance in the carrying out of their tasks.
- To rehabilitate the waterways and their local environments by the removal of rubbish and unwanted vegetation and to plant and maintain appropriate native species of vegetation.
- To create an environment for the return and safe haven for native fauna.
- To maintain records of the rehabilitation as it progresses.
- To encourage like minded communities to adopt the SOWN program.
- To provide an educational focus for the creation of improved awareness of the benefits of the SOWN program.
Sponsors
SOWN has many sponsors to thank for their assistance including both on-ground work and within the local community. Our sponsors include:
Toadshow: For sponsorship of our website.
Gambling Community Benefit Fund: Our website upgrate and Community Website Modules have been sponsored by the Qld Government's Gambling Community Benefit Fund.
Brisbane City Council: Sponsorship through their Environmental and Community Grants program.
SEQ Catchments: We are currently undertaking on ground works at St Johns Wood and The Gap with the assistance of funding from SEQ Catchments.
Anne Jones
While Anne Jones believes that SOWN remains largely unchanged "on the ground" since she and Rob White joined in 2003, she does acknowledge that they... 
