Cooks River Alliance

What Cooks River Alliance does

Cooks River Alliance is a not-for-profit partnership organization coordinating environmental catchment management across the 100km² Cooks River Catchment in Sydney's inner south-west. It was formed through councils working together since 1997 and is hosted by the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, with a governance structure comprising Bayside Council, Canterbury-Bankstown Council, Inner West Council, Strathfield Council, and Sydney Water as voting members of a Management Committee. The Alliance serves approximately 500,000 residents living or working in a catchment that is roughly 90% urbanised, with the Cooks River itself running 23km as an urban estuary from Yagoona to Kamay (Botany Bay).

Its core offerings span infrastructure, education, recreation, and strategic planning. The flagship is the $23 million Cooks River Restoration Project (anchored by $10 million in Australian Government funding via the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program), complemented by the five-stage Cooks River Catchment Coastal Management Program under the NSW Coastal Management Act 2016, the Cooks River Litter Prevention Program (which achieved a 50% litter reduction by 2025), the Cooks River Rescue school education program, wetland restoration projects (Landing Lights, Peter Bulger, Gumbramorra), raingarden stormwater filtration, and recreational assets such as the Cooks River Paddle Trail and Mackey Park boat launch. Its technology platform is light: ArcGIS Experience Builder powers the Community Feedback Hub, UrbanSpectra provides the catchment interactive map, and standard SaaS tools (Google Classrooms, Eventbrite, Padlet) support education and community engagement.

The organization generates no commercial revenue. Its financial base consists of recurring member council contributions from the four partner councils and Sydney Water, supplemented by competitive government grants from federal (Urban Rivers and Catchments Program) and state sources (NSW Coastal and Estuary Grant Program, NSW EPA WASM Stream 3, Places to Swim Program). It operates with approximately 5 staff plus grant-funded roles, manages ~$25 million in project value, and is pursuing expansion through the Cooks River Master Plan, Aboriginal partnership deepening, and active advocacy on major developments like the proposed Kogarah Golf Club Redevelopment.

Name

Cooks River Alliance

Legal name

Cooks River Alliance

Website

https://cooksriver.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cooks River Alliance is a not-for-profit partnership of four Sydney councils and Sydney Water that coordinates catchment management, restoration projects, education programs, and the Coastal Management Program across the 100km², 500,000-resident Cooks River Catchment in Sydney's inner south-west.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catchment Management and River Restoration Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stormwater Collection & Conveyance (Inlets, Catch Basins, Pipes, Channels) (EUANAEAA), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Catchment management
• River restoration
• Litter prevention
• Stormwater management
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Campsie

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Funding from Australian Government (Federal) through programs like Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, and NSW Government through Coastal and Estuary Grant Program, NSW EPA litter prevention grants (WASM Stream 3), and other state government funding sources.
2. Member Council Contributions: Ongoing membership contributions from partner councils (Bayside Council, Canterbury-Bankstown Council, Inner West Council, Strathfield Council) and Sydney Water to support Alliance operations and coordinated catchment management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cooks River Alliance delivers coordinated catchment management for the Cooks River in Sydney's inner south west by convening four member councils and Sydney Water to plan, fund and implement river restoration, litter prevention, stormwater treatment, wetland re-creation, and environmental education programs. It acts as the designated lead for the NSW Coastal Management Program covering the catchment and operates a small secretariat that manages ~$25M of restoration projects, community engagement campaigns, and ecological monitoring.

Product overview

Cooks River Alliance is a partnership organization (not a software product company) comprising four councils (Bayside, Canterbury-Bankstown, Inner West, Strathfield) and Sydney Water, working together with communities for a healthy Cooks River Catchment. The Alliance offers a coordinated suite of environmental programs and services including: the Cooks River Restoration Project (infrastructure works valued at ~$23M for water quality improvement), the Cooks River Coastal Management Program (strategic planning document for 10-year management), the Litter Prevention Program (in partnership with NSW EPA), educational programs (Cooks River Rescue schools program, We Are All Cooks River People), recreational access (Cooks River Paddle Trail, boat launches), and restoration projects (wetlands, raingardens, bank stabilization). The Cooks River Master Plan coordinates these efforts under a shared vision. The organization does not operate a software product but delivers environmental restoration and community engagement programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cooks River Restoration Project A program of infrastructure works (including the Landing Lights Wetland Restoration, Peter Bulger Wetlands, Gumbramorra Wetland Re-Creation, bank stabilisation, and riparian revegetation) valued at approximately $23 million that improves water quality, public access, amenity, and native vegetation across the Cooks River catchment. Delivered for member councils and the community with $10M in Australian Government funding via the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program.
• Cooks River Coastal Management Program (CMP) A strategic plan developed in partnership between local and state government agencies providing a coordinated approach for managing and enhancing the Cooks River system for the environment, economy and community. Currently in Stage 3 of the five-stage NSW Coastal Management Manual process, being delivered for member councils and NSW Government.
• Cooks River Litter Prevention Program A coordinated roadmap implemented in partnership with member councils and the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to reduce litter across the Cooks River catchment, funded through the NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials (WASM) Stream 3 grant. Achieved 50% litter reduction by 2025.
• Cooks River Rescue School Stormwater Education Program A school stormwater action program that develops environmentally literate students to lead changes that positively impact the Cooks River, focusing on issues and actions students can champion to address stormwater pollution. Delivered in partnership with Georges River Environmental Education Centre (GREEC) and hosted on Google Classrooms.
• We Are All Cooks River People Education Program Curriculum-linked educational program developed in 2011 in partnership with Marrickville West Public School, providing activities and resources about the Cooks River, its history and environmental issues to give students a sense of their relationship with the river.
• Cooks River Paddle Trail An initiative offering maps and routes for paddlers to explore the Cooks River in Sydney, organised by the River Canoe Club and supported by the Cooks River Alliance, promoting recreational access to the river.
• Cooks River Master Plan A comprehensive strategic planning document bringing together catchment projects under a shared vision for the future of the river, coordinating approaches to improving water quality, restoring habitat and creating great places for people.
• Raingarden Program A program delivered with member councils since 2014 that builds a series of raingardens collecting and filtering stormwater runoff, removing pollutants including heavy metals, nutrients and faecal indicators before water flows into the river. Treatment effectiveness is monitored in partnership with Western Sydney University.
• Get the Site Right Campaign An erosion and sediment control education and compliance campaign conducted jointly with Parramatta River Catchment Group, Georges Riverkeeper and other organisations, encouraging developers and builders to implement appropriate controls to protect local waterways from sediment runoff.
• Landing Lights Wetland Restoration A 3-year intensive on-ground restoration project at Landing Lights wetland (Riverine Park Wetlands), an environmentally significant natural area containing some of the last remaining saline wetlands on the Cooks River, including vegetation identified as threatened under NSW legislation.
• Gumbramorra Wetland Re-Creation A wetland re-creation project located in Mackey Park, Marrickville that has returned part of the lost wetland landscape and created a thriving ecological space offering community connection to the river, historical connection, and a culturally significant gathering place.
• Peter Bulger Wetlands The first project under the Cooks River Restoration Project, funded through the Australian Government's Urban Rivers and Catchments Program. The wetland filters stormwater before it flows into local waterways, preventing sediment and pollutants from entering, while native vegetation provides habitat for local bird, insect and amphibious species. Enhanced Camdenville Park for the surrounding St Peters community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% litter reduction achieved by 2025 target
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Bayside CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember council of the Cooks River Alliance, providing governance representation and implementing on-ground projects within the Bayside LGA including Landing Lights Wetland restoration.
• City of Canterbury-BankstowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for the Cooks River Alliance secretariat and member council contributing governance, funding, and project implementation within Canterbury-Bankstown LGA.
• Inner West CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember council of the Cooks River Alliance, hosting projects including Gumbramorra Wetland Re-creation and Camdenville Park/Peter Bulger Wetlands upgrades.
• Strathfield CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember council contributing to litter prevention programs, Clean Street Clean Creek initiatives, and bank erosion management in the upper catchment.
• Sydney WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization providing water infrastructure expertise, funding, and implementing programs like litter booms and Gross Pollutant Traps throughout the river system.
• NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Cooks River Litter Prevention Strategy funded through NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials (WASM) Stream 3 grant; provides litter data through Key Littered Items Study (KLIS) and regulatory support for Get the Site Right campaign.
• Georges River Environmental Education Centre (GREEC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner delivering Cooks River Rescue School Stormwater Action Program and providing excursions/incursions to schools throughout the catchment.
• Gamay RangerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal rangers providing Traditional Custodian perspective and on-ground environmental management; partnership ensures Cooks River Masterplan builds on Gamay Sea Country plan.
• Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey Aboriginal stakeholder in catchment management, providing cultural heritage expertise and participation in governance through May 2026 Management Committee.
• Western Sydney UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner conducting monitoring of raingarden effectiveness for removal of physical, chemical, and bacteriological pollutants through installation of monitoring devices.
• Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (CRC for WSC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner providing expertise in water sensitive urban design, best practice development for Sydenham to Bankstown corridor, and technical guidance on urban river restoration.
• UrbanSpectrasecondaryTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for development of interactive Cooks River Catchment Map providing user-friendly way to understand catchment boundaries and management areas.
• A New Normal SydneyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Vivid Sydney presentation showcasing urban waterway restoration using Muddy Creek Naturalisation Project as case study.
• Parramatta River Catchment GroupsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent catchment group collaborating on Get the Site Right campaign and sharing best practices in urban river restoration.
• Georges RiverkeepersecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighboring catchment group partnering on Get the Site Right campaign and joint environmental initiatives.
• NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government department providing technical support including Broadscale Microplastic Assessment results and marine monitoring; key partner in Cooks River CMP development.
• La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal stakeholder being consulted for CMP development to ensure cultural values and custodianship are appropriately supported in river management.
• City of Canterbury Bankstown Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference GroupsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous reference group consulted during CMP development for Aboriginal cultural heritage protection.
• BirdLife AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBird conservation organization partnered for Aussie Backyard Bird Count encouraging residents to count birds in the catchment.
• Corrective Services NSWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for regular clean-up program using offenders for litter removal from within the catchment on a weekly basis.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CooksRiverAlliance
• Instagraminstagram.com/cooks_river
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cooks-river-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cooks River Alliance