Lake it to the finish line: Marine Estate Champions participants graduate with big plans for Lake Illawarra

Wollongong City Council media release: 22 May 2026

A pilot program empowering everyday lake lovers to become environmental leaders has wrapped up, with four standout projects chosen to receive industry support to help bring them forward.

The inaugural Marine Estate Champions Program has wrapped up with a graduation ceremony held last night, Thursday 21 May, where participants presented their community-led project proposals after months of deep-diving into the ecology, dynamics, challenges and opportunities of Lake Illawarra.

Participants pitched their own project ideas at the celebratory graduation event, with four proposals being recognised for their innovative approach to restoring Lake Illawarra.

The Judges Award went to Summer Brooks for her project Novelty bins for Windang – creating on-site behaviour change. With visitor numbers to the region continuing to grow each year, this project aims to introduce creatively designed, art-inspired rubbish bins that both celebrate local wildlife and encourage responsible waste disposal, helping protect the natural environment.

The Champions Choice Award, voted by the program’s participants, went to Marie Armstrong for her project Lake Illawarra Eco Heroes. It's an early childhood environmental program empowering children aged 0-6 years and their families to care for and protect Lake Illawarra through nature play, birdwatching, clean-up activities and connection to Country.

Kaityln Johnstone and Sarah Cook were awarded the prize from Nature Positive Australia for their Lake Illawarra Bioblitz Project, a citizen science program to monitor, protect and celebrate local biodiversity.

Chloe Haigh will receive a digital storytelling mentorship with Coequal for her project ‘Clean Up Lake Illawarra', a series of short videos to educate and inspire young people to be stewards of their environment.

For the next six months, each recipient will receive support from industry experts to progress their ideas in the hopes it becomes a reality.

Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said the program was a fantastic opportunity for passionate, local people to step up and become community leaders.

“It’s incredible to see the work that’s been completed over the past few months,’’ she said.

“These Champions will not only build knowledge and confidence for our community but also help create real change for the health and future of Lake Illawarra. Seeing residents step up and pitch real, actionable ideas to protect the lake they love is exactly what this program was designed to achieve.

“Many of our residents have a deep and meaningful connection to Lake Illawarra that stretches over a lifetime. It’s something special that we want our future generations to experience. This program has shown that when locals are given the tools and knowledge to act, incredible things happen.”

Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer echoed the sentiments.

“What’s stood out is the depth of thinking, passion and leadership shown by everyday community members,” Mayor Homer said.

“The future of Lake Illawarra depends on people who are willing to step up and be part of the solution.”

The Marine Estate Champions Program was a free community initiative delivered by  Wollongong City Council, Shellharbour City Council and the NSW Marine Estate as a pilot project. It forms part of the NSW Marine Estate Education Strategy and supports actions in the Lake Illawarra Coastal Management Program.

Participants joined four evening workshops exploring Lake Illawarra’s natural values, processes, challenges and opportunities, completed a catchment-to-coast field trip alongside local experts, and culminated in last night’s project pitch graduation event.

The program ran from March to May 2026 and was open to all residents living within the Wollongong and Shellharbour City Council local government areas.

The NSW marine estate encompasses far more than the ocean - it includes Lake Illawarra, tidal rivers, wetlands and beaches. These are places where local communities swim, fish, paddle and connect with both nature and culture, and form an integral part of the region’s lifestyle, economy and wellbeing.

Wollongong City Council and its partners look forward to continuing to work together with the community to protect and restore Lake Illawarra for generations to come.

The Marine Estate Champions Program was supported by Wollongong City Council and Shellharbour City Council with financial assistance from the NSW Government through its Coastal Management Program and Marine Estate Management Strategy.