This year, the battle over the Hawkesbury’s future dominated headlines, with development pressures, community protests, and environmental concerns all coming to the fore.

The issue of inappropriate development was a constant presence, and it’s clear the community is becoming more vocal. One small protest this year was enough to bring in the NSW riot squad - a stark sign of rising tensions. Residents have made it clear they don’t want more sprawling estates or poorly planned projects that strip away the Hawkesbury’s unique semi-rural character. Even some residents of the new estates are starting to object to additional development plans.

Despite this, a slim majority of the council, led by a Liberal-Labor voting bloc and supported by pro-development Mayor Les Sheather, continues to push through projects that align more with developer interests than community wishes. Developers are watching closely, monitoring social media and what we write here at the Hawkesbury Post. For them, the financial stakes are enormous. For the Hawkesbury, the environmental consequences are permanent.

The Richmond Bridge project has also sparked significant debate. The newly released design plans offer plenty to digest, with only a short window for public feedback. We now know that $500 million won't be enough for the project, which has already been scaled back. We also know, as we have previously pointed out, that building a massive piece of infrastructure over the lowest part of a floodplain is no easy feat. The latest flood report takes great pains to reassure the public that their design of the bridge and approaching road’s impact on surrounding areas will be minimal. This marks a striking departure from the findings of a 2020 flood study, which concluded that all proposed routes - except for the southern Purple Route - would create upstream flooding by effectively damming the floodplain.“The preliminary results showed that by raising the road crossing, the floodplain would block a significant quantity of flow, necessitating numerous culverts or floodplain bridges to meet flood impact requirements,” the January 2020 report stated. 

We have plenty of questions about the design reports an questions about the impact on upstream flooding haven’t gone away. The devil, as always, is in the details, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on this infrastructure project as it unfolds in 2025.

Next year also brings a federal election, which could have big implications for the Hawkesbury. Boundary changes may tip the scales in favor of the Liberal Party, setting the stage for a tight contest between incumbent Susan Templeman and new Liberal candidate Mike Creed. Creed, who campaigned as pro-environment during the local elections, has also since supported developers on the Council. With so much at stake, this election will be one to watch closely.

And while the stakes are high in the political arena, so too are the challenges we face as a local, independent publication. As our audience continues to grow, so too do the legal threats we face. Despite it being illegal to use the law to silence a publisher for commercial gain, this remains a tactic that some try to use. As fellow Independent publisher Michael West Media highlighted in June: “The most egregious threat we have seen this year is the attack on local publisher Hawkesbury Post to take stories about Council’s dealings with property developers down or be dragged into court.”

Despite these challenges, our commitment to reporting the stories that matter to you remains unchanged and our independence allows us to do it freely.

In 2025, the fight for the Hawkesbury’s future will only intensify. The community’s pushback against inappropriate development isn’t going away, and neither are the pressures from those looking to capitalise on the region. We’ll be here to cover it all, shedding light on the issues that matter most to you.

Thank you for your support this year - your contributions and advertising make everything we do possible. We are 100% publisher-funded, meaning we don’t rely on government grants or subsidies. Hawkesbury Council doesn’t advertise with us, and we even manage to pay our own legal fees! 

As a small, local start-up, we rely entirely on the community’s support to keep delivering the trusted, local news you deserve. Your backing helps us shine a light on the issues shaping the Hawkesbury and ensures the voices of our community are heard.

Here’s to a new year and the stories we’ll uncover together.

Samantha Magnusson

Editor

For as Little a Cup of Coffee You Can Support Local News

As a small, local start-up, we rely entirely on the community’s support to keep delivering the trusted, local news you deserve. Your backing helps us shine a light on the issues shaping the Hawkesbury and ensures the voices of our community are heard