Recognising the rights of Nature is an idea that many people find really challenging, but today’s special guest is a Pro at explaining why giving rights to the Yarra River is just common sense.

Dr Erin O’Donnell tirelessly works with waterways worldwide, from communities in Aotearoa New Zealand to the United States. This is all part of her role as a Senior Lecturer and ARC Research Fellow at Melbourne Law School.

Protecting urban waterways from stormwater pollution, old sewage systems and vegetation clearing is a hard task, especially when you think about the rising pressures of climate change. But embracing Indigenous and Western knowledge could just give us the edge we need, and the Yarra River Protection / Wilip-gin Birrarung murron Act 2017 has already started this journey.

Are you ready for another step towards a swimmable Birrarung?!

Note: Two Bays Podcast series #2 is brought to you by Regeneration Projects, the Yarra Riverkeeper Association and RMIT University.

Join us on the Two Bays Podcast, where we dive into water and wellbeing!

In this episode, we meet another two amazing ambassadors for Melbourne’s beloved Birrarung / Yarra River, who hold a wealth of community leadership experience.

Amanda Donohoe fearlessly plunges into the Birrarung all year round! She’s a member of the Yarra Yabbies swimming group and also the CEO of Servants Community Housing, Hawthorn.

Andrew Kelly is well known to community stakeholders along the Yarra River! He’s a former Yarra Riverkeeper, and the convenor of The Waterway Network.

Despite the Yarra River being a civic space, its lower reaches (between Dights Falls in Abbotsford and Port Phillip Bay) aren’t truly accessible. But perhaps the community vision of the Yarra Strategic Plan 2023-2032 is already starting to change that.

Listen now to find out more!

Note: This Two Bays Podcast series is brought to you by Regeneration Projects, the Yarra Riverkeeper Association and RMIT University.

In the first episode of our "10 Steps towards a Swimmable Birrarung" series, we meet two pioneers of Melbourne's urban bathing culture, who developed some incredible wellbeing skills during COVID-19.

Meg Elkins started swimming in the Yarra River during Lockdown! She’s a member of the Yarra Yabbies swimming group, she’s also a Behavioural and Cultural Economist at RMIT University.

James Mugavin built a sauna in his parent’s backyard as a Lockdown project! He’s a sauna enthusiast and Founder & CEO of Loyly architecture studio.

Listen in to discover some hidden silver linings to COVID-19 and how the Birrarung / Yarra River is becoming the heart of urban bathing culture in Melbourne.

Oh, and hear our guests' perspectives on the vision of a ‘swimmable’ Birrarung between Dights Falls (Abbotsford) and Port Phillip Bay!

Note: This Two Bays Podcast series is brought to you by Regeneration Projects, the Yarra Riverkeeper Association and RMIT University.