Two women kneeling on the ground planting a young tree, smiling at the camera, with one holding the tree and gardening tools. Two people and trees are visible in the background, with a blue sky and scattered clouds.

Planning a resilient future for Bayside

Bayside’s green spaces, trees, waterways and coastal environment are central to our health, identity and quality of life. Peaceful Bayside is working to protect and restore our natural environment while planning responsibly for growth and climate change.

A greener Bayside means cooler streets, healthier waterways, thriving biodiversity and communities designed for the future. Our approach combines practical environmental action, strong planning controls and community education so environmental protection is embedded in everyday decision-making, not treated as an afterthought.

Bayside Council snapshot
Two women in casual attire and hats smiling at an outdoor festival, with people, tents, and trees in the background.

Trees cool our suburbs, improve air quality and support wildlife. Protecting and expanding Bayside’s tree canopy is one of the most effective climate adaptation tools available to local government.

Peaceful Bayside has successfully advocated for better tree management and programs that encourage residents to care for and value trees in their neighbourhoods.

Thanks to our Notice of Motion in 2025, Council is now rolling out an expanded program about why our urban green spaces matter, using our e-newsletters, social media, digital channels, and even messages on garbage trucks to reach everyone in our community. They are holding workshops and regular education campaigns on native vegetation selection, sustainable gardening, and caring for trees suited to our local conditions. The expanded Tree Adoption Program will make it easier for residents to get involved, with better promotion, information sessions, and recognition for our tree adopters.

Urban tree canopy and green cover

Urban heat and canopy data

Tree protection and transparency

Residents deserve to understand what is happening to trees in their streets and parks. Clear signage, plain-English explanations and early communication build trust and accountability.

We have successfully advocated for improved protocols for tree removal communications. From 2025, when Council removes any tree, they will now provide clear signage explaining why, what's being replanted, and the timeline.

In 2024, after residents urgently requested that Peaceful Bayside intervene to stop the removal of a large fig tree in Ramsgate Beach, we successfully advocated for Council and Sydney Water to find a new solution that did not damage or remove the tree (pictured, courtesy of The Leader). Since this catalyst, we have lobbied Council to establish a formal Significant Tree Register to formally recognise significant trees across Bayside. In the meantime, add a pin to our Bayside Tree Protection Register pin map by clicking on the image or the button below.

Bayside Tree Protection Register
Significant Tree Register Policy
A park with tall trees, some branches hanging low, and a small body of water reflecting the sky and trees. In the background, residential buildings and parked cars are visible.

Planning our open spaces and recreation areas

Access to high-quality open space is essential for physical and mental wellbeing. As our population grows, planning for parks, recreation and green corridors must be strategic and evidence-based.

Peaceful Bayside has supported comprehensive audits of open spaces, participation rates in active recreation, and gap analysis to guide future investment. We have requested that future analysis include several new inclusion factors – rather than solely relying on number of people that visit each open space – to guide the level of infrastructure required, like toilets or benches.

Close-up of a colorful, abstract mural on a wall behind a white interactive kiosk with a screen, buttons, and a card reader. A person in an orange jacket is partially visible on the right.

Climate action and resilience

Climate change is already affecting Bayside through heat, flooding and coastal pressure.

Local action matters, particularly when it comes to reducing emissions and preparing infrastructure for future conditions.

We have put forward motions exploring environmental funding models, climate risk assessments and practical measures that embed resilience into council planning. We successfully introduced a net zero operations strategy for Council operations in March 2024.

Flood risk map
Three people riding small green electric vehicles with canopies, parked on grass near trees and a parking lot.

Clean energy and electrification

Transitioning away from fossil fuels reduces emissions and operating costs. Councils can lead by example through fleet electrification and enabling electric vehicle infrastructure.

Peaceful Bayside has supported clear timelines for fleet electrification, hybrid transitions where appropriate, and investigation of solar-powered charging solutions.

People attending an indoor event with a stage, some standing, some seated, and some speaking at a podium.

Reducing waste and re-using resources protects land and waterways while lowering costs. A circular economy approach keeps materials in use for longer and reduces environmental harm.

We are continually pushing for a Sustainability Hub – this may include a ‘tip shop’, repair and reuse operators and an education facility. The idea for the hub is modelled on the Sustainability Hub at Summer Hill in the Inner West.

We are advocating for the swift introduction of FOGO and for ongoing Council-run worm farm, bike maintenance and composting workshops.

We have supported stronger waste policies, pushed hard for pollution remediation/monitoring and opposed short-sighted projects that pose a current or future environmental risk.

Waste reduction and circular economy

Four people walking on a dirt trail in a dense forest with tall trees and green foliage.

Protecting waterways and coastlines

Bayside’s beaches and waterways are shared community assets. Pollution, runoff and poor planning threaten water quality and marine life.

Peaceful Bayside supports improved compliance with water-sensitive urban design and practical measures that reduce pollution entering our waterways.

We are also working with the Kamay Botany Bay Environmental Education Centre to educate primary school children about waterways, habitats, First Nations perspectives, wetlands and marine life in their local areas.

Learn more

Frequently asked questions

  • Environmental resilience is a community’s ability to prepare for, adapt to, and recover from environmental stresses like heatwaves, flooding, pollution, and biodiversity loss, while continuing to thrive. Local government plays a quiet but powerful role here by shaping everyday decisions: protecting and restoring green spaces, planting and maintaining urban trees to cool neighbourhoods, designing streets and buildings that manage water and reduce heat, supporting active transport, and setting planning rules that respect local ecosystems. When councils plan with nature rather than around it, they help communities bounce forward, not just back, after environmental challenges.

  • Local decisions shape daily impacts like heat, flooding, air quality and access to green space. Action at a local level is vital because councils sit closest to both the problems and the people affected by them. They understand local landscapes, neighbourhood needs, and community priorities, allowing solutions to be tailored rather than generic. Small, place-based actions, from shade trees on a hot street to wetlands that absorb floodwaters, add up to real resilience, improving quality of life, and delivering benefits people can see and feel every day.

  • We’ve supported tree protection measures, open space planning, climate risk assessments, clean energy transitions and stronger environmental funding models. Some of our recent ‘wins’ include:

    • Enhanced Community Education for Urban Green Spaces: Comprehensive program including: community education about urban green spaces/trees/native vegetation, regular community workshops and education sessions, tree removal communication protocol improvements (requiring clear signage and explanations), expansion of Tree Adoption Program, and recognition programs for tree adopters – Douglas & Bredehoeft Motion (September 2025).

    • Scarborough Park Masterplan: Adopted (September 2025) after community engagement, with major ATC-flow adjustments implemented to integrate the Kamay Greenway in response to our campaigns and advocacy.

    • Open Spaces and Recreation Plan: Douglas motion (September 2025) to audit existing public open spaces and recreational facilities, assess demographic, spatial and environmental context, include participation rates for active recreation, gap analysis and strategic framework for 2026/27 budget.

    • Exploring Funding Models for Environmental Programs: Benchmark Bayside against comparable councils, examine carbon offset agreements and partnership contributions, review structured contributions from high-impact industries (airports, ports), assess environmental levy models (like Randwick's ~$2M annual levy) – Douglas & Bredehoeft Motion (September 2025)

    • Fleet Electrification: Timeline for Electrification of Council's Fleet: Prioritise hybrid vehicles where fit for purpose, explore more fuel-efficient EV & Hybrid for light commercial fleet, investigate solar capacity for EV charging, apply for Community Energy Upgrade fund EV Infrastructure – Douglas & Barlow/McDougall motion (September 2025)

    • On-street Personal EV Charging Solution Trial: Investigate kerbside charging units – review Port Phillip City Council trial outcomes, assess feasibility, costs, and risk management – Bredehoeft & Douglas motion (September 2025)

  • Higher urban heat, loss of tree cover, degraded waterways, habitat loss, reduction in biodiversity, impacts on recreational fishing and rising long-term costs for the community.

    Fixing coastlines after damaging high-tides is expensive and without proper planning and preparation based on scientific modelling, damage will be unpredictable and complex to repair.

    We advocate for long-term planning and inclusion principles so that everyone can enjoy the bay long into the future and we can minimise unpredictable erosion events.

  • Expand tree canopy, strengthen planning controls, fund climate adaptation and embed long-term environmental thinking and planning into all council decisions.

Did you know?

  • Trees can reduce local temperatures by several degrees

  • Urban heat disproportionately affects children and older residents

  • Green spaces improve mental health and community connection

  • Preventing pollution is cheaper than cleaning it up later

  • Climate-resilient planning saves councils money long term

  • Local governments play a critical role in emissions reduction

Two women are standing outdoors near a large tree, holding collection bags. They are wearing blue shirts that say 'peaceful bayside' and are smiling. One woman is wearing a straw hat and a white jacket, while the other has short hair and red glasses.
Overgrown creek with fallen branches and thick green vegetation, trees, and sunlight filtering through the foliage.
A smiling woman with short brown hair and glasses, wearing a gray fleece jacket and a backpack, standing outdoors in front of a rocky creek and a forest with green trees.
A peaceful park scene with a grassy path, surrounded by lush green trees and shrubs, under a clear blue sky.
Silhouette of a leafless tree and a utility pole with power lines at sunset.
Looking up at the trunk and branches of a large tree with yellow-green leaves.
A small bridge over a creek with dark water, surrounded by green vegetation and trees in the background.
A beach scene with sandy shore, seagulls, water, and a clear blue sky with a few small clouds.
A waterfront scene with a construction area marked off by red and white tape, a few trees, construction equipment, and a worker. In the background, a body of water with a city skyline across it, and a streetlamp near the foreground.
A lush vegetable garden with various green plants and flowers in containers and beds under a bright blue sky.
A waterway with rocks and green plants in the foreground, a fence along the water, and houses and trees behind the fence. A heron stands on the rocks near the water's edge.
Sunset over a parking lot with trees and a few cars, clear sky with some clouds, and a visible green orb in the sky.

Distribution of heat vulnerability

According to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure’s Heat vulnerability and urban tree canopy cover levels for Greater Sydney councils in the Greening our City program Report (2024), 60% of Bayside’s SA1s are given a heat vulnerability score of 4, which is the second-highest category.

A little ‘people power’ can make a BIG difference.

  • Volunteer

    Volunteer

    Peaceful Bayside is powered by people like you. We’re a community of caring, fun, creative locals and when you volunteer with us, you’ll make a real difference right where you live. Whether you have a little time or a lot, there’s a place for you in our team — so please volunteer and help us build a better Bayside, together.

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  • Join the Party

    Join the Party

    If you want safer streets, greener parks, more liveable neighbourhoods, and a thriving local arts and culture scene — then join our party! It’s free, it keeps local democracy strong, and keeps the major parties more accountable. Becoming a member gives you a real voice on Council and the power to shape our community. Don’t get angry — get elected!

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    Donate

    Every dollar you give helps keep our community movement strong and independent. Your support powers all our local campaigns, keeps Peaceful Bayside representatives on Council, helps us stay connected through our website, newsletters, and events — all run on the dedication of volunteers and the smell of an oily rag.

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    Follow us on socials

    By following Deputy Mayor Heidi Lee Douglas or Councillor Janin Bredehoeft on social media you can keep an eye on our progress and add your comments and ideas to upcoming ‘hot topics’ at Council. You can also follow one of our other pages like Peaceful Bayside, Peaceful Bayside Action Group, Kamay Greenway, Creative Bayside and Big Trucks Off Bexley.

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Join the conversation

If you would like more information about our group, have a media enquiry or want to ask a general question, please fill out this Contact Us form.

If you would like to support us by donating your time visit the volunteer page.

Issues, questions and ideas for Heidi (Ward 5)?

To send us ideas or report on-the-ground issues across Ward 5 (Kyeemagh, Brighton Le Sands, Monterey, Ramsgate, Sandringham, Dolls Point), please email heidilee.douglas@bayside.nsw.gov.au

Issues, questions and ideas for Janin (Ward 3)?

To send us ideas or report on-the-ground issues across Ward 3 (Rockdale, Arncliffe, Banksia, Bexley), please email janin.bredehoeft@bayside.nsw.gov.au