Stormwater Victoria would like to invite you to attend our 2019 State Conference:  River for Liveability - Promote, Protect and Preserve, which will be held at the Vibe Hotel in Marysville on Tuesday, 4th and Wednesday, 5th June, 2019.

The Conference will bring together thought leaders and innovators, and provide opportunities for the industry to share successes, as well as provide education that can be used to provide tangible benefits for the communities, businesses and environment that we all share.

The Conference program will include two days of multi-stream sessions as well as a co-located trade exhibition, providing an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest in product innovation. It will also feature the annual Stormwater Victoria Conference Dinner, to be held on the evening of Tuesday 4th June.

The theme of this year's Conference focuses on our river systems. Victoria has a vast network of river and waterway systems that meander through the many cities, towns and suburbs across the state. These rivers are the life blood of our communities, providing many cultural, recreational, environmental, climatic, economic and life sustaining benefits. These waterways have been contributing to communities long before western settlement occurred within Victoria. Now, changes are being made to the landscape of our state daily. While population growth increases, and along with it the significant economic investment in infrastructure, this progress has the potential to have detrimental effects on our river systems and their health if not managed carefully. It’s easy to see that much of inner Victorian agricultural and peri-urban areas are diminishing due to an ever-expanding urban growth ring around Melbourne. It has become clearer that the protection of our river systems is more critical now than ever.

With many competing factors in the wider industry, bringing issues relating to water quality and quantity management to the table can be a difficult task. This Conference wishes to explore ways in which we can

• Promote the vitality of our river systems by generating wider interest in the importance of waterway health and through complementary drivers and outcomes
• Protect our river systems from harm and devastation through considered and targeted stormwater management practices
• Preserve our rivers and waterways for the environment and for the enjoyment of generations to come

We look forward to seeing you at the Conference and working together towards a better future.

Elizabeth Smolinska
Conference Chair
2019 Stormwater Victoria Conference