Before embarking on creating a new waterway coordination or management group, there are a few critical points to consider:

• Community support for the project is essential and a groundswell is needed before setting up the organisation.
• The agencies with formal management responsibilities for the waterway itself need to be on-side, or at least there needs to be general support from these agencies.
• Setting up a community based agency with staff is no small job - identifying short cuts is essential, and hopefully this site can assist.
• The structure you set up needs to allow you to do what is needed.

Merri Creek Management Committee's experience in setting itself up is outlined in the introduction. The Moonee Ponds Creek Coordination Committee and Darebin Creek Management Committee could also provide information.

Suggestions for setting up a new community based catchment management organisation:

Year 1, Year 2, Year 3