Revive the Northern Rivers

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Revive the Northern Rivers

We’re for healthy ecosystems in the Northern Rivers. From the the Big Scrub to the sea.

19/01/2026

A white-bellied sea eagle in flight on Yaegl Country. We hope it’s a good omen for the year to come.

19/12/2025

Well, that’s it from Revive in 2025. If I could describe it in a word, it’d probably be ‘hectic’. Thanks to all who got behind the new shirt pre-order and bought some tees over the past couple of months, it’ll allow us to start making some donations again in 2026.

If there’s been any driving force for me this year it’s probably the idea of relationships; between each other and our kin out there in the world — the many billions of lives that we share Country with.

When we spend time observing, interacting with and thinking about those other lives out there, it’s not hard to see things are changing. Sometimes for the better, other times for the worse. But what it usually comes back to is people and the decisions we are making every day; big and small.

Unfortunately, watching the Maamang/Richmond — my home river — suffocating to death will be the defining memory of my professional life this year. It’s not something you forget easily. To know that we have simple, practical answers to these problems only exacerbates the frustration that I took away from the Blackwater catastrophe. It feels like we’re approaching some serious tipping points and I pray it serves as a dire warning we do not ignore.

I hope you have a great break and get a chance spend some time by your river — whoever it might be that flows through your life.

We’ll catch you next year.

— Tom

09/12/2025

We’re stoked to see the new Revive organic tees out in the wild. It’s been a while!

Dave & Riley are wearing the Forest Floor colour way and Zoe’s rocking the Canopy. Xmas stock won’t hang around long. Not a bad option you’re chasing a last minute gift And don’t forget 50% of profits from all our products go to local environmental organisations and projects in the Northern Rivers!

Last orders Friday December 19. Order yours now through the website - link in our bio.

27/11/2025

Local Nyangbul Elder and language man Uncle Ricky Cook worked on an epic new project with called Water Stories before his tragic passing a few months ago.

His words come to life through a series of signs sharing important local yarns about Maamang Baluun (Richmond River). The trail runs from the Marine Rescue tower at North Wall all the way to Fawcett Park in the centre of Ballina. Or, if you’re more of a podcast kinda person, you can also scan the QR code and go on a soundtrail instead.

It’s a great opportunity to enhance your connection with the river and gain a deeper understanding of the long history of people that have lived here.

Next time you’re down by the river make sure you check it out!

— RTNR

24/11/2025

We got this shot from who was close to the front of yesterday’s storm on her way home from work. It’s been a pretty good few days if you’re a fan of the summer thunderstorm!

These weather phenomena are also an opportunity to connect to the past and recognise that these events are part of a much wider and deeper ecology of place and Country; storms like these have shaped our landscapes for eons.

Over the past few years I’ve been consciously trying to re-calibrate the way I think about the year and those four seasons we are so familiar with. The modern western scientific lens loves to categorise, analyse and infer. Sometimes so much so that it draws us away from the most crucial of human sciences, the one we have spent thousands of years refining in the natural world around us. I’m talking about the art of observation; of cause and effect.

I am very fortunate to reside - and spend most of my time - on Nyangbul Bundjalung Jagun and through many conversations and discussions with local knowledge holders in this area, I’ve started to gain more insight into the cultural indicators and the complex web of relationships that exist in this landscape and its waterways. It’s ecology before the word ‘ecology’ existed. According to the Ngunya Jargoon Seasonal Calendar we are now in the midst to the Season of Thunderstorms, which takes us through November & December. It’s a time the temperature and rainfall both increase, there are explosions of insect activity and the oysters and pipis are fat.

A seasonal calendar is a fantastic way to begin to see the place you live from a new perspective. The observations made by a culture that has been here over 60,000 years — with stories passed down orally from one generation to the next — are there for us all to learn from. It’s up to us to take the next step ourselves.

- Tom

Want to stock our gear?We’re currently taking wholesale orders for RTNR gear — send us a DM or swing us an email at revi...

31/10/2025

Want to stock our gear?

We’re currently taking wholesale orders for RTNR gear — send us a DM or swing us an email at [email protected] to find out more.

— RTNR

20/10/2025

After the better part of 4 years some of my RTNR tees from the first batch of orders are finally starting to give way. They’ve been well-loved, well-worn and copped their fair share of saltwater, freshwater and sun (not to mention the zinc stains, coffee stains and whatever else ends up on there due to my tendency to be a grub).

After plenty of requests from many of our loyal t-shirt wearers, I’ve finally gotten around to reviving our online shop (pun intended). Since the Revive bank account currently sits at a measly $15.28 I’ve also had to opt for a pre-order to get our merchandise going again.

As we near our 5-year anniversary we’ve gone full circle – back to the beginning to re-visit Shaya’s original design, albeit in slightly different colour combos. We’ve also made an important change – from now on, we’re opting to only use organic cotton.

Printed locally in Ballina. 50% of profits to local environmental organisations and projects.

Pre-orders will be open *this week only* and close Sunday 26 October @ 9pm.

PRE-ORDER VIA OUR WEBSITE - link in bio or at revivethenorthernrivers.com

PLEASE NOTE: Pre-orders won’t be delivered until at least early December. We can’t guarantee a date, other than to say you’ll have them by Xmas!

- Tom

P.S did you think we’d ever get tees again?

15/10/2025

A big shoutout to President & Program Manager who was at NSW Parliament House today.

She joined a delegation to parliament led by to call for simple targeted reforms to the NSW planning system to support nature restoration projects and spoke of her experiences on the Richmond with the Tuckean Swamp and future oyster reef restoration projects.

Why were they walking the halls of parliament?
Currently no clear planning pathway for restoration. Leads to very costly and time consuming approval processes which can often prohibit projects from even happening. Meanwhile nature is suffering, habitats being lost, major fish kills are occurring. If we want to reach Nature Positive targets, we need legislation that supports restoration.

Asks:
Short term = simple amendments to SEPP to support blue carbon tidal restoration works, shellfish reef restoration, and living shoreline habitat enhancement.
+ waiver/fee reductions of approval fees for NGOs
+ mandatory 90 day review
Long term = fit for purpose pathway specifically for nature restoration.

Go Zoe! Thanks for pushing for changes that will hugely benefit our river systems.

Organisations represented at the meeting were the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Griffith University, Mulloon Institute, Save our Macleay + Yarrahapiny Reserves Trust, Nature Conservation Council, Richmond Riverkeeper + OzFish

12/10/2025

It’s been great to get out on the rivers lately. Not everyone loves the dry but it’s safe to say the rivers in our region appreciate the break from what has felt like a constant onslaught of sediment, chemicals, blackwater and whatever else flows down the system over the last few years of heavy rains.

I hope everyone is getting the chance to get out and enjoy them. These extended periods without rain are a good reminder of what’s possible if we re-think our relationship with rivers and treat them how we’d like to be treated.

See you on the water.

- Tom

08/10/2025

Great to see Rainforest to River kicking off. The project aims to restore lowland subtropical and riparian rainforest in Lismore's urban waterways!

28/09/2025

What a way to kick off Richmond Riverfest for 2025. Thanks to all who came out , we had a hoot!

Address

Bundjalung Country
East Ballina, NSW

Website

http://www.revivethenorthernrivers.com/

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