River grant keeps project in the swim

The Brunswick River will continue to thrive as a popular swimming spot thanks to new funding and ongoing volunteer work from a community group.

After almost 10 years working on the waterway, the Brunswick River Restoration Action Group will receive an early birthday present in the form of a $12,000 grant from the South West Catchments Council.

The group will use the money to help stop invasive weed species threatening the river's quality and health.

Project manager Kevin Taylor said the group had been concerned about the weed problem for some time and the money would go a long way to helping the "community asset".

"If it keeps going the way it is, in five years you won't be able to swim in the pool there," he said.

"It's a great place for Brunswick and our goal is for it to be used by generations of kids to come."

Aggressive cottonbush and blackberry bushes are threatening the river, according to Mr Taylor.

But weeds such as bamboo, bridal creeper and arum lily are also slowly threatening the popular watering hole.

The group is hoping to start surveying and spraying the river banks before Christmas and will complement its successful community education program over the past two years.

The grant is part of $164,000 in Community Groundworks Grants distributed to Landcare and environmental groups across the South West through the SWCC.

The group plans to work on an 18km stretch of river from Forrest Highway to the river entry.