Water is More than a Daily Resource

My lifelong relationship with water is more than just being a useful and valuable daily resource. The connection strengthens my sense of place and belonging, and has shaped my perspective on how important healthy water environments are in our community and our planet.

This little yarn about my connection with water is why I thoroughly appreciate life on, in and near the water. Prompted by the 2021 Coast Life Festival theme – water, it’s an honest reflection (love a good pun!) of how water has shaped my everyday, and holiday choices.

From the coastal burbs of Sydney to the coast of Lake Macquarie. From Point A to Point B, with a constant variable of one beach throughout – Bateau Bay on the NSW Central Coast.

Water is an essential everyday necessity for living. But it’s also my lifestyle. Reflecting on water, it’s the common thread that unites my choice of place.

Each of my water experiences have a different story with a distinctive vibe, like when I snorkelled for the first time at the beach. This was so many feelings rolled into one experience! Hearing my own breath through the snorkel, and the sound of being submerged in water. Watching the sand shift slowly with the waves. The feeling of temperature changes around my body whilst swimming through the water. Hello fishy fish, crabs, stingray, rocks, shells, and seaweed!

My known family catch cry “We are so lucky to live here!” is heard everyday when I see the water. Living with easy access on the coast is definitely a luxury.

A move away from the clean, fresh and salty water would be a different story.

The CSIRO’s ebook, Science and Solutions for Australia, touches on how much we have a “deep connection with the water environments of rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coasts”, which are central to our recreation and wellbeing.

An appreciation of our community’s natural environments helps to form our local identity to and belonging with people and place. What’s your water story?

What’s your water story?

Drop me a line (email) with your water story. Perhaps it’s words, a photo or maybe a drawing or creative piece?

I’d love to share your water story here to showcase how valuable water is to our planet, our health and wellbeing.

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