The 'Big Swamp, Big Plume, Big Results' project received a highly commended in the NSW Local Government Environment Awards in the natural environment protection and enhancement (on-ground works) category for the project.

Following the award member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams and environment minister Rob Stoke announced that Greater Taree City Council would receive $150,000 for the continuation of this project.

The Big Swamp project started in late 2011 and is being undertaken in collaboration with the University of NSW (Water Research Laboratory).

With funding assistance provided by the federal and State government. Significant earthworks have been undertaken in a bid to remediate over 700 hectares of land recognised as one of the worst acid sulphate soils 'hotspots' in NSW.

The project's aim is to improve the water quality of the lower Manning River estuary by reversing the effects of drainage which had caused the soil to be become acidic and leach into the waterway.

Acid runoff can have serious impacts on the river system and can result in fish kills and poor oyster production.

This can be overcome by restoring the area's natural hydrology, reintroducing tidal flows through the removal of floodgates, and resurrecting the original wetland community that once thrived here.

GTCC's environmental officer Bob McDonnell says the money will be used to purchase more land for swamp restoration.

By protecting one of the area's most valuable assets "this is a project the society will win from" Bob said.