Reported largely through the universities website, Mr Buyani Thomy said "This was reflected in higher sale prices and rent paid by residents in this environment compared to those living near more disturbed waterways,".

Mr Thomy is completing a PhD based on this research with CSU's Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences.

"After accounting for multiple factors that affect selling prices, my research showed that improving the condition of both river channels and vegetation along rivers also leads to higher house prices than when only vegetation was improved."

Mr Thomy found that there were minimal rises in house prices once the river and vegetation had already been modified and further modification was carried out.

However, residents were found to place a higher premium for waterways with the highest quality with unmodified channels and good condition vegetation.

"Therefore, planners and developers should seek to improve riparian areas including removing the traditional concrete on banks and replanting native vegetation to get the best return on investments and development policies, particularly in cities."

Mr Thomy's research was focused in southern Sydney along the Cooks River and the Georges River catchments under the supervision of Professor Mark Morrison and Dr Roderick Duncan from CSU's Institute for Land, Water and Society.

They collaborated with the City of Canterbury Bankstown Council, Fairfield City Council, NSW Local Land Services (Greater Sydney), Sydney Water, CSIRO and Virginia Tech University in the USA.

"The health of rivers running through urban areas is important for sustainable living, but to date there has been a lack of value estimates available to aid communities in making decisions about improving urban river health," Professor Morrison said.

Dubbo Catches invites all Daily Liberal and other readers in the central west and beyond to submit their stories and photos to: Matt Hansen c/- Redden & Hansen Real Estate, 2/27 Bultje Street.

Email: matt@reddenhansen.com.au.