The Epic Quest to Revive Lake Cathie secured the highest number of community member votes in the 2019 NSW government's My Community Project. The project received $25,000.

The funding, presented by Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams, enabled Revive Lake Cathie to purchase water testing kits, water bug kits and undertake sediment height monitoring of Lake Cathie, Lake Innes and the estuarine system.

Revive Lake Cathie has been testing equipment with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE), Lake Cathie Landcare and OzFish Lake Cathie. This testing is ahead of a plan to involve local schools and water testing as part of their studies.

President of Revive Lake Cathie Danielle Maltman said preliminary water sampling has been undertaken in the estuary in conjunction with the NSW Waterwatch Program.

Ms Maltman said the project uses Smart 3 water quality testing equipment.

"Twenty different chemical tests will be carried out every month by our master Waterwatch team. These results will be quantified by our marine biologist before being made available to the community, stakeholders and data uploaded to scientific portal a DPIE -SEED," Ms Maltman said.

"GPS monitoring locations have been determined with assistance from Soil Conservation Service and ECHO - Ecology and Surveying to measure lake sediment baselines.

"Revive Lake Cathie will undertake 12 months of water testing, lake sediment height measures, water bug surveys and report trend analysis of marine biological health.

"Local schools will be able to assist in carrying out water testing supported by NSW Waterwatch. Our education team will have the use of a senior and junior water testing kit to undertake five separate water tests."

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