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Wurundjeri Walk WetlandsWater quality improvement is an important feature of Wurundjeri Walk. There are two types of constructed wetlands: a constructed wetland and a Rain Garden or Bio-filtration wetland. The Wurundjeri (or Fulton Road Retarding Basin) wetlands were constructed on 2001 with the objectives of:
Retarding basin and wetlands landscape concept plan. The creation of the wetlands has been achieved by Melbourne Water, Whitehorse City Council and Wurundjeri Advisory Committee working together. Engineering works were completed in early spring 2001 (a cost of $900,000) and planting of the wetland area and surrounds started in November, continuing through the summer. Further development and painting in the wetlands will occur, so this unique recreational and environmental resource will only get better! Official OpeningThe wetlands were officially opened on Saturday 2nd March 2002. Over 200 people attended the event where a plaque was unveiled, indigenous trees planted, a guided walking tour was organised and a sausage sizzle held. The mayor, councillors and council officers of Whitehorse City Council and representatives from Melbourne Water were in attendance along with the Wurundjeri Walk Advisory Committee, Whitehorse Bushland Parks Advisory Committees, Bungalook Nursery, Greening Australia Victoria, Blackburn and District Tree Preservation Society and Greenlink Box Hill.
Ceremonial tree planting (March 2002).
WWAC chairman Bill Tucker with the plaque which was
unveiled at the wetlands opening One of the ceremonial trees planted on the day is behind Bill- Eucalyptus radiata- narrow leaf peppermint. It is now 4 metres tall! This marvellous resource has already attracted several bird species not previously seen in the park!
Before construction.
During construction.
Views of completed wetland with early plantings
The Fulton Road Wetland in June 2006 now functional as a filter for nutrients and providing habitat for aquatic life and many water birds.
More of the wetland in June 2006 - Most of these aquatic species are showing their Autumn foliage. Completed in 2008 our new ‘Rain Garden’ Biofiltration WetlandThrough the Commonwealth Governments Community Water Grants and in partnership with the City of Whitehorse and Melbourne Water, a new biofiltration wetland has been constructed at Wurundjeri Walk. This system replaces a section of aging storm water pipes and establishes a system where storm water is treated through a series of permeable sand beds to finally rejoin Wurundjeri Creek. This type of wetland works on different principles to the previously featured wetland in that surface water is only obvious after rains. How does a Rain Garden Work? Once water passes through a primary sediment trapping pond, which also supports aquatic ‘filtering’ plants, the water continues to flow over and through a chain of filter ponds consisting of layers of sand of specific particle sizes. This acts as a high quality filter particularly for capturing and removing Nitrogen and Phosphorus from the water. The filter sand beds are planted very thickly with local native grass and marshy types of plants. These plants are critical as they both increase the filtration effect and they are able to extract nutrients from the water which would otherwise continue to flow into Wurundjeri Creek and impact on its condition – and ultimately on the downstream environment and Port Philip Bay. Because the storm water flowing to this system is principally from road surfaces, this type of wetland is appropriate due to being very effective in capturing heavy metals, minerals, oils and other contamination common to urbanized catchments. Biofilters can be of virtually any size and can be used around a home as a permanent and sustainable feature of the garden. Because the biofiltration beds are formed within series of basins or dams, there are also flood mitigation control benefits too. Rain Gardens are also ‘frog friendly’, as semi-marshy areas are important habitat for many local frogs, toads and toadlets! The Wurundjeri Walk Advisory Committee and local residents joined staff of the City of Whitehorse and the wetlands constructor, Ecodynamics, to plant the Rain Garden in May 2008. Bungalook Nursery is conveniently nearby and was the provider of local native plants for the project. Our group will continue to monitor the wetland for its water quality performance. The Rain Garden has been constructed on a storm water tributary to Wurundjeri Creek north of Fulton Road/Samual Street junction – Blackburn South (behind Bangalook Nursery). A plan view*
Our Rain Garden in profile
*Draft diagrams provided by Coomes Consulting© for Melbourne Water and the City of Whitehorse
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