Constructed Wetlands

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Wetland Projects

Since 2006, the ACT Government has developed a number of constructed wetlands toimprove Canberra's urban waterways.

  • Flemington Ponds 1 and 2, Flemington Rd, Mitchell, Sullivans Creek Catchment - construction completed 2009
  • Banksia Street, O'Connor, Sullivans Creek Catchment - construction completed 2010
  • Hawdon Street, Dickson, Sullivans Creek Catchment - construction completed 2011
  • Goodwin Street, Lyneham, Sullivans Creek Catchment - construction completed 2012
  • The Valley Ponds, The Valley Avenue, Gungahlin, Ginninderra Creek Catchment - construction due for completion 2014

Five of the six wetlands occur in the Sullivans Creek Catchment in Canberra's north. Today the creek is predominantly a concrete drain, however, Sullivans Creek once consisted of ponds, floodplains and rocky incised gullies. While the catchment restoration does not aim to mimic this historical form it does provide enhanced urban biodiversity by creating a series of planted ponds linked by fingers of vegetation.

Wetland Benefits

Wetlands provide a range of benefits such as:

  • Restoration of concrete channels to 'living systems'
  • Improved water quality - reduction of nutrients (total phosphorous and total nitrogen) and suspended solids
  • Improved flood protection - by detaining water and releasing it slowly
  • Creation of aquatic habitat - planted wetlands attract water birds, frogs, turtles, water bugs and yabbies
  • Cool the local environment
  • Act as a carbon sink
  • Provide opportunities for 'natural' recreational experiences in our suburbs
  • Provide the community with education and volunteer programs like Frogwatch and Waterwatch
  • Harvested stormwater is used for irrigation of localsports grounds instead of drinking water

Planning wetlands

Studies that have contributed to planning wetlands.