Bundaberg's Generational Shift in Urban Waterway Management - Our Learnings and Outcomes to Date

Abstract

Situated in the heart of the city of Bundaberg, Washpool Creek’s catchment is a heavily urbanised, ~6.5km2 in size with a main flow path length of ~4.1km. The catchment has seen significant change since European settlement with substantial watershed areas being cleared up to (and often including) riparian corridors. Like many waterways in the Bundaberg region, urbanisation since the mid-1900s has seen Washpool Creek’s tributaries straightened, and ‘upgraded’ from a natural creek to a concrete channel to maximise conveyance and developable land. The outcome – a sick, heavily degraded system of waterways, void of ecological and social value, that provides little to no water quality benefits. It makes sense why it is so sick, an overwhelmed watershed unable to cope with so much natural interference. To support proactive and well-informed asset renewal planning, Council undertook condition assessment of the concrete channels within Washpool Creek. The outcomes from the condition assessment indicated that many of these concrete channels had reached end-of-life and replacement was required. Historically, Council’s asset renewal practices would have seen these concrete channels removed (likely being disposed of at landfill waste facilities) and replaced on a like-for-like basis with new concrete channels. This approach meant that Council would deliver an asset that would once again require renewal as the asset reaches end-of-life whilst also failing to address the needs and values of the community and environment now, and into the future. To break out of this unsustainable waterway asset management practice and advocate generational change towards nature-based solutions in the Bundaberg region, Council has restored ~820m of concrete channels in the lower reaches of Washpool Creek back to a natural state. This has delivered an integrated public open space which balances its technical stormwater and drainage functions, whilst also delivering significant water quality, social, ecological, and environmental improvements. The project also delivers an asset which, unlike concrete, is expected to appreciate-in-value and not require renewal in the future, ultimately strengthening the financial sustainability of Council. Successfully implementing this approach into waterway asset management best practice will significantly limit the effects of climate change, support environmental net gain and biodiversity, create more resilient infrastructure, and enable a built environment that benefits both people and nature. Furthermore, Council has also completed the Belle Eden Park Waterway Naturalisation. Following completion of the Belle Eden Park waterway naturalisation in 2021, Council has been measuring and evaluating key outcomes of the project, including water quality sampling and community feedback surveys, to inform our forward planning and continuous improvement for the management of our waterways within the Bundaberg region. This paper will explore Council’s learnings and subsequent strategic shift from traditional, hard infrastructure stormwater solutions towards sustainable, nature-based stormwater infrastructure solutions in the Bundaberg region.