TOverman Sustainability, with input from Council staff, Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) and Barwon Water, has developed a draft Integrated Water Management (IWM) Plan for the townships of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale.
The project is being undertaken in response to a range of water-related challenges across the Borough, which is surrounded by water and unique natural habitats on three sides.
Issues include the detrimental impact of stormwater runoff from urban areas on adjoining marine wetlands, land-based flooding, and pressure on the unique green-blue infrastructure that characterises many of the Borough's streetscapes.
These issues ramp up significantly each summer when the population grows with holidaymakers, and most will become exacerbated over the longer term by climate change. Managing these water-related issues will be critical to the Borough's long-term liveability and resilience.
The Draft IWM Plan was developed in consultation with staff and stakeholders. It involved identifying the Council's critical water-related issues and co-designing practical responses.
This draft version of the IWM Plan was placed on public exhibition for 28 days, closing 13 April 2025. After submissions were considered, the final IWM was endorsed by Council at the June Ordinary Meeting of Council.
To read the final IWM, click on the link below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Integrated Water Management?
Integrated Water Management (IWM) is a holistic and collaborative approach to planning for and managing all water cycle elements, including water sources, wastewater, stormwater, waterways, landscape health and urban amenity.
Why does Council need its own plan?
The Borough of Queenscliffe is surrounded by water on three sides and faces many water-related challenges. In 2018, the Barwon Region IWM Forum identified the need for an IWM plan as a regional Priority. In 2023, the Council received a grant from DEECA to fund the development of the Plan.
What is the value of having a Plan?
The Plan supports the broader community vision for an improved natural environment, a more liveable community, and reduced water-system-related risks.
While the plan focuses on opportunities primarily within the Borough's sphere of control, it includes several significant initiatives likely to require external support. Developing a plan collaboratively with other water-related partners dramatically improves the likelihood of successful funding submissions.
