A once-neglected drain in East Bairnsdale has been transformed into a natural wetland bordering Ramsar-listed Jones Bay and was officially opened last Thursday.
The site sits immediately upstream of the Jones Bay Wildlife Reserve, an important habitat for more than 100 resident and migratory bird species.
Community members, project partners and East Gippsland Shire councillors came together for a morning of speeches, photos, a ribbon-cutting, and a ceremonial tree planting led by Council's Youth Ambassadors. Visitors at the opening were able to speak with project staff about how the new system supports stormwater management and contributes to local amenity and biodiversity.
Mayor Cr Jodie Ashworth said the opening marked an important step in long-running efforts to improve local waterways.
"This area was previously a stormwater drain overgrown with weeds and often filled with debris. Seeing it restored as a functioning wetland shows what steady, collaborative work can achieve," Cr Ashworth said.
The constructed wetland now uses natural systems - including wetland plants, soil and deep retention ponds - to slow and filter stormwater before it reaches the Gippsland Lakes, with the reduced flow through the wetland also lowering flood risk by improving natural urban drainage.
As part of the broader works, two gross pollutant traps were installed in the nearby Hoddinott Street Reserve to help capture litter and waste at the source.
The $1.43 million project was jointly funded by East Gippsland Shire Council ($811,616); the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action - Resilient Cities and Towns ($325,000); and the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority via the Gippsland Lakes Coordination Committee ($291,000).
Project partners comprise DEECA - Resilient Cities and Towns; East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority; Gippsland Lakes Coordination Committee; Federation University Australia; East Gippsland Water; and members of the East Gippsland Integrated Water Management Forum.
