Concerns raised over drainage infrastructure at Vintage Lakes

A Banora Point resident has raised concerns about fish becoming trapped and walkways flooding at Vintage Lakes, saying the drainage system is failing wildlife and pedestrians during heavy rain.

Annette Sullivan, who bought a home adjacent to the lake last year, said she has become “very protective of the lake and its wildlife”.

Sullivan said Vintage Lakes is linked to a nearby tidal creek through an underground pit and three large drainage pipes, with the setup designed to accommodate both a pedestrian walkway and the natural movement of water between the creek and the lake.

But she said the current setup is “failing on multiple fronts”.

 

“After moderate rainfall, intense currents pull fish onto the safety grate,” she said.

“Because the water is too shallow and the grate bars are too narrow, the fish become trapped on top and can’t wash safely through to the creek.”

“Tidal water movement exacerbates the problem.”

Sullivan said she had been removing trapped fish from the grate daily during recent rainfall and believed the issue was becoming more common.

“About maybe a month ago, there was one fish trapped in the grate, and we just released him,” she said.

“And over the last four days we’ve had on the first day, five fish, the second day, ten fish, the third day, fifteen fish, and it just seems to be happening all the time.”

Sullivan said the same system can become overwhelmed during heavy downpours, flooding the pedestrian walkway.

“During heavy downpours, the underground pipes simply cannot cope,” she said.

“The entire system overflows, completely submerging the pedestrian path.”

She said the issue worsened during summer when aquatic vegetation built up and obstructed water flow.

“Rapidly growing lake weeds regularly choke the grate, entirely blocking the flow of water,” she said.

“This leads to flash flooding in the surrounding parklands and forces uncontrolled water to spill over the lake’s edges.”

Sullivan is now calling for an engineering reassessment of the drainage design, saying it needs to better balance environmental and community needs.

“Council needs to urgently involve competent engineers to reassess and redesign drainage infrastructure of the pit and grate system,” she said.

“The solution needs to protect local marine life, prevent seasonal weed blockages, and keep the pedestrian pathway dry and open for the community.”

In a statement, council’s manager roads and stormwater Danny Rose said recent heavy rainfall had caused significant stormwater inflows, resulting in the lake overflowing as designed.

“The Vintage Lakes system has received significant stormwater inflows from the recent rain, causing the lake to overflow as designed,” Rose said.

“The grate system is in place for public safety and cannot be removed or modified.”

 

“Should lake levels continue to rise, fish and other animals will have free passage as the lake overflows the weir toward Trutes Bay.”

“Once rain recedes the lake will draw down below the level of the grates.”

Rose acknowledged community concerns about fish becoming trapped on the grate, saying a council maintenance officer had attended the site on May 18.

“We understand residents have raised concerns about fish being trapped on the grate,” Rose said.

“A council maintenance officer attended this morning, and no fish were present in the area of concern.”

“We want to acknowledge the locals who stepped in to help free fish, in this unfortunate situation.”

“That kind of community care means a lot.”

Rose said council is continuing to monitor the situation, with residents asked to avoid overflowing drains for their own safety.