Karaaf proponents warn system at critical point

PROPONENTS of the Karaaf Wetlands say the health of the system is in a critical phase and urgency is needed to prevent further damage that could be “catastrophic” to its future.

The comments are a response to the release of two Surf Coast Shire-commissioned reports that revealed constructed wetlands designed to capture runoff from several Torquay North estates were a quarter of the size needed for the task, and this has an adverse impact on the health of the wetlands they drain into.

Shire chief executive officer Robyn Seymour said the shire’s master planning of the stormwater network at the estate more than a decade ago focused on managing peak flows rather than total volume, and the shire was “committed to learning from and addressing this”.

 

The reports follow years of campaigning from groups such as The Sands Owners Corporation about increasing degradation of the internationally recognised Karaaf Wetland system due to freshwater runoff and sediment from upstream developments.

In late 2021, the owners corporation released a report that came to many of the same conclusions as those in the shire’s recent reports, including “maintenance deficiencies” of “undersized” constructed wetlands were likely causing the wetlands to block up with sediment.

 

The Sands is the last housing development in the chain of estates that flow into the wetlands, and owners corporation president Andy McCauley said the shire’s admission of past mistakes was a welcome change in its approach but 12 months had passed since his group’s report.

“Council is headed in the right direction, but we’ve got to keep up the pressure… there needs to be a sense of urgency about this, they’ve got to start acting on it.

“The Sands system is the only thing protecting the Karaaf… it’s gone from being a lake system, to a wetland; we’re in danger of it becoming a floodplain.”

He was concerned about pending construction at two nearby estates, the Dunes and Stretton, where he estimated wetland treatment areas were similarly undersized as those in neighbouring estates.

“It’s a really dangerous time… I don’t know the answer as to how long it can hold out, but that’s the question.”

Mr McCauley said new and larger wetland should be constructed to help capture and filter the already overwhelming amount of runoff and sediment coming from the estates.

“There’s plenty of space for it and it would look really attractive.. .and might be enough to protect The Sands.”

Shire mayor Libby Stapleton said stormwater quality entering the lakes system needs to be improved and reduced, but “this work will take time.”

The recent federal budget contained $1.9 million to help improve the overall function of the Karaaf Wetlands.