Bundoora ParkOn Par for Water Savings

Bundoora Park

Located on Plenty Rd Bundoora• 500 acres/180 ha• Visitation – 750,000 one of most popular

parks in northern Melbourne • 54,000 rounds of golf played per year • 50,000 Visitors to Bundoora park children's

farm

Park Facilities• 18 hole public golf course• Coopers Settlement (Children's farm/ visitors

centre-café/ fauna reserve and heritage village)• All abilities play space• Open space/ picnic areas/ play grounds/ BBQ/

Mt Cooper highest point in Metro Melbourne• One of the last remaining remnant red Gum

Grassy Woodlands in metropolitan Melbourne

An Overview

The issues• Golf course deteriorating

due to drought & water restrictions

• Player numbers decreasing due to the poor condition of the course

• Water use – pre restrictions up to 1 meg a day

Mt Cooper Housing Development

Problem & Solution

Urban Land Authority – disposal of storm water from housing estate

Council hesitant to allow storm water into the parks wetland system

The Process - Partnerships• Melbourne Water – water rights/ planning

permits• DSE – Stormwater and Urban Water

Conservation Fund $193,000• Urban Land Authority• Golf course users groups• Local community• Council $342,000 – (total $535,784)

The Process –Wetlands

Urban land Authority enlarged wetlands lake installed GPT, sediment beds and bio-retention dams to improve water quality

Process commenced to convert fairways from cool season to warm season grasses (santa ana couch)

The Process – Dam Construction

• Council and DSE funded the enlargement of Fauna Park dam from 8 to 49 Meg as well as the couch conversion to fairways

• Photos\dam Photos\IMG_0208.jpg

The Process – Fairway conversion

• The project included conversion of 18 fairways to warm season grass

• Course never closed during conversion to couch

The fairway conversion

The Results

Diversion licence Darebin creek• To take water from

Darebin creek.• Water can be

extracted from the Darebin creek when the flow rate is 12ML or more.

• Temporary pump installed.

Benefits• Water saving – 96% reduction 83 meg a yr• Cost saving – now $83,000 yr. future $160,000??• Flood mitigation • Community value• Wildlife habitat • Keep golf course open• National recognition Finalist National Save Water

Awards 2010 ……….

Future Directions and Learning

• In the process of converting all 18 Greens surrounds to WST

• Close 9 hole and convert 9 holes in one go• Looking at other uses in the park for the water• Possibility of capturing the rest of the water

from the lower half of the Mt Cooper estate that currently is drained directly in to the Darebin creek

Questions