An impressive 75,000 plants will be one of the key features of a new wetlands system being built at The Grove in Tarneit.
Construction of the 11-hectare wetlands park is under way at the estate, which is bordered by Davis Creek and Werribee River.
A total of 1780 residences will be built at The Grove, with many residents already moving in.
The wetlands system is set to include play and picnic spaces, plus walking and cycling paths.
In addition to providing outdoor space for the community, the wetlands system will also perform an important water filtration function, helping to preserve the health of surrounding waterways.
Frasers Property Australia’s general manager development Victoria, Sarah Bloom, said the wetlands system will expand on the river’s amenity.
SMEC, which is responsible for the engineering and landscape design of the wetlands system, has created the site so the wetlands will capture sediment and nutrients in low-flow stormwater, so the pollutants don’t enter the Werribee River.
Project landscape architect for SMEC, Ilka Paraiso, said the 75,000 plants to be included in the wetlands will consist of indigenous species, sourced from seeds local to the Werribee River catchment area.
“They are all indigenous grasses, ground covers and aquatic plant species adapted to wet and semi-wet environments,” she said.
Ms Paraiso said the Werribee River catchment is home to more than 330 bird species and the proposed wetlands will become an extended habitat for swans, ducks, coots, wedge-tailed eagles, geese, ibis, cormorants and lorikeets.
