REHABILITATING OXLEY CREEK

To the Yerongpan people, who speak the Yaggera language, Oxley Creek is `Benarrawa', a rich source of food. The Oxley Creek Transformation outlined by Brisbane City Council builds on the hard work and commitment of catchment groups, local councils, state and federal governments, Indigenous communities and volunteers who have laboured to revitalise the creek for decades. The Master Plan represents the next crucial step in a journey that formally began in 1995.

One of the early challenges outlined is the historical use of the site for mining purposes. The riparian corridor has been severely degraded and modified by erosion processes, modified hydrology resulting in frequent and extensive flooding, weed infestations, hard rubbish and uncontrolled fill deposition and a modified soil profiles across the site.

Today, Willawong is predominately comprised of detached residential dwellings, rural residential allotments and several large parcels of land historically used for agriculture and extractive industries. Land directly to the east of the site and also fronting Paradise Road maintains a Light Industrial designation and is comprised of various associated uses.

The main objects that Evolve will be targeting are:

• Remediating and enhancing the land and vegetation associated with Oxley Creek
• The removal of exotic species from the waterway corridor and prevent the reintroduction of invasive species
• To revegetate the waterway corridor to stabilise the riparian bank and improve the integrity and functionality of the waterway
• To provide habitat for native fauna and improve the ecological corridor value of the site
• To provide a buffer between the proposed development and the waterway corridor
• To restore the waterway corridor with consideration given to Bushfire Hazards;

The rehabilitation management plan that Evolve will be following has been broken down into seven units of management. Each unit will target one of the above objectives, including the removal of significant weed infestations, erosion control on the riparian corridor and establishment of native species.

The vision for the Paradise Road section of the rehabilitation project is to create a new parkland around the open waterbodies at Paradise Lakes, Willawong, which will include opportunities for water-based recreation. Walking and cycling creek crossings linking the emerging residential communities on either side of Oxley Creek and establish a network of walking, birdwatching, cycling and bridle trails linking with The Greenway.

The scale of Oxley Creek's transformation will have regional benefits, positively contributing to the wellbeing of local residents by addressing service gaps in the current green space network. It will create a regional recreation asset while enhancing essential biodiversity values, natural waterway processes and regional habitat corridors.

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