Wetlands help keep Moreton Bay clean and green

Published 04 June 2026

• 90 constructed wetlands are helping to filter out thousands of tonnes of pollutants before they hit waterways in City of Moreton Bay every year.
• The wetlands use a carefully designed series of ponds, sediment basins, vegetated drains and native plants to treat stormwater and reduce sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus and other pollutants.
• Two constructed wetland projects were recognised at last year’s Stormwater Queensland Awards for Excellence.

A series of all man-made wetlands and naturalised vegetated drains are helping to treat thousands of kilograms of pollutants before they hit waterways in City of Moreton Bay every year.

Located in suburbs across the City, 90 man-made or ‘constructed’ wetlands sites are filtering out sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus and other pollutants from urban stormwater thanks to a series of strategically positioned ponds, sediment basins, vegetated drains and thousands of native plants.

The treated water then flows out to creeks and waterways downstream, resulting in a healthier ecosystem.

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said Council was committed to delivering resilient, nature-based solutions that benefit both the environment and the community.

“As our City grows, it is important that we do all we can to keep Moreton Bay’s waterways a healthy ecosystem for wildlife to thrive,” he said.

“The work of our Drainage, Waterways and Coastal Planning Team has been first class in striving towards this goal with the roll-out of these constructed wetlands across the City.

“Our pristine local waterways are a massive drawcard for tourists and initiatives like this help keep it that way.”

The environmental success of Council’s constructed wetlands was highlighted at last year’s Stormwater Queensland Awards for Excellence, with Beech Drive Park Wetland and Crendon Street Park Naturalised Channel projects each picking up an award.

The Beech Drive project saw some 28,000 new plants planted, transforming a degraded channel and ponds into a naturalised wetland system, improving water quality, stabilising erosion, and enhancing biodiversity.

The project is designed to remove some 7,600 kg of sediment, 41 kg of nitrogen, 13 kg of phosphorus and more than 90% Gross Pollutants reduction each year.

Meanwhile, the Crendon Street project diverts stormwater from a concrete-lined drain into a meandering, vegetated channel with sediment basins and several habitat ponds, improving water quality and creating a multifunctional urban space.

Some 20,000 new plants were planted, helping to remove over 8,000 kg of sediment, 43 kg of nitrogen, 14 kg of phosphorus, and more than 90% Gross Pollutants reduction each year.

“Through the creation of wetlands projects like these, we are not only improving our City’s waterways but creating an ecosystem which allows wildlife to flourish,” Mayor Flannery said.

“Projects like these are fundamental to Council’s efforts to ‘Go Green as we Grow’, which is all about safeguarding our environment amid a booming population, while also improving water quality right here in Moreton Bay.”