Sunshine Coast Hinterland Times

Wetlands are fascinating and diverse ecological systems of many types. In the past, some wetlands were called “swamps”, and were looked on as places to drain or fill and build on. Their value as filters to maintain water quality and provide essential habitat was simply not recognised. Many wetlands, particularly in coastal areas, were lost as a result. Fortunately their functions are now more widely understood and the Hinterland is very fortunate to have two designated wetlands as part of the Maleny Community Precinct.

These days wetland design for particular functions, their management or actual construction, are disciplines in their own right and depending on the scale may be undertaken by landholders or specialists. Some production nurseries construct reed bed wetland treatment systems to capture and treat site runoff and irrigation water for recycling, thereby saving very large amounts of water. There is of course a sizeable initial cost and not just any old reed will do the job.

As the Precinct wetlands are developed, their main purposes will need to be considered. Visual amenity will be important as will  habitat for a diverse range of plants and animals. What a  wonderful area for the local shool children to study the  life cycles of invertebrates, check out the frog population and monitor the birdlife.

The wetlands will also trap sediments, filter nutrients in run-off from adjacent land uses and help to protect water quality in Obi Obi Creek. The published plan for the Precinct indicates that one wetland will be shaded and the other more open which will mean different suites of plants and different habitats. Their conversion to fully functioning systems will take time, but Council and the Maleny Community Precinct Working Group will all participate in providing the community with a wonderful environmental treasure.