Caring for water by Zhehao Wang

Caring for Water Brochure Report Design with Country: Resilience Studio ABPL90430 Zhehao Wang 905817

Acknowledgements I am very grateful to everyone who helps, teaches and shares knowledge with our studio and me(Names are listed in alphabetical order):

Lecturers and tutors of the studio

I acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the Country in which this studio and project were carried out. I pay my respects to their culture and all Elders, past, present and emerging.

Alex Felson Jefa Greenaway Kirstine Wallis Gini Lee Erin O’Donnell

scenario for real-world project

Guest speakers of the studio Erin O’Donnell

This design proposal is a piece of work within the university studio. In real-world scenarios, the whole design process will be guided by Wurundjeri Elders and co-designed with the Wurundjeri communities from the first day. This design will be a piece of co-designed work and subject to approval or changes by the Wurundjeri communities if found inappropriate or lacking.

Gini Lee

Outside of studio Jerrika Pevitt (A friend of mine, Gunditjmara cultural background) Uncle Bill Nicholson (Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Elder)

Overview, context, site analysis and design opportunities Greenspace

Bolin Bolin Billabong

Grassy lawns are around the site. They have the potential for ecological retrofits.

The billabong suffers from a lack of water, eutrophication and invasive species.

Annulus Billabong

ar e y 0 line 0 1 od flo

Greenspace (Farm)

Birr

st Link

iver

Bir

rar

gline

Residential Areas

Bolin Bolin Billabong

ive

Ephemeral billabong

Detention pond

r ea e y 0- lin 0 1 od flo

North Ea

Greenspace (Farm)

ve Ri

Detention pond

n ru

Greenspace (Veneto Club)

rra

Residential Areas

Bullen Rd Son

CURRENT STATE

arun

Greenspace (Playing fields) N

50 100

200m

1: 4000 @A1

Birrarung River Traditionally, Birrarung is seen as a living entity that can hear and has a spirit.

North East Link The tunnel of North East Link allows for the possibility to pedestrianize sections of Bullen road.

BIRRARUNG’S PEOPLE

Image source: https://www.wurundjeri.com.au/

Wurundjeri

Birrarung is the heart of the Kulin nation, which consists of five language groups.

Wurundjeri people are the traditional owners of the site areas. Bolin Bolin Billabong is one of the most sacred sites for the Wurundjeri communities.

WURUNDJERI’S PHILOSOPHY

Kulin nation

Caring for Country Kulin people believe it is the responsibility of humans to look after Country to keep the Country healthy.

Water is the lifeblood of Country Country cannot stay healthy without a sufficient amount of clean water.

DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES

Cultural water More water needs to be controlled by Wurundjeri communities to increase biodiversity.

Culturally and ecologically managed vegetations Cultural burning will be re-introduced with indigenous vegetation plantations.

Rekindle plant knowledge The plant usage and cultural meanings will be celebrated in the design.

Reclaim of the residential areas Lands from the nearby areas will be gradually purchased by the government and turned into parklands.

Community engagement The local communities will be educated and empowered to care for the ecosystem.

THREATS AND MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Encroaching urban development Urban development may be built upon the parkland.

Urban stream syndrome This includes flash increases in water volume linked to rain and low water quality.

Mismanaged vegetation Over-dense tree canopy covers decrease understories’ biodiversity while being vulnerable to bushfires.

Eutrophication of the billabongs Bolin Bolin Billabong has accumulated too many nutrients washed down from the nearby residential areas.

Buffering woodlands

Annulus Billabong

Birr

arun

So ng l

in e

ha re d

pa th )

Annulus Billabong

Annulus billabong will be used as a testing The residential areas around Bolin Bolin ground for ecological retrofits prior to the Billabong will be purchased and revegerestoration of Bolin Bolin Billabong. tated.

CONCEPTUAL MASTER PLAN

Bu lle n

iver

Buffering Grasslands

Buffering Grasslands Bolin Bolin Billabong

Bir

rar

ive

Constructed woody wetlands

Restored billabong

Constructed woody wetlands

Bolin Bolin Billabong N

A range of treatment wetlands will be built. The billabong will be restored to a healthiThe purified water will be utilized for ecoer ecological state. logical purposes.

50 100

200m

1: 4000 @A1

Conceptual Design at the scale of the transect 2023 Annulus Billabong restoration experiment Constructed woody wetlands

2030

2026 Bolin Bolin Billabong restoration

ISOMETRIC

PHASING OF PROJECT

2024 pilot Woody wetland construction

2024

Constructed woody wetlands

Buffering Grasslands

2030 Woody wetland expansion

100 2040 Songline and billabong restoration

ood fl r ea

lev r e t wa

Birra

rung

River

Annulus Billabong

2023

Birrarung

2030

River

th)

gli

100 year flood water level

d nR

n So

sh e(

a dp

Buffering Grasslands Residential Areas

lle

Bolin Bolin Billabong

2026

Restored billabong Birrar

ung R

iver

Constructed woody wetlands

2040 Constructed woody wetlands 2030

Greenspace (Playing fields)

CONSTRUCTED WOODY WETLANDS

Buffer

The wetlands will collect and purify stormwater and greywater.

BILLABONGS’ RESTORATIONS

The wetlands will trap surface runoff and serve as a buffer zone for the river and the billabongs.

Filter

Water recharge The purified water will be recharged into billabongs.

Reversed-Eutrophication The excess amount of nutrients in the billabongs will be removed through revegetation and periodical vegetation harvesting.

MANAGEMENT PLAN

https://www.wurundjeri.com.au/

https://www.water.vic.gov.au/

Wurundjeri community

Government

The project will be guided and consulted by the Wurundjeri elders.

Governments will provide funding and future management of the project.

Image source: https://www.unimelb.edu.au/

https://www.yarraatlas.org.au/cb_pages/who_we_are.php

Research facilities

Community led organisation

Ecologists will support the project by utilizing ecological sciences.

local communities will be educated, motivated and look after the project.

Site plan of 2024 pilot Woody wetland Detention pond

n ctio ire gd win flo ter Wa

r fl

ate W ing ec dir

rflow Ove tion c dire

tio

rflow Ove tion c e dir

Pre-existing trees

Bir

ssy

Gra

rar

ung

Riv

ilts

h Grating

Gr as sy

bic yc le

tra

ath

ss p

cce

Steel Mes

Pavilion

c Tru

ryin

n fo

law

ittor

dL tlan

e er W

Upp

t pipe

ater Inle

ral

Litto

Pre-existing shrubs

Low

Detention pond

Stormw

nd etla er W

Small billabong

gross pollutant trap

Overflow direction

Terrestrial Zone vegetation

100m

Location of the zoomed in areas

Legends Trees

Shrubs River red gum

Wovolip

Swamp Gum

Scented paperbark

Muyan

Austral indigo

Gneering

Red fruited saw sedge

Water movement pathways

Land types

Greywater Inlet pipe

Waterbodies

Stormwater Inlet pipe

Terrestrial Zone vegetation

Low water level pathways

Upper Wetland Littoral

Medium water level additional pathways

Lower Wetland Littoral

High water level additional pathways

Grassy lawn

Riparian woodland

Nectars for pollinators

CANOPY LAYER

WSUD plants

Gneering

River red gum

Allocasuarina verticillata

Eucalyptus camaldulensis

SHRUB LAYER

Plants

Austral indigo

Scented Paperbark

Indigofera australis

Melaleuca squarrosa

Weeping grass

Common Tussock-Grass

Microlaena stipoides

Poa Labillardierei

Birds’ habitats

PLANT SPECIES

Eatable plants

Crafting materials

Medicine plants

HERBACEOUS LAYER

LEGENDS

Caterpillars’ food

Muyan

Swamp Gum

Acacia dealbata

Eucalyptus ovata

Red fruited saw sedge

Woolip

Gahnia seberiana

Leptospermum lanigerum

GROUND MATERIALS

Sandy soil

Sandstone

onsite soil

Structural soil

Steel Mesh Grating

Garawun

Tall Sedge

Dullum Dullum

Lomandra longifolia

Carex appressa

Marsilea drummondii

Sections Location of sections

River red gum 2

SECTION1: DETENTION POND AND LEAKY WEIR

Gneering

Pathway seat

100 year flood water level High rainfall water level Sandy loam

Low rainfall water level Discharge Control Structure

perforated concrete pipe

Austral indigo

Weeping grass

Garawun, Tall Sedge and Dullum Dullum

concrete pipe

Sandy loam

Drought period water level

Ephemeral detention pond (Cut)

Leaky weir and Spillway (Fill)

Common Tussock -Grass

Swale (Cut)

10m

1:100 @ A1

River red gum

SECTION2: WOODY WETLAND

Swamp Gum

Muyan

Scented Paperbark

Woolip Red fruited saw sedge

Mound (Fill)

Swale (Cut)

Location of footings and pavers’ detail

Mound (Fill)

Swale (Cut)0

Mound (Fill)

10m

1:100 @ A1

Details Terrestrial Zone

SLOPE PLANTINGS

pot stocks

Upper Wetland Littoral Live stakes

Lower Wetland Littoral Geotextile (Jute)

Top soil

Sandy loam

Timber sticks recycled from North East Link

onsite soil

FOOTINGS AND PAVERS

Grass pavers Structural soil onsite soil

Concrete stump

Steel Mesh Grating Universal Beam

Top soil

Concrete footing Gravel

Sandy loam

Perspective: September, 2050, day time, rain and fog, moving water

Perspective: September, 2050, day time, cloudy, still water

Perspectives of landscape maturation, 2025, morning, fog

Perspectives of landscape maturation, 2050, noon, sun 2100

Perspectives of landscape maturation, 2100, dusk, sun

Caring for Water Zhehao Wang 905817