Molonglo Ponds is a former sewerage sludge pond located only 15-minutes from the Canberra CBD. The surrounding area is set to pave the way for new communities and suburbs with open spaces and public amenities.
With the central area of Canberra becoming an innovation precinct, and the city attracting an increasing number of residents and visitors, the need to enhance recreational spaces, parklands and lakes has never been greater.
The Molonglo Ponds region is home to 5,000 residents with two new suburbs in Wright and Coombs now open. The ultimate objective for the region, facilitated through this project, is to convert a contaminated site into a space that offers tangible benefit for the community and improves the quality of life for ACT residents and visitors.
The remediation, rehabilitation and ecological restoration of the Former Sewage Sludge Ponds and adjoining reserve land will also boost the environment and increase the number of native habitats for ACT native species.
Sustainably Driven
To promote sustainability and support the ecological richness of the Molonglo Ponds region, Infrastructure Finance and Capital Works (IFCW) on behalf of the ACT Parks and Conservation Service (PCS) of the Environment Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) engaged WSP to undertake site investigations and civil design.
Our team will also be providing environmental and engineering services in relation to the remediation and restoration of the Molonglo Former Sewage Sludge Ponds. This project will not only help build new suburbs, but also help the region’s threatened species from becoming endangered.
Due to its multi-faceted nature, we are working collaboratively with our Transport Advisory team and key stakeholders including landscape architects Oxigen to create a welcoming green space that encourages community interactions.
Ecological Solutions
Through the collaboration with government, the community and other key stakeholders, the ecological and environmental outcomes for the region can be realised. There was a strong focus on developing the flora and fauna as well as respecting and acknowledging the importance of the region’s Indigenous history.
The recovery and rehabilitation of Molonglo Ponds will transform a site that was once uninhabitable into a future community space where people can gather and enjoy the natural environment. Once the project is complete, the Molonglo Ponds site will be reborn as the Molonglo Special Purpose Reserve.
