Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia

Victoria Division

Excellence Awards 2012

Submission by Greater Shepparton City Council

Category: Capital Project Award

Project: Victoria Park Lake Redevelopment,

Shepparton

Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia – Victoria Division

Excellence Awards 2012

Submission by Greater Shepparton City Council

Category: Capital Project Award

Project: Victoria Park Lake Redevelopment, Shepparton

PROJECT SUMMARY:

The project’s primary objective was the redevelopment of the Victoria Park Lake, and to

commence the implementation of the Victoria Park Master Plan. The redevelopment works

included:

Excavating and reshaping the lake floor to improve water quality and recreational opportunities.

Construction of a wetland to manage and improve water quality

Construction of three jetties and a boardwalk

Construction of a regatta basin, together with a buoying system

Improve accessibility for the community to and around the lake, and to Victoria Park

Provide habitat for local wildlife

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Project objectives and outcomes

Greater Shepparton’s Victoria Park Lake has been transformed from a shallow lake with limited

active community involvement to an attractive environmentally sustainable public open space

used for a wide range of recreational activities.

Victoria Park Lake, located 2km south of the Shepparton CBD, had always been considered

the city’s premier public space but by 2007, years of drought had taken their toll on the lake’s

water quality and the surrounding habitat. The photograph below shows the lake as it existed in

January 2009.

Victoria Park Lake 09 January 2009 – before redevelopment (looking north)

In its 2006-2010 Council Plan, Council committed to reviewing the decade-old Victoria Park

Master Plan to “further enhance and upgrade the precinct”. Community input and comment was

sought during late 2007 and early 2008 to identify residents’ priorities for the future use and

development of the precinct.

More than 30 written submissions were received together with engagement with a Council

formed stakeholder group and a public meeting. While there were a range of views on how the

lake should be redeveloped there was overwhelming community support for the precinct to be

revitalised. In particular the community wanted:

the lake to be developed as a sustainable water body used for non-motorised boating

and fishing;

development of a wetland within the lake to help maintain water quality and habitat for

native fish and birds;

the precinct to enhance and protect the Goulburn River, which runs along the western

edge of Victoria Park; and

the northern and eastern sides of the precinct to provide views of the lake and an

attractive setting for a range of passive activities.

In October 2008 Greater Shepparton City Council adopted the revised Victoria Park Master

Plan that included the lake redevelopment. Site preparation works to allow the lake bed to dry

was completed by the end of the year, with major redevelopment earthworks under way by

March 2009.

The Master Plan implementation was designed to allow for staged development, with the major

element, the lake redevelopment, completed in late 2011.

Victoria Park Lake 07 February 2012 – after redevelopment (looking north)

As a result of the redevelopment there has been a marked growth in the number of people

using the precinct for leisure and recreational pursuits as well as vast improvements in the

lake’s water quality and native wildlife numbers.

This submission will focus on the sustainability, efficiency and safety design features that have

underpinned and guided the redevelopment project, one of the largest in the Council’s history.

Project design features

The Victoria Park Lake Redevelopment was designed from the adopted concept designs by

local engineering consultants, supported by specialist sub-consultants.

Victoria Park Lake is a terminal lake, ie a lake with no flow through of water. The water for the

lake is pumped from the nearby Goulburn River and discharged into the lake at the southern

end, adjacent to the wetland outlet. Water is circulated through the wetland, with a 20-30 day

water turnover period as part of the treatment process. Water flows through the wetland and

returns to the lake at the south end.

The details of the lake prior to redevelopment were:

Area: 16.2 ha

Volume: 240 Ml

Max depth: 1.8m

The details of the lake following redevelopment are:

Area (total): 15.7 ha (lake: 12.5 ha, wetland: 3.2 ha)

Volume: 270 Ml (lake: 240 Ml, wetland: 30 Ml)

Max depth: 3.5m

When using the circulation pump, water is drawn from the deepest part of the lake, 3.5 metres

at its deepest, into the wetland, creating a forced circulation process. This allows for the

continual mixing of the water, and prevents thermal stratification of the water and minimising

the chance of algal blooms.

In addition, local native aquatic plants have been used to minimise weed growth while other

local aquatic plants in the wetland further minimise the chance of algal blooms by reducing

phosphorous and nitrogen levels within the water.

A major feature of the redevelopment is the wetland at the lake’s south end. This wetland has

not only provided valuable habitat for fish, plants and other native animals it plays a key role in

reducing the amount of energy needed to manage the water quality in the lake, the wetlands

and outflows in to the Goulburn River.

Aquatic birdlife on the wetland. Netting to protect new plantings 19 January 2012

The lake and wetlands are providing habitat for local wildlife and have been stocked with native

fish by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, and local angling clubs. The wildlife is

proving a challenge for the planting and establishment of the required plantings, however

netting of the new plantings is achieving some success.

Gypsum has been used within the base of the lake to stabilise the natural clay soils to reduce

turbidity. In time the lake floor plantings will spread across the floor to further control turbidity.

The lake/wetland system has been designed to use the prevailing winds to circulate water

through the wetland reducing reliance on the circulation pump saving energy costs.

The wetland’s four solar powered inlet control gates at the north end were designed and

installed by a local irrigation infrastructure supplier. The flume gates are positioned to allow

wind-driven lake circulation flows into the wetland during May to September, and to allow

management and maintenance of the wetland while the lake is at full supply level.

The lake’s water quality is continually monitored to ensure safety for recreational users,

including people fishing and boating, and that any outflows from the lake downstream do not

adversely affect the Goulburn River.

The lake/wetland water quality design goal was to achieve “secondary” contact quality, with

“primary” contact quality as an aspirational goal. Recent water quality testing conducted by

Council has found that the water is secondary contact quality, which is suitable for general on-

water activities, and the design goal achieved.

It goes without saying that in designing a public space due attention needs to be made in the

design to ensuring the safety and access of all users. The redevelopment design – in addition

to complying with all standard statutory regulations - promotes public safety by providing a

safety bench of compacted material along the perimeter concrete wall edge of the lake and

wetland. Where there is direct access to the water there is a one in five slope within the first 10

metres of the water’s edge. This allows anyone who accidently falls in to the lake to quickly

regain their footing within shallow water.

In 2004 an all-abilities playground was installed by Council adjacent to the lake’s western

shore. To promote even greater community inclusiveness the lake redevelopment design

incorporated all-weather access paths to completely surround the lake and wetland; ensured

any step access was complemented by ramp access; and extended two existing toilet blocks to

include accessible toilets.

The improved access has been lauded by local agencies including Council’s Disability Advisory

Committee and a number of events including all-access sailing have been held successfully at

the lake.

Barriers overcome to achieve success

Issues around weed control in and around the lake have challenged lake maintenance activities

of Council for a number of years. Improved wetland management practices and the reshaping

of the lake floor to control the areas available for plants to establish will result in more effective

useable areas for recreation whilst ensuring that water quality is maintained.

Furthermore, during 2008/09 there was increasing community angst about water security as a

result of almost a decade of drought. On the other hand the community had made it very clear

that they wanted water back in Victoria Park Lake – it was seen as an oasis of green in an

otherwise dry landscape. This swell of support for returning water to the lake saw a number of

current Councillors run on a platform during the November 2008 local government elections

committing to the lake’s redevelopment.

The Council and the Community’s desire to achieve completion of the redevelopment in the

shortest timeframe resulted in project design and construction occurring almost in parallel. The

delivery strategy of using the Council’s Operations Branch to control the earthworks and

plantings enable this strategy to work.

The works completed at the end of 2011 have cost $6.7 million. This amount includes the

upgrading of the toilets, the installation of the upgraded Victoria Park irrigation system, and

realignment of the western bank of the lake.

Council was able to commit $600,000 from the Federal Government’s Regional and Local

Community Infrastructure Program – Round 1 funding to the project at the end of 2008. The

balance of the total funding was provided by Council. The timely injection of the Federal

Government funds allowed the redevelopment to commence earlier than initially programmed.

One of the many positive outcomes of the redevelopment process has been the level of

community consultation and involvement. Through this process a lake users’ group formed.

This group was one of the major stakeholder groups, and regular meetings were held with their

membership to discuss the development of the lake.

Looking south over the completed lake with the wetland in the background 19 January 2012

While the final stages of the Master Plan implementation are still to be completed, and there is

still some finishing works for the lake, there is no doubt that the project as it stands is a tribute

to the efforts of all concerned who have juggled environmental, economic, social and political

demands while more than meeting community expectations.

CONTRIBUTIONS:

This project required a “whole of Council” approach to deliver the final product.

The Councillors endorsed the project and were keen to achieve completion.

Project delivery was handled by the Asset Development Department.

Council’s Engineering Project Branch was responsible for the overall project management, as

well as procurement of the lake redevelopment design, supply and construction of the hard

edge walling, construction of the recirculating pump station and jetties, construction of wetland

inlet structure and water supply lines. These activities were delivered by contract.

Council’s Operations Branch were responsible for delivery of the project earthworks, wetland

boardwalk and lake plantings.

Design consultants: Planright Australasia P/L

Specialist sub-consultants: Urban Initiatives P/L and Aquatic Systems Management

GENERAL COMMENTS:

This project has reinvigorated the southern entry into Shepparton Township and has been

embraced by the community. There has been increased active and passive participation in

Victoria Park and on the lake.

Looking south over wetland and boardwalk, along the asphalt shared path around the lake

Following completion and re-opening of the lake to the community, the lake has been used for

the Victorian Model Powerboat championships, the Shepparton Rowing Club has re-formed,

and kayaking can been seen being undertaken in the dark with headlights!

The redeveloped lake is now the focus of community events with summertime cinema events,

music festivals, celebrations and of course, fireworks!

Fireworks over the lake on 10 October 2010 – looking south from the Northern Plaza

Appendix 1

Victoria Park Master Plan – October 2008 (Updated to January 2011)