15 Aug 2023
Turriff Lodge parkland set for an October reopening
TasWater’s work at the Turriff Lodge wetlands is nearly finished, but to give new vegetation a chance to establish, the riverside walking track through the reinvigorated parkland will not reopen until October.
Project Manager Derrick Clack said the transformation of the wetlands was one of three projects undertaken at Turriff Lodge over the past year.
“The area looks – and smells – completely different and, while we know people are keen to see it, we want the area to be ready,” Derrick said.
“Before we could drain the wetlands and fill the treatment ponds, we had to rebuild the old sewage outfall, and this is complemented by an upgrade to the treatment plant’s digester system.
“We’re working on a replanting program of tea tree and melaleuca, which will grow to provide screening of the treatment plant from the new parkland.
“We’ve filled the ponds with rock, sculpted the area for drainage so it can cope with floods and king tides, put all the topsoil in and seeded the area with grass.
“The weather has been good, but the new surface is still wetter and softer than expected, so we need to give it more time to settle and dry out.
“It’s a longer than expected closure of the walking track, but it will be worth it once the area reopens in spring,” he said.
For more information about this project, visit Turriff Lodge Outfall and Wetlands Project.